Shameful Silence by DUP Politicians at Stormont on Retrospective Pardons for Sodomites

In the day that thou stoodest on the other side… 
Obadiah verse 11

The Northern Ireland Assembly, on Monday, 28th November 2016, passed a motion, without a vote being necessary, granting a retrospective pardon to sodomites who have been previously convicted of criminal and immoral acts.

This motion to grant a retrospective pardon was brought before the Assembly by the Minister of Justice under a wider motion relating to the British Policing and Crime Bill, which was designed to give legislative consent to a law already passed at Westminster. 

This motion did not pass through the Executive, nor was it put out to any consultation. The tabling of the motion had been hastily agreed to by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister using emergency procedures. 

Failure to oppose a papal visit is a cowardly betrayal of Protestantism

It is reported on the BBC website that unionist members of Belfast City Council have abstained on whether to invite the pope to Belfast. See here. Part of the report reads:
DUP councillor Lee Reynolds said the motion presented by the SDLP "was essentially an election stunt and it wasn't a game we were willing to play". "They were wanting an insult and we weren't going to give them that, so we chose the path of abstention."

Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers, who had previously spoken out against issuing an invitation to the Pope, said he had decided to abstain after "giving the issue a lot of thought".

"I am concerned at the likelihood of trouble on our streets ... and I don't want any religious or civic leader coming here to find themselves offended and see violence on a large scale," he said.

Belfast Newsletter - Robinson: if safe, Pope can visit

Failure to oppose such an invitation is a cowardly betrayal of Protestantism. This is politics without principle! Are they ashamed of being Protestants? Is it a fear of scorn by the religious and secular liberals that makes them abstain? Is it base political calculation that is at work? Or has the rot of ecumenism infected these politicans so much that they meekly refuse to stand up for truth and righteousness? It could be all these and more!