Christian Institute - Charity Not Clarity

Following on from the inaccurate article in The Mail about Greenwood Junior School in Nottinghamshire NOT putting Eid before the Nativity, comes evidence that the story has done its job.

Apart from the odious BNP smear merchants, the misrepresentation of the school's position has made it to a website for residents of Qatar and has also made it onto the site of Daily Mail favourites The Christian Institute. Its head honcho, Colin Hart successfully challenged google over Pro-life adverts and spoke on behalf of the police officer sacked for sending emails relating to the 'curing' of homosexuals.

It's at this time of the year when we think of others and with charity giving set to drop during the recession, it's perhaps helpful to see what contributors to Mr Hart's outfit can expect for their direct debits. According to the Charity Commission, the Institute posted revenue receipts in excess of £1 million in 2007. Their ethos is described thus:

• The Christian Institute exists for "the furtherance and promotion of the Christian religion in the United Kingdom" and "the advancement of education".

In 2001 the Charity Commissioners criticised the charity for its political lobbying over the proposed repeal of Clause 28. The Guardian reported,

• "The Charity Commission has criticised the right-wing religious pressure group behind the (Lady Young's) campaign against the repeal of Clause 28 for breaching the terms of its charitable status. It has ordered the Christian Institute to change its subtitle, 'influencing public policy', and accused it of engaging in politics. The Newcastle-based charity, supported by hardline Christian evangelicals, lobbied hard to support Lady Young's campaign in the House of Lords to defeat government attempts to repeal Clause 28, intended to prevent 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools and by local authorities."

Then there was the Civil partnerships issue.
Conservative MP John Bercow also criticised the CI in the House of Commons debate on an amendment to the Civil Partnerships Bill. From Hansard:

• Mr. Bercow: Given that the approximate £20,000 cost of that full-page advertisement on page 31 of The Times by the Christian Institute would have sufficed to feed approximately 5,000 people in Sudan for up to a month, does the hon. Gentleman share my astonishment that a supposedly charitable institution should choose to deploy its resources in that way?

This followed a full-page advert in The Times supporting the amendment to allow siblings living together to be included in the proposed Bill. His concern was shared across the chamber by Alistair Carmichael:

• Mr. Carmichael: It is about tax benefits for charities. That is what concerns me, which is why the Government should look at the conduct of the Christian Institute.

The nativity story on the Institute's site is lifted from the Mail's story and indeed, the accompanying photo of the nativity is the same one.

[UPDATE: 18:40 - link no longer works and article appears to have been removed from the site. A start but of course the flock will have already digested the contaminated feed and have not had a correction]

Whilst there is nothing to stop charities from having a political aspect to their campaigning they are expected to be reasonable and balanced. Clearly, the CI's publications cast doubt on that premise.

The CI seem to be little more than another Migrationwatch or Taxpayers' Alliance - self-appointed pressure groups which (unlike Hart's brotherhood) do not have charitable status.

Now, obviously mistakes can be made. Now that it is apparent that the Mail's story was wide of the mark, and extremists like the BNP continue to use the lie to promote disharmony, one would have thought that a Christian group would be willing to put things right and clarify matters.

I emailed the organization last week but despite a follow up, I did not receive the courtesy of a reply or acknowledgement. Of course, they could be busy doing God's work, but I note that they did have time to post another 'topical' article today - on Christian words being dropped from the Oxford Dictionary - to compliment its publishing of the Oxford Lights Festival non-story.

Do we really need to give charitable status to a body that just regurgitates stories from the Mail and Telegraph? Next thing we'll be doing the same for BNP-list man, Albert Hurwood's National Vigilante crazies.

Under the Greenwood Christmas/Eid Tree

That Hardy annual, 'Christmas-is-Banned-even-though-it's-not' story emerges from the Daily Mail. Don't look so surprised. Yet another school is forced to issue a statement refuting the basis of the original article. Not that it'll be much use; it will pass into the annals of myth-as-fact.

The DM headline is Primary School Cancels Nativity Because It Interferes With Muslim Festival of Eid.

As Mail readers need a bit more coaxing, there's even a lovely picture of a traditional nativity scene. So, what's the score?

• A primary school infuriated parents after cancelling the traditional Christmas nativity play to make way for the Muslim festival of Eid.

Traditional........nativity...............Christmas...............Muslim.................cue frothing readership.

• Is this the thin end of the wedge ? They will be banning all Christian activities next, just wat and see.
  This is Britain ( no longer Great ), BUT still our country.

  - JAYGEE, United Kingdom, 3/12/2008 12:41

• We live in a christian society, why have we yet again had to bow down to the minority and suspend the Nativity until after the CHRISTMAS PERIOD, what is the point in that. The political correctness in this country has now gone way too far and something should be done about it

  - Sam McCormick, Denton, Manchester,

Now, it's tempting to be charitable to these people. After all, they're only commenting on what they have read. But, what exactly have they been given? Aside from the headline and opening sentence, where is the evidence?

• In a letter, sent by the staff at Greenwood Junior School, mothers and fathers were told: 'It is with much regret that we have had to cancel this year's Christmas performances.

So, it must be a nativity performance then? With Christian connotations? Three Wise Men, donkey, wobbly scenery, angels, shepherds washing their socks etc?

• Why do we have this sort of thing repeated year after year? Wouldn't it be much easier for all concerned to abandon our long-held traditions and hand over the country to whoever wants it. That's obviously what's going to happen eventually anyway so why don't we just get on with it? Then we won't have this silly Christmas thing interfering with other, apparently more important, beliefs.

  - Frank, Lancaster, UK, 3/12/2008 13:19

Let's be Frank. No, let's not. I agree that we shouldn't have this repeated every year, but it will be whilst this despicable excuse of a newspaper gets away with twisting the truth to lie to its readers. Frank then goes into a sulk and sounds like a child that's just been told he is to be a cloud in the nativity whilst his nemesis is to play Joseph. Sound familiar, Frank?

Of course, the truth, as Mulder and Scully would say, is out there. Oh yes it is!

• A school has had to defend itself against claims that it rescheduled its Christmas show to make way for Eid.

  Greenwood Junior School, in Nottingham, told pupils' families that the pantomime would be held in January because of a "full calendar of events" this month.

  It said the move was in keeping with the tradition of pantos in the New Year.

We see now that the Christmas performance was in fact that well-known religious extravaganza, Cinderella. Unlike this panto, Chris Johnson's scoop is all balls!

Chris must be so proud. So many Mailites queuing up to agree how terrible this decision is, suckered in by his lies. I hope your family google you Chris and see this blog showing what a worthless journo you are.

Even The Daily Express - although still having a dig at Muslims for the cancellation- managed to get the Cinderella part right.

• A SCHOOL’S traditional Christmas pantomime was scrapped to make way for the Muslim festival of Eid, it emerged yesterday.

There does seem to have been a slight administrative error in that it might have been expected for a multi-faith school like this one to know the dates of the Eid festival (which varies a bit like Easter) but we can all have hindsight. The school also seem to suggest that it was not a concrete date anyhow.

The worrying aspect is that the school has been forced onto the back foot and needed to issue a second letter. From the Press Association:

• In a statement, the school said it planned to stage Cinderella on January 28 and 29.

  It said: "The date of the pantomime was only set recently, once we were confident that pupils and staff would be fully prepared.

  "Because of this, and the full calendar of events happening in the lead-up to Christmas, we were unable to fit it into the schedule.

  "In order to avoid any disappointment, a letter was sent out to parents advising that a performance would not take place in December."

  The "full calendar" comprised a range of events, including a Christmas carol concert and Eid celebrations, a Nottingham City Council spokeswoman said.

So, here we go again. The Mail has not issued an update to this to clarify matters because that would have involved a grovelling admission of fault.

The Mail also knew about the second letter:

• Yesterday, a statement issued by the school said: 'We would like to apologise for any confusion caused as a result of [the original] letter we sent out and would like to reassure parents and the community that Christmas has not been cancelled at Greenwood Junior School.

The Mail knows quite well that for all its readership's mocking of education standards, its army of admirers tend to read bold type only. This makes this article doubly deceitful.

As I mentioned in my criticism of The Liverpool Echo over the Santa story, I would have thought it appropriate to contact the subject at the centre of the story before letting rip. That would have ruined the headline, of course. The Mail could still have had a thinly-veiled attack on Muslims like The Express, but it wouldn't have enabled them to imply the banning of not only a seasonal tradition but a Christian one at that.

I hope the Governors and Head of Greenwood Junior School make an official complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. Whilst not much will happen, it's important that such sham journalism designed to create intolerance as much as the BNP, is officially recognised.

Merry Xmas and Eid Mubarak. I hope the children enjoy all the festivities in December and January.

UPDATE:

I should have predicted that the odious BNP would make something of this. They refer to the story and chillingly ask:

• Does your child attend ‘The School that Cancelled Christmas?’ Did you receive the Scrooge letter? Please contact the BNP National Enquiry Line and we will do everything we can to help you fight for your children’s British culture and heritage.

The Youth BNP site also asks people to contact the school and provides names, address and telephone and fax number (admittedly in the public domain). It says,

• Please be polite, and ask why the school discriminates against indigenous British people. We would also urge local parents to put on their own Nativity play, or attend one nearby

As I said before Chris Johnson and the other vile journos must be very proud. On the one hand writing for papers that publicly distance themselves from the BNP; with the other hand reaching out and providing alms.

When the school receives an avalanche of protests from fascist morons, I hope you can all sleep at night!