In his resignation speech, whilst speaking of the criticism which he has received for holding orthodox Christian views on homosexual practice, Tim Farron said: “I seem to have been the subject of suspicion because of what I believe and who my faith is in. In which case we are kidding ourselves if we think we yet live in a tolerant liberal society, and that is why I have chosen to stand down as leader of the Liberal Democrats.”
Tim Farron, by upholding the biblical view that sexual activity outside marriage is wrong, has been hounded from office in his ‘liberal’ political party.
He was not criticised for his actions; his party increased its representation at the election. He was not criticised for his policy proposals, which are all in line with party thinking. He was not criticised because of his actions in Parliament; he has consistently voted for LBGT rights. Tim Farron was pushed out because of what he thought.
Although disagreeing with him politically, we can all be saddened by the sight of a decent man falling victim to the thought police.
A sincere and intelligent Christian he has been hounded for years. During the election questions regarding his Christian faith intensified. He was repeatedly badgered about his views on homosexuality. At a time when the country faces the greatest political and economic question in our lifetime due to Brexit, ‘Is gay sex a sin?’ was the question Farron was constantly asked.
Following the election Lord Paddick, formerly deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan police and at one time Britain’s highest ranking homosexual policeman, resigned as the Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary ‘over concerns about the leader’s views on various issues that were highlighted during GE17’. This was the final dagger thrust in a deliberate coup.
After years of attempting to demonstrate the traditional liberalism which allowed diversity of opinion and freedom of expression Tim Farron has suffered a political assassination at the hands of the liberal fascists.
During the election campaign, Farron gave in to the pressure. After years of deflecting the question, he said that he did not think homosexual sex a sin. This was not enough to deflect the anti-Christian animus within liberalism. If you insist on being a Christian within liberalism you must abandon at the outset any orthodox Christian thinking, and even the taint of it in the past is evidence for condemnation.
Can you remember the interview on Today when John Humphrys repeatedly questioned Nick Clegg on how his atheism would colour his political views? Or how about the many columns in the Guardian repeatedly attacking Clegg for his crass statement about having ‘no more than 30 notches’ on his bedpost?
No? Don’t worry, your memory is not failing, they never happened. In today’s Britain rank unbelief is the norm, sexual incontinence is lauded, and a politician who exemplifies such attitudes is given a free pass. Let a Christian admit he or she prays over difficult decisions, or that their morality is in accord with Scripture and they will be derided.
Christians in politics should be prepared to face questions about their faith. That is only right and proper in a free society. What Tim Farron faced was not questions but a determined drive to condemn him in the eyes of the public.
In our ‘tolerant, liberal’ society, we do not have an even playing field. Do we have Muslim politicians being rigorously questioned about their views on the place of women in society and domestic violence? What about questions regarding the Koran’s view on multiple marriages? When was the last time Muslim MPs were questioned about the death penalty for homosexual activity?
When are atheist MPs ever asked questions about how their belief that humans are nothing more than an accidental collection of cells impacts their views on moral questions such as abortion and euthanasia?
Amongst the elites, authoritarian anti-Christian intolerance is the new norm. Due to its overwhelming preponderance in the media and academia, liberal close-mindedness is gaining ever greater prevalence within society. Tim Farron did not fiddle expenses, he did not leak secrets, he did not take bribes, he is entirely innocent of the type of veniality which is not unknown within Parliament. Tim Farron was found guilty of holding traditional Christian beliefs, and it cost him.
Biblical Christians in politics, as elsewhere, can expect to come under ever greater pressure to conform and compromise with an intolerant liberalism which is quite prepared to eat its own.
The current liberal absolutism has raised sexuality to the status of a religious shibboleth. Initially, we were assured that acceptance of liberal sexuality would be permissive. It was apparent then that it would become prescriptive. With the destruction of Tim Farron’s leadership of the Liberal Democrats, we have been given an object lesson in just how intolerant liberalism really is.
(Image: Lib Dems)
