Sunday - March 11, 2012

Government’s legal fight AGAINST the right to wear a cross at work

Take a look at the photo.(link) That tiny cross is a threat to civilization? Jeesh.
Many women and a few men too, have worn the cross as jewelry instead of as a religious display. But no matter. Nobody has to my certain knowledge been traumatized by the sight of the cross or for that matter by the Star of David which some have also worn as jewelry. 
But times have changed and I guess there are so many folks who belong to religions that are NOT native to this country, that they might be offended by the site of either and especially the frightening cross.  Oh dear me.

Government’s legal fight AGAINST the right to wear a cross at work brings accusations it is ‘sidelining Christianity’
By BRENDAN CARLIN

The Government was last night accused of ‘sidelining’ Christianity for preparing a legal fight against believers having the right to wear the cross at work.

In a move branded ‘extraordinary’ by Christian groups, the Government was reported to be ready to argue against two British women at the European Court of Human Rights.

It is set to defend the right of employers to ban the cross as it is not a ‘requirement’ of the Christian faith to wear it. Bosses could then sack workers who insisted on wearing the symbol.

The move would potentially scupper the case being brought by two Christian women, Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin, who claim they were discriminated against when their employers stopped them wearing crosses.

The Ministry of Justice was last night unavailable for comment, but Christian groups expressed their astonishment at the news.

Andrea Williams, the director of the Christian Legal Centre, said: ‘It is extraordinary that a Conservative Government should argue that the wearing of the cross is not a generally recognised practice of the faith.

Mrs Eweida, a former British Airways worker, and Mrs Chaplin, a nurse, are taking their case to the European court in Strasbourg after facing disciplinary action at work. Mrs Eweida’s case dates from 2006 when she was suspended for refusing to take off the cross, which her employers claimed breached BA’s uniform code.

The 61-year-old, from Twickenham, claimed that BA allowed members of other faiths to wear religious symbols. She lost her challenge against an earlier tribunal decision at the Court of Appeal and in May 2010 was refused permission to go to the Supreme Court.

Mrs Chaplin, 56, from Exeter, complained she was barred from working on wards by Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust after refusing to hide her cross, ending 31 years of nursing.

The hospital argued it was a health and safety issue.According to reports last night, the Government will argue that the two women’s application to the Strasbourg court is ‘manifestly ill-founded’.

Its submission stated: ‘In neither case is there any suggestion that the wearing of a visible cross or crucifix was a generally recognised form of practising the Christian faith, still less one that is regarded (including by the applicants themselves) as a requirement of the faith.’

But last night, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey said: ‘The reasoning is based on a wholly inappropriate judgment of matters of theology and worship about which they can claim no expertise.’

source

Posted by peiper     on 03/11/2012 at 08:32 AM   
Filed Under: • Miscellaneous •  
• Comments (3) • Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  

DISCLAIMER

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere

It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.

Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner