As we approach the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta, Lynda Rose asks: how real are its freedoms for us today?
On 15 June 1215, with England on the brink of civil war, King John met with the barons at Runnymede and put his seal to what was in effect a peace treaty: Magna Carta. Today, that Charter has become one of the most celebrated and influential documents in history, rightly seen as the foundation for Democracy worldwide. Lord Denning described it as "...the foundation of the freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot."1
But just how real are those freedoms in 21st century Britain? Does the spirit of Magna Carta live on...or has it been destroyed by secular totalitarianism?
Rights for all?
According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United Nations calls 'a Magna Carta for all humanity', human rights are:
rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status.2
Those rights include: freedom of belief and religion, the right to life, the right to be treated equally before the law, the right to freedom without imprisonment for just cause, the right to marry and have a family, and the right to education.
Globally, we talk a lot about 'rights' these days. In fact, "It's my right!" has become almost a mantra, justifying any and every imaginable behavior in the worldwide quest for self-fulfillment. But the reality in present-day secular and multicultural Britain is that 'rights' are extremely selectively applied, and increasingly Christians are finding themselves not just marginalized, but no longer allowed to speak in public about their faith.
Ideological war
What many do not realize is that the situation today is the direct result of an ideological war; between Christians on the one hand, and Secularism on the other. It is a war that will allow no quarter, and that has as its goal the complete annihilation of Christianity.
The ideological war being waged by Secularism will allow no quarter: its goal is the complete annihilation of Christianity."
Moral rebranding in the name of tolerance and diversity is part of a much larger strategy that started at around the beginning of the last century, when the Soviet Institute for Social Research – later rebranded the Frankfurt School - identified the Judeo-Christian legacy (seen as both the foundation and buttress of Western society) as the reason why the revolution had not spread, as expected, across Europe. Based on this analysis, they devised a complex strategy aimed at completely destroying the beliefs and institutions on which Western society rested. As well as religion, in particular they targeted the Family, which they identified as one of the main building blocks.
It was a strategy designed to produce mass hopelessness and alienation, destroying faith in God and any idea of transcendent purpose that might provide some sort of unifying force for the common man. In the words of Muzenburg, one of the founders of the movement, "We will make the West so corrupt that it stinks."
In 1969, following the Stonewall riots, this same strategy was taken over and developed by the Gay rights movement, brought to a peak in 1989 by Kirk and Madsen. In their book 'After the Ball: How America will Conquer Its Hatred and Fear of Gays in the '90s', the pair devised a strategy designed to rebrand morality. Their express aim was to recast gays as victims – where necessary rewriting history – to achieve not just acceptance, but to make homosexuality the norm. So began the demolition of the establishment from within.
Moral rebranding in the name of tolerance and diversity is part of a much larger strategy that has been going on for over a century."
A carefully orchestrated strategy
This is not to say that everyone who embraces secularist, humanist or LGBT ideas today is signed up to the Frankfurt School or is deliberately attacking Christianity, but this actually is the agenda that, consciously or unconsciously, such people have been seduced into following. It is an organised and carefully orchestrated strategy for totalitarianism, which wants at base the complete overthrow of Christianity and Western society. Hardly surprising then that freedom of speech is being re-cast to demonise anything that implies criticism of the new dogma, with anything outside of that – whether personal opinion or a quotation from the Bible - being re-cast as hate speech.
It is important that we understand this, because we too, in the name of 'tolerance' and love, have been subjected to psychological conditioning. And, sad to say, many in the Church have succumbed. This is why the Church is weak – because we have lost our way. But endorsement of behaviours prohibited in the Bible, far from demonstrating Christian love, makes us complicit in sin.
Freedom of speech is being re-cast to demonise anything which criticizes the new dogma, re-positioning it as hate speech."
So, what can we do?
First, and most obviously, we have to start by recovering the truths of our faith. Which means that we need to go back and read the Bible. Carefully. And we need to repent where we've gone astray. Because only then will we have the clarity to understand our spiritual heritage, and what God has done for us uniquely in Christ. Only then will we be able to stand against the lies!
Second, we need to fear God rather than man, and to stand up for our faith. Because if we don't, then not only do we betray the One who died for us, but we condemn our fellow human beings to unimaginable torment that will last forever. This is the truth for which we stand guardian.
We need to recover the truths of our faith, reclaiming what has been stolen from us, and standing up for it!
Third, we need to reclaim the language that has been stolen, and refuse to be cowed into accepting the lies and misinformation put about by those who want to drive Christianity from the public arena. Whatever we tell ourselves, we will not remain 'relevant' or retain influence by adapting our message. No, God did not get it wrong, and times have not 'moved on'! The Bible is expression of eternal and transcendent truth, and only by following its precepts will men and women be free and find true fulfillment.
In the words of Jeremiah (6:16):
Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
In the current ideological struggle, there is no such thing as a safe middle ground where we can remain neutral. Let us make no mistake, this is a spiritual war, and we are either on one side or the other. It's as stark as that. We either defend our rights and our faith – which, as seen in Magna Carta, has made Western society what it is – or we lose those rights altogether, and see a different, intolerant and harsh value system come into force: a system that will only allow the expression of views that validate itself, with everything else suppressed!
In this struggle, there is no such thing as a safe, neutral middle ground. Make no mistake, this is a spiritual war- we are either on one side or the other."
On 15 June, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the actual signing of Magna Carta, VfJUK is organizing a Rally outside Parliament. We are asking a question: How free are YOU today? And, based on Magna Carta, we are saying enough is enough. Please join us in defending the Christian foundation of this country and our Christian freedoms, as we call for 'real' freedom of speech and of belief. Come yourself, and bring along ten friends – and ask them to invite ten more!
It's time to make a stand for our faith. Together we can make a difference.
For details of the rally, visit the Voice for Justice website, or register to come on Facebook.