Reverend reported to anti-terror unit Prevent for telling pupils in a sermon they're allowed to disagree with LGBT teaching

Interesting, Justawoman, and a reminder to me to read things in full and not just extracts. Having read the whole thing though, he seems to me to be saying that students are to be allowed to hold the views that marriage within their faith is opposite sex marriage, that sexual relationships outside marriage go against the morals of their faith, and that sex exists. He is not saying that they should or must believe those things, but that to believe so as part of their faith is legitimate.

(Takes me back to earnest discussions with my more evangelical school friends who were opposed to same-sex relationships not for their own sake but on the grounds that sex should be reserved only for marriage. Somehow we all still got on.)

Having thought a bit further, there is a concern sometimes expressed on these boards, and it’s one I wholeheartedly share, that the excesses of trans activism will lead to a backlash against LGB people and all the gains we’ve made. I think this sort of thing is an instance of that: the chaplain is using some outrageous lies told by a trainer about trans issues to cast aspersions on LGB rights too. He of course has a right to his opinion; but I think that as GC feminists we have a duty not to jump on his bandwagon or (to mix metaphors horribly) to be part of the backlash ourselves.

Christians have lost a who slew of court cases in regards to stance on homosexuality.

Not for their 'stance' in terms of beliefs or just words though; the cases have involved discriminatory actions arising from those beliefs.

Christians have lost a who slew of court cases in regards to stance on homosexuality.

School made an error in reporting to Prevent, rather than just taking individual action.

The general expectation that you shut up about your views when you are the 'larger' minority and there is direct incompatibility between the protected characteristics has been long established by the judgements on Christians (and it's always Christian, not Jews or Muslims)

That is a very well measured sermon, and I cannot for the life of me see how he could possibly be conceived as a terrorist. To put this on par with attacks in London, Manchester, and even the Twin Towers is offensive in the extreme. Terrorist is not a label to throw around lightly.

I thought the sermon was extremely distasteful. I’m very GC and support his opposition to the trans activism in his school. The Prevent referral was outrageous (as the authorities seem quickly to have agreed). But the sermon was out of order in several particulars, I thought.

Firstly, he claims to be putting forward a ‘Christian’ view of relationships and sex without acknowledging that many Christians would disagree with him and would, for instance, support same-sex marriage. In fact that’s probably the view of the majority of CofE churchgoers and perhaps clergy. He sets up a phantom clash between religious belief and right to marry.

Secondly, his claim that the law of the land says marriage is between a man and a woman is misleading at best. I got what he meant immediately but I’m a marriage law nerd for professional reasons. As the DM article (but not his sermon) says, he meant CofE Canon Law, which because the Church is established, is technically the law of the land. However, I’d not expect any child or teenager, or the vast majority of adults, to know that, and of course secular law allows for same-sex marriage and has done for several years.

Thirdly, he generalises from a lie told by by the trainers at this school (and I know, elsewhere too) that gender identity is a protected characteristic to ask ‘what else are they lying about?’ when he’s just been discussing marriage and relationships. This implies bad faith to me and as a young lesbian I’d have been very upset by the insinuation that asking for my relationships to be treated equally was based on a ‘lie’.

This man is being supported by Andrea Williams of ‘Christian Concern’, aka the group that has brought and lost endless homophobic lawsuits. They certainly aren’t concerned with free speech. To be fair, I suppose it could just be the DM ringing her as a rent a quote.

I think this chaplain has been treated badly and hope he gets compensation. However, I think just about any school that employs a chaplain would have been concerned by that sermon and would have taken steps to address the issue, hopefully a lot less hamfistedly than this school appears to have done - though of course we don’t have their side of the story and, having once been the subject of a sensationalist DM article, I’d not trust them to report on yesterday’s weather.

His sermon is calm, measured and thoughtful. The schools response is frightening. I hope parents of pupils at this school are aware of the views their children are being taught to follow, without the ability to question them, and react.
If my child were a pupil I would be withdrawing them from this school.
Education used to be about considering all views and using evidence, facts and debate to reach a conclusion. Not being told what to think.

On the basis of that address, an organisation wishing to counter radicalisation might want to think about employing him.

So basically he told them to be kind listen love the person even if you disagree with the ideals

And that makes him a terrorist

I can't see anything unChristian or objectionable in what he said, let alone extremist.