A Christian couple in England has been advised to not appeal a court decision that prevents them from being foster parents. The couple, Eunice and Owen Johns (aged 62 and 65 respectively), were told that their Christian view of sexuality is “inimical to the interests of children” by two judges in the Nottingham Crown Court.
What did they say that got them into trouble? When asked what they would do if one of their foster children was homosexual, they replied “well, we’d try to gently turn him around, but we’d always love him.” Apparently newly instituted foster care guidelines now contain a “valuing diversity” clause which the couple’s lawyer described as “suitably vague clause that requires people to engage in ‘tolerance’ and ‘goodwill.’” Because of their statement, the judges felt their views would be potentially damaging to children.
The couple’s lawyer warns that the United States could be faced with similar situations sooner than Americans think. He says,
“Things can change very rapidly. If a few key things happen in America, and a few judicial appointments should be made, you will find that there can be very swift and rapid changes in your basic assumptions of what your rights are.”
“It’s got very little to do with the law,” he observed. “You have to see these decisions as political acts. One set of ‘rights’ is triumphing over another. It’s simply masked by this language of ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity.’”
Andrea Minchiello Williams, a lawyer from the Christian Legal Centre who also defended the couple adds:
“What we’ve got is the imposition of a new political orthodoxy,” Williams explained. “If you don’t think or act in a certain way, you will find yourself barred from public office. It’s very frightening, and it’s very real. We have plenty of cases here at the Christian Legal Centre to prove it.”
Anyone care to guess who the Prime Minister was when these these laws were introduced? That’s right. Tony Blair – convert to Catholicism.
All that dystopian literature we had to read in school was intended to warn us of this, not to promote it!