THE far-right British National Party (BNP) has grabbed at Jesus to attract Christian votes in the European elections in June.
A poster it has created for the election, according to Church Times:
Reflects the party’s concerted attempt to portray itself as defender of Britain’s Christian heritage and ‘Christian’ values.
Nick Griffin, the party leader, invited supporters in an email message to preview the billboard, which, he says, is:
Aimed at attracting even more Christian voters.
The billboard message criticises the Church of England in particular for passing a resolution at the February Synod that membership of the BNP was incompatible with being a member of the clergy.
Griffin asks:
What has become of the Christian church in this country? Instead of inclusively ‘embracing all’ which the church claims as its basis, certain groups within that body have banned people from their ranks. . . . Surely if God calls a man to his service, no church has the right to contradict HIS holy will!
Jonathan Bartley, co-director of the think tank Ekklesia, which has been monitoring the BNP’s identification with Christianity, said of the billboard:
This is clearly a gross misrepresentation of both Jesus Christ and Christianity. Jesus was completely opposed to bigotry.
The West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council has mounted a campaign, “Use your Cross — Vote for Hope in Yorkshire”, which urges everyone to vote on 4 June for other parties, even if they do not normally vote in the European elections.
The campaign literature says:
Christians assert that all human beings are created equally in the image of God … The Christian vision of society is one where each person is treated with dignity and respect, whatever their race or religion. It is a vision of hope. The Christian churches are totally opposed to the BNP.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
April 7th, 2009 at 11:24 am
The BNP critisizing the CoE for not ‘embracing all’? The words pot and kettle spring to mind.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:40 am
I hate to be pedantic but spelling mistakes really annoy me.
‘Instead of inclusively ‘embracing all’ which the church claims as its basis,’
That is not how one spells embarrassing!
April 7th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I wonder if we will hear from the Archbish of Cant about Griffin and his admiration for Jesus? Or even a word from the head honcho (recent) of the Roman Catholics?
Is Thought for the Day becoming even more sly, smug and vaccuous – if that is possible -as I heard the start of a couple of episodes before getting to the off button. There is a “religious” tone so packed with religiosity that it is unmistakeable – that twee, fuckwit little lead in eg: “As Easter approaches I wonder what Jesus riding on his donkey would have made of the materialism which surrounds us today. He road …………..” No one, least of all the BBC, ever challenges the statements which are given as facts. And at Easter we will be swamped by this stuff. Not that it will reach me as I will be spending the holiday with a houseful of atheists.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
‘This is clearly a gross misrepresentation of both Jesus Christ and Christianity. Jesus was completely opposed to bigotry.’
Unless of course your gay, then the bigotry is mandated by the good book.
Still at least jesus wasn’t a Jew otherwise the BNP wouldn’t allow him to join them…. oh wait
April 7th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
#Christians assert that all human beings are created equally in the image of God … The Christian vision of society is one where each person is treated with dignity and respect, whatever their race or religion.#
As dead yeti said “unless you’re gay, I notice in the above quote they left out sexual orientation.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
If they haven’t already, I have a feeling that higher-profile fundies will be eagerly seizing this opportunity to be seen as adversaries of the BNP – therefore ‘good guys’ by default – despite having bundles in common with them.
April 7th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
The BNP – bonkers organisation with delusional followers. Not like the church at all then!
April 7th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Stuart W. Shouldn’t be long before the “shocked and stunned” response kicks in. The comments will offer an intriguing comparison with the “probably no god” adverts on the buses.
April 7th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Do they know Jesus was an arab?
I remember reading thier site a while back and they seemed pretty atheistic. I guess they realised logical-minded people wouldn’t be taken in so they needed to pander to people who are reactionary, whinge about “persecution” all the time despite having tons of money and the ear of the BBC, and terrified of the unknown and “different”.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:20 am
They’re always against discrimination unless it’s discrimination against the people they hate.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:53 am
‘Christians assert that all human beings are created equally in the image of God …’
except if you’re gay…
April 8th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Do they not realise that some of the most fervent Christians in the country are black, & often recent immigrants?
They represent “Christian values”, whatever they are, much better than your average BNP voter.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
The BNP are the last party that I would vote for anyway. Now they have made themselves even more last, if that’s possible.
April 28th, 2009 at 3:19 am
This site is very cool throughout the Internet by a hot girl Clik
April 29th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I always struggle to think of just how the BNP could be more ridiculous than that piece of bog roll they call a manifesto suggests, and invariably they go ahead and save me the bother. Sad thing is though, there are enough fuckwits in this country to lend them support, so they will always pose a threat.