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Writer's speech 'too Christian' for carol service
Telegraph (UK) ^ | 11/30/2007 | Jonathan Petre

Posted on 12/03/2007 11:29:28 AM PST by Unam Sanctam

The Royal Commonwealth Society is at the centre of an embarrassing row after it barred a well-known Roman Catholic commentator from attacking intolerance towards Christians at its annual carol service.

Cristina Odone, the former deputy editor of the New Statesman, was to be one of the "celebrity readers" at the service in St Martin in the Fields church in central London next month, which is attended by diplomats and politicians.

But she has pulled out of the event, accusing the society of demonstrating exactly the kind of intolerance she had planned to criticise.

"I am incandescent," she said. "I was told that the words I had written were not appropriate because the congregation would include people of little or no faith who presumably would be upset. Even more insultingly, I was asked instead to read a passage from Bertrand Russell, a militant atheist."

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Philosophy; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: bigotry; insanity; intolerance; tolerance

1 posted on 12/03/2007 11:29:29 AM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: Unam Sanctam

Shouldn’t surprise. “Diversity” promoters always follow the Rule of ABC: Anything But Christianity


2 posted on 12/03/2007 11:32:24 AM PST by Elpasser
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To: Unam Sanctam

It’s annual carol service? Is this supposed to be “Lessons and Carols”? The idea is to alternate Scripture readings with carols sung by the congregation and choir. My own Episcopal parish is doing this in two weeks. Sounds like a bastardized version.


3 posted on 12/03/2007 11:33:19 AM PST by RonF
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To: Unam Sanctam
Depressing.

But this was, afterall, an "annual [multifaith] carol service" so I would fully expect that the overall goal would be to move people away from Christ.

4 posted on 12/03/2007 11:34:02 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. And Agamemnon dead.)
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To: Elpasser

There is obviously an anti-Christian bias on the left,

but the biggest, deepest issue with atheists is the fear of there actually being an objective morality against which they will be judged.


5 posted on 12/03/2007 11:35:25 AM PST by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Unam Sanctam
Even more insultingly, I was asked instead to read a passage from Bertrand Russell

So clearly, this was planned to get her goat. I didn't know the RCS was so political.

Ah, Bertrand Russell - perhaps the pompousest ass produced by the Victorian era.

He lived long enough to both read newspaper accounts of the death of Lord Gordon at Khartoum when he was young and wear a Nehru jacket before he died.

6 posted on 12/03/2007 11:36:59 AM PST by wideawake (Why is it that so many self-proclaimed "Constitutionalists" know so little about the Constitution?)
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To: MrB

They should BE VERY AFRAID. That day relentlessly approaches for everyone.


7 posted on 12/03/2007 11:42:29 AM PST by Elpasser
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To: Elpasser

John 15:18 (New International Version)

18”If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me [Jesus] first.


8 posted on 12/03/2007 11:50:10 AM PST by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Unam Sanctam

Poor England, I wonder what Winston Churchill would think about the way things are going there. It is so sad.


9 posted on 12/03/2007 11:54:13 AM PST by GinaLolaB
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To: Red Badger
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Tim 3:12

Note that ALL (not some) true Christians WILL (not might) be persecuted.

10 posted on 12/03/2007 12:03:29 PM PST by joebuck
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To: wideawake

One of the oddest friendships in history was between the militant atheist Russell and the very devout TS Eliot.


11 posted on 12/03/2007 12:05:28 PM PST by Clemenza (Rudy Giuliani, like Pesto and Seattle, belongs in the scrap heap of '90s Culture)
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To: Unam Sanctam
Liberals censor a Christian during the Christmas Season. Quelle surprise!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

12 posted on 12/03/2007 12:05:47 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: GinaLolaB

As England has gone, America is catching up...

And in the Anglican Communion, the Episcopal Church is arguably further down the road to perdition than her Mother Church.


13 posted on 12/03/2007 12:06:17 PM PST by AnalogReigns
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To: Clemenza
One of the oddest friendships in history was between the militant atheist Russell and the very devout TS Eliot.

It doesn't seem odd in some ways. He was very tight with Pound as well.

While I enjoy Eliot's verse, I have real issues with a guy who went to such lengths to dissociate himself from the US.

14 posted on 12/03/2007 12:23:39 PM PST by wideawake (Why is it that so many self-proclaimed "Constitutionalists" know so little about the Constitution?)
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To: Unam Sanctam

We all know how much those “people of little or no faith” love their carols!


15 posted on 12/03/2007 12:35:18 PM PST by JWinNC (www.anailinhisplace.net)
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To: Unam Sanctam
As an experienced writer and broadcaster on religion, she was asked to write a short piece on the theme of "opportunities for all" that could be "political and controversial".

*snort* That's exactly what she did. I guess the folks hosting the service didn't like their particular ox being gored. And if it's a 'carol service', shouldn't someone attending EXPECT something religious about it? But this IS Britain, so maybe that is too much to expect, and that's what Ms. Odone wrote.

16 posted on 12/03/2007 1:02:11 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: RonF

Not sure if this is like the “Lessons and Carols” done by the King’s College Chapel Choir on Christmas Eve. Our Parish started doing an abbreviated version of Lessons and Carols just before Midnight Mass, a few years ago. Folks have to get there early to get a seat anyway, and they love listening to the music while they’re waiting for Mass to begin.


17 posted on 12/03/2007 1:05:35 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: SuziQ

We’re doing it the week before Christmas week on Sunday the 16th. It’ll be at 3:30 PM that day, and then after that we’re having a potluck dinner. The community is invited.


18 posted on 12/03/2007 1:15:18 PM PST by RonF
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To: Unam Sanctam

Sadly, it seems that the spirit of the Lord left this ‘church’ long ago.

I’ve got a little tune that could help them out ...

“I once was lost but now I’m found
was blind but now I see.”


19 posted on 12/03/2007 1:15:46 PM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: RonF

I try to make it to the Christmas Lessons and Carols done at St. Paul’s (RC) Cathedral. They do theirs around Epiphany, which is nice, because it’s after the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, so it’s a beautiful and relaxing time. They also do an Advent Lessons and Carols, but I don’t usually make it to that one.


20 posted on 12/03/2007 1:49:38 PM PST by SuziQ
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