Did that headline get your attention?  It should.  A new law is dangerously close to becoming law in the U.K. that would essentially outlaw evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.  Not that “The Equality Bill” specifically designates those faiths as illegal in the legislation itself.  Rather, the bill outlaws specific beliefs and practices that are fundamental to both evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.  In fact, experts are saying that “The Equality Bill” would create a volcanic eruption of litigation in U.K. courts and would ultimately force those who wish to continue to practice anything that even looks like traditional Christianity to go underground.

So just what is the Equality Bill? 

The Equality Bill allegedly aims to consolidate all existing anti-discrimination laws into a single legal framework.  However, it actually goes much farther than any “anti-discrimination” laws in the U.K. have ever gone before.

On the surface, this legislation seems like a good idea.  After all, who wants to discriminate against old people or people of other races?  You can read a summary of this legislation put out by backers of the bill right here.  It actually contains a few good proposals. 

But it is also a vicious attack on traditional Christianity.

The Telegraph quotes a top level official from the “Ministry for Equality” as saying the following when he was asked whether the Equality Bill would lead to legal action between churches and atheists….

“Both need to be lining up [their lawyers],” he said. “The secularists should have the right to challenge the church.”

Secularists should have the right to challenge the beliefs and practices of the church?

What in the world?

So exactly what would the Equality Bill mean for churches in the U.K.?

Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics would be wide open not only to lawsuits but also to unlimited government fines and even criminal prosecution if….

*They are found to discriminate against homosexuals or transsexuals in any area of employment – including the hiring of pastors and priests.

*They are found to discriminate against homosexuals or transsexuals in any preaching or teaching. 

*They are found to discriminate against hiring married men or women as priests as the Roman Catholics have done for centuries.

*They are found to insist that pastors or priests remain celibate (as in the case of Catholics) or only have sex within marriage (as in the case of evangelicals).

*They are found trying to prevent any of their clergy from entering into same-sex civil partnerships.

*They are found to be trying to prevent their pastors or priests from having sex change operations, living openly promiscuous lifestyles or engaging in any other form of sexual expression.

So essentially, if the Equality Bill is fully implemented, no religious organization is the U.K. will be able to preach or teach against sexual immorality, will be able to discriminate against the sexually immoral when hiring clergy or will be able to take a formal moral stand against sexually immorality in any way whatsoever.

Some analysts are even claiming that if the Equality Bill is adopted, all hiring for church positions that do not spend at least 51 percent of their time leading worship and preaching would be subject to regulations that would ban discrimination against those from other religions.  So, for example, a Baptist church would be forced to consider an Islamic candidate for a position that ministers to the youth but that also performs other non-teaching functions much of the time as well.

Basically the Equality Bill would be a total nightmare for both evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics in the U.K.  The fact that the law is written in such vague terms would open up the floodgates for all kinds of endless litigation.  If the Equality Bill becomes law, free speech and free expression in churches in the U.K. would be deeply chilled as church leaders struggle with the never ending threat of lawsuits, fines and criminal prosecution.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly preach against sexual sin would be over.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly have any say over the sexual behavior of their clergy would be over.

The days when churches in the U.K. could openly discuss what the Bible says about “right” and “wrong” would be over.

Thus this would essentially mean that end of legal evangelical Christianity and legal Roman Catholicism in the U.K.

That sounds quite dramatic, but that is the truth of the matter.

In fact, Baroness O’Cathain, a Tory lawmaker and an evangelical Christian, said last week that the Equality Bill is the “single most damaging Bill to come before the House in my 18 years as a Member”.

Are you starting to get the idea?

We are living in the last days, and the truth is that Christian persecution is exploding all over the world.  Christians in western nations have always thought that it was something that happened “over there”, but now Christian persecution is moving forward with blinding speed in places such as the U.K.

Ultimately, there will be no escaping persecution.  If you plan to be a Christian in the last days you will face persecution as long as you are on this earth.

You better get ready for it.

If you are a Christian and you are not already being persecuted, you will be soon.

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