NOT ASHAMED CAMPAIGN UK

NOT ASHAMED CAMPAIGN UK
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey will launch "Not Ashamed Day" outside the House of Lords.
UNDER ATTACK
Lord Carey will launch a leaflet that warns Britain's Christian culture is "under attack". Later in the day copies will be delivered to Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, followed by a lobbying event in Parliament.
The day, organised by Christian Concern, will kick off a campaign to urge Christians to "wear their faith with pride".
Campaigners say a mounting number of cases of workers being disciplined over their beliefs show Christianity is being "air brushed" from UK society.
The National Secular Society said "zealots" were wrong to claim the faith was being deliberately undermined.
Lord Carey said hostility towards the religion came from a combination of "well-meaning" political correctness, multiculturalism and "overt opposition to Christianity".
Lord Carey's intervention is significant, because he's a high-profile Anglican who many believe can bring the weight of influence to bear on subjects that bishops who are currently in office may not wish to, or may regard as "unsayable". He's spoken out in the past saying that Christians are being victimised for their beliefs, but he's been challenged on this point, and not just by the National Secular Society for example, but also by some other Christians. Jonathan Barltey, from the think tank Ekklesia, says that Lord Carey and Christian Concern are right to highlight the pride that people can feel in their faith, but wrong to claim that the faithful are being systematically bullied. Mr Bartly says his group has found evidence that some of his fellow believers are instead deliberatly misleading people. Lord Carey may also be hopeful of making a bigger impact as people's thoughts turn to Christmas.
In the leaflet, Lord Carey, who retired as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002, says: "I am proud of our tradition of tolerance and our historic commitment to welcoming the stranger.
"Yet what many people don't realise is that it is the Christian faith that underpins these great strengths and that has enriched our nation in so many other ways.
"This rich legacy is under attack. In spite of having contributed so much to our civilisation and providing its foundation, the Christian faith is in danger of being stealthily and subtly brushed aside."
Lord Carey said the attempt to "airbrush" the Christian faith "out of the picture" was more obvious as Christmas approaches.
He cited cards bearing "season's greetings" messages, school nativity plays being "watered down" and local councils switching on "winter lights" in place of Christmas decorations.
"Even Christmas has become something of which some are ashamed."
The campaign highlights a series of cases involving Christians who have claimed discrimination.
National Secular Society
These include Nadia Eweida, a British Airways worker from London, and Shirley Chaplin, an NHS nurse from Kenn, Exeter, who both lost high-profile discrimination claims over wearing crosses at work.
Ms Chaplin lost a discrimination claim against her employers, in which she had argued the cross "ban" prevented her from expressing her religious beliefs.
Christian Concern has also highlighted the fact that Catholic adoption agencies no longer have the right to refuse gay couples as prospective adoptive parents.
And it features the case of Gary McFarlane, who was sacked as a Relate Counsellor for refusing to give sex therapy to gay couples.
They urge Christians to wear crosses and items featuring the 'Not Ashamed' logo to work on Wednesday.
However, Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said the initiative was the "culmination of the ongoing campaign run by a handful of Christian zealots to create the impression that Christianity is somehow being deliberately undermined by the authorities.
"Apparently "multiculturalism" "secularism" and "political correctness" are seen as the culprits, but in reality people are walking away from Christianity because it has become unpleasant and authoritarian.
"Nobody is forcing them not to go to church, they simply don't see its relevance.
"The people behind this campaign are determined and well-financed, but that doesn't make what they say true," he added.
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