FIEC Tells Messianic Jew it is “Entirely Opposed” to Rev Robert West

Seismic Shock carries a guest article about the BNP’s Rev Robert West, highlighting my blog entries about his recent appearance in the pulpit at a village Baptist chapel. The chapel is part of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC), which in turn is part of a grouping called Affinity. I tried to get the FIEC (which has website banner suggesting support for a multi-racial society) to make a public statement about the incident, without success. Others, however, have apparently had more luck:

British Messianic Jews had expressed grave anxiety over the FIEC’s slow response, first blogged by Bartholomew, to the BNP priest’s meeting at an FIEC church. However one concerned Messianic Jew was told that the “FIEC is entirely opposed to any BNP spokesman or representative being used to forward their cause in our churches.” Messianic Jews would say of BNP support of Israel, with friends like these who needs enemies!

Well, that’s a nice start, although it is still nothing more than a private statement made to a particular individual; there is nothing on the FIEC website.

The BNP decided to downplay anti-Semitism for strategic reasons several years ago; Nick Griffin (author of an anti-Jewish pamphlet called Who Are the Mind-Benders?) realised that attacking Muslims was more likely to yield results, and he is quoted as having said that “The proper enemy to any political movement isn’t necessarily the most evil and the worst. The proper enemy is the one we can most easily defeat.” Jewish groups, however, remain unimpressed.

Rev West was interviewed at home on the East Midlands local edition of the BBC Politics Show a few weeks ago (I also made a brief contribution); behind his chair he had been careful to place both an Israeli flag and a British flag. West showed the camera a certificate dating from the 1970s which confirmed his association with a Welsh Pentecostal denomination called the Apostolic Church; the certificate had been signed by Omri Bowen, who was a theologian within the group. The Apostolic Church made a private statement to a blogger repudiating West’s views a while ago; however, as with the FIEC, there has been no formal or public statement on the subject.

(Name vars.: Omri C. Bowen; O. C. Bowen)

11 Responses

  1. The FIEC, I have been informed, are having a meeting next week to discuss this, and should come out with an official response then.

    As it is not a denomination the wheels of their democracy turn rather more slowly than others.

  2. Hopefully they’ll rouse themselves to action this side of the election.

  3. The FIEC is in a fix – it’s been ‘independent’ for many years and proud of its come one, come all policy. Its beauty is that it embraces reformation theology. But this has been a failing in that it will become an attraction for people like West and Beany Baptist Church who want to slip under the radar of respectability and use designations such as FIEC to cloak their thoughts in righteousness. Still, take comfort from the fact that Jesus was Jewish, not a blonde miner’s son from oop north. He knows what’s going on and won’t let it go further than He intends.

  4. The following letter has just been published in a leading Church of England newspaper:

    Sir,

    As a member of the British National Party and as their lead candidate for the European Community elections for the East Midlands, due to take place on 4th June this year, I feel that I can endorse — from a Christian viewpoint — the BNP’s stance on race, immigration, ethnicity and voluntary repatriation.

    Whilst the BNP is a secular and not a religious party, its views generally agree with the Bible’s own teaching that we are to live as nations, in our nations, and not to submit to a “resurrection” of the Babel thesis of one undifferentiated mass under some form of, probably dictatorial and very unstable, world governance.

    The BNP undoubtedly accept that all mankind are equally human and, therefore, equally imperfect; so the worst traits of Darwinism are rejected by the party.

    The BNP would also have no truck with any form of national or racial hegemony of any group over another. As far as the BNP is concerned supremacism — whether white, black, or multi-racial — is out of the question. One of their key principles is, in fact, national independence for all, including our own people. They would not, however, see racial differences as superficial, or as simply a matter of physical appearance: rather, every racial or ethnic group does have a collective and distinctive character, which is to be both valued and critiqued, making up the rich diversity of humankind.

    On the matter of the “right of return” exercised by some UK citizens, whether born here or not, the BNP’s view is that this legal right (which already exists) can be exercised and helped, where needed, by financial packages to both the ‘returnees’ and the receiving nations. But this is to be voluntary in the case of those legally here. Those illegally here are to be given no amnesty, however. In my view this strikes the right balance. With regard to those of distant provenance who wish to remain, they must adjust to our laws and ways and not us to theirs. This is, after all, our historic and national homeland where, in that sense, our ways and identity must be legitimately and properly upheld. In particular, Islamic culture and the Muslim sharia must have no place in a modern, progressive, and civilised society based on Christian values.

    Many black and ethnic minority people now living in Britain, and indeed born here, would wholeheartedly support all of these policies of the British National Party and are wanting to vote for the BNP, and be seen to stand with the BNP, on these issues. This happened in particular in Barking and Dagenham. The BNP’s policies are therefore not racist: they are simply common sense.

    Yours sincerely,

    Revd RMB West

    Christian Council of Britain.

    • However, the British Church Newspaper has a clear disclaimer about the BNP in its following issue. The tile of the editorial is: Politics, Religion and the BNP, the newspaper sought to distance itselves from the BNP and express unhappiness at any BNP link and seems quite embarrased about the commendations for the BCN the “Rev” West gave to BNP supporters.

      “Unfortunately the name of the BCN has been dragged into party politics. We state that we have not endorsed any political party, including the BNP, whatever may be stated or implied on the internet.” “However we must not allow ourselves to be used by those who profess our views but do not share the basic beliefs from which those views are derived… We were shocked at the BNP advert… We must not allow Christ, or the Bible and our votes to be harnessed for ulterior ends.”

      • The British Church Newspaper is an informative fortnightly Christian newspaper which has a lot of useful articles and news items about what is being done to our country by unChristian and ant-patriotic elements, especially within the current ruling establishment. It is not ashamed to make its point known and to give a fair hearing to various views on controverted matters. In other words it is doing its job properly. This is known as open debate. Whilst “sensitive” souls may not be happy with this, it is essential for a healthy democracy in an open and free society. Please refer to Sir Karl Popper’s excellent work on the Open Society and its Enemies.

  5. […] the chapel is affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Churches, but beyond a private assurance to a Messianic Jew that they were opposed to West’s views the FIEC declined to make any […]

    • I doubt very much that the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches oppose my views or the views of any genuine Christian and patriot, backed-up as they are by the holy Scriptures. They may express disapproval of how evil men (and women) twist my Christian views, but that is an altogether different matter. It is the devil (not me, or the British Nationanl Party) which likes to demonise, simply because their views are so stupid and hence cannot bear the light of proper debate and arguementation; which is what lies behind their “No Platform” stance “for any free speech but their own”. This clearly shows who the real Fascists are – not the BNP.

  6. […] Religion on Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches Silent on BNP SermonRevRMBWest on FIEC Tells Messianic Jew it is “Entirely Opposed” to Rev Robert WestRevRMBWest on FIEC Tells Messianic Jew it is “Entirely Opposed” to Rev […]

    • My sermon at a Church meeting house affiliated to the FIEC was from the gospel of Mark chapter 1: verse 1 and was very acceptably recieved, and heard, by the gathered-church there. It is important to get good Biblical preaching to our churches and for the churches to chose ministers who give such preaching; and such preaching will clearly condemn things like the rampant wickedness now being promoted by the CofE hierarchy and by their wicked henchmen in the debased Labour Government. But I would never mention them by name in the pulpit which is not for politics, but principles. May the good Lord bless you as He will indeed bless all!

  7. […] Lincoln, the BNP’s “Rev” Robert West came fourth place with 1,367 votes (3% of the total), while in Croydon Central  his former […]

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