I could not agree more wholeheartedly with Douglas Murray. I declare two interests. One I am a Catholic. Secondly I believe the Church of England should be disestablished - for the sake of its own future. But that the Church of England is the established church in this country makes what the Archbishop has done almost unforgivable. Our legal system is based on Juedo-Christian values of mutual respect, tolerance, fairness and of equality before the law. It is that system law that protects all British citizens and gives them, regardless of faith and including Muslims, one of the most free and benign climates to live in. Its not even worth rehearsing the things that British Muslims can do in practise of their faith and its visual cultural expression that would be impossible in other 'free' countries like France or Turkey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has given succour to those who believe that we in the West can be gradually ground down until we surrender our liberal values. He has given our enemies encouragement and he has probably contributed to racial tension. For that reason alone he should resign.
I am also totally bemused by his timing. His comments came on the day that Christians were marking Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. A time when Christians reflect on the Passion and death of Jesus and the greatest feast of the church - the resurrection from the dead of Christ. That at this time the leader of the established Church is making speeches about the inevitability of sharia law into Britain is breathtaking.
Sadly Dr Williams has no credibility left. For the sake of community relations, defence of liberal values, the Church of England and his own dignity he should go now.
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