Religious privilege in action.
Some guy from something called The Christian Institute (why do I suspect its membership consists of the guy in question?) is saying he’s going to boycott Tesco, because some other guy who works for Tesco in some capacity said something on Flickr. Yes really. Mind you it’s in the Telegraph, which seems to specialize in this kind of non-story, but it’s still worth a tiny smile of disdain (because after all, how much trouble is a tiny smile of disdain).
Nick Lansley, Tesco’s head of research and development, said he was actively taking a stand “against evil Christians” who opposed the right of same-sex couples to marry.
In a message on his profile page on Flickr.com, he said: “I’m…campaigning against evil Christians (that’s not all Christians, just bad ones) who think that gay people should not lead happy lives and get married to their same-sex partners.”
I suppose some intern at the Telegraph spotted that and alerted an unoccupied reporter who phoned Xian Institute guy and asked him what he thought about that, and Xian Institute guy obligingly took the bait. It’s hard to imagine it happening any other way.
What actually caught my eye was something the Telegraph said farther down the page.
The row comes a month after Tesco provoked controversy by reducing its support for the charity Cancer Research’s Race for Life while deciding to sponsor Pride London, Britain’s largest gay festival.
See it? Tesco “provoked controversy” by doing something (something benign, in my view). Typical. Typical manipulationg-by-wording. Anything you do that I don’t like is “provoking” me.
Second item: a Methodist church in Cornwall tried to get around an employment tribunal by claiming its ministers are employed by God rather than by the church.
Appeal Court judges have ruled the Reverend Haley Preston, of Cornwall, is employed by the Church rather than God.
The Methodist Church had claimed that ministers were not ordinary employees but “stewards in the house of God”.
The Appeal Court ruling opens the way for Mrs Preston, 50, of Redruth, to pursue an unfair dismissal claim against the Church.
I suppose that one is an example of ex-privilege or attempted privilege, since it didn’t work, but still, there’s something so brazen about the attempt that it seems to earn the word. The Methodist Church was feeling very Special that day.
The National Secular Society have a good article about the Christian Institute:
http://www.secularism.org.uk/the-christian-institute-and-the.html
It’s a fairly substantial organisation. It’s “Christian Voice”, which is the one man band of Stephen Wifebeater Green.
If the ministers are employed by God, let Him make payroll. As long as their checks come from the church, however….
The non-story about Tesco and Teh Gayz was picked up by the Daily Mail a little while ago – and very well taken apart by Jonathan here: http://nosleeptilbrooklands.blogspot.com/2011/11/daily-mail-vs-gaysvs-cancer.html. OK, in this case the group of weirdos is called “Anglican Mainstream”… but, y’know, tomayto tomahto and all that.
That’s for sure.
Great stuff.
But … It’s over 4 months to 1st April!
FWIW, here’s the gen on the Christian Institute.
“Anything you do that I don’t like is “provoking” me.”
Yeah, funny that …
When someone is of another opinion, they are obviously provoking little me. Even if my opinion is one of bigotry and hate. I’m not provoking the gays, no no, they’re provoking me too – by existing …
*sigh*
Fundie-logic …
One thing I have actually noticed is the fact there are plenty of beliefs regarding the lenders intentions whenever talking about home foreclosure. One delusion in particular is that often the bank desires your house. The lending company wants your hard earned money, not your home. They want the funds they loaned you together with interest. Averting the bank is only going to draw some sort of foreclosed conclusion. Thanks for your publication.