It is incomprehensible how the House of Lords, comprised of intelligent, educated, thinking people, there to serve the public, acted against logic and reason; against democracy and ultimately against the will of God when they voted to impose radical new abortion regulations in Northern Ireland against the express wishes of its government.

In the debate in the Lords last Monday 15^th June, pro abortion members spoke in support of the human rights of the mother.

Is a baby in the womb any less human than its mother? No doctor or in fact anyone with an ounce of common sense would say so. Is the baby part of the mother’s body? Biologically no. Of course not.

Is the baby in the womb a living human being? A human being capable of feeling pain and even picking up the emotions of the mother and external sounds surrounding the mother. Of Course.

So if the baby in the mother’s womb is human, alive and separate from the mother why is it that the unborn child is afforded no human rights under the law? How can it be that human rights are attributed only to women and not to the weakest and most vulnerable and voiceless –  unborn babies? An unborn baby under threat, if it had a voice would shout – let me live!

Here we have a deathly paradox. On the one hand the immutable universal law of nature, ‘natural law’ according to which life begins at conception. The universal law of nature is that the mother cares for and shields the life in her womb. Will nurture that life to full term and then if at all possible suckle that life providing the baby with the love and all that is needed for the baby to grow into a happy and healthy child.

On the other hand human laws to the contrary

Any mother who exercises her man made human right to take the life of the baby in her womb does violence not only to the baby but to herself body mind and spirit. She negates the maternal instincts given to her by nature.

When the immutable natural law is contradicted by human laws which have no validity there is a contradiction or clash which leads to disaster.

Dorothy Sayers in her seminal book “Mind of the Maker” puts it like this. “The universal moral law (or natural law of humanity) is discoverable, like any other law of nature, by experience. It cannot be promulgated, it can only be ascertained, because it is a question not of opinion but of fact. When it has been ascertained, a moral code can be drawn up to direct human behaviour and prevent people, as far as possible, from doing violence to their own nature.”

The more closely the moral code agrees with the natural law, the more it makes for freedom in human behaviour: the more widely it departs from natural law, the more it tends to enslave and to produce the catastrophes called ‘judgements of God’.”

Those who stand by and watch injustice, condone it and at their peril.

“They came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.” Martin Niemoller

If a baby in the womb, the most vulnerable in our society, can be killed no life is safe. Already disability is a factor when abortion is considered and soon sexual preference. Will this change how society views disabled people? What about the old and infirm – euthanasia? If human life is expendable at any stage it is soon expendable at every stage.

The world is facing a covid 19 pandemic. The lives lost come nowhere near the lives lost in the pandemic of abortion. Last year in England and Wales alone there were 209,519 abortions, higher than at any time since the 1967 abortion act.

For those affected by abortion help is out there. Contact SPUC or LIFE to find out about speaking with someone who can help.

Remember always, there is no sin greater than God’s love.

“The name of God is Mercy.” Pope Francis

This is what the Scout movement has done for me.

• Making friends, some lifelong.
• Sense of belonging
• Sense of achievement
• Greater self worth and personal pride
• A love of the outdoors and camping
• Holidays I would not have had
• Skills I would never have acquired
• Abilities – E.G. swimming
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Self reliance
• Endurance
• Enhanced values and code of social behaviour

I am proud to have encouraged my children to be part of the scouting movement and glad that my children have done likewise with my grandchildren.

The positive impact on my life as a working class boy and later father cannot be measured. See the above list which could be expanded and elaborated to fill a book.

To target the Statue of Baden Powell in spite of his enduring legacy to millions including black and ethnic children and young people worldwide is self defeating and foolish for any otherwise laudable cause.  

‘I Can’t breath’ has become the rallying cry for all those demonstrating over the illegal and immoral killing of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin on 25^th May with the involvement of  three other police officers all of whom have since been sacked and Chauvin charged for unlawful killing with the other officers now also facing charges.

This terrible event is seen to point to institutional racism among the police in America. The story of peaceful demonstrations hijacked by rioters and looters has been the number one news item this week.

This should be of great concern to us all. This outcry has been a long time in coming and clearly shows that a great deal still needs to be done to build a just and fair society in America and elsewhere for all citizens.

Prudence in avoiding the spread of C19 with its potential for loss of life has been overtaken by the feelings of demonstrators especially in America, Australia and the UK. 

 But black lives matter everywhere.    

I was reminded recently of the persecution of black Christians in Nigeria by Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen, Islamic Jihadists, where 620 Christians have been murdered in the first four months of this year and 6000 in the last five years. Since 2009 Boko Haram has displaced 2.3 million people. Yes black people in America and other Western countries matter but do black Christians in Africa and elsewhere matter less?

For good reason the protests in America have captured the headlines but has news coverage in the West been commensurate with the level of persecution suffered by black people of Faith? It is reported that Catholic bishops in Nigeria have condemned the federal government for failing to protect its citizens 47 % of whom are Christians and who are not included in state structures and levels of administration including the police and the armed forces.

A report Commissioned by Jeremy Hunt last year (then foreign Secretary) and carried out by the Right reverend Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, was featured by the BBC. It was stated that 1 in 3 suffer religious persecution and that persecution of Christians had reached genocidal proportions. Nigeria is but one example. An internet search will reveal how widespread and terrible this persecution is.

The Golden Rule observed by the main world Faiths is relevant here, “treat others as you would like others to treat you.”

Yes, black people matter – everywhere.

Why? because God loves everyone. God is Love.