The United Kingdom is home to many religions some of which are growing fast. The United Kingdom had a census in 2001, which included a voluntary question on religion for the first time, and this remains our best guide. There was a controversy as religion was regarded as a private matter. But it seemed to me to be a good idea as the religious scene was changing fast and there were various implications.
Ninety-two percent were prepared to answer the question. 71.6 percent identified themselves as Christian (42.1 million people). The next most prevalent faith was Islam with 2.7 percent (1.6 million), followed by Hindus (559,000), Sikhs (336,000), Jews (267,000) and Buddhists (152,000). The size of the Muslim community, overwhelmingly due to immigration, attracted the most comment. There are some 1,200 mosques in the United Kingdom today.
The Church of England is the established church with the Queen as its head. But the United Kingdom today is in fact a secular nation. Between 1998 and 2005 half a million people stopped going to a Christian church on Sunday. One million left in the previous nine years.
Much against my wish, and those of many others, the United Kingdom is mainly importing its culture from the United States, currently including obesity. Political correctness, while not yet as totally out of control as in the United States, has been sweeping the big cities. While I fully appreciate the need not to give unnecessary social offense, and to respect other people’s opinions on religion and other matters, there can be no justification, in my view, for the degree in which political correctness is being pushed down our throats by the powers that be. The Blair government has been a bad offender.
The growth of non-Christian religions, as confirmed by the 2001 census, did require a little more care in the use of language on religious affairs. That has been happening as the United Kingdom remains a tolerant nation; but we have gone well past that point.
In December much of the British media expressed outrage at the undermining of Christmas by those claiming to be politically correct. The latter were aided and abetted by those whom the admirable Archbishop of York has described as “aggressive secularists”. As support for the Church has faded — except among the black evangelical movement — there has been an increasing tendency for some to question the whole Christian basis of British society, including having an established church. The attacks have been sharp and offensive and religious groups have tended to be both slow and cautious in their response. There are indications that is now changing.
I find it is not easy to get the exact details, in what can be a sensitive area, but before Christmas there was a decline in office decorations proclaiming, as in past years, “Merry Christmas”. This has been so with central government and local government official cards. This was on the grounds that such a message might offend those of other faiths or, indeed, of no faith at all. The Scottish Parliament went so far as to ban Christmas cards last year. The words “Season’s Greetings” were used instead of “Happy Christmas” or “Merry Christmas” on large numbers of cards for sale in the shops.
Up and down the land nativity plays, much enjoyed in the past by parents, teachers and the children, have become fewer. One year Birmingham City Council proclaimed Christmas should be called “Winterval”. Even the British Red Cross came out against Christmas decorations within its branches last year.
The festival marking Christ’s birth has been celebrated in the Western church on Dec. 25 from the end of the 4th century, and in the East formally on Jan. 6 in conjunction with the Epiphany. It is likely that in the West Christmas latched on to pagan celebrations following the rebirth of the sun after the winter solstice. The Christmas tree became fashionable in England after Prince Albert, the brilliant husband of Queen Victoria, introduced it into his family from Germany.
Last year in a few universities, including Exeter University, Christian societies were told by their Students’ Union that they could no longer confine their student membership to Christians. That would be discriminating against non-Christians. In addition if they kept to the doctrine of the Church of England on homosexuality that could lead to the banning of their society. It is possible Christian societies will now take these issues to the courts.
In my experience Muslims, for example, are only too happy to be sent Christmas cards while enjoying also their own religious occasions such as Eid. I do not believe, for a moment, that religious groups seek to prohibit other religions having their festivals. The anti-movement comes from another direction. In time the tide will turn and common sense will prevail.
