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Pagan police ‘madness’
Date published: 17 May 2010
The right for pagan police officers to celebrate their festivals has been described by an Oldham Euro MP as “politically correct madness.”
The Pagan Police Association has just been officially recognised as a ‘diversity staff support organisation’ by the Home Office.
This means chief constables cannot refuse pagan officers’ requests to take official religious holidays, which will be given the same respect as Christmas for Christians, Ramadan for Muslims and Passover for Jews.
There are believed to be about 500 pagan officers —including druids and witches.
“I was appalled to hear of this ridiculous decision,” said Paul Nuttall, MEP for the UK Independence Party.
“These pagan festivals include believers behaving with unabashed sexuality and promiscuity, casting spells and dancing around naked. It is politically correct madness of high order.”
Comments
Why is a Pagan festival more ridiculous than going to a church to lectured about a beardy man sat in the clouds by a man wearing curtains?
Equality applies to all so why the fuss? Once you set the ball rolling....What I don't understand is why we can have a Black Police Assn and an Asian Police Assn but not a White one? If coppers are all teh same, why do we need any distinction anyway ?
If they are to be allowed time off for their beliefs, then they should not be allowed holidays for religious celebration which they don't believe in eg. Christmas, Easter,Ramadam,Passover etc.
“These pagan festivals include believers behaving with unabashed sexuality and promiscuity, casting spells and dancing around naked" says UKIP MEP. Sounds fun.
@ Meldroo - we are not allowed time off for *any* holiday. If your shift falls on that day, you have to book it off using your leave allowance and hope for it to be authorised. Only anyone with deep religious beliefs can ask for this to be considered for a specific day/date. I add I am not one of the pagan officers trying to win support here. I have a small child but have worked the last 3 Christmas days and New Years Nights in a row. I accept it because it's the job I signed up to do.
"These pagan festivals include believers behaving with unabashed sexuality and promiscuity, casting spells and dancing around naked" Spoken by someone who knows absolutely nothing about paganism but thinks it is all like the wicker man. And of course, there isn't any "unabashed sexuality and promiscuity" amongst non-pagans right? Typical right wing out of touch hasn't a clue UKIP MEP really. P.S. I'm not pagan nor want to be.
Oldham Council today flew a huge rainbow coloured flag over the Civic Centre to show support for the unspecified number of LGBT community members in Oldha.
Doesn't seem to far stretched to recognised an ancient religion if our political leaders see fit to promote and supportr LGBT's does it?
From my limited experience of the Pagan religion even I know that it doesnt actually have much "promiscuity" and naked dancing isnt really suited to British climes.
and @Meldroo; fair point, but Easter and Christmas are both well established Pagan festivals, the Christians have just "borrowed" them
I think this is excellent news,every other minority have their own festivals respected so why not this one. As for the police officer saying that the only ones who can ask for specific days off are the deeply religious !!! that sounds a bit like discrimination to me!! The same rules should apply to all the police force,why should he have to work at Xmas when others have been given time off to celebrate their festivals.Not fair at all.
Remember the saying 'Don't discuss politics and religion'?
Yes I agree that a seperate Pagan Police Authority is wrong; just as it's wrong to have a seperate Police Authority for any religion - but isn't it funny that this fuss is only being made now when such organistions have been in existance for some time ???
If I join the police and say that my religion is 'Thoudumist' and I celebrate 365 religious holidays a year, will I be allowed them ? (Answers on a postcard)
A religion is only what a person wants to believe in - and anything can be believed
Have Your Say
This seems to me to be part of the backlash towards Labours ridiculous minorities Bills.
By Old_Mancunian @ 17/05/2010 12:13:12