And the Lord said, ‘when you can shake someone down, squeeze them until the pips squeak’; or how the Church of England is using an ancient law to suck £200,000 out of a couple.

The Church of England loves to say how we must all be kind and not take advantage of others. Yet it is forcing a couple to sell their house to generate funds due under a law few people know exists.

Make sure to read the whole thing.

Couple face £200,000 bill from ancient church law

A couple who lost a seven-year legal battle against an ecclesiastical law that required them to pay the cost of repairs to an ancient parish church were ordered to meet the final demand for more than £200,000 yesterday. The initial bill presented to Andrew and Gail Wallbank for restoration of St John the Baptist Church in Aston Cantlow, Warwickshire, was about £95,000. After a series of legal challenges, including a hearing at the House of Lords in June 2003, the cost of the work being commissioned by the parish council of Aston Cantlow and Wilmcote with Billesley has more than doubled.

In case you think the Church needs the money, take a look at this.

Can you believe it? This is just ridiculous! And this isn’t just a local organisation acting unilaterally – the Church has praised these legal decisions!! Seriously, if I ever come across the Archbishop of Canterbury or any other Anglican priest, God help him because I will give him such a tongue lashing. This is such a disgusting situation – the Church must be exposed as the money-grubbing bastards they really are! The very people who should put the needs of others above their own are hiding behind an unfair law. It’s just sickening. Even though I am a Catholic, somehow I still feel ashamed….

If I were in that situation, I would refuse to leave my house and if the Police tried to evict me, I would use violence to protect my property – even if it meant I went to jail. Whip up a huge media storm to force them to change their minds. Do anything but give in.

My prayers are with the Wallbanks that they somehow survive this ordeal.

The Discussion: One Comment

This is shameful. The “church” should not be such a huge force. It should be local and make its decisions locally, a small grouping of believers. It should be understanding of this couples situation. Can’t people try to understand anything? At least that is what I believe, I am Baptist.

February 9, 2007 @ 1:46 am | Comment

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