EU’s Equality Plans Will 'Silence' Christians, Warns Legal Group

A Christian legal group is warning that the EU’s proposed Equal Treatment Directive will "silence" Christians and undermine their ability to profess their faith.

by Jenna Lyle
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2009, 10:35 (BST)



The EU's Equal Treatment Directive seeks to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief and sexual orientation.

A Christian legal group is warning that the EU’s proposed Equal Treatment Directive will silence Christians and undermine their ability to profess their faith.

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) said the directive had the potential to be used as an “instrument of cultural genocide” and persecution against Christians.

“Its provisions are likely to restrict Christian freedoms to the extent that, in certain cases, we would be silenced and prevented from providing goods or services to the public without violating our consciences, particularly if required to promote other religions or the practice of homosexuality,” said director Andrea Minichiello Williams.

The directive seeks to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of religion, belief, and sexual orientation in the provision of goods and services in each of the EU’s 27 member states.

CCFON warned that under the directive, businesses and employees risked being sued for harassment if they failed to provide a good or service in instances where it contravened their religious beliefs.

“This will cast a chilling shadow over free speech and freedom of expression for Christians, as it will for those with any views that challenge the prevailing ‘politically correct’ ideology,” said Ms Williams.

She went on to warn that the directive failed to provide protection for the freedom to follow one’s religious conscience and balancing mechanisms to arbitrate between competing sets of rights, such as the right of a homosexual to practise his lifestyle against the right of a Christian to refuse to facilitate the practise.

Ms Williams said that the CCFON was already dealing with cases of Christians being suspended under similar equality laws in the UK, including the case of a homelessness officer in London who was dismissed for suggesting to a terminally ill client that she try putting her faith in God.

Christians in healthcare, education, housing, and religious associations all stand to be affected by the directive, which requires a unanimous vote by all member states to be passed.

“We believe that member states should veto the directive,” said Ms Williams. “Please pray that it will not be passed and encourage a Christian campaign across Europe to ‘say a loud no to the EU Equal Treatment Directive’ before it’s too late.”

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/eus.equality.plans.will.silence.christians.warns.legal.group/24215.htm