Dr Hans Christian Raabe, a Christian GP from Manchester, has been sacked from his post on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (“ACMD”) within just a few weeks of having been appointed.
Dr Raabe’s appointment as a member of the ACMD had only just been announced on 19 January 2011. Dr Raabe is well known for promoting abstinence from drugs as opposed to focussing on harm reduction, an approach favoured by the former chair of the ACMD, Professor David Nutt.
However, his appointment provoked a backlash from some quarters; with the BBC reporting that at least one member of the ACMD was threatening to resign as a result of his appointment. The hostility is believed to have been based not just on Dr Raabe’s strong stance against drug use but also his more general Christian views, including his views on homosexuality. Dr Raabe responded to the initial criticism by stating that society was in danger of believing that "if you are a Christian you are not fit for public office or you are biased or a bigot".
The Home Office has now had Dr Raabe’s appointment revoked – claiming that Dr Raabe didn’t declare his involvement in a 2005 scientific study on homosexuality.The department stated that the article “raises concerns over his credibility to provide balanced advice on drug misuse issues”.
The article, written six years ago, in collaboration with six other medical professionals, observed the disproportionate representation of homosexuals among paedophiles, and advised caution over legalising homosexual marriage.
The Home Office appeared to forget about its own report in 1998 which cited a study showing that “approximately 20 to 33% of child sexual abuse is homosexual in nature”.
Dr Raabe told the Daily Mail: “My appointment has been revoked based on the wrong perception that I could potentially discriminate against gay people – something I have never done; neither in my private nor professional life. Even the Home Office has not questioned my knowledge and expertise in matters relating to substance misuse and drug policy”.
“My appointment has merely been revoked as a result of my views on matters completely unrelated to drug policy”.
“I have been discriminated against because of my opinions and beliefs which are in keeping with the teaching of the major Churches. This sets a dangerous precedent: Are we saying that being a Christian is now a bar to public office?”
Dr Raabe’s dismissal raises serious concerns over whether Christians with orthodox views will now increasingly be barred from positions in public bodies such as the ACMD.
Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
“It seems that endorsing homosexual ideology is now mandatory for anyone who wishes to work in a public role. This decision by the Home Office to de-select Dr Raabe is a gross injustice and signals just how powerful the homosexual and equalities lobby has become. He has lost his position because his views have not been deemed politically correct. It is a terrible decision by the Home Office.”
“How can a person’s views on sexuality, supported by scientific study, disqualify them from an advisory role in a completely unrelated area of expertise?”
Sources
Catholic Education Resource Centre: ‘Gay marriage’ and homosexuality: Some medical comments
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