Church funding is an abuse of human rights
IT CAME as no surprise to me that the reply printed 1 November 2013, supposedly from Deputy John Gollop to whom questions were directed, was no doubt an orchestrated sermon from the Guernsey Deanery with whom it would seem the deputy apparently colludes in matters related to the Church of England.
Whosoever wrote the letter very cleverly avoided answering any of my questions, which is the usual arrogant attitude the Church of England has adopted in Guernsey.
Can I repeat my request and ask Deputy John Gollop to personally answer the following questions in his position as chairman of the committee involved in the making of draft legislation concerning parish churches. Why cannot funding of the extremely wealthy Church of England be legalised to be done on a voluntary basis which is fair for all islanders? Why does not the Church of England be made to pay rent or purchase any churches etc. that they may need or wish to accommodate? Why is your committee possibly going to allow the Church of England to locally dictate the terms of future funding of the churches they use.
Can I remind the deputy that not too long ago in the previous States another deputy had the courage to stand up during a meeting and ask the question 'Who is running Guernsey, the Church of England or the States of Guernsey'.
The present way of funding the CoE is without a doubt against our human rights and could the States of Guernsey legally go to the European Court of Human Rights giving them all the hidden facts (Ecclesiastical Court) to obtain a definitive verdict on this matter? As you yourself must be aware, Deputy Gollop, this farcically drawn out question of funding has taken years to be settled, and the longer it continues the more money the Church of England in Guernsey is saving as are the congregations who regularly attend church, because should the CoE correctly be made to pay their way they may possibly ask their congregations to contribute more and that would never be convenient, would it.
Can I finish my letter by recalling a recent statement made by Deputy Dave Jones who was born in England who stated 'The English had ruined everywhere they had ever been', no further comment required.
E. MAUGER.
Editor's footnote: Deputy John Gollop was approached but was unable to comment at this stage.
