Christians are increasingly concerned about Government plans to crack down on “non-violent extremism” after an opinion poll found that more than a quarter of people said Jesus Christ was an “extremist”.
The poll carried out by ComRes for the Evangelical Alliance found that nearly half of those interviewed believed that it was extremism to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman only.
Dr David Landrum, director of advocacy for the Evangelical Alliance, which represents two million Evangelicals, said: “The language of extremism is a recipe for chaos and division.
“This poll shows the scale of moral confusion in our society with the public having no way of deciding whether something is extreme or not.
“It also shows the division that might ensue if the Government persists in trying to use extremism as a way of regulating peaceful ideas in society.
“Detached from terrorism and incitement to violence, extremism does not work as a litmus test for judging peaceful beliefs and opinions. Indeed, the Government has tried and failed over the last two years to define extremism with any precision and this poll shows that the public share that confusion.”
In one discovery, the poll of 2,004 people found that 28 per cent considered Jesus Christ to be an extremist. Thirteen per cent thought that the Dalai Lama could be considered an extremist, while 20 per cent said Gandhi could be considered an extremist.
The poll also found that 48 per cent of people did not think the abolition of the monarchy was extreme, while the same proportion said it was not extreme to give animals the same rights as human beings.
Charlie Gard lawyer is head of assisted suicide charity
The parents of Charlie Gard are said to have expressed concern that the barrister representing the baby is a strong supporter of assisted suicide.
According to the Daily Telegraph, which claimed to have spoken to a friend of Connie Yates and Chris Gard, the two parents are worried about a “conflict of interest”.
Charlie, an 11-month-old, is at the heart of a legal struggle after his parents were denied permission to seek treatment for his life-threatening condition.
The High Court ruled in April that the baby should “die with dignity” rather than being flown to America for emergency treatment.
The ruling was backed by the European Court of Human Rights. But the parents have contested the ruling, and a doctor is flying from America to Great Ormond Street hospital, where Charlie is currently being treated, to examine him. The hospital have asked the High Court to reconsider the case.
Charlie’s state-appointed legal guardian is represented by the barrister Victoria Butler-Cole. She is chairman of Compassion in Dying, an organisation closely linked to Dignity in Dying, which campaigns for assisted suicide.
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