THE SAME STRUGGLE

In the wake of the Savile paedophile revelations the expected has occurred. Let a traditional Christian point out that back in the 70’s leading Progressives such as Harriet Harman, now Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, were actively campaigning to have the age of consent lowered or abolished and there is a predictable reaction.

Read the ‘comments’ on newspaper sites and blogs and you will find Progressives responding on the lines of, “What about Catholic priests, you Christians were doing it first, Nyah Nyah, Nyah.” It should come as no surprise when Progressives resort to the argumentation of the school playground, this after all is where they are most at home.

Let me speak up for the Roman Catholic Church. Fear not, this dyed in the wool Presbyterian and descendant of Covenanters is not defecting to the rosary rattlers. However, traditional Protestants and traditional Catholics have more in common with each other than we do with Progressive Christians of any stamp. With Progressive Christians the Progressive invariably trumps the Christian. Traditional Protestants and traditional Catholics are allies in the same cultural and ecclesiastical struggle.

Paedophiles exist in every community, including the Christian community. That Roman Catholic priests abused children on a mind boggling scale and that this was covered up by those in authority are undisputed facts. The worshipper in the pew has reacted with horror, disgust and shame. Not only because of the nature of the crime but also because of who committed the crime.

The world holds Christians to a higher standard than it does Progressives. Rightly so, for we expect better of ourselves than we do of Progressives. We expect even more of priests and ministers.

The great difference between paedophile Catholic priests and Progressives pressing for the abolition of the age of consent is that the priests were an aberration, the Progressives are a continuation.

There is no Christian theologian, preacher, teacher or leader who approves of adults having sexual knowledge of children. It is condemned across the board and those who would indulge in this perversion and those who would shelter them are being exposed and punished. Many Catholics think that if compensation for the victims impoverishes the Roman Catholic Church then that is what the institution deserves.

The common aim of Progressive sexual liberationists in the 70’s, and today, is to create a relationship free for all in which any type of sexual activity has the same value as any other. Any form of sexual activity is to be considered a human right, no matter the form it takes. As long that is as it is between “consenting adults.”

What form of “consent” can a twelve year old boy or girl give to the adult who is grooming them or who is in a position of power or influence over them?

In February 1976 the National Council for Civil Liberties in evidence presented to the Criminal Law Revision Committee said: “Although it is both logical, and consistent with modern knowledge about child development, to suggest that the age of consent should be abolished, we fear that, given the present state of public attitudes on this topic, it will not be politically possible to abolish the age of consent.”

The only thing preventing the NCCL from pressing for the abolition of an age of consent then was the pragmatic political argument that the public wouldn’t wear their Progressive assault on sexual morality. Given time and the media’s continual sexualisation of children and Progressives will get over the setback caused by Savile and return to their agenda of pushing back the boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

When it was introduced by the Victorians the age of consent was seen as an enlightened, humane act, protecting as it did vulnerable children from the sexual abuse of predatory adults. To Progressives it is now seen as an affront, an unhealthy restriction on the right of children to have sex.

Back in 1979 another group who wanted the abolition of the age of consent, the Gay Liberation Front, declared in their manifesto: “We must aim at the abolition of the family.” After all, the family was founded upon the “archaic and irrational teachings” of Christianity.

Protestant or Catholic we are in the same struggle.