Students at Kings College London (KCL) have successfully campaigned for the removal of a window featuring former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, an alumnus of the college, on the grounds that his stance on gay marriage makes him “homophobic”. The move comes despite Carey’s reputation as a liberal while he was Archbishop, ushering in the ordination of women priests for the first time in the Church’s history.
He particularly attracted their ire during a debate on same sex marriage held at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in 2012. Lord Carey made a point about the new sanctity awarded to equality, saying: “It seems to me that so many of our current problems revolve around the all-too narrow attempt to make equality the controlling virtue. Acceptance of differences does not challenge equality. We are not the same. Men and women are equal in the sight of the Lord but that is a statement about our legal status and not our identity. Same sex relationships are not the same as heterosexual relationships and should not be put on the same level.”
It was the last sentence in particular that angered the campaigners, who branded Lord Carey a “homophobe” and a “hate figure”, and began to campaign for the window’s removal.
Modernity shouts diversity and condemns suppression EXCEPT for that which disagrees with its sacred values. In a very short period of time the modern shibboleth has become gay rights and gay marriage. It will not be long before every other right must bow at this altar -- including freedom of religion. When that day comes we will discover just how fragile freedom truly is and just how effective an enemy is the thought and speech police who get to define what a homophobe is and what will not be tolerated in public conversation. Churches need to pay attention to this for it will not be long before tax status and legal rights are stripped from everyone who dares to speak against that which once dared not speak its name at all. It is also, sadly, a tacit admission of the bankruptcy of British culture and values that this is happening more and more in jolly old England.
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My husband and I were reflecting opon what future popular ballads will focus. Compare the lyrics of Kenny Roger's "Reuben James" (you can Google them) which has racial equality themes underneath. What songs will be written in the future comparable to that?
Also: Does anyone find it interesting that AIDS has gone below the surface (both in heterosexual and homosexual contexts)?
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