“Much has been written and said recently on the subject of The Co-operative Bank’s decision to ask a campaigning organisation, Christian Voice, to take its banking elsewhere. This was not an easy decision for us, nor is it our usual way of doing business. However, the homophobic statements peddled by this organisation were of such an extreme that we felt compelled to take action.
“These statements, filled with intolerance and hatred, go far beyond the
view that ‘homosexuality is a sin’ and their declared aim of ‘promoting
traditional family life’. They allege, for example, that homosexuals are
‘formed’ via paedophilia (and that they will in turn propagate this
further), and that their innate ‘corruptness’ renders them unfit for the
police force. This is arrant nonsense, and has no basis in either science
or the bible.
“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought on religion, however, this
does not, and should not, entitle people to actively encourage and practice discrimination. It is noteworthy that Christian Voice opposes Police Hate Crimes initiatives, and legislation that protects employees from discrimination in the workplace (although this is not too surprising given Manchester Police have at least one ‘hate incident’ already logged against this organisation).
“Since the story broke, many Christians and church groups have welcomed our stand. In particular, they are unhappy that this organisation purports to be the ‘voice’ of Christianity. Freedom of speech requires a climate of respect and tolerance if it is to operate optimally. Like other extremists, this group would claim the benefits of freedom of speech for themselves, whilst seeking to deny them to others via the creation of a climate of hate.
“The Co-operative Bank’s Ethical Policy, first established in 1992, has
always been led by its customers. After all, it is their money that is
invested, and we believe that they should have a say in how it is, and is
not, used. Declining to do business with unethical organisations will
always carry with it a cost (almost 9 million pounds in 2004) however, The Co-operative Bank and Co-operative movement have always led the drive for more socially-responsible and ecologically sustainable business practices, and long may it continue.”
Regards
The Co-operative Bank
Christian Voice comment:
Leaving aside the offensive tone and puerile insults of the Co-op’s statement,
- It is standard psychology that some men who are sexually abused at a
young age become homosexual as a result, and that the experience then
appears to be repeated on others, as the sufferer tries to re-engage with
the boy he once was. This is only a minority (10% - 30% depending on which surveys you read) but a significant minority. And if personal feelings are now the measure of right and wrong, rather than an objective external source (God to Christians) then paedophiliac homosexuality is just as valid as the adult-attraction version. The Co-op, of course, deliberately and deceitfully left out the word ‘many’ so as to make it appear that we believe all homosexual men are paedophiles. - It is standard Christian theology that homosexual activity is corrupt and corrupting. It follows that the police force should be discouraging active homosexuals from being recruited, rather than, as they are at the moment, encouraging them.
- We are not denying homosexuals freedom of speech. We are not trying to create a climate of hate. It is significant that such language should be used in an attempt to silence the Gospel. It is indicative of the persecution that is to come on the Church.
- Manchester police logged as a hate incident a letter of complaint we sent complaining about the presence of homosexual police in uniform in the 2003 London ‘Gay Pride’ parade. Just standing up for righteousness is a ‘hate incident’ for today’s politically-correct police ‘service’.
