Brian McClinton thinks I’m trying to censor people?
Brian McClinton from the Humanist Associatio of Northern Ireland today claimed that the ASA adjudication against HOTS Bath was wrong and potentially a freedom of speech issue, during an interview with the BBC’s ’everyday ethics’ programme (you can listen directly here)
I find this extremely disappointing. The premise of the complaint was nothing to do with religion, or the right to be able to express your beliefs as a religious person. The complaint was about specific claims being made about specific illnesses being cured by faith healing – it was about the false hope this could cause. Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s really quite simple.
It is illegal to claim you can heal or cure cancer. Whether you are Muslim, atheist, christian, jewish, Jedi or catholic. It doesn’t matter what you beliefs are, you cannot make those claims.
The complaint was not about the group being religious, it was not about what they personally believed, it was about a specific claim they were making, and how they were making it.
I’m not entirely sure how many times I will have to repeat this until people get it, and I am entirely sure that some people never will get it because of some sort of victim complex.
As I have posted elsewhere to people who claim I am trying to shut them up because of what they believe, I’m not stating you shouldn’t pray for those who are ill or suffering, just don’t tell strangers your god can cure their cancer. That is what I have a problem with, and if a fellow humanist doesn’t get that, then shame on them.
Healing claims being made across the UK
I didn’t know that ‘Healing on the Streets’ (HOTS) was as widespread a group in the UK as it is. I did a search on Facebook a day or so ago and found dozens of branches of HOTS who operate in their local areas. It turns out that they may be making similar claims to those the Bath group were, that the ASA ruled were in breach of CAP codes.
Bath Chronicle write about my complaint
This morning, the Bath Chronicle have written a piece covering the complaint I made to the ASA about ‘Healing on the Streets’ Bath. They mentioned that I blog here and I am sure many people may find my blog as a result.
I would ask that anyone who does come here as a result to read my account of why I made the complaint by clicking here.
Anybody wishing to get in touch with me can do so through the ‘Contact’ page here.
Thank you
Healing on the Streets & why I am not ‘a group generally opposed to Christianity’
Last year on a visit to the city Bath I became aware of a group of people who called themselves ‘Healing on the Streets” (HOTS) who were outside the cathedral, offering to help people with various illnesses be healed by god.
It was concerning but I didn’t think much of it at the time as I was distracted. A few weeks later a conversation I was having about healing reminded about the group and I decided to check out their website for more details on what they do and how they operate.
I support…
