Street
preachers could have their hell fire sermons cooled if breach of the
peace laws start to be strictly enforced.
Today
(Monday) sees the annual Sham Fight at Scarva when an estimated 70,000
people will cram into the tiny Co Down village for the traditional
re-enactment of the Battle of the Boyne.
And
while 'Shock Win For James' is not the expected outcome, 'Shock Awaits
Street Evangelists' could be the real story.
With
the peace process holding firm and gossip about a pro-Paisley backbench
rebellion in the DUP against Emperor Robinson just idle chat, home
tourism in the North is back in business.
Bible
bashing street preachers are as much a part of Northern culture as
parading itself – but for how much longer?
The
days of the hard-faced wee male evangelists, complete with sandwich
boards proclaiming the wages of sin is death, their megaphones blasting
at full volume, while silent, plainly dressed females distribute
bundles of Gospel tracts could soon be over.
In
today's increasingly politically correct society, it's only a matter of
time before one of these Hell Fire spouting Bible bashers ends up in
the clink for being too loud.
And
with a growing multi-cultural society, how long will it be before
someone from a non-Christian faith complains about being given Gospel
tracts?
But
the Catholic Church must not be complacent and dismiss the threat to
Bible bashers as 'a Prod problem'.
What
about blessing of the graves ceremonies? What about First Communions?
What about pilgrimages to the many shines dotted across Ireland?
A
Catholic priest blessing graves could easily find himself the subject
of breach of the peace laws as the hell fire evangelist conducting his
beach mission on a summer Sunday.
Will
we see noise nuisance laws slapped on places of worship?
The
situation could get much worse for the Christian Church if clerics'
sermons are vetted.
What
about the gay activist who reports a fundamentalist preacher for
condemning homosexuality as a Biblical 'abomination'?
What
about the Church of Ireland or Presbyterian minister who says there
should be no women preachers?
What
about the Catholic priest or bishop who uses his pulpit to condemn
abortion, or slam same-sex marriages?
Christian
clerics need to follow their political masters, bury their theological
differences on how to get to heaven, and lobby their MLAs on how street
evangelism and church preaching can keep their major roles in society.
If
Catholics and Protestants can form joint lobby groups on everything
from autism to Foot and Mouth, surely a United Christian Clergy can be
set up?
If the clergy does
not unite and act soon, it won't be long before house meetings and back
garden services become the order of the day because churches are banned
from hosting noisy ceremonies.
