Christian views don't count?

Andrew Brown, in the Guardian, writes on the important decision made by Lord Justice Laws, in regard of the recent case of Gary McFarlane, the evangelical Christian sacked by counselling service Relate for refusing to give sex therapy to gay couples.

Brown notes that the ruling goes out of its way to demolish former archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey's intervention in the case. He also asks does it also remove any vestiges of established religion from the law?

This is important, as Christianity (albeit in it's Anglican guise) is the established religion, and as such it runs deep within our legal system, and right to the heart of our constitution. He comments that the the symbolic gesture from which all other legitimacy in this country derives is the coronation of a monarch by the archbishop of Canterbury.

In other words we are not a secular society in our constitution, and as such Christianity should hold some sway in our thinking and our legal system. Brown quite rightly points out that Parliament can change this, should it be minded so to do - thankfully to date they have not chosen to, something that those in the judiciary should be mindful of. 

Personally I would not argue for Christians to be given any priority over other people, just on the basis that the incumbent faith is Christianity, but surely justice should extend to Christians being treated equally? It should be acceptable for Christians to act according to their conscience, and where this brings us into conflict of opinion with others we should be allowed to hold those views without being criminalised.

Brown goes on to remind us that secularism and religion are both equally subjective beliefs, so to elevate secularism over religion is nothing more than preferring one deeply held opinion over another. This ruling is no doubt the thin edge of a wedge that secularists would like to see driven further, in order to see their views take hold and the views of Christians driven further to the margins of society.

This secularist undercurrent, and the very real possibility of changes to our political system as a result of the hung Parliament, and possible further changes with the reform of the House of Lords,(With it's 26 Lords Spiritual the Bishops who are there to provide a spiritual voice in the business of the House,), should all act as a spur for Christians to pray and to engage with those in authority to ensure that our voice is heard on these important matters. If we don't, then I fear that we will regret our complacency in the years to come.