Dear Ian,
Forgive me the familiarity, but I do feel as though I know you. In your role as leader of the SNP Westminster group you are regularly in the news. You have an important job as a political leader, and as a Christian, I pray for you because we recognise that the work you do is vital and important. I also understand that occasionally you attend the Free Church in your home island of Skye. I hope they make you feel welcome and that you benefit from what you hear and experience there.
It is in the capacity of a minister of the Free Church that I write to you. As a denomination, we do not take political stands, because our job is to proclaim the Word of God, not advocate party politics. However that does not mean that we never say anything that impinges on politics or that each of us as individuals does not have our own political opinion.
I was deeply distressed to read your recent comments concerning abortion and SSM in Northern Ireland – and would ask you to reconsider what you and 24 other SNP’s did last night in the House of Commons. This is what you stated last night.
And you were supported by your leader.
Why is this so distressing and troubling? So much so that I could not vote for you or anyone else who held this position – and I would discourage any Christian from doing so. When we vote for a member of Parliament we do so expecting them to be our representative. Of course we are not naive enough to think that every MP will see things exactly the way we do – but there are issues that are of such primary importance that we could not vote for someone who went against our most deeply held convictions – nor I hope would you expect us to. I would not for example vote for a racist. What is so important about what you did last night – in voting for abortion and SSM for Northern Ireland?
Betrayed Principle
Firstly it is a betrayal of a deeply held principle that the SNP used to adhere to. It is not right for an outside country to impose its values and laws upon another. The SNP has always held to the view that the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish parliaments should determine the laws in their own land. Democracy means that the elected politicians make the laws. Having them imposed from outwith is anathema. For the SNP, who are seeking independence from the UK, this is a core principle. And it is a principle you have now betrayed. Because you are using Scottish, English and Welsh votes to impose abortion and SSM on Northern Ireland. It is the very definition of cultural imperialism. I am grateful for those SNP MPs who did not follow your lead. Ironically I had just spent part of yesterday defending the SNP and explaining why you would abstain in this vote – because you were not cultural imperialists. Within hours I had to apologise when I read your about-face. I once thought the SNP was at least a principled party – but it seems as though you now follow the Groucho Marx line “If you don’t like my principles, don’t worry, I have others!”.
Why do you consider SSM and abortion so important that you will give up one of your fundamental principles in order to impose them upon others? I am not entirely convinced that you have thought about this. You just seem to be repeating the party line on the basis that it is the right thing to do. You have been told that the Emperors new clothes are lovely – as any ‘good’ person would see. Please forgive this wee voice saying that the emperor is naked!
Same-Sex Marriage
You say that you ‘strongly support’ equal marriage. What does that mean? Is this ‘equality’ for polygamists? Do they have the right to marry whoever they wish? Is it now the SNP policy to allow polygamy? If not, why not? Why do you deny the right of some people to marry, but insist on the rights of others? How is that ‘equal’? I wonder if you have thought about this. Do you know what marriage is? It is the Tories under David Cameron, who decided to redefine marriage for everyone and thus turned it into a civil contract for all. You rejoice in this Tory policy and seem completely unaware of the harm that this has done, and will do. The number one problem in Scotland today is the breakdown of the family. This is something that no amount of government money or legislation will ever cure. It is a breakdown which is at least partially caused by a removal of the Christian teaching about marriage – a teaching which has been the social foundation of our society for over 1,000 years. You are facilitating that….why?
https://theweeflea.com/2016/11/22/re-imaging-humanity-part-2-sexuality-marriage-and-the-fall/
Abortion:
The destruction of marriage is one thing. The destruction of children is another. You say you strongly support a woman’s right to choose on abortion. Again we simply ask, what do you mean by that? Do you think a woman should be free to choose to abort (kill) her child when they are 39 weeks in the womb? If not – why not? If so – are you really saying that it is the SNP policy to support abortion on demand, up to birth? And if up to birth – why not beyond? Why should a woman (or man) have to bring up a child they do not want? Why not just get rid of unwanted children? Before Christianity became the guiding ethos in European society, infanticide was normal. You think you are ‘progressive’, but the reality is that you are regressing to a Greco-Roman pagan view of the world. There are more than 100,000 people alive in Northern Ireland today because of the Northern Irish abortion laws. Yet you voted to kill babies in the womb. Herod only killed 3,000. You have voted to kill 300,000!
Apart from the immorality and crass callousness, it’s the stupidity of the position. I have noticed several tweets from the SNP in the past few days, complaining about the decline in the Scottish population – apparently, we are down about 500,000 on what we should be. Too many people are leaving our Nirvana and not enough are being attracted. So the SNP think the solution is to have control of immigration and get more people (servants) to come to Scotland to do the jobs we don’t want to do. Here is a radical thought for you…lets stop killing 12,000 plus babies per year (around 20% of all babies). Maybe the way to repopulate the country is to have more children, and to encourage families?
Theresa May’s Worst Move Ever – Dancing on the Graves of Africa’s Children
Transgender
But you are not finished. It’s been quite a week for you. You wrote this article in the Daily Record about your government’s transgender policy. In it you boast about Scotland following a ‘radically different path’ whilst also boasting that you are just following what others do! (You have been told by the emperor that it is ‘best practice’ – although the why and how you do not know). It’s not radical at all. In fact your article betrayed an astonishing ignorance of Queer Theory and the harm it is doing to our children. Do you believe that gender is a social construct and nothing to do with biology? Do you think that children should be taught this? Do you think that men can give birth or get cancer of the womb? Do you think that men should be able to take part in women’s sport, enter women’s bathrooms or be housed in women’s prisons? The article was trite and superficial, full of meaningless soundbites; an embarrassment to those of us who expect some level of thinking and rationality in our politicians.
Scotland’s Values
I once heard you on the BBC’s Any Questions state that anyone was ‘Scottish’ who accepted ‘Scotland’s values”. It was a chilling statement – not least because the implication was clear. Those of us who don’t agree with the ‘values’ put forward by you and your party are going to be considered ‘non Scots’. We are outside. We do not belong. We are not the people. This week you have stated that your ‘values’ are to attack the Christian understanding of marriage, to support killing the baby in the womb, and to dismantle the teaching of humanity as male and female. Furthermore you think that this is so important that you will give up one of your most fundamental principles in order to impose these ‘values’ on another country.
Ian, whatever else you represent it is not the Scotland I know and love. It is not the land of my ancestors; it is not the Scotland of many of your constituents, and it is not the Scotland of many Scots today. You are putting forward an elitist ‘progressivist’ agenda which will be the death of Scotland. You have put us, at best, on the road to nowhere – at worst it is a Highway to Hell.
I weep for my country – and I pray for its renewal, reformation and repentance – as I pray for yours. You have a great responsibility. To whom much is given, much will be required…
God have mercy on you (and us)….
David
Scotland’s Future – The Hope, History, Hubris, Humiliation and Hypocrisy of Nicola Sturgeon
Hear hear David.
It was indeed a sad day in Parliament yesterday.
Last night I emailed my MP for North Down and informed her that because of her vote supporting SSM that I could not in all conscience give her my vote in the future.
It was very difficult to watch people from outside this province voting on how we should be conducting our affairs, but sadly this is the world today.
We can but hope and pray that by 21st October our assembly at Stormont will be up and running and prevents this.
Isa 5. 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Stephen M.
Last evening on ITV, in the light of the Commons vote on the topic, Hunt and Johnson were asked what they would do, if Prime Minister; Hunt would support change in N Ireland laws, Johnson said it was for the people of N I to decide.
Thank you, thank you for clear,vreasoned, measured, wisdom and incisive thought!
Excellent response David. Hope you’re settling in down under!
Thank you David. Measured, clear and, whilst upholding Godly Law, compassionate towards Mr Blackford.
“There are more than 100,000 people alive in Northern Ireland today because of the Northern Irish abortion laws. ”
What sort of value can one have for oneself, if the only reason you are alive – or at least still breathing – is because someone wasn’t allowed to kill you?
We live in a world where we barely still acknowledge that actively killing people is wrong: but are perfectly happy to achieve the same end by withdrawing the means of life, or frustrating even the most desperate bids of the unwanted to escape danger. Denying or limiting access to medical treatment in old age could make the “right” to die so attractive it will work just as effectively as any deer cull.
Create a society where children are welcome, rather than treated as a mother’s feckless self-indulgence or an “unsustainable” burden on everybody else – and where no child goes to bed hungry or abused – and very many more will be born and raised, with a much healthier attitude to themselves, and perhaps easier to convince that “God loves them”.
(I remember with admiration in this regard your late Scots Cardinal Winning. A sadly rare example.) And the desirability of the “traditional family” would sell itself, if we demonstrated it by better means than simply punishing the failed.
As for Northern Ireland: I am tired of the way they play both rules to their own advantage. They are “another country” when they want to do something England doesn’t like – but “the same country” when they want to be defended from their neighbours or benefit from other parts of the Constitution. And they have a separate Parliament they stubbornly refuse to operate, only to complain when someone else takes on the job. I wonder if the non-attenders are still taking their salary for the job they’re not doing, like some others I could mention?
Good luck with finding a politician who wants to feed babies as well as force them to be born: at present in the West it seems you can only vote for one or the other.
Force babies to be born? How is allowing kids to be born worse than forcing them to die? So much for the right to life. And as for women’s rights, what about unborn women’s right to life?
In response to your question: it’s worse when you condemn them to a half life of poverty, sickness, abuse and exploitation – salving *our* consciences while demonstrating how little we really value those children or their lives. Banning things is cheap: modelling and supporting a genuine alternative costs money voters won’t pay. And men now think their whole duty is discharged by an offer to pay for termination and refuse absolutely to support a born child.
A country that could invent, never mind enforce, the “two-child” rule might as well make abortion compulsory – which of us with wombs can honestly claim we will never need external support for the next 20 years? And how would you like to have to prove you were raped in order to feed your third child?
I’m not “in favour of abortion” – nobody has one for laughs – but it’s not so simple as locking up anyone who has one (and what then becomes of their other kids? Do we care?) Genuine pro life would best protect the unborn by better protecting the already born – they are “life” too!
An excellent letter David and so good to see you still managing to do so though left or leaving Scotland. There is not 48 hours past since I was being bombarded with “how good it was that Mr Blackford was leading the praise in the FC in Skye”. Principles!
Tour de force, David. Bravo! God bless you and keep you.
Hilary.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time. People believe it’s a right to pull a baby apart limb by limb yet, dare thou hurt hurt Thu pregnant dog!
The world is sick and represented by votes and comment by politicians and those who support such rubbish.
I’ve been toying with the idea for a while but today, as a result of this, I’ve resigned from the SNP.
I will pray for Scotland and for the United States. Both have the same lack of knowledge of God’s Word.
A very well written letter, blunt, forthright and uncompromising while polite and respectful. It would be interesting to hear if he responds, I have been, so far unsuccessfully, trying to get an answer from the Conservative Party on the family unit so I am not holding my breath that Mr Blackford will respond but we shall see.
I have spoken to Scots and they assure me neither you or that Nicola Sturgeon represent the Scottish National. They do want to remain within the UK Community. The Scottish National is a part of and always will be part of the British people and an Intergral part of our British culture and we are proud to have u all ad part of our great nation 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🙏🙏🙏
John Lord, i was born and live in Scotland,i am proud to be part of the 55% who voted no.
I will do again if ever asked, we are proud of being part of UK and with the will of god we wil
stand against snp once again, thank you for your comment.
proud to be a part of our great nation
🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
the wee free and SNP do not speak for or act on behalf of The People of Scotland they Never Have they Never will, Having lived under the Boot of the wee free in stornoway where life stopped on a sat night 11pm and started on a monday 6 am unless you were an elder in the wee free then you could tour the hotels and pubs drinking under the guise of making sure the Sabbath was being observed, Both are self serving Piase groups and both groups have no place in a modern Scotland and Union of Scotland wales Northern Ireland and England yes three countries we love are in that union and one we allegedly hate is also in it so what the SNP and wee free are actually saying is this they hate everything and every one associated with the Union Flag Nemo me impune lacessit ( the Motto of Scotland for those SNP and wee free who do not know the meaning it is this NO MAN STRIKES ME WITH IMPUNITY)
Slightly skewed reply- just slightly!
Many of us used to have such a bitter attitude but thankfully our eyes were opened to the free offer of salvation in Christ in my own case 40 years ago last month for which I praise God and the Church Free or otherwise.
Excellent letter. Sad times. Gave up on the SNP long ago but they have lost the plot completely now.
That phrase “woman’s right to choose” needs blowing right out of the water. How often it is a “choice” between poverty or poverty, lack of support or lack of support. Always leaving it to the women to “take care of” and never tackling the underlying issues. And when it is a case of “well I just don’t want a kid messing up my life”, how much does that sound like the men we all complain about?
Blackford and co are a disgrace and embarasment to the people of Scotland
on reflection there is an old saying (the more a monkey climbs a tree the more you see its rear -end slightly changef the wording for the sake of present company.
I have just listened to Ian Blackford – an SNP MP in the Westminster parliament, identify himself as a Christian.
And I ask myself, ‘How can a man who is so absorbed in, and by the world and its confused, godless values consider himself to be a man of faith?’
Well, there are ‘Christians’ with a capital ‘C’ – and then there are ‘christians’ with a small ‘c’, and to understand the difference between the two we must first remind ourselves that there are only two spirits which prevail and rule in the world of mankind.
There is the righteous, selfless, eternal and Godward Spirit as embodied and exemplified by Christ at Gethsemane: O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. Matthew 26/39.
And then there is the sinful, deceiving, selfish, self-preserving, self-fulfilling and death promoting spirit as exemplified by Satan in the garden of Eden.
Christians with a capital ‘C’ are those who have been spiritually regenerated and thereafter enabled to come to Christ on His ‘self sacrificial’ terms: And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple. Mat 14/27
And christians with a small ‘c’ are those who have been ‘called’, through intellectual persuasion/decision – or cultural upbringing/conditioning – or a bit of both, to come to Christ on their own self-preserving, self- promoting terms. As Jesus confirmed ‘many are called but few chosen.’ Matthew 20/16
By his own words, interests and actions Ian Blackford belongs to the second group – as do all in his group – as witnessed by the apostate/heretical/ecumenical state of the traditional ‘reformed’ Churches.
It is baffling why you object so aggressively regarding SSM?
The homosexual community across the globe number less than 10% of the population and the numbers that wish to marry are around 10% of this figure.
Seriously, on what grounds do you actively pursue this issue especially when there are so many more urgent and worthwhile things to pursue.
Let people live their lives the way they want to. It really is none of your business.
Its not me that pursues the issue – its the militant secularists. You will note that I am responding to a vote in the UK parliament to impose SSM on Northern Ireland. Also your figures are way wrong…its 1-2% of the population who are homosexual….also your principle that we should let people live their lives the way they want is hypocritical and irrational. You seem very disturbed that some people want to live their lives as Christians…! Do you think if someone wants to live their life having incest with their children that principle would apply? Of course not – we all have limits…its just where the limits are and who determines them.
How does an adult having sex with a child have anything to do with same-sex marriage?
John – I’m sure you can work it out. We are talking about issues of sexuality and marriage – where the boundaries are and on what basis we make decisions. If the criteria is simply you can marry anyone you love then ?
The majority of Christians support same-sex marriage…is it wrong for Christians to support same-sex marriage? You seem very disturbed that most Christians are pro-gay.
Where did you get your information that the majority of Christians support SSM? Any evidence?
Yes here is a list of age of consent in the USA and other countries in 1880
http://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/items/show/230?section=primarysources&source=24
Think you have answered your own question… the push for SSM is not so much about access to rights but control of a concept. Why are so many threatened by a concept pertaining to one relationship? The negatives of hetero relationships are magnified, the positives of reciprocal respect and responsibility between male and female – worthwhile things to pursue – are rubbished.
The greatest freedom is the freedom to accept the consequences of one’s actions.
Exactly what are the specific issues regarding SSM that you reject, and on what grounds?
There is no age of consent in the Bible which is why Christianity has always had trouble with child marriages. The age of consent in the USA in the 18th century like Delaware was often 7 years old!
Ian Blackford is a man of many principles, it depends on which will give him the greater return for his efforts in expenses. He tries to be statesman like in the parliament he is not! He is not the William Wallace that he sees in his dreams fighting for a free Scotland. He would have been declared a traitor back then. He is a mere puppet for the EU, who will reward him for his treachery, but he will never be forgiven for his betrayal of all the principles that he was elected on. Be careful for what you wish with an election, like Labour and Conservative people have had enough of you, your broken promises and lies. Shame on you Ian Blackford your twenty pieces of silver are in the post.
Agree entirely with all your points, David.
I am a woman. Ian Blackford has given me the right to “choose!”
I will never “choose” Ian Blackford!!! (….wonder if it has occurred to him that he was allowed to live…..???)
Thank you for standing up in the public square!
That’s ‘American religious groups’. Not Christians throughout the world. Evidence please. Not just googling until you find something that confirms your bias.
Well that didn’t take long.
https://www.pewforum.org/2018/05/29/being-christian-in-western-europe/
Same-sex marriage, abortion widely accepted by non-practicing Christians
Vast majorities of non-practicing Christians and religiously unaffiliated adults across Western Europe favor legal abortion and same-sex marriage. In some countries, there is not much difference on these questions between the attitudes of Christians who rarely attend church and adults who do not affiliate with any religion.
So, that’s the States , UK and Western Europe.
Looking for global figures ….
Ark – you are getting increasingly desperate! I asked for evidence for Christians – a non practising Christian is not a Christian. It’s strange you gleefully report that the majority of people in the UK are not religious, yet you cite a source which says 73% of the UK are Christian! Once again I ask – please provide evidence that the majority of Christians support SSM. The Anglican Church, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical churches do not.
I’m never desperate.
We’ll just have to go with the evidence from the states then, and agree that the rest of the Christian world is not , in general , in favour of SSM.
Thank goodness you and I live in a secular society, and the religious view holds no sway over civil liberties.
I am curious to know if you held the power to decide on the law granting SSM would you allow it or reject it?
Regards
Ark
But your claim was that the majority of Christians supported SSM. I asked for evidence of that claim – so far you have provided none that stands up to any scrutiny. As already pointed out the survey from the US is about religious groups in the US alone. Not Christians – either in the US or worldwide. Of course I want SSM to be banned – primarily because it doesn’t exist. The State has no more right or power to declare that marriage can be between people of the same sex, than it can declare that a circle is square!
Thank you David for this input. Clear and to the point.
Thank you for this David. You express thoughts in a way I am not able to. Heartbreaking at times.
The outcome of an elitist progressivist agenda seems to mean a return to a superstitious worldview in which reality is eclipsed by fantasy. Especially so in the area of identity and gender.
Little Scotlander Ian Blackford has not thought this one through and has sacrificed his sanity on the altar of the God of Woke.
I took the opportunity to highlight my intention of with drawing any support for the S.N.P. and in doing so laid out a challenge for a reply to David Robertson’s letter. The reply from you can guess who is shown below.
“I have no desire to enter into dialogue with Mr Robertson but would always be happy to correspond with constituents”.
Note Constituents that there is the opportunity for dialogue.
Enough said from a FORMER SNP supporter.
I’m very sad that a person with such views is MP for Ross-shire and Skye. Let’s hope that people stand up for the Bible, Crown and Union and get rid of him at the next election.
Such wickedness that is imposing its ugly immorality on the commonality. We Christians have to continue to defend the faith and the morality of God’s Holy Word. Follow the money…it seems now it’s all about money, at least now in the USA. If you have millions of dollars and a large following you can impose your style of immorality and persuade young people to think all is ok, just follow me. A quiet simple life…an honest job well done. Honoring God in all we say and do? That is boring to young people today…
Thank you David for this clear message. The test of a person’s claims to be a Christian is how they live their lives. ‘By their fruits you will recognise them’ is how Jesus put it in the Sermon on the Mount.