Catholics, Muslims, Hindus Back Scottish Evangelical

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HOLYROOD, Scotland (ChurchMilitant.com) - In an extraordinary pushback against the LGBT agenda, Catholics, Muslims and Hindus are backing a pro-family, conservative evangelical in the contest for first minister of Scotland. 

Kate Forbes, the daughter of missionaries to India and a member of the Free Church of Scotland, has come under intense fire for unashamedly stating her traditional biblical views on marriage, homosexuality and the ordination of women. 

"I would have voted, as a matter of conscience, along the lines of mainstream teaching in most major religions that marriage is between a man and a woman," the 32-year-old Forbes told Channel 4 last Monday, explaining her stance against "same-sex marriage." 

Forbes further angered several members of her Scottish National Party when she told Sky News that having children outside of marriage "would be wrong according to my faith." 

"My faith would say that children, that sex is for marriage, and that's the approach that I would practice," the devout Christian, who graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in history, added. 

"I'm talking to you as somebody who has a Christian faith. I've never kept that a secret, but I would like to ask in six years, when have I ever imposed that on other people?" Forbes asked the interviewer.

Catholics for Forbes

On Thursday, Catholic spokesman Peter Kearney spoke out in favor of Forbes, warning that "some of the things that have been said about religious opinions leave a lot of Catholics and a lot of Christians feeling marginalized."

Kearney, who is director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, cited a poll by one Scottish Catholic group that found that 80% of the faithful felt more marginalized following the hostility against Forbes' Christian views.

"We do have evidence that this debate is leaving people feeling very, very uncomfortable," he stated, pointing out that the teaching of the Catholic Church is opposed to abortion and same-sex "marriage."

"As a society we will be guilty of hypocrisy if we don't defend everyone's right to freely hold, manifest and express their religious beliefs," Kearney added. 

Forbes has also taken a courageous stance against transgender ideology — in dramatic contrast to her ultra-leftist predecessor, Nicola Sturgeon.

Sturgeon resigned in the wake of comments over biological males in prison identifying as "transwomen" and demanding to be incarcerated in women's prisons. 

"I believe that a transwoman is a biological male who identifies as a woman," she told a shocked interviewer on ITV. 

No Women's Ordination

On Saturday, in the latest attempt to smear the orthodox Christian, leftist media dug out a 2014 letter published by Forbes in the Wee Flea blog arguing against the ordination of women. 

Forbes, who was 24 at the time, marshaled biblical and theological reasons against the liberal Church of Scotland, which launched a strong attack against Christians who refused to accept women ministers. 

"I have been a woman for 24 years, most of them spent in the Church of Scotland. But this week I was bemused to be accused of sexism in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. My sin? Believing that I am preciously unique, with a specific design and an awesome calling in the Church," Forbes wrote. 

Forbes cited the biblical examples of Abigail, Esther, Ruth, Mary, Lois, Eunice and the women who were the first to see the Risen Christ, calling them "women with intelligence, bravery, beauty, nobility, ambition, independent spirits and godly faith."

"It is a great injustice when we ignore God's plan for women," Forbes wrote. "His plan clearly states that, specifically within the Church, 'I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man' (1 Timothy 2: 12)."

"Safe in the knowledge that I am capable, equal and cherished, I do not need to disobey God's command about preaching and assuming authority in the Church," she stressed. "I do not need to do, or to be, what I am not called to do, or to be." 

Forbes elaborated: 

You can give me your culturally sensitive, historically contextualized and feminist-power arguments. But you'll forgive me, I hope, if I choose to believe the One who loves me with an everlasting love, who made me and who died for me before I believe you.

Forbes later joined the Free Church of Scotland (colloquially known as the "Wee Frees") — a historic Presbyterian denomination that categorically rejects women's ordination and the LGBT agenda. 

The denomination currently has over 100 congregations across Scotland, as well as congregations in North America and London and sister churches founded by mission work in India, Peru and South Africa.

'Test Act' for Catholics?

"Christians in the West should watch and pray with fascination, horror and thankfulness at what is going on in Scotland just now," the Rev. Dr. David Robertson, former moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, told Church Militant. "It is horrific how Forbes is being treated by some members and the establishment of her own party." 

Robertson continued: 

But we have so much to be thankful that she has stood firm, and her popularity if anything seems to be growing. Our Catholic brothers and sisters with a good historical memory should realise that the progressives throughout the U.K. are seeking to reestablish a new Test Act —whereby those who don't accept the doctrines of the new progressive religion, complete with its sacraments of abortion, transgender and euthanasia, will not be permitted to take part in public life.  

The Test Act made the holding of public office in Britain conditional upon subscribing to the established religion of the Church of England. Scotland imposed similar laws in 1567. 

The harsh laws against recusants in England deterred Roman Catholics and evangelical dissenters from putting themselves forward for office. In 1678, all Catholics except the Duke of York (the future James II) were excluded from parliament.

"This is a crucial moment for the U.K. Let real Christians stand together," Robertson, editor of the Wee Flea website, urged.

Muslims for Marriage

Meanwhile, the Scottish Association of Mosques has backed Forbes' pro-family position, noting that "it is refreshing to hear a political leader talk about their religious values and principles, in an open and transparent way."

"We believe marriage is a sacred institution and that marriage is between a man and a woman. We believe in modesty and sexual relations within the boundaries of marriage. We believe that gender is binary, and irrevocably linked to sex," the Muslims leaders declared.

Muslims in Scotland have taken a stand against Muslim politician Humza Yousaf, who is standing against Forbes in the hustings for first minister. 

Yousaf, who supports the LGBT agenda and transgender ideology, said he abstained from voting on "gay marriage" in 2014 because he was at a meeting defending a Scottish citizen from "blasphemy" charges in Pakistan. 

"I believe that people's marriage, if they are gay, and they are married, that their marriage is no more inferior, or worth less, than my marriage as a heterosexual individual," he said. Asked twice whether gay sex is a sin, Yousaf replied, "No."

The Indian Council of Scotland, comprising largely of Hindus — but which also includes Buddhist, Jains Sikhs and Christians — has now backed Forbes, claiming the Indian community will not feel safe if Yousaf becomes first minister of Scotland. 

"Surely, his integrity must be called into question? He stoked up racial tensions in the Indian Hindu community, and this is not acceptable," Neil Lal, the chairman of the council, told the media. 

"We call for Humza Yousaf to be asked the same questions as Kate Forbes: Anything less is giving Humza Yousaf more favorable treatment in the SNP leadership contest and treating the women candidates of different beliefs at a disadvantage," Lal said. 

The council said all candidates contesting the election need to be asked the same three questions posed to Forbes with a view to discrediting her: "Are trans women, women? Are children outside marriage allowed? Is sex before marriage allowed?" 

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland Forbes declared, "As a servant of democracy in a country where this is law, I would defend to the hilt, your right and anybody else's right to live and to love without harassment or fear."

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