Going through it

When our kids were young, one of their favourite books was We’re going on a bear hunt.

It’s a great bed-time tale by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. A family sets out in search of a bear. On the way they are faced with difficult terrain — a river, thick mud, a dark forest… The repeated refrain is: ‘We can’t go over it. We can’t go under it. Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!’ Sometimes you have to just face things. It’s a life lesson.

With the passing of the same-sex marriage bill the politically correct world has arrived. The faithful, non-PC church can’t get round it. Just as gay activists have pursued B&B owners, Christian counsellors and hounded MPs holding views contrary to their own, it is unlikely that Bible-based churches will simply be left alone. We will have to go through it.

But before the law-suits start it would be wise to think ahead. How can we act now to minimise the potential troubles? The following suggestions may be controversial.