Former Attorney General Warns that Faith is Being Limited in UK

Dominic Grieve (Attorney General’s Office)

The UK’s Former Attorney General believes his country has a problem with Christianity:

August 26, 2014

A former UK attorney general says in an interview that Christians in Britain are forced to hide their beliefs because of an “aggressive form of secularism” to “push faith out of the public sphere.”

Dominic Grieve, a practicing Anglican, said he finds it unnatural for people to be persecuted for expressing their beliefs…

He noted that some public sector workers have been disciplined for displaying their faith at work.

There were also high profile cases where people have been banned from wearing crosses at work or dismissed for not doing tasks that are against their religious beliefs.

Grieve believes that Christianity is a “powerful force for good” in modern Britain and Christians should stand on what they believe. …

Grieve lost his government post during a cabinet reshuffle in July…

Religion does seem to take a backseat in UK politics. Two the three major party leaders, Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats and Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, are self-proclaimed atheists.

Prime Minister David Cameron who sometimes attends Church of England services has said that his own faith is “like patchy reception of Magic FM in the Chilterns… it comes and goes.” http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/former-uk-attorney-general-says-british-christians-forced-to-hide-beliefs-26184

Here is some of what the Bible teaches about atheists and leaders:

1 The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; (Psalms 53:1)

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them,
And they declare their sin as Sodom;
They do not hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought evil upon themselves.

12 As for My people, children are their oppressors,
And women rule over them.
O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err,
And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:9, 12)

The UK is tending more towards leaders that are leading them the wrong direction. The same is true of the USA, etc. In both the UK and USA the government has taken steps to attempt to compel people to do things against their religious beliefs.

It seems like this would be a good time to also post the following:

One of the biggest hotel chains in Britain has decided to remove all Bibles from its rooms to avoid offending people with other beliefs to the consternation of the Church of England.

Travelodge, which operates 500 hotels, says the Bibles were removed for “diversity reasons,” defended itself by saying the country is increasing in multicultural influences…

Travelodge later said that the removal of Bibles from hotel rooms was a policy decided upon in 2007. It has been gradually implementing the policy through the years.

Travelodge is the first hotel chain in Britain to remove Bibles. In 2012, an independent hotel replaced the Bible with the erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey. http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/hotel-chain-in-uk-removes-bibles-from-rooms-for-sake-of-diversity-26087

Bibles are in less USA hotel rooms than they used to be as well. Many do not care for the messages in the Bible, so this is not a surprise to me. Actually, since the UK and much of the USA have endorsed homosexual marriage, we should expect to see less Bibles in hotel rooms and/or some improper ‘translations’ that are less offensive to those pushing the homosexual agenda.

Liberal Western societies are not as open as many seem to pretend. The discouraging of people’s speech seems to have been prophesied:

28 And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, Causing them to err. (Isaiah 30:28)

The ‘political correctness’ movement seems to have been prophesied.

What should the true leaders of God’s people, in the lands dominated by the descendants of Jacob, be doing now? Should we be “politically correct’? Or should we:

1 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

The Bible tells of a time, which to a degree we are now in, when a certain amount of self-censorship will be needed:

2 For I know your manifold transgressions
And your mighty sins:
Afflicting the just and taking bribes;
Diverting the poor from justice at the gate.
13 Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time,
For it is an evil time. (Amos 5:12-13)

And while some COG groups overly “keep silent,” hence pull-punches in proclamation, the reality is that there is not truly full freedom of truthful speech in countries like the USA without consequences. And this time will come when some things will be prudent to be silent about.

However, the work will be done and it will trigger persecution (cf. Daniel 11:30-35). Jesus warned:

9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (Matthew 24:9-10)

Other restrictions are coming.

The Bible talks about the fact that God will finish the work and cut it short (Roman 9:28). Notice also the following which could be related to that:

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

The above could only happen in the 21st century if the internet was down and/or internet content related to the truth of God was no longer permitted. Governments are taking steps, including espionage and cyber warfare research, which could bring that about. Removing Bibles from hotel rooms is only an exceedingly small part of this, but does show that an attitude in society is developing to reduce biblical influence.

I believe that the warning in Amos 8:11-12 is a reference to at least a coming internet censorship. This is likely to start just before the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), also called the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21).

Perhaps under the guise of “neutrality,” perhaps under the guise of “The Patriot Act,” perhaps under the guise of “public welfare,” perhaps because of alleged “intolerance,” calling parts of the COG message “hate speech” and/or national security threats/issues, something will be done to stop perhaps all of the organized media efforts to proclaim biblical truths. A short work will be done (Romans 10:14-15), which will trigger the end (Matthew 24:14), and likely then the famine of the word (Amos 8:11-12).

Those on Satan’s side will try to silence those who stand for the Bible (cf. Daniel 7:25), and while there will be some ‘successes’ that way, God’s plan will be implemented and ultimately, His kingdom will come (cf. Daniel 7:26-27).

The ‘political correctness’ movement has already affected the UK and USA. But, sadly, has more steps to go (see also The Final Phase of the Work and Persecutions by Church and State).

Some items of related interest may include:

Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware!
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed?
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change?
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There is also a YouTube video on this, titled Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children.
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? A related YouTube video would be Origin of the Cross.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.