Watch what you say about the Scientologists, Stupid!

It's reported in The Times today that Cllr John Dixon, a Lib Dem councillor on Cardiff City Council, is under investigation after a critical message on Twitter about Scientologists.
He Tweeted:

"I didn't know the Scientologists had a church on Tottenham Court Road. Just hurried past in case the stupid rubs off."

Scientology complained to the Ombudsman for Public Services in Wales, who found there was a case to answer under the code of conduct for councillors and has passed the matter on to Cardiff City Council's standards and ethics committee.

Frankly, I think scientology escaped lightly. He could have said a lot worse, and once again, they have done nothing but draw attention to their failings by complaining about his Tweet. Cllr Dixon has 194 followers (a much higher figure I suspect than when he first Tweeted about them!), but now thousands of people have been told how 'stupid' they are.

But this worries me - as well as my day job working with different religious and spiritual organisations, I'm also a local Councillor. Occasionally I'm called upon for comment by the media and in the past I have both critiqued Scientology and stood up for it in one particular circumstance. Where would I stand under this kind of nonsense? I trust the Standards Committee will see sense and drop this.

Meanwhile, I like the comment by my colleague David Barrett, New Religious Movements expert and author..."I think I'd like to see a law that all religions have to laugh at themselves..."

Why I'm so CROSS!

You'd have thought Christianity Today magazine would get it right, but no - even they are referring to Shirley Chaplin's cross as a crucifx.

The fact this nurse, who refused to remove the cross she had worn for 30 years, has lost her religious discrimination claim, is both another example of religious stupidity and yet more evidence of ignorance on the part of journalists when it comes to religious reporting.

Despite the fact the necklace she wears in photographs is quite clearly a cross, the Press Association, the BBC and every UK national daily newspaper has called it a crucifix.

It's a fundamental error for which there really can be no excuses.

Women. Know Your Place?

Sad to think that this is only just one of many such sermons, and even sadder is the number of women I've met who agree...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/13/be-silent-sevenoaks-vicar-tells-women

When Security Goes Mad...

Today I was out in the freezing cold in central London, making a video for a client’s Website.

As a member of the NUJ, I know photographers and TV cameramen have been questioned by police while going about their legitimate business, on the grounds they may be planning a terrorist attack and are engaged in covert surveillance of public buildings, and joked we’d better be careful but in all honesty didn’t think the three of us involved, being middle-aged, middle class people clearly engaged in genuine work would have any problems.

In fact, we were questioned three times while filming on the Embankment. On the first occasion, three police constables approached us, one female WPC giving me a particularly hard and suspicious look. One of her colleagues asked whether we had permission to film? I have to confess I immediately saw red and replied that as it was a public place we didn’t need permission to film. They still insisted on ID nonetheless, although when my colleague had produced his NUJ card, they didn’t push for mine. The two subsequent approaches were rather more informal and friendly, but the fact is I see no reason why we should have been challenged at all.

Big Brother is not only ubiquitous, he is also sometimes very stupid and prejudiced. On the last flight I took, I was asked at security to remove my long shirt. I refused very politely on the grounds I was wearing very little underneath. This got me a jolly good frisking and the third degree. Yet as I was held up for what seemed to me a sufficient length of time to make me think twice about refusing requests to publically expose my underwear in future, a woman in a burkha sailed through completely unquestioned. Why? Well you can reach your own conclusions just as I have reached mine...

Christian Crucifix Case Not Worth Enormous Legal Fees, Lawyer Warns

http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2010/01/19/53745/ba-christian-crucifix-case-not-worth-enormous-legal-fees-lawyer-warns.html

Darren Sherborne, head of employment and partner at Rickerbys law firm, told Personnel Today the case - whereby devout Christian Nadia Eweida is claiming BA discriminated against her when she refused to remove her cross necklace at work - highlights employers' ability to "lose track of what's important." Absolutely right, BA were completely idiotic to try and stop her wearing it in the first place. But Ms Ewida is now being equally stubborn, pursuing her Employment Tribunal for religious discrimination in the Court of Appeal today. It's about time she stopped this legal gravy train and let it go; after all, she's had huge public and political support, was reinstated at work, saw BA change their policy, and has been wearing her Christian badge for three years now.

But I can't let this one go - please, headline writers, it's a CROSS, not a CRUCIFIX!! There is a difference...!

Social Justice - The Need to Create a Global Movement

Next CEMVO seminar, Thursday 28th January at 3.30pm: ‘Social Justice: the need to create a Global movement,’ with Dr. Krishna Sarda, Chief Executive of Ethnic Minority Foundation, an independent organisation seeking to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice present in society.

Venue: - The Dining Room, The Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard, Westminster, London SW1A 2HJ. Nearest tubes: Charing Cross and Embankment. See www.cemvo.org.uk/seminars.asp for more details

Multiculturalsm -v- Integration

Should diversity be celebrated? Is multiculturalism racist? Is French president Nicholas Sarkozy right to ban the burqa? Does multiculturalism make Britain a better place, or are honour killings and domestic violence being ignored under the banner of 'cultural difference'? Renowned journalist and author of 'After Multiculturalism', Yasmin Alibhai-Brown examines possibly the greatest debate of modern Britain: Multiculturalism versus Integration, at a CEMVO seminar next Wednesday 2nd December. For details see www.cemvo.org.uk/seminar.asp