Ian Bell tells us why he will be voting for Britain to remain in the European Union on 23 June
Until recently I was in favour of the UK leaving the EU.
However, after a careful study of the arguments I have changed my mind. My frustration with the debate so far is that there have been too many ‘sound bites’ and not enough information. Therefore, my objective here is to outline the arguments that persuaded me to change my mind.
Is Europe the Babylon found in Revelation?
A significant number of Christians who are in favour of leaving the EU base their arguments on the contention that Europe is the harlot (Babylon) found in Revelation 12, 17 and 18. This question is fundamental, so let’s examine the evidence.
In the days following the Reformation it was argued that the ‘Woman of Revelation’ (Revelation 12) was the Roman Catholic Church and that she was the harlot of Revelation 17. This was because she has a crown of 12 stars, a traditional representation of Mary. As the power of Rome waned, it was then argued that the woman symbolised the EU because ‘The Treaty of Rome’ was its founding document and the EU has 12 stars on its flag. However, when we examine the Bible what we find is that the woman of chapter 12 is depicted as the enemy of the beast, not his ally, and therefore not the harlot of chapter 17.
In Revelation 17 we read of a harlot dressed in scarlet, purple and gold. She is riding on a red beast which has seven heads and ten horns. The harlot is given the name ‘mystery’ because there is a mystery with regards to the exact identity of Babylon. We should therefore be cautious of those who are certain about its identity. Even so, in Revelation 18 –19 we are given some clues to help us. Babylon is centred upon trade, manufacturing and the arts. It could be Europe, but it could equally describe some other city or country.
It is also claimed that the symbol used for Europe, Europa riding a white bull, is the harlot of Revelation 17. The first point to note is that many organisations and countries use Greek and Roman mythological figures as their logos (BT – Hermes; Starbucks – Siren; UK – Britannia.) It’s therefore not surprising that Europe should choose Europa.
The Greek myth is the story of a beautiful, innocent girl (Europa) who is kidnapped by Zeus in the form of a white bull and taken to Crete, where she is raped. A very basic examination of Revelation 17 shows that there are no similarities whatsoever between Europa and the harlot.
In Revelation 17 we have a harlot not an innocent girl. The harlot is dressed in scarlet, purple and gold. Europa is traditionally dressed in white. While the harlot is riding a red beast with seven heads and ten horns, Europa is riding a white bull with one head and two horns.
The EU has corrupted Britain
The EU is at present dominated by a secular agenda. However, so is Britain. Opponents of our membership of the EU argue that the increasing immorality of the last 30 years has been caused by the EU. The evidence does not support this assertion. The whole of the Western World has also been overwhelmed by the secular agenda. Indeed it could be argued that it is Britain who has corrupted Europe through its dominance of the entertainment and financial industries.
British Christianity owes much to our links to Europe. For example, the Reformation started in Europe with Luther (German), Zwingli (Swiss) and Calvin (French). It is said that the father of the English Reformation was Erasmus (Dutch), the Lady Margaret Professor of Theology at Cambridge University. Furthermore, when our Reformers were persecuted here, it was to Europe they fled and were given protection. Even that most British of revivals, the Wesleyan revival, was strongly influenced by Moravian (German) Christians. Europe is secular and needs a revival, but so does Britain.
The EU imposes godless laws on Britain
Let’s examine this claim. It was the UK Government that passed the Abortion and Same Sex Marriage Acts. It is the UK Crown Prosecution Services that routinely prosecutes Christian bakers, hotel owners and street preachers for perceived misdemeanours. Personally, I would vote to leave the EU if the Brexit campaign made a commitment to restore Christian values to the UK, but that is not going to happen. The confusion in this area is as a result of Christians not appreciating that there are two separate European Courts.
First, there is the European Court of Justice (ECJ). This court is part of the EU and if we leave the EU we will leave its jurisdiction. The ECJ is tasked with interpreting EU law across all EU states. Today, its judgments are mainly concerned with the equal application of the single market across the EU.
Second, there is the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). This is the court that passes legislation on abortion, human rights, same sex marriage, etc. This court is not part of the EU and includes many non-EU, European countries, such as Russia. Britain was one of the driving forces behind its establishment after the Second World War. The judgments of this court are based on the European Convention of Human Rights and, as the UK is a signatory of this convention, even if we vote to leave the EU, we will still remain under its jurisdiction.
The EU is undemocratic
Opponents of the EU correctly assert that God is not mentioned in the EU constitution. However, God is mentioned in the first line of our national anthem. Does that make our country godlier? At least the EU has a constitution; the UK does not.
It is also argued that the EU is run by ‘unelected bureaucrats’ (Commissioners). There are 28 Commissioners, nominated from each country, who are the equivalent of Permanent Secretaries in the UK Government (Civil Servants). Their job is to implement European policy, not to initiate it. 75% of these policies are set by the Heads of Government and the Councils of Ministers. The other 25% of EU laws are initiated by the European Parliament, which is elected by proportional representation. According to the House of Commons Library, about 14% of UK laws originate from the EU, not the 70% often mistakenly quoted.
It is my contention that the EU is more democratic than the UK. Proportionally the UK has 100 times more bureaucrats than the EU. Governments of the UK are routinely elected with the support of 40% of the population. We have no effective Second Chamber or Executive to ensure checks and balances. The Prime Minister rules in many important matters such as defence and security by the Royal Prerogative. This is tolerable today, but what happens if or when Britain has a totalitarian government? Minorities such as Christians will have little or no legal protection.
We must control our own borders, economy, defence and security.
The EU has already recognised the UK’s special place in world affairs. We are responsible for our own foreign affairs and defence (working with the UN and NATO, etc.) as well as our own security (working closely with the USA). As we are outside the ‘Schengen Area’, we are responsible for our own borders. We have our own currency, set our own interest rates and manage our own fiscal policy. The City of London has also been given special provisions and the EU has accepted that the UK is exempt from the process of ‘ever closer union’.
We have lost our national identity.
I would argue that there isn’t a conflict of interest between national identity and remaining part of the EU. I am proud to be both British and European. I am proud of our Christian heritage, but I am also proud of my European brethren who brought the gospel and the Reformation to these shores. What I am against is the sort of narrow patriotism that caused 1,000 years of conflict in Europe, cumulating in two World Wars whereby 27 million of our young people perished.
Britain has never been an isolationist country that shirks its responsibilities. It’s time to take up our God-given leadership role in Europe. It’s time for the church in this country to look forward, not backwards. It’s time to start building bridges, not walls.
