Christians more militant than Muslims, says Government's equalities boss

By JONATHAN WYNNE-JONES - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Added: Sun, 19 Jun 2011 06:45:28 UTC

Muslims are integrating into British society better than many Christians, according to the head of the Government's equality watchdog.

Trevor Phillips warned that "an old time religion incompatible with modern society" is driving the revival in the Anglican and Catholic Churches and clashing with mainstream views, especially on homosexuality.

He accused Christians, particularly evangelicals, of being more militant than Muslims in complaining about discrimination, arguing that many of the claims are motivated by a desire for greater political influence.

However the chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission expressed concern that people of faith are "under siege" from atheists whom he accused of attempting to "drive religion underground".

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph ahead of a landmark report on religious discrimination in Britain, he said the Commission wants to protect Christians and Muslims from discrimination, admitting his body had not been seen to stand up for the people discriminated against because of their faith in the past.

In a wide-ranging intervention into the debate over the role of religion in modern Britain, Mr Phillips:

warned it had become "fashionable" to attack and mock religion, singling out atheist polemicist Richard Dawkins for his views;

said faith groups should be free from interference in their own affairs, meaning churches should be allowed to block women and homosexuals from being priests and bishops;

attacked hardline Christian groups which he said were picking fights - particularly on the issue of homosexuality - for their own political ends;

told churches and religious institutions they had to comply with equality legislation when they delivered services to the public as a whole.

Read on

TAGGED: ISLAM, RELIGION, SOCIETY