Last Saturday week, a highly defamatory article about me appeared in the Daily Mail based solely on comments attributed to my former wife.
The article was a catalogue of smears and distortions stitched together by a tabloid journalist who specialises in TV, celebrities, women’s features and gossip. She also has an anti-Christian agenda. Just over a year ago, she wrote a sycophantic piece exalting the pro-paedophilia campaigner Peter Tatchell. In April this year, she gushed over the first two lesbians who have jointly put their names on the birth certificate of the baby born to one of them.
The article led to another in the Guardian which pointed out the Mail’s hypocrisy. The Guardian sought my comments on the allegations they were to reprint, and as a result, they printed just one allegation, but for their own good reasons omitted my denial of it.
From what people are sending me, the article about me is not the first time a bitter former wife has cast a jaundiced eye over her past marriage and indeed invented allegations about her ‘ex’.
I have never had a wish to cause my former wife distress by producing in public a catalogue of her conduct during our marriage and the divorce proceedings she brought, which were concluded four years ago, even though that would cast things in a very different light indeed.
It is always distasteful when dirty linen is washed in public, despite the media thirst for such material. Nevertheless, I must address the two most specific and serious allegations that have appeared.
Firstly, I never once had sexual relations with my former wife against her clearly expressed wish. Secondly, in connection with the published allegations that I assaulted her, the truth, sadly, is the complete opposite. I had to obtain a harassment order against her to stop a campaign of intimidation and on one of the occasions when she assaulted me, I reported the matter to the police and she received a police caution.
None of us is perfect, we are all sinners saved by grace, but I sincerely tried to lead my marriage and household in a loving and responsible way, and one which was faithful to the Lord. There are things I dearly wish I could have done differently, but sadly none of us can ever start from somewhere different from where we are.
There are those who will object to remarriage after divorce. Many years ago I was led to see that scripture provides for such a situation in the case of adultery or when one party walks out of the marriage. In the first chapter of Genesis it is written: ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.’ It cannot be of God that a vengeful ex should be able to gloat over the enforced single status of his or her former partner. There is more that could be said on this matter, but this is neither the time nor the place.
My wife and I have been greatly honoured by the many messages of support during this difficult time. Christian Voice members in particular have been typically generous in their comments and realistic in their view of ‘the press’. Above all, we have been humbled by all the prayers which have been made. We are very grateful to all who have held us up in this way and at such a time.
P.S. Please read: Psalm 51:3, 103:10-14; Prov , ; Isa ; Micah 7:5-10; Matt -36; John , 8:7; Romans 8:1,34; 2Tim .
God Bless you Stephen, for so they persecuted Christ and other Christians, including even the Disciples of our Lord. Your reward in heaven is assured, no doubt much to the chagrin of those who persecute you for living a fully Christian life and spreading the Good news about God's Kingdom, Jesus's reign to be in the very fullest Glory, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteI, too have suffered much persecution and public attempts to humiliate me for my Christian beliefs and Pro-Christ actions, including loss of financial support for my family and making it almost impossible for me to obtain further gainful employment.
I am however happy to devote my time and my life to promoting a true Christian lifestyle, seemingly more and more difficult in our present society, and acting wherever I can for others and the good of others, without limit and with whatever self-sacrifice this needs, and without thought for myself!
1 Peter 5 v 8, the Devil is like a roaring lion, well Stephen, no wonder he is baring his teeth at you, because you keep attacking his stronghold!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work brother in Christ, and thank you for all that you do.
It seems the bad publicity for Mr Green, like the genie let out of the lamp, the toothpaste squeezed from the tube, can't be put back. It's out there. Perhaps fewer people would be rubbing their hands gloatingly (although I am not doing so, because my secular humanist principles allow me a large dose of decency) if Mr G had not spent several years hating just about everyone who was not as rabid a Christian as he is. I don't fly a flag for Christianity, but, goodness, he's done it no favours, and it's hardly surprising that so many people see him as a nutcase. He would claim, of course, as his correspondent does in these comments, that he is being persecuted, as Jesus was. Yes, well, anyone can claim that.
ReplyDeletePerhaps there's time for him to repent. Not give up his Christianity, necessarily (I do believe in freedom of religion, as most secular humanists do), but repent of his unalloyed hatred of, among others, gays. For it's gays who seem to have been the object of his ire as he cites Leviticus and other passages, conveniently forgetting that Leviticus also called for the death penalty for several things we would not consider even jail for now (much as Mr G would like to see people jailed for, say, adultery, I'm sure). It even says wearing mixed fibres is wrong and so is eating shellfish. Does Mr G do either?
A letter has done the rounds of the Internet, purporting to be to an angony aunt called Dr Laura. Mr G will have seen it, no doubt. While it's meant to be humorous, it still makes some very pertinent points that Mr G would do well to take on board.
So repent ye, Stephen. It's not too late to take back all the hatred you've scattered among the undeserving of your wrath. You really are a wally, and I suppose we must be thankful that you have never been taken seriously except by the likes of lazy journos who like to wheel out anyone who will create a controversy and, of course, readers of the Daily Mail.
If Mr G does not allow this mild and decidedly un-ranting comment to appear, then I'm afraid no one will know (although I'll probably find a way to make it known). However, I'm sure he is going to be a fair-minded Christian and allow a voice that is diametrically opposed to his to have its say on his blog.
Hey, Andy, thanks for that, but you mistake my love for God and my neighbour for hatred. It's the wearisome stock-in-trade of the Secularist and the Muslim - and almost the entire political class now agree - to say that if anyone criticises them it is either an irrational 'phobia' or stems from 'hatred'. Please be big-hearted enough to recognise the criticism could just be motivated by genuine concern.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, if you had a friend involved in what you saw as destructive behaviour, would you let him carry on or express your love by warning him? Well, I and others like me are trying to warn both individuals and society about the destructive effects, as we - and we believe God Almighty - see them, of anti-Christian religion and behaviour.
As to the silly Dr Laura questions, I answered those years ago in a piece which is up on the Christian Voice website. Go to: http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/laura.html
(Sorry, I have not yet achieved the knack of embedding URL's in comments - you will have to copy and paste.)
"Please be big-hearted enough to recognise the criticism could just be motivated by genuine concern.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, if you had a friend involved in what you saw as destructive behaviour, would you let him carry on or express your love by warning him?"
Quite right Mr. Green. I wish you could see it that way too when Humanists comment on you.
Except they don't express love and concern, Cool Cards, they just throw insults. Words of Jesus to his disciples: 'If the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you.' (John 15:18)
ReplyDeleteHey Steve
ReplyDeleteI read the article in the Daily Mail and was highly sceptical not least because a person is innocent until proven otherwise.
I know what it is to be vilified as I am often the target of such by the likes of the "Freethinker" editorial team who have published articles against me due to my blog.
Please continue to speak out against the evils in this country - there are many people praying for you right now.
Incidentally, I have done a blog article entitled "The Sly Sodomites". www.bobhutton1.blogspot.com
Kind regards
Bob Hutton
"exalting the pro-paedophilia campaigner Peter Tatchel"
ReplyDeleteYou never learn do you Stephen?