Yes, but ...

This is one of a series of posts focusing on the issues of Islamophobia currently being worked out in Luton and the UK. For the full list of posts see Seeking Peace in Luton - and Multicultural UK

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On a day when you are having to come to terms with the election of two members of the BNP to the European Parliament there are limits to how much more of a challenge you want. As Julian Dobson of Living with Rats put it in his post Living with a Cancer:

Waking up to find the BNP now has two seats in the European Parliament is like getting seriously bad news from the doctor. Cancer changes your life. Only a fool pretends it will go away if you carry on as usual. And anyone who has friends or relatives who've suffered it knows that it can be excruciatingly painful, debilitating, and often fatal.

But then I read Richard Bartholomew's post:   Baroness Cox Highlights “Persecution of Christians in the United Kingdom” and also this:   Christians being ‘sidelined’, says head of Asian Christian Fellowship.  A consultation entitled “The Persecution of Christians in the United Kingdom” was held in the Attlee room of the House of Commons on June 3, 2009.

One speaker was Andrea Minichiello Williams, director of Christian Concern for our Nation and the Christian Legal Centre:

“In recent years we have seen our legal culture change from one where there was a clear accommodation, protection and endorsement of Christian principles- sanctity of life, marriage, freedom of speech, conscience and religion to a system based on human rights which ironically is attacking these principles”. She said when the government first started writing Equality Type Legislation against the backdrop of human rights legislation many lawyers who had warned that their well-intentioned efforts could backfire.

Yes, we know there is far too much stupid stuff going on that gives Christians - and other people of faith - a hard time, but lets get it in perspective, especially before we use a "big word" like persecution.  It doesn't help. In fact it just makes it harder to come up with a sane and sensible Christian response to the challenges we face as a nation.

I take seriously the issues raised. But Baroness Cox and her friends would be best advised to take a different approach. I AM A CHRISTIAN. I do not deny it. I work with Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists,alongside people of no faith.  I work with town council officials, police, political parties, and all. I do so as a Christian. My work is guided by Christian principle of relationships, and founded on a Christian view of peacemaking. I live and work in Luton. And I am free to be who I am.  I am convinced it is the way we relate to people, the attitude we take, the way we are that makes the difference.  In a word we are called above all else to be nice people and to bless those around us.

We have to engage with the issues raised by Baroness Cox's conference as well as the BNP's success today. But we need to do so in a positive and engaging way.