Ben Cohen writes: Stephen Sizer, the Iranian regime’s dutiful mouthpiece inside the Anglican Church, has been intimidating the author of the excellent blog, Seismic Shock, as you will read below. Both cowardly and odious, Sizer’s action underlines the fanatical determination of the pro-Palestine lobby in the UK to shut down open debate. So it’s time to declare that “We Are All Seismic Shock” - and communicate that same message to Sizer by emailing him here.
This is a guest post by Seismic Shock.
As some people have noticed, I’ve been rather quiet in blogging about the Reverend Stephen Sizer’s activities of late.
After all, what more can be said of a man forwards emails from Holocaust deniers, shares platforms with Holocaust deniers, and shamelessly flaunts his anti-Zionist theology before Iran’s apocalyptic Holocaust-denying regime? As Iranian pastors are arrested and house churches closed down, why is the Khomeinist regime translating Sizer’s book on Christian Zionism into Farsi? How many more times can I point all this out?
Yet there’s another reason why I’ve been quiet, and whilst I’ve held my tongue and my pen for a while, now is the time to speak.
At 10am on Sunday 29th November 2009, I received a visit from two policemen regarding my activities in running the Seismic Shock blog. (Does exposing a vicar’s associations with extremists make me a criminal?, I wondered initially). A sergeant from the Horsforth Police related to me that he had received complaints via Surrey Police from Rev Sizer and from Dr Anthony McRoy - a lecturer at the Wales Evangelical School of Theology - who both objected to being associated with terrorists and Holocaust deniers.
(Context: Sizer has associated with some very nasty terrorists and Holocaust deniers; McRoy has delivered a paper at a Khomeinist theological conference in Iran comparing Hezbollah’s struggle against Israel via suicide bombing with the Christian’s struggle against sin via the atoning death of Jesus, and describes the world’s most prominent Holocaust denier as an “intelligent, humble, charismatic, and charming” man who “gives quick, extensive and intelligent answers to any question, mixed with genial humour”).
The sergeant made clear that this was merely an informal chat, in which I agreed to delete my original blog (http://seismicshock.blogspot.com/) but maintain my current one (http://seismicshock.wordpress.com). The policeman related to me that his police force had been in contact with the ICT department my previous place of study, and had looked through my files, and that the head of ICT at my university would like to remind me that I should not be using university property in order to associate individuals with terrorists and Holocaust deniers (I am sure other people use university property to make political comments, but nevermind).
With my research on Reverend Sizer’s associations with terrorists and Holocaust deniers making its way into a publication of the Society of Biblical Literature, I was quite content to hold my peace. However, now that Reverend Sizer is now misrepresenting what has happened in my case in order to intimidate others, now is the time to speak up.
A Christian blogger - “Vee” of LivingJourney, who is based in Australia - linked to my blog as a resource for Christians to learn about anti-Semitism in the Church, including “lots of info on Stephen Sizer and Sabeel”.
Rev Sizer left her this comment:
Dear Vee,
You must take a little more care who you brand as anti-semitic otherwise you too will be receiving a caution from the police as the young former student of Leeds did recently. One more reference to me and you will be reported.
Blessings
Stephen
Sure, Stephen Sizer managed to somehow arrange a police visit to me from within the UK, but does Sizer genuinely think he can use police on the other side of the world to this effect?
Why is Reverend Sizer claiming that I received a police caution, when the police stressed I did not receive a caution? Is Sizer deliberately misrepresenting the same police force that he originally used to his advantage?
Who is Reverend Sizer reporting to, and why does Reverend Sizer genuinely feel he has the power to close down debate by threatening police action? Why call the cops rather than answer his critics?
Political and theological disagreements should never be accompanied with threats of litigation or police action, but instead with logic and open debate.
Even if your statements were libelous — which by all indications, they were not — then this would still not call for police intervention. He could brings tort suit against you, but libel is not a criminal matter.
Seismic,
Sorry to hear about the trouble you have been having due to that Sizer. I live in Buenos Aires but if there’s anything you want me to put on my own blog
http://eamonnmcdonagh.wordpress.com/
just let me know.
BTW, far be it from me to give legal advice but I will anyway: don’t talk to the police. Ask them to arrest you if they have evidence to support an arrest, otherwise just keep shtum. There is no such thing as a friendly chat with the the cops.
This sounds very bad. If someone associates with holocaust deniers and is anti-Zionist, then it can not be wrong to point that out.
This reminds me of how a Swedish civil servant lost his job after it was discovered that he ran a website which was not only pro-USA, but also sympathetic to Israel(He got his job back though, after fighting it through in court - check out http://www.ilyameyer.com for information about Sweden).
Incidents like this are occurring to frequently and will create a reaction.
Kristian
Well said Ben. I hope he is inundated with emails.
I am a bit puzzled by this posting. Is there no place in the British system for a complaint to a police ombudsman for what appears to be a pretty clear case of political harassment and a violation of freedom of speech? In Israel such a police officer would be raked over the coals in a disciplinary action. Can anyone explain why this British police officer and his commanders should not suffer similar treatment. best, Ed
Ed Rettig,
It seems that in Britain today only if it concerned a Muslim’s blog would the police action be considered harassment and closing down the blog a violation of free speech.
If one professes faith in Christianity or Judaism then one is open to all forms of abuse going by the general behaviour displayed.
Claiming that you received a caution when you didn’t must surely be actionable, no?
Speaking of denial, would you agree or deny that religion in general is a cult of historical revisionism?
From p. 8 of Rev Sizer’s 2007 book “Zion’s Christian Soldiers”:
“The battle over intellectual freedom is waged in universities on both sides of the Atlantic. Organisations such as Campus Watch and the Union of Jewish Students monitor staff and students and put pressure on the authorities to censure them.”
You couldn’t make it up!!!
Be thankful that Sizer doesn’t have rich friends who can a afford the services of Caeter Ruck. The phrase “Fr Soozer wished me good morning, and it subsequently turned out not to be” is a grave slur on Fr. Soozer ( who I am at pains to point out is entirely unrelated to the Rev. Sizer, and not intended to refer to him, even by analogy or allegory) is sufficiently libellious to attract a writ - which, in an English Court, can cost you everything you’ve ever owned and ever will to defend *successfully*. and may God and the sinister forces of International Zionism lend you their united aid if Justice Eady takes the case.
The truth is no defence in a libel case, and winning is no guarantee that you’ll be awarded even partial costs.
Ohtheirony: and as well as antisemitic he’s evidently too thick to understand the difference between censure and censor.
Nile: I hope the tentacles of Harter Cruck don’t reach all the way to the southern hemisphere :=))
A worrying story. I’ll be passing it on.
Thanks for the information and keep it up.
PS linked via Ben Goldacre
I would like to thank everyone for supporting Seismic Shock.
I am updating things as events develop, if you see anything interesting please do let me know.
Thanks guys so much for your support!