It’s a mad, mad world; and the law is an ass. To anyone self-identifying as an ass – I do apologise.
After 25-plus years working in and writing on the law, I have to hold up my hands and accept that the law is indeed an ass; at least certain elements introduced in recent times. I’ll stop short of going so far as to say: ‘The law is an ass, and written by donkeys’. (But don’t mind me if you disagree).
First, our law-makers are voted into office and are owed due honour and respect by virtue of their office. Second, we are exhorted to pray for those in authority; has prayer for those in authority ever been more needed?
Bar a small handful, most politicians are not Christians; and collectively they are increasingly determined to embody the spirit of the age when debating and passing new legislation.
The gender debate, for instance, is deeply divisive within our parliaments and across society. This has led to what many argue are ill-considered laws that filter down to the workplace, leading to senseless or woke guidance, policies and procedures. But at what cost? The consequences are, in many cases, proving disastrous.
Two teachers – one an evangelical Christian Joshua Sutcliffe - are facing the loss of their careers for ‘misgendering’ school pupils who self-identified as the other sex. Former Tory party chairman Lord Tebbit said, on one of the teachers’ suspension: ‘It seems to me this is a mad world when someone is disciplined for stating a biological fact.’ The problem here is – we’re told that facts must not get in the way of the progressives’ agenda.
Or as one person on Twitter neatly put it: ‘I stand with Joshua Sutcliffe. The world is full of false prophets and has very few good maths teachers!’ Sadly, according to the Family Education Trust several teachers are facing disciplinary action for similar reasons. This is an issue of religion and of conscience and it is not only Christians who are being persecuted for refusing to toe the line.
Prayer is banned
Far more sinister is the ban on prayer. Yes, dear reader - there is already a ban on prayer. It was introduced largely unnoticed and is restricted to a small geographical area; but it is still a prayer ban. It’s taken Isabel Vaughan-Spruce’s recent arrest for silently praying outside a Birmingham abortion clinic to highlight this ‘ass’ of a law.
A public space protection order (effectively imposing a buffer zone) outside the clinic was introduced last September (and it’s not the only one in England). The order prohibits ‘protesting, namely engaging in any act of approval or disapproval or attempted act of approval or disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services, by any means. This includes… prayer or counselling’.
I’d argue that this is both ill-thought through and reveals considerable Biblical illiteracy. Prayer, by its very nature, would not normally satisfy a reasonable person’s definition of ‘protesting’. A prohibition on prayer is the type of law you’d expect in totalitarian regimes like Iran, not England today.
Similarly, the proposed ban on conversion therapy looks set to include a ban on certain types of prayer, again betraying ignorance as to what prayer actually is. Because prayer for the Christian is talking to God. We are commanded to pray; we’re exhorted to pray without ceasing. Prayer is oxygen to the child of God. So we have a duty to stand firm like Daniel and resist bad laws. The Lord protected him from the backlash; and He will honour those who honour Him.
Our legislators have tough decisions to make. Striking a balance between safeguarding those truly at risk and protecting individuals’ freedom of speech and expression is challenging. The cases above suggest that the balance is tipping increasingly against Christian liberties.
