Independence threatens to de-Christianise nation

Independence threatens to “de-Christianise our nation” 4/8/14

Sir,

In his letter of 28/7/14 Mr John MacDonald provides little in the way of assurance that Scotland will remain a Christian country if it becomes independent under the present proposals.

A Christian country is one which affirms the Christian religion as revealed in the Bible and detailed in the historic creeds and confessions of the Church. It is one which requires its chief representatives to uphold that religion in their various offices, to “kiss the Son” and “serve the Lord with fear” (Psa. 2:10-12). This is the case – however imperfectly it may be practised today – according to our present constitution. For three centuries the Union has guaranteed our religious and civil liberties against the threat of Romanism and secularism alike.

The injustices which Mr Macdonald hopes will corrected by independence – poverty, hunger, homelessness, etc. – are the same ones as those often highlighted by politicians who make no Christian profession. While these problems should not be ignored it is a fact that they are often the result of personal and economic factors which are beyond the power of governments to change.

While governments busy themselves with things which they cannot solve they refuse to tackle things which they can and should sort out. What greater injustice and blot upon our culture is there than abortion, a blatant infringement of the sixth commandment of the moral law? Yet Scotland’s Future says: “There are no plans to change the current abortion time limit.” When it comes to the righteousness which God requires of nations sadly Holyrood is set on the same ungodly path as Westminster, as we have seen with same-sex ‘marriage’: one’s fear is however that the pace of travel in the wrong direction will only increase with independence.

For Christians the most important thing of all is the freedom to worship and serve God according to His Word and the Scottish church and parliament went to great lengths to have this freedom secured under the Union. Our Protestant throne and Presbyterian establishment are vital in this regard and they should not be exchanged for the constitutional uncertainties of the present proposals for independence for they provide a much-needed bulwark against moves to de-Christianise our nation.

I hope that Mr MacDonald will at least agree that what we need in all parts of the United Kingdom is not constitutional change so much as repentance toward God and a return to biblical values in our public life.

Rev. David Blunt

Free Church (Continuing) Manse
17 Knockline
Isle of North Uist

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