Clampdown on free speech is terrifying
Widdecombe
THE suppression of free speech in this country continues apace. The latest example is that of a Christian who was thrown off his postgraduate social work course at Sheffield University for saying on Facebook that homosexual practices are sinful, that of course being the teaching of most Christian denominations and of other religions too.
Mr Ngole’s comments were posted two years ago when there was a controversy about a registrar who refused to handle same-sex marriages and what was at issue was his fitness to practise because he, according to the university, “lacked insight” which of course means merely that he took a different view.
What is really sinister about this case is that anyone holding a view that same-sex marriage is wrong should be deemed unfit to practise as a social worker where the essence of the job is simply to help people in difficulties. Where was the evidence that Mr Ngole would refuse to help a homosexual couple? Or that he would tell them to change their way of life?
I believe that any sex, whether heterosexual, homosexual or “anythingelseosexual” (and there appears to be an infinite variety of that these days) is sinful outside the confines of marriage as defined by the Church but if that conditioned my attitudes to those involved I wouldn’t have many friends left as quite a lot of them fall into those categories. It is of the essence of Christian teaching that you do not condemn others because each and every one of us is a sinner. So why does Sheffield University believe an orthodox Christian cannot practise as a social worker? Where is the evidence that he would be judgmental?
In 23 years as an MP I helped anybody who needed me: women with four children by four different husbands who paid no maintenance, homosexuals who had issues with getting health insurance, political opponents, truants, drug users and, for that matter, ex-cons. How they lived or what they had done was not the issue but the merits of their case were. Why should Mr Ngole approach his duties any differently?
The court which rejected Mr Ngole’s appeal seems to think he can hold his view just as long as he does not express it and this is the country which gave life and limb to fight totalitarians. THE Foreign Office objects on the international stage to the term “pregnant woman” because it might upset a woman who thinks she is a man but is somehow pregnant. The Foreign Office is nuts.