Employee suspended from British Christian charity organization for saying he doesn’t believe in same-sex “marriage”

David Booker of Southampton, England did not make negative comments about homosexuals or homosexuality. He simply told a fellow charity worker that he was against homosexual “marriage.” And he was instantly suspended from his job with the Society of St. James, as reported by the Mail.

However, if Booker would only read VFR he would understand that he has nothing to worry about, since VFR’s Canadian leftist commenter Ken Hechtman, who supports homosexual “marriage,” incestuous “marriage,” and multiple partner “marriage,” assured us yesterday that he personally does not support such coercion in the name of homosexual “marriage” and all the other types of “marriage” he supports. Mr. Hechtman, a lifelong member and often critical observer of the left, somehow imagines that such radical changes can be made in society, without the forced silencing of opposition to them.

Here is the story from the Mail:

Christian charity worker suspended for saying he did not believe in same-sex marriage

A charity worker was suspended after telling a colleague about his Christian beliefs against homosexuality, it has emerged today.

David Booker, 44, was chatting about his faith with co-worker Fiona Vardy during a late shift at the hostel in Southampton, Hants on March 26. [Lesson: never tell a person named Fiona that you oppose homosexual marriage. (Joke.)]

He told her he was opposed to same-sex marriages and to homosexual clergy but denied being homophobic and said that he had homosexual friends.

The next evening, Mr Booker was suspended from his £19,000-a-year post as a hostel support worker with Society of St James where he has worked for the last four years.

His employers told him the action was taken for ‘events that happened last night’.

On March 30 he received a formal suspension notice which alleged that he ‘seriously breached’ the charity’s code of conduct ‘by promoting your religious views which contained discriminatory comments regarding a person’s sexual orientation…

‘The action has been taken to safeguard both residents and staff” at the Southampton Street hostel.

Mr Booker, 44, a born-again Christian from Southampton, turned to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) which instructed human rights lawyer Paul Diamond to represent him.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, barrister and director of CLC, said: ‘Mr Booker has been suspended since March 27 for two weeks pending investigation.

‘No date has been set for the investigation and disciplinary hearing.

‘This case shows that in today’s politically correct, increasingly secularised society, even consenting reasonable discussion on religion between two employees is being twisted by employers to discriminate and silence the Christian voice and freedom of expression.’

He said the charity English Churches House Group, which was recently taken over by Society of St James, was largely funded by churches throughout Hampshire whose followers would be ‘shocked at the attitude and action taken by a Christian organisation towards a Christian employee’.

He added: ‘The Archbishop of Canterbury, as patron, has confirmed the Church’s teaching on marriage, same-sex relationships and homosexuality and that is in the public domain.

‘We are interested to know whether his patronage is now under threat under the charity’s Culture and Diversity Code of Conduct.’

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James P. writes:

The Society of St. James is best understood not as a “Christian Charity” but as a government agency. On a casual search of their website, I could not find any reference to Christianity whatsoever. For example, you would think that in the “about us” section, a Christian charity would at least give a nod to Christianity, but no, they’re all about “supporting the complex needs of those affected by homelessness and other difficulties causing vulnerability.” (What’s complex about the needs of someone who is homeless? Their need is simple—a home!)

On the other hand, I did learn that they get 45 percent of their income from UK government grants. I also saw a lot of liberal blather: they think “every individual has a right to a home,” they believe “individuals should be given the opportunity to develop skills that enable them to lead a fulfilling life” (nope, nothing about faith there), they consider people “homeless” who actually have homes to live in, etc. etc. Reading the website, one can readily appreciate that only liberals are going to work there, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that this outfit fired someone who expressed Christian views.

LA replies:

Thanks for this information.

This reminds me of another nominally Christian charity organization, SERVE Afghanistan, which was the employer of a British woman, Gayle Williams, who was assassinated on a Kabul street by the Taliban last October.

Charles T. writes:

The liberal, leftist homosexual movement is very similar to Islam in tactics. Promoting themselves as peaceful people who desire peace with others, they secretly plan and implement fascist operations against anyone who openly dissents from their agenda.

Adela G. writes:

You write:

“Lesson: never tell a person named Fiona that you oppose homosexual marriage.”

LOL! My unbounded admiration for your wit reminds me of that anecdote involving James Whistler and Oscar Wilde.

From Wikipedia:

He[Whistler] was well-known for his biting wit, especially in exchanges with his friend and rival…. On one occasion, young Oscar Wilde attended one of Whistler’s dinners, and hearing his host make some brilliant remark, apparently said, “I wish I’d said that,” to which Whistler riposted, “You will, Oscar, you will!” In fact, Wilde did repeat in public many witticisms created by Whistler.

By the way, I saw the “ever-stylish” Niall Ferguson interviewed on TV recently and was so busy laughing at the recollection of your description of him that I quite failed to notice anything he said.

LA replies:

Thank you. I thought that was pretty funny myself.

As for Ferguson, I didn’t know what description you meant, but a quick search shows that “ever-stylish” was my description of him, in this entry.

Adela G. writes:

Actually, in addition to being witty, your description of Mr. Ferguson was overly kind. Judging from his appearance on TV in the last week or so, he apparently aimed for jaunty but missed and landed on natty, narrowly avoiding persnickety.

Awful, just awful.

I can’t believe you aren’t even more noted for your wit than for your views. It must be like the purloined letter, in plain sight to everyone who has eyes to see it, only most people don’t.

LA replies:

Thanks. That’s interesting. I’ve thought about that myself. Maybe my overall seriousness prevents people from seeing it. But both are there, sometimes in the same entry.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at April 13, 2009 08:29 AM | Send