Christian Institute’s Anti-Gay Card Questioned

KENILWORTH, 27 NOVEMBER 2002 — The charitable status of the Christian Institute has been questioned after it issued a card for its supporters reading: “In the event of my death I do not want my children to be adopted by homosexuals.”

The card was issued during the recent parliamentary debate on the Adoption Bill. Now, the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has written to the Charity Commission asking it to rule on whether such a stunt was within the rules for a religious charity.

George Broadhead, secretary of GALHA, said: “There wasn’t much charity involved in the Christian Institute’s unpleasant propaganda campaign during the adoption debate. It issued statistics and other material that were repeatedly attacked as inaccurate in the debate in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords.

“The publication and distribution of this card was the last straw. We fail to see what connection such barefaced bigotry has with charity – Christian or otherwise. We want the Charity Commission to tell us whether this publicity stunt was a proper use of money raised for charitable purposes.”