How to Write to Peers on the Equality Bill
Key Points you may wish to make:
- You are very concerned that the Equality Bill will prevent Christian organisations acting in accordance with their deeply-held religious beliefs.
- The new Government amendment (January 14th) does not go far enough in protecting religious organisations, as it only allows a Church to insist that a ‘minister of religion’ lives out the Faith in relation to sexual ethics.
- The best way forward is to maintain the current law as defined in 2003.
- Please support Baroness O'Cathain's Schedule 9 amendments, which address these problems and will be put to a vote on 25th January.
General Points:
- As Christians we support equality (give examples both from the Bible and from you/your church’s daily practice) and support many elements of the Equality Bill.
- However, equality does not extend to all the choices we make about how to live our lives, and that includes the choices we make about religion or belief and sexual practices. As Christians we believe that the only authoritative source of right and wrong is what God has told us through the Bible. We do not believe that all religious beliefs are equal (Satanism and Christianity, for example) and not all sexual practices are equal (for example, sex between a monogamous married couple and sex between an adulterous couple).
- The Bible teaches Christians to love everyone, whatever their religion or belief or sexual behaviour, but also teaches us to condemn as wrongful any false religion or sexual immorality, whether adultery, homosexuality or otherwise. The problem with the Equality Bill is that it takes away churches’ freedom to act with integrity according to that teaching.
- Whilst the Bible tells Christians not to ostracise non-Christians who engage in sexual immorality within the Church, the command is that “you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler” (1 Cor 5:9-11). Why should the Government force churches to become places of hypocrisy where the Bible is taught but where those teaching it and those working within it cannot be required to live it?
- Freedom of religion should mean that the law enables Christians to attend a place of worship where they know that the staff share their beliefs and are committed to living by them.
Please click on the following link to access the latest version of the Equality Bill, which you will find at the top of the list:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2009-10/equality/documents.html
Address:
Lord ________
The House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
Please choose Peers whose surnames start with the same letter as yours to ensure an even spread of letters.
How the list works:
L = Lord; B= Baroness; Bp= Bishop; E= Earl; V= Viscount; Ly= Lady
So, the salutation for “Aberdare, L” should be “Lord Aberdare” etc.
And the address should be labelled “The Rt Hon the Lord Aberdare”
For other titles, please see the specific instructions on how to address Peers on the House of Lords website: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/members/lords_contact/address.cfm
Aberdare, L.
Ahmed, L.
Allenby of Megiddo, V.
Alton of Liverpool, L.
Anelay of St Johns, B.
Arran, E.
Bagri, L.
Bates, L.
Bell, L.
Bew, L.
Bilimoria, L.
Blackwell, L.
Boothroyd, B.
Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, L.
Brookman, L.
Brougham and Vaux, L.
Browne of Belmont, L.
Burnett, L.
Buscombe, B.
Butler of Brockwell, L.
Butler-Sloss, B.
Byford, B.
Caithness, E.
Cameron of Lochbroom, L.
Cathcart, E.
Chester, Bp.
Chichester, Bp.
Chorley, L.
Clarke of Hampstead, L.
Colville of Culross, V.
Colwyn, L.
Cope of Berkeley, L.
Craig of Radley, L.
Craigavon, V.
Crathorne, L.
Crickhowell, L.
De Mauley, L.
Dear, L.
D'Souza, B.
Dundee, E.
Eccles, V.
Eccles of Moulton, B.
Eden of Winton, L.
Elton, L.
Evans of Parkside, L.
Falkland, V.
Falkner of Margravine, B.
Feldman, L.
Ferrers, E.
Fookes, B.
Forsyth of Drumlean, L.
Fraser of Carmyllie, L.
Freeman, L.
Gardner of Parkes, B.
Geddes, L.
Glenarthur, L.
Glentoran, L.
Gordon of Strathblane, L.
Goschen, V.
Greengross, B.
Greenway, L.
Grenfell, L.
Griffiths of Fforestfach, L.
Hamilton of Epsom, L.
Hanham, B.
Hayhoe, L.
Henley, L.
Higgins, L.
Hooper, B.
Howard of Rising, L.
Howe, E.
Howie of Troon, L.
Hunt of Wirral, L.
Hylton, L.
Inge, L.
Inglewood, L.
James of Blackheath, L.
James of Holland Park, B.
Jenkin of Roding, L.
Kilclooney, L.
King of Bridgwater, L.
Kingsdown, L.
Kirkham, L.
Kirkhill, L.
Knight of Collingtree, B.
Laing of Dunphail, L.
Laird, L.
Lang of Monkton, L.
Leach of Fairford, L.
Lewis of Newnham, L.
Listowel, E.
Liverpool, E.
Livsey of Talgarth, L.
Luce, L.
Luke, L.
Lyell, L.
McColl of Dulwich, L.
MacGregor of Pulham Market, L.
Mackay of Clashfern, L.
Mackenzie of Framwellgate, L.
Maginnis of Drumglass, L.
Mallalieu, B.
Mancroft, L.
Marlesford, L.
Martin of Springburn, L.
Masham of Ilton, B.
Mawhinney, L.
Mawson, L.
Mayhew of Twysden, L.
Methuen, L.
Miller of Hendon, B.
Monson, L.
Montgomery of Alamein, V.
Montrose, D.
Moore of Lower Marsh, L.
Moran, L.
Morris of Aberavon, L.
Morris of Bolton, B.
Morrow, L.
Neill of Bladen, L.
Neville-Jones, B.
Noakes, B.
Northbourne, L.
Northbrook, L.
O'Cathain, B.
O'Loan, B.
Onslow, E.
Paisley of St George's, B.
Palmer, L.
Palumbo, L.
Pannick, L.
Park of Monmouth, B.
Patten, L.
Pearson of Rannoch, L.
Pendry, L.
Pilkington of Oxenford, L.
Plant of Highfield, L.
Rawlings, B.
Reay, L.
Rees-Mogg, L.
Roberts of Conwy, L.
Rogan, L.
Rowe-Beddoe, L.
Ryder of Wensum, L.
Sainsbury of Preston Candover, L.
Saltoun of Abernethy, Ly.
Sandwich, E.
Seccombe, B.
Selkirk of Douglas, L.
Selsdon, L.
Sharples, B.
Shaw of Northstead, L.
Shephard of Northwold, B.
Shrewsbury, E.
Skelmersdale, L.
Skidelsky, L.
Slim, V.
Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, L.
Stair, E.
Sterling of Plaistow, L.
Stevens of Ludgate, L.
Stewartby, L.
Stoddart of Swindon, L.
Strathclyde, L.
Swinfen, L.
Taylor of Holbeach, L.
Tebbit, L.
Thomas of Swynnerton, L.
Tombs, L.
Trimble, L.
Trumpington, B.
Verma, B.
Vinson, L.
Waddington, L.
Wade of Chorlton, L.
Walker of Aldringham, L.
Walpole, L.
Williamson of Horton, L.
Winchester, Bp.
Please click here for a full alphabetical list of Peers:
http://www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/mps_and_lords/alphabetical_list_of_members.cfm
For more information:
The Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship briefing on the Equality Bill:
http://www.ccfon.org/docs/LCF_Equality_Bill_Briefing_(14th_Dec_2009).pdf
Please see the CARE report: A Little Bit Against Discrimination?
http://www.care.org.uk/Articles/176836/CARE/Stay_Informed/Public_Affairs_News/New_CARE_report.aspx