England’s “Moral Majority”?

It appears to this outsider that England’s developing some themes we have witnessed over here — since the 70s and 80s — along the lines of the Moral Majority. I’m open to clarification… any thoughts?

Christians are being “vilified” by British courts and “driven underground”, Lord Carey, a former archbishop of Canterbury, has said.

In a written submission to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), he blames judges for treating some worshippers as “bigots”.

He also warns that believers are being sacked for expressing their faith.

The criticism is part of an appeal to Strasbourg judges to protect religious freedom ahead of a landmark case.

Lord Carey – who was archbishop from 1991 to 2002 – has voiced concern that a recent “secular conformity of belief and conduct” has meant that conduct in keeping with the Christian faith is effectively being “banned” in the public setting.

In his submission, he says the “the State and Courts… not parliament” are destroying the legal right to freedom of religion of “any substantive effect” by insisting on stringent readings of equality law.

He also argues that if rulings against wearing crosses and expressing Christian faith are not reversed it could lead to believers facing a “religious bar” to employment.

The former leader calls for the ECHR to safeguard religious values – something he accuses the British judiciary of failing to do in “case after case”.

A hearing at the court in Strasbourg on 4 September will consider the cases of British employees who claim they have been discriminated against due to their Christian beliefs.

The hearing will also deal with the case of a relationship counsellor who lost his job after refusing to give sex therapy to gay couples.