Christian Voice (UK)
Encyclopedia
Christian Voice is a Christian
pressure group based in the United Kingdom
. Its stated objective is "to uphold Christianity as the Faith of the United Kingdom, to be a voice for Biblical values
in law and public policy, and to defend and support traditional family life." It is independent of religious, denominational, or political parties.
CV is led by Stephen Green, with Lord Ashbourne
as its patron. Green is the group's spokesperson, usually producing several press releases each month. According to Green, Christian Voice had in excess of 600 members in 2005.
The group has been criticised for its positions. The Rev. Dr. David Peel, leader of the United Reformed Church
called Christian Voice "a disgrace" and described their "claim to represent Christians" in the UK as "absurd".
The leader of Christian Voice is Stephen Green, a former Chairman of the Conservative Family Campaign, who attends an Assemblies of God
Church. In the early 1990s, Green was a prominent campaigner against homosexuality
through the Conservative Family Campaign, and wrote a book called The Sexual Dead-End.
In January 2011, Green's former wife, Caroline Green, accused him of repeatedly physically assaulting her and their children, including one incident where he allegedly beat her with a weapon until she bled, and another in which their son allegedly required hospital treatment after having been beaten with a piece of wood.
. It opposes abortion
, homosexuality
, no-fault divorce
and compulsory sex education
. Additionally it supports the death penalty and does not recognise the concept of marital rape. The group has also published a paper attacking Islam as untrue, and the portrayal of it as a religion of peace as false.
(2009) and its associated penalty of death, stating "The Bible calls for the ultimate penalty for sodomy... A Parliamentarian in Uganda is trying to protect his nation's children. The House of Commons of the United Kingdom is trying to corrupt ours."
of a living human
being and compares it to the Holocaust.
establish a binding consent to sexual intercourse.
(GPA). Christian Voice is opposed to police officers participating in gay pride
marches, and in 2003 wrote to the Chief Constable
of each force which it alleged allowed its officers to march in uniform at Pride events. The organisation published the replies on its website and, in the accompanying 16-page document Homosexuality and the Police, described homosexuality as "characterised by disease, degradation, death and denial" and Gay Pride as "intimidating".
Since July 2005, a group of people led by Stephen Green has held protests during London's Pride Parade. Similar protests have been held in Brighton, Leeds, Belfast and Cardiff.
On 2 September 2006, Green was arrested while handing out pamphlets urging gays to "turn from their sins" at the Cardiff Mardi Gras. The police considered the leaflets hateful. The Crown Prosecution Service
decided to withdraw their prosecution of Green on the grounds of insufficient evidence; the police stated that this did not "challenge the legality" of his arrest. Green's solicitor indicated he would seek damages in civil court for "abuse of police powers."
Green took part in a debate at the Cambridge Union Society
(22 January 2009) titled "The House Would Rather Be Gay", where he opposed the motion.
and a transmission of a performance by the BBC
in 2005. The group stated that the production was blasphemous
in its depiction of Jesus
, Mary and God
as guests on the Jerry Springer Show. Green said of the production,
The group maintained a presence outside the Cambridge Theatre in London
where it ran. It then mounted protests outside every theatre on the ill-fated 2006 run of the show, attributing the financial disaster of the tour to divine intervention rather than its own actions. In 2009, it mounted protests outside the St Andrews University production.
Christian Voice started a campaign for people to complain to the BBC
and published the home addresses and telephone numbers of two BBC executives on their web site, Jana Bennett
(Director of Television) and Roly Keating
(Controller of BBC Two
). Mr. Keating subsequently received death threats.
On 8 January 2007, submissions were made on behalf of Stephen Green at Horseferry Road
Magistrates Court to pursue private prosecutions for blasphemy against the Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson
and the show's producer, Jonathan Thoday. A summons was refused on 30 January 2007 due to lack of prima facie
evidence that a crime had been committed, and the provisions of the 1968 Theatres Act
, which enshrines the right of free expression in theatrical works. An appeal to the High Court
was dismissed on 5 December 2007. On 5 March 2008 the House of Lords rejected the call to hear an appeal of the High Courts decision because "it did not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance".
The offences of Blasphemy and Blasphemous Libel
were abolished by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
with effect from 8 July 2008.
asserting that HPV vaccine
s would make young people sterile. In January 2009, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that the advertisement breached advertising regulations on accuracy. Christian Voice had predicted the ruling and responded "requiring the substantiation of a future prediction in an opinion piece is preposterous and an infringement of freedom of speech."
in the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
, Gateshead
, Stephen Green urged Christians to "create public disorder if [they] wish such a case to proceed in future", and stated that the artwork in question would "not survive being put on public display again."
On 8 January 2009, Christian Voice complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
about the Atheist Bus Campaign
's adverts on 800 buses across England, Scotland and Wales. CV objected to the slogan, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
In December 2010, the BBC aired "The Nativity," described by the Church of England as a "gritty interpretation." Stephen Green objected to - in his eyes - the portrayal of Mary as a whore. He was documented in the press condemning the presentation saying "They wouldn’t mock the birth of Muhammad, or anything to do with his life story. They wouldn’t ridicule Hinduism or Sikhism, but Christianity is their big target."
charity, Maggie's Centres
, to decline a £3,000 donation from the proceeds of a special performance of Jerry Springer: The Opera
. The charity had been due to receive £10 per ticket for an afternoon gala but declined the donation after CV had threatened to picket their centres, which offer palliative care to cancer sufferers and their families.
In June 2005, Christian Voice's bankers, the ethically-liberal Co-operative Bank
,
instructed the group to close its account because the group's stance on homosexuality was in conflict with the bank's ethical policies of diversity. The Gay Times
awarded an ethical corporate stance award to Co-operative Bank in response to this move. In response to this, Christian Voice encouraged a boycott of the bank.
of the United Reformed Church
. Dr Peel said:
Green then appeared on the BBC Wales
programme Dragon's Eye on 13 November 2008, after a campaign by CV caused the book chain Waterstone's
to cancel a book-signing by Welsh poet, Patrick Jones
, described as "obscene and blasphemous" by Green. Jones instead read from his book at the Welsh Assembly
Philip Hensher, a commentator for the Independent newspaper, describes Green as a comic character, and Christian Voice as an extremist group. In the Guardian he has been described by George Monbiot
as a "ranting homophobe
".
In May 2008, Green was featured in the British Channel 4
current affairs
documentary series Dispatches
- In God's Name as a leader in the fundamentalist movement in the United Kingdom. This prompted the Rev. Joel Edwards
, head of the Evangelical Alliance
, to write a public letter discounting Green's impact on fundamentalism calling him an extremist.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
pressure group based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Its stated objective is "to uphold Christianity as the Faith of the United Kingdom, to be a voice for Biblical values
Christian values
The term Christian values historically refers to the values found in the teachings of Jesus.The biblical teachings of Jesus include:* love of God: "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" ,...
in law and public policy, and to defend and support traditional family life." It is independent of religious, denominational, or political parties.
CV is led by Stephen Green, with Lord Ashbourne
Baron Ashbourne
Baron Ashbourne, of Ashbourne in the County of Meath, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1886 for Edward Gibson, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. His grandson, the third Baron , was a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy...
as its patron. Green is the group's spokesperson, usually producing several press releases each month. According to Green, Christian Voice had in excess of 600 members in 2005.
The group has been criticised for its positions. The Rev. Dr. David Peel, leader of the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
called Christian Voice "a disgrace" and described their "claim to represent Christians" in the UK as "absurd".
Leadership
Assemblies of God in the United Kingdom
Assemblies of God in Great Britain is a Pentecostal denomination and a part of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with a global adherence of 52.5 million people....
Church. In the early 1990s, Green was a prominent campaigner against homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
through the Conservative Family Campaign, and wrote a book called The Sexual Dead-End.
In January 2011, Green's former wife, Caroline Green, accused him of repeatedly physically assaulting her and their children, including one incident where he allegedly beat her with a weapon until she bled, and another in which their son allegedly required hospital treatment after having been beaten with a piece of wood.
Positions
Christian Voice has called for British law to be based on the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. It opposes abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, no-fault divorce
No-fault divorce
No-fault divorce is a divorce in which the dissolution of a marriage requires neither a showing of wrong-doing of either party nor any evidentiary proceedings at all...
and compulsory sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
. Additionally it supports the death penalty and does not recognise the concept of marital rape. The group has also published a paper attacking Islam as untrue, and the portrayal of it as a religion of peace as false.
Homosexuality
Green has expressed support for the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality BillUganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill
Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill is a legislative proposal that would broaden the criminalisation of same-sex relations by dividing homosexual behavior into two categories: "aggravated homosexuality", in which an offender would receive the death penalty, or "the offense of homosexuality" in which...
(2009) and its associated penalty of death, stating "The Bible calls for the ultimate penalty for sodomy... A Parliamentarian in Uganda is trying to protect his nation's children. The House of Commons of the United Kingdom is trying to corrupt ours."
Abortion
According to the group, abortion is the wilful murderMurder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of a living human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
being and compares it to the Holocaust.
Laws on marital rape
The group wants to overturn the law on marital rape, stating that the promises given by a man and woman to each other during the marriage service in the Book of Common PrayerBook of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
establish a binding consent to sexual intercourse.
Homosexuality
The group has been involved in campaigns against the Gay Police AssociationGay Police Association
The Gay Police Association is a British police staff association with members in all 52 UK police forces. The GPA was founded in 1990 as LAGPA , and represents the needs and interests of gay and bisexual police officers and police staff in the United Kingdom...
(GPA). Christian Voice is opposed to police officers participating in gay pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
marches, and in 2003 wrote to the Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of each force which it alleged allowed its officers to march in uniform at Pride events. The organisation published the replies on its website and, in the accompanying 16-page document Homosexuality and the Police, described homosexuality as "characterised by disease, degradation, death and denial" and Gay Pride as "intimidating".
Since July 2005, a group of people led by Stephen Green has held protests during London's Pride Parade. Similar protests have been held in Brighton, Leeds, Belfast and Cardiff.
On 2 September 2006, Green was arrested while handing out pamphlets urging gays to "turn from their sins" at the Cardiff Mardi Gras. The police considered the leaflets hateful. The Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
decided to withdraw their prosecution of Green on the grounds of insufficient evidence; the police stated that this did not "challenge the legality" of his arrest. Green's solicitor indicated he would seek damages in civil court for "abuse of police powers."
Green took part in a debate at the Cambridge Union Society
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, commonly referred to as simply "the Cambridge Union" or "the Union," is a debating society in Cambridge, England and is the largest society at the University of Cambridge. Since its founding in 1815, the Union has developed a worldwide reputation as a noted symbol of...
(22 January 2009) titled "The House Would Rather Be Gay", where he opposed the motion.
Jerry Springer: The Opera
Christian Voice was behind much of the controversy in the UK surrounding Jerry Springer: The OperaJerry Springer: The Opera
Jerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The musical is notable for its profanity, its irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux...
and a transmission of a performance by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 2005. The group stated that the production was blasphemous
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
in its depiction of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Mary and God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
as guests on the Jerry Springer Show. Green said of the production,
The group maintained a presence outside the Cambridge Theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where it ran. It then mounted protests outside every theatre on the ill-fated 2006 run of the show, attributing the financial disaster of the tour to divine intervention rather than its own actions. In 2009, it mounted protests outside the St Andrews University production.
Christian Voice started a campaign for people to complain to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and published the home addresses and telephone numbers of two BBC executives on their web site, Jana Bennett
Jana Bennett
Jana Bennett OBE is Director of Vision at the BBC. She took up the post in 2006, having been Director of Television from April 2002. She was previously Executive Vice President and General Manager at Discovery Communications in the US...
(Director of Television) and Roly Keating
Roly Keating
Roland "Roly" Keating is the current Director of Archive Content for the BBC.-Education:Keating was educated at Westminster School, an independent school for boys in London, followed by Balliol College at the University of Oxford, where he read Classics.-Life and career:Keating joined the BBC in...
(Controller of BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
). Mr. Keating subsequently received death threats.
On 8 January 2007, submissions were made on behalf of Stephen Green at Horseferry Road
Horseferry Road
Horseferry Road is a street in the City of Westminster in central London, England, running between Millbank and Greycoat Place. It is perhaps best known as the site of City of Westminster Magistrates' Court...
Magistrates Court to pursue private prosecutions for blasphemy against the Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson
Mark John Thompson is Director-General of the BBC, a post he has held since 2004, and a former chief executive of Channel 4...
and the show's producer, Jonathan Thoday. A summons was refused on 30 January 2007 due to lack of prima facie
Prima facie
Prima facie is a Latin expression meaning on its first encounter, first blush, or at first sight. The literal translation would be "at first face", from the feminine form of primus and facies , both in the ablative case. It is used in modern legal English to signify that on first examination, a...
evidence that a crime had been committed, and the provisions of the 1968 Theatres Act
Theatres Act 1968
The Theatres Act 1968 abolished censorship of the stage in the United Kingdom.Since 1737, scripts had been licensed for performance by the Lord Chamberlain's Office a measure initially introduced to protect Walpole's administration from political satire...
, which enshrines the right of free expression in theatrical works. An appeal to the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
was dismissed on 5 December 2007. On 5 March 2008 the House of Lords rejected the call to hear an appeal of the High Courts decision because "it did not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance".
The offences of Blasphemy and Blasphemous Libel
Blasphemy law in the United Kingdom
This article describes the blasphemy law in the United Kingdom.-England and Wales:The common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel were abolished by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. See the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006....
were abolished by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which makes significant changes in many areas of the criminal justice system in England and Wales and, to a lesser extent, in Scotland and Northern Ireland...
with effect from 8 July 2008.
Teenage sexuality
Fearing an increase in teenage sex, CV placed an advertisement in the New StatesmanNew Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
asserting that HPV vaccine
HPV vaccine
The human papilloma virus vaccine prevents infection with certain species of human papillomavirus associated with the development of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less common cancers...
s would make young people sterile. In January 2009, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that the advertisement breached advertising regulations on accuracy. Christian Voice had predicted the ruling and responded "requiring the substantiation of a future prediction in an opinion piece is preposterous and an infringement of freedom of speech."
Other
In November 2008, following the failed private prosecution by Emily Mapfuwa over the display of a foot-high statue of Jesus with a phallusPhallus
A phallus is an erect penis, a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic...
in the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is an international centre for contemporary art located on the south bank of the River Tyne alongside the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Gateshead, North East England, United Kingdom...
, Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, Stephen Green urged Christians to "create public disorder if [they] wish such a case to proceed in future", and stated that the artwork in question would "not survive being put on public display again."
On 8 January 2009, Christian Voice complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
about the Atheist Bus Campaign
Atheist Bus Campaign
The Atheist Bus Campaign aims to place "peaceful and upbeat" messages about atheism on transport media in Britain, in response to evangelical Christian advertising....
's adverts on 800 buses across England, Scotland and Wales. CV objected to the slogan, "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
In December 2010, the BBC aired "The Nativity," described by the Church of England as a "gritty interpretation." Stephen Green objected to - in his eyes - the portrayal of Mary as a whore. He was documented in the press condemning the presentation saying "They wouldn’t mock the birth of Muhammad, or anything to do with his life story. They wouldn’t ridicule Hinduism or Sikhism, but Christianity is their big target."
Controversy
In February 2005, Christian Voice was reported to have caused the cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
charity, Maggie's Centres
Maggie's centres
Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres are a network of drop-in centres in Great Britain, whichaim to help anyone who has been affected by cancer. They are not intended as a replacement for conventional cancer therapy, but as a caring environment that can provide support, information and practical advice...
, to decline a £3,000 donation from the proceeds of a special performance of Jerry Springer: The Opera
Jerry Springer: The Opera
Jerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The musical is notable for its profanity, its irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux...
. The charity had been due to receive £10 per ticket for an afternoon gala but declined the donation after CV had threatened to picket their centres, which offer palliative care to cancer sufferers and their families.
In June 2005, Christian Voice's bankers, the ethically-liberal Co-operative Bank
Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank plc is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom and Guernsey, with its headquarters in Manchester.The bank markets itself as an ethical bank, and refuses to invest in companies involved in the arms trade, global climate change, genetic engineering, animal testing and use of...
,
instructed the group to close its account because the group's stance on homosexuality was in conflict with the bank's ethical policies of diversity. The Gay Times
Gay Times
Gay Times is one of the United Kingdom's leading gay magazine for gay and bisexual men.-Publication and content:...
awarded an ethical corporate stance award to Co-operative Bank in response to this move. In response to this, Christian Voice encouraged a boycott of the bank.
Media coverage
After the appearance of Green on Question Time in September 2005, the group was condemned by the Rev Dr David Peel, then Moderator of the General AssemblyModerator of the General Assembly
The Moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a presbyterian or reformed church. Kirk Sessions and Presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator....
of the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
. Dr Peel said:
It is a matter of some regret that ... the BBC should choose to undermine the reputation of Question Time by giving a platform to a small, self-selecting group distinguished by its claim to be a prophetic voice in this country ... Christian Voice has the right to express its extreme views, but it is as representative of Christian opinion in Britain as the Monster Raving Loony Party would be of mainstream political parties – and far less entertaining.
Green then appeared on the BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
programme Dragon's Eye on 13 November 2008, after a campaign by CV caused the book chain Waterstone's
Waterstone's
Waterstone's is a British book specialist established in 1982 by Tim Waterstone that employs around 4,500 staff throughout the United Kingdom and Europe....
to cancel a book-signing by Welsh poet, Patrick Jones
Patrick Jones
Patrick Jones is a Welsh poet, playwright and filmmaker. His work is often in collaboration with the rock band Manic Street Preachers; his brother, Nicky Wire, is their bassist.-Biography:...
, described as "obscene and blasphemous" by Green. Jones instead read from his book at the Welsh Assembly
Philip Hensher, a commentator for the Independent newspaper, describes Green as a comic character, and Christian Voice as an extremist group. In the Guardian he has been described by George Monbiot
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
as a "ranting homophobe
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
".
In May 2008, Green was featured in the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
documentary series Dispatches
Dispatches (TV series)
Dispatches is the British television current affairs documentary series on Channel 4, first transmitted in 1987. The programme covers issues about British society, politics, health, religion, international current affairs and the environment, usually featuring a mole in an organisation.-Awards:*...
- In God's Name as a leader in the fundamentalist movement in the United Kingdom. This prompted the Rev. Joel Edwards
Joel Edwards (UK)
Joel Edwards was the General Director of the Evangelical Alliance until the end of 2008. He is now International Director for Micah Challenge and is also a Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. He has presented on the BBC Radio 4 feature of The Today programme, Thought for the...
, head of the Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
, to write a public letter discounting Green's impact on fundamentalism calling him an extremist.
External links
- A voice in the wilderness, BBC News, 28 February 2005
- http://www.mediawatchwatch.org.uk/?p=160