( Story pinched,with apologies, from gay,com today)



National Front protests over gay priest. Gay.com UK Thursday 10 June, 2004


The National Front is planning to protest over the appointment of Canon Jeffrey John next month, claiming the appointment of a gay priest is a "subversion" of the Church of England.The group, an extreme right wing organisation that calls for white racial supremacy across the UK, is planning to march past St Albans Abbey on the 2nd of July, when John will be installed as dean of the Cathedral.According to an article in the St Albans Observer, the group will also distribute leaflets claiming the decision to appoint John as dean goes against biblical teachings and that the Church's message is being "watered down"."As Christians we are concerned that the Church is failing as an institution," Deputy chairman Bernard Franklin told the newspaper."The pews are empty and what is preached now is more about being nice to each other than anything else. It's meaningless in our view."We have nothing against Jeffrey John as a person and he is probably a nice enough bloke but the Church has been infiltrated and is being destroyed from within."The plans have been slammed by the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM), which argues that recent comments from Church leaders about sexual diversity have given groups such as the National Front an excuse to parade their "bigotry"."The views of the Archbishop of Nigeria that homosexuals are worse than beasts, a Scottish Cardinal saying we are perverts and an English bishop implying we are mental defectives gives succour and credibility to these bigots," General Secretary Richard Kirker said today."Church leaders may protest their innocence and try to distance themselves from fascist organisations - but to their undying shame the only political groups supporting their stance on homosexuality are racist Nazis."He added that the protest announcement is particularly inappropriate in light of the recent D-Day celebrations."In a week when we have seen the 60th anniversary of D-Day, we are reminded that the evil and hatred that fired the National Socialist ovens is still alive on these shores," Kirker said."It suits many to forget that homosexuals were amongst the first to be arrested in Hitler's Germany - and even today they are blind to the world-wide suffering mutilation and murder of homosexual people often with the tacit approval of religious leaders."This is not the first time Canon John has been the subject of protests. He was originally chosen as the Bishop of Reading last year, but was forced to withdraw before being consecrated after a campaign against him was launched by senior Church figures who objected to him being gay.This new appointment, made by the government, is being seen as a subtle modernising tactic for the Church, although it has sparked a row across the region. While he has received broad support, John has been the centre of protests from some local parishes, who will withhold their diocese funds from the Cathedral in defiance of his position.Police have said they are as yet unaware of the National Front march next month, although they will be in attendance to make sure the event passes peacefully.


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I trust there will be a large group of anti-nazi's turning up to stop them marching.

Could be a bit awkward for some backing 'the church' to some extent,against the
fascists.?????