Potting the potty pontiffs

The editor of Gay & Lesbian Humanist today weighed into church leaders who recently urged people not to vote for bigots.
The Archbishops of both Canterbury and York, Rowan Williams and John Sentamu, say voters should not let the current scandal over MPs’ expenses drive them to vote BNP.
In a joint statement, both warned: “This is not a moment for voting in favour of any political party whose core ideology is about sowing division in our communities and hostility on grounds of race, creed or colour.”
But Mike Foxwell wasn’t about to let spokesmen for a religious organisation which sows a bit of division itself come over all preachy and innocent.
Mike says:
“I deplore the hypocrisy of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, warning the public of the socially divisive doctrines of the BNP on the grounds of ‘race, creed or colour’, and imploring the public not to vote for this political party.
“But what the archbishops forget to mention is that the church has a great deal in common with the BNP, as both the BNP and the Christian church are vehemently homophobic and cast gay people as sinners, second-class citizens and perverts who should keep their distasteful predilections in closeted privacy.
“Indeed, people should be aware of the socially divisive evil of BNP doctrine, but equally they should be aware that the Christian church shares some of the most repugnant beliefs of the BNP.
“Decent people who care about equality and fairness in our diverse and complex modern British society should shun the BNP and the church – for the same reasons.”
Spot on Mike.
Incidentally, I recently saw evidence of similar hypocrisy on the Isle of Man. I know of a letter sent to the local papers which tackles bigotry eminating from the same churches which, in public, decry it. It is only fair to see if IOM Newspapers print the letter first, but if not, I am prepared to put it up here, along with some background, later this week.