Nanny, as we all know, is very worried about causing religious offence.She is keen to pass a bill that would outlaw any form of "religious hatred", needless to say precisely what constitutes "religious hatred" has yet to be defined.
As with everything that Nanny does, details are left to fate and to bureaucrats to decide.
In the spirit of her new found "religious zeal", Nanny has been getting rather worked up over the offence that the crucifix may cause to non Christians.
After all, we are a Christian country, it is very wrong of us to expect others to tolerate our beliefs and practices.
Nanny's chums in Torbay Council have decided that the display of a five foot crucifix in their crematorium is offensive, and therefore have decided to remove it.
It has also announced that the chapel would in future be known as the ceremony hall.
Alan Faulkner, Torbay Council's executive member for Environmental Services, said:
"We live in a diverse, multi-faith society and many people have no specific beliefs at all. The facility at Torquay Crematorium is a ceremony hall, it is not a chapel."
Mr Faulkner said that crematorium staff had received a number of requests to have the cross removed, even though this posed a danger to staff; who had to climb a ladder to take it down.
Ah ha!
Nanny had to break Health and Safety rules to remove the cross, maybe she will get sued?
Faulkner added:
"While I am a Christian, I fully support this decision as I recognise we have a duty as a council to cater for everyone. It is not our intention to offend or upset anyone by removing the cross from the wall."
Needless to say, Nanny has offended a large number of people.
However, as you may have already gathered, Nanny doesn't give a monkeys!
You ar missing the point, railwayman39. It is nothing to do with PC. A crematorium is a secular building, not a place of worship or consecrated ground. Therefore Christians have no right to appropriate them with their own religious symbolism. As you rightly state, there is no requirement for any one to have a Christian burial. this is why many atheists and agmnostics choose a cramtorium for thwir send off. Just as you would not want the Satr of David or Crescent Moon displayed at a crem if that was your chosen method of despatch, so atheists don't want to have a cross displayed when they are incinerated. Where else can atheists have a non-religious funeral? By the way, up to 30% of the population are athiest/agnostic, compared with 10% who are practicing christians.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with anonymous and I for one welcome the removal of religious sybolism at supposedly secular buildings. It is simple enough for Christians to arrange to have their bodies 'disposed of' in a manner befitting their religion. It is not always as easy for those of other religions/beliefs or with no belief to do the same. The problem becomes compounded when the individual wishes to be buried rather than cremated. There are very few un-consecrated/ woodland burial sites in the UK.
ReplyDeleteLets get this in perspective shall we. Christianity is no longer the main religion of the UK - and it certainly wasnt the original religion. Even opinion polls may over-estimate the number of Christians in the UK as many people put down CofE out of habit and nothing else.
You are all more than welcome to start your own crematoriums under the symbols of your own choosing, or none at all. It would certainly be better than brow beating businesses into running them the way you personally think they should be.
ReplyDeleteThe government is overstepping the line when it uses its hand to force businesses to cater to personal tastes in such a way.
" Christianity is no longer the main religion of the UK "
Err, it is according to the 2001 census which said 72% of people identified as Christians.
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