Christian party allies itself with extremist Springer campaigners
-28/02/05
A Christian political party, the Christian People’s Alliance, has allied itself with the extremist evangelical group ‘Christian Voice’ over a rejected donation to a cancer charity.
In a statement the Christian People’s Alliance (CPA) commended the cancer charity, Maggie’s Centre, for turning down a donation estimated at £3000 raised by a charitable performance of ‘Jerry Springer – the Opera’.
The decision by the cancer charity was made in the face of threatened protests outside their centres if the charity accepted the gift.
Leading Christian denominations including the Church of England have condemned the actions of Christian Voice, the evangelical pressure group who spoke out against the proposed donation, and were reportedly instrumental in its rejection.
However, the CPA, who had previously campaigned alongside Christian Voice against the showing on BBC Television of ‘Jerry Springer: The Opera’, were undeterred by the widespread criticism from Christians and church agencies.
“Charities aren’t expected to take money gained from pornography or drug racketeering and neither should they accept money raised through blasphemy and obscenity” said The leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance party, Councillor Alan Craig, in a statement.
The CPA however did heed a call made by Christian thinktank Ekklesia on BBC radio last week, that Christians who didn’t think the charity should take the donation, should underwrite the charities’ financial loss.
Although the CPA is not underwriting the lost donation itself, it is urging Christians to step in to make up the loss.
“Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality in London and the charity says 150,000 people are living with cancer at any one time. Their plans to build a new centre at the Charing Cross Hospital deserve the full support of the Christian public, who I hope by the generosity of their giving will more than exceed the £3000 Maggie’s Centre has lost. God is no man’s debtor” said Alan Craig.