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Chaplain Axed From Luxury Car Plant Just Before Christmas to Avoid Offending Non-Christian Workers

Dec. 25, 2012 7:33am Billy Hallowell

Rev. Francis Cooke Cut From Bentley Plant to Avoid Offending Non Christians

The Rev. Francis Cooke (Photo Credit: Daily Mail)

Just days before Christmas, the Rev. Francis Cooke, 46, a chaplain at Bentley, the luxury car company, was laid off from his position as a faith leader and counselor. A local plant, which allowed the Christian pastor to counsel and speak with staffers for the past decade, purportedly told Cooke that his continued presence might offend non-Christians.

Cooke, who is dismissing the decision to let him go as “ridiculous,” was allegedly told that there were too many religions represented at the company to allow his presence to continue. Prior to being axed, he would regularly visit a factory in Crewe, Cheshire (England), one day per week for six hours. Additionally, he wrote a message for the company’s newsletter and ran a Christian course.

“It is just beyond belief,” the faith leader said of his dismissal. “The reason I have been given is that there are too many people of different faiths to warrant a Christian chaplain.”

Cooke noted that there have been no complaints against him and that his position was intended to help all individuals working at the location, not only Christians. He cited helping people in need of counseling — something that he cited as beyond the realm of faith and religion.

Rather than serving as a volunteer as some chaplains traditionally do, Cooke was paid directly by the company, with funds being sent to the Diocese of Chester in the United Kingdom and then doled out to him. Despite other roles, the faith leader claims that this was his only paid job — making the pre-Christmas dismissal that much more painful.

And while Bentley cited staff fears in offending non-Christians, it seems some workers have assembled in the wake of Cooke’s dismissal in a concerted effort to bring the chaplain back. However, the company appears to be doubling down on its stance.

According to the Daily Mail, a Bentley Motors spokesperson called the decision to let Cooke go an opportunity to reassess the diverse faith needs and views of those working at the company.

“We have a wide range of faiths and want to take a multi-faith outlook. It would be very difficult to have somebody from each faith,” the spokesman said. “This now gives us the opportunity to look at this and recognize the range of faiths we have here.”

(H/T: Daily Mail)

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Comments (124)

TeresaJ
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:25am
Quote from the Daily Mail comments:

“Political correctness is the most offensive and socially destructive concept ever devised.”

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- arta
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:47am
  PC equates with loss of free speech……
  
  Report this comment
- needawhitepresident
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 1:40pm
  Why doesn’t Bentley come out and say it – they fired the guy because one stinking Muslim complained to management. I’d say that they will never see me buying a Bentley now, but I never could afford their over-priced gas guzzlers in the first place – nor ever had a desire for one…
  
  Report this comment
- MisterSarcastic
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 2:47pm
  PC is the way liberals teach their kids how to lie.
  
  Report this comment
- qualityrkc
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 2:57pm
  What does this have to do with political correctness If there was a muslim cleric at the plant and you were Christian wouldn’t youy also want them tohire a Christian preacher? They stated clearly they can’t afford to have a religious leader for evey religion at the plant. Its nothing to do with political correctness and everything to do with keeping employees happy. You know you would be pissed if the plant only allowed a muslim cleric to work there. Be consistent.
  
  Report this comment
- BWH
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 5:25pm
  QualityRKC, what if a Christian was in Saudi Arbia and complained because of an Imam? Do you think they would remove the Imam or kill the Christian? Oh, that’s right, the Christian would not have been allowed in the first place. If they (Muslims) want to live in a Christian country, they should be willing to live by that country’s standard.
  
  Report this comment
- decendentof56
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 5:49pm
  QualityRKC…..Your point is not valid. As you know, there are dominant religions in certain countries. Without doubt, in the radical Muslim countries, they do not tolerate Christianity, and do not care wether or not Christians are offended. Christians have been murdered in those before-mentioned Muslim countries and, as well, their churches have been burned to the ground.
  Is not Britian not still, mostly, a Christian country? Why would Britian show tolerance to Muslims any more than Muslims show tolerance to other faiths?
  So…. you are saying there should be a double standard for Muslims. Tell me your reasoning for that.
  
  Even if you attempt that, remember that the chaplain counseled anyone, regardless of faith. In fact…. “counseling” does not have to relate to faith at all.
  
  This is an example of “cultural Marxism” being acted out in Western society. This philosophy was taught by the Frankfurt School, whose members (Marxists) fled Germany to the US when the Nazi’s took power in 1933.
  
  Search: Frankfurt School and look for Dr Gerald L Atkinson’s 1999 article. Another good site is…’The History of WW3 part 6, by Michael Moriarity. Scroll down to “labeling American Liberals and would-be Marxists as “useful idiots.” That video interview (of a former Soviet KGB agent who defected) tells you all you need to know. Listen carefully to the last 40 or so seconds.
  
  Report this comment
- decendentof56
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:16pm
  BHW..(and everyone)……
  We get caught up in the obvious double-standards and outright twisted, distorted lies by the Marxists.
  Look at the terrible shootings in that Connecticut school. Ultra-leftists, Marxists, UN backers, Agenda-21 zealots, anti Christians are all poised to “not let a good crisis go to waste.”
  
  This is the result of the teachings of the Frankfurt School, which, btw, was formed by Wilhelm Wundt (a German Communist), and modeled after the Mark-Engels Institute in Moscow.
  
  Herbert Marcuse was one of several members of the Frankfurt School who fled Germany in 1933. They all settled into our more-prestigious universities (Princeton,Columbia, Cal-Berkley, etc). They would eventually put in action movements like free-love, abortion rights, feminism, and later, multiculturalism. All these things, and more, were quietly slipped into our education system.
  By the time we noticed, it was too late. THAT IS WHY when you present supportable facts such as…. ..gun violence is higher in states where there is strict gun “control”, the left goies nuts.
  
  You cannot tell them otherwise! Listen to the video interview of the KGB defector in my above post. It will better explain the mindset of the brainwashed left.
  
  Report this comment
- decendentof56
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:34pm
  Here is the site for the Michael Moriarity 9-part piece on “The History of WWIII”.
  At the bottom, click on part 6. Scroll down to the part which says “labeling American Liberals and would-be Marxists as useful idiots”. Listen very carefully to this former Soviet KGB agent and how he details how in just one generation, Americans could be/would be indoctrinated in group “Marxist” ideology.
  The whole 5+ min interview is interesting. The last half explains how after a generation or more is brainwashed into Marxist ideology, that you can’t reason with them even if you ‘washed them in facts’.
  
  http://www.newswithviews.com/Moriarty/michael143.htm
  
  Report this comment
- TeresaJ
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 6:34pm
  @qualityrkc
  
  Don’t be rediculous. And stop speaking for other people as if you know them. If you are muslim, or another faith, say so. Otherwise, don’t assume how they would feel.
  
  People of true faith are not out to crucify other people of faith. We don’t agree with each other. We think the other is wrong, and even perhaps going to hell or whatever punishment; but we don’t stick our noses up at each other or get a good man fired just because we believe differently. By his own words “There have been no complaints against me and my position is to help people and not just those who are Christians.” He also helped someone who “was feeling suicidal, but Francis turned him around.” Management changed, and they axed him.
  
  Another comment on the Daily Mail: “When I was at university, I had a lovely Catholic chaplain, and I’m a Muslim. Give me a Christian chaplain over a liberal, politically correct ‘counsellor’ any day of the week. A chaplain is there to look after emotional and spiritual needs, not to preach to a specific community.”
  
  So let me put it this way. To anyone who has a comment similiar to yours, stop “helping.” People of faith are perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves, we don’t need you putting words in our mouth.
  
  Report this comment
- vadale
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 12:36pm
  The muslims have defeated the world now…everywhere you go, people are doing what they say. their demands will continue until all of use will choose to obey or die….You laugh???? That is exactly what Egypt just said their goal is.
  
  Report this comment
- 912network
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:42pm
  How much do you want to bet a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Muslim complained…ONE….and they reacted out of a sense of self-preservation.
  
  The Muslim Brotherhood is as tyrannical as Hezb’allah, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda, but instead of bombs and hijacked airplanes, they use attorneys and whispered threats.
  
  Report this comment
- davecorkery
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:39am
  Political correctness has nothing to do with it. Do a little research (you won’t) and you’ll find that 99% of the workers were not christian. Would you like to be preached to by a muslim imam? Didn’t think so. Your world doesn’t exist anymore. Get over it.
  
  Report this comment
- CathyvanDyke
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 7:37pm
  Congressman Allen West – February 27, 2012
  When tolerance becomes a one-way street it leads to cultural suicide.
  
  Report this comment
slenderbill
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:13am
Being PC is like trying to pick up a turd by the clean end.

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- BasketFullOfPuppies
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 11:48am
  And believing it is possible.
  
  Report this comment
EdtheK
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:52am
Could it be too that bentley’s largest buyers of their cars are the Muslim oil sheiks, and Bentley went all PC not to offend that clientele ?

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- decendentof56
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 7:24pm
  That may be the case. Regardless….Muslims who want to live by the sword…must accept to die by it, as well.
  That said…..name-calling and insulting here does nothing to rid America of Communists/Marxists. You need to spend time researching, then get involved in a Tea Party group, inform, train, and organize people to get involved in local and county political government. As well, get to those school-board meetings.
  Agenda 21 is very real! Get informed and watch your township/town/city planning meetings.
  Good sources of info on A-21:
  Beverly Eakman
  Rosa Koire
  Charlotte Iserbyt
  From these, you will find other leads on both anti and pro Agenda 21 advocates. Please get informed, as this is NOT a Democrat or Republican
  
  Report this comment
U4eeeahhh
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:50am
There was a time a couple of decades ago that perhaps 95% or more of the plant’s workers were Anglican. But the last 20 years have seen a rapid decrease in religiosity in Britain and so now the percentage of workers that are affiliated with the chaplain’s faith or any faith for that matter has sharply dropped. I suspect that it is more a lack of need for such a post and lack of utilization that has made him a redundancy.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:33am
  Many pastors are also have undergone training as therapists. So they can deal with personal problems from a religious view point a secular one or both.
  I expect a chaplain is this process could be flexible like a military chaplain. If they know who they are counseling they can tailor their guidance to be secular religious or denomination/religion specific. I bet military chaplains learn something of the precepts & practices of other religions.
  
  Report this comment
aldol
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:47am
this is a war that Christians insist in not recognizing as such

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Eastinfection
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:34am
The Diocese of Chester is representing the Church of England.

The Church of England has adopted a heavy-duty Progressive stance on Social Justice and Environmentalism. Maybe this guy was becoming a bit of a “Community Organizer” in the work place?

http://www.chester.anglican.org/page_csr.asp?Page=89#.UNm4pW80WSo

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- Walkabout
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:25am
  That is good to know. You should submit it via tips as it is hard to know or see everything.
  
  My questions are:
  “Will their hire an iman in his place as a counselor in the future? ”
  “If Christians complain will the iman be fired?”
  
  I never considered the point you brought up. I think the progressive stance of the Church of england might not matter if a chaplain kept advice at ground level (personal) instead of bird’s eye view (AGW). Concentrate on the wok life balance, helping to resolve family issues so they won’t spill over into the work place, etc.
  
  Report this comment
lel2007
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:20am
Bentley is in business to make and sell cars, not to counsel their employees. Bentley should have never had such a position as a faith leader and counselor. Redigaless.

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- Shamrock241
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:30am
  @LEL2007 If more companies had a chaplain at the work place, i would wager this may prevent some but not all work place shootings. When people become stressed and irrational speaking to a man of God can only help.
  
  Report this comment
- Beckster2
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:55am
  He should apply for work at the U. S. Postal Service…oh…never mind…that government run monopoly is going out of business.
  
  Report this comment
- justneedaname
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Why not? Because you say so? And who made you grand poobah of how a company is supposed to run their business? You certainly lack the credentials to make any such assertion.
  
  Report this comment
- qualityrkc
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:01pm
  Beckster please explain how the usps is a monopoly. I don’t think you know what the word means.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 3:48pm
  QUALITY…
  
  Article I, section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution grants Congress the power to establish post offices and post roads. Accordingly, no other system for delivering mail – public or private – can be established, absent Congress’s consent. This, along with the requirement that a legal US Postal mailing address be maintained, has been interpreted as a de facto Congressional monopoly by many. Of course, it’s not a pure monopoly but, it has preferential access to private citizens in way no other competitor legally could- even if they wanted to.
  
  Report this comment
GrayPanther
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:10am
England is in the hands of progressives and the bureaucracy. I would stop funding and supporting England if I could. they have allowed Muslims to expand without restriction and that shown in all this crap.

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jungle J
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:02am
Christians whine too much and join the progressives too often…no wonder we are dying. Too much talk and not enough action…help a widow or orphan and go about your business then you will win hearts and minds. Only progressives like whiners.

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- JACKTHETOAD
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:19am
  Squeaky whiners get the grease. If you sit by and don’t say anything about things like this, then you’re no Christian in my book. As far as I’m concerned, you could’ve said something about how the U.K. is being de-Christianized, THEN gone out and did charitable acts. Go ahead and turn the other cheek…they’ll smack that one too.
  
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taintso
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:01am
Why not lay off the rump humping atheists, they are far more offensive than the reverend?

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- Shamrock241
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:13am
  By people of other faiths they mean Muslims this is England, so trust me they are careful not to offend.
  
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carnivour
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:55am
I will never buy another Bentley.

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- TheCalmOne
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 2:06pm
  Pity. That Continental GT is a beautiful car, isn’t it?
  
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waspanglosaxon
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:42am
I’m a Christian who is offended that non-Christians control all3 major networks in ZOG, control the government of ZOG and control practically the entire communications media in ZOG. Where do I go to file my complaint?

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hamradio
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:41am
So typical of the progressive adgenda. Obama’s Dreams from My Father makes it clear that he rejects all absolute truth. He is an athiest with leanings toward the violence and control of Islam. Much more to come…

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LennyBooBoo
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:37am
this guy is 46?

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- Shamrock241
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:09am
  I was thinking more like 64
  
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KingCanon
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:32am
This is sad. Even more sad if the guy pictured is only 46 years of age.
It must have been a decade of very intense counseling to say the least.

Bentley has done this man a favor. Praise God!

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Robert Hawk
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:15am
Bentley’s are for the extremely wealthy. Let those customers who actually purchase Bentley’s decide how to react to the companies decision to let the chaplain go. With the advent of global Marxism-Leninism I’m not at all surprised.

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kenneth45
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:14am
If you are truly a Christian, you know this prophesy. “They will turn against him”. Don’t ever stop believing, He will come in his time and His time only.

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- Stu D. Baker-Hawk
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:12am
  You’re right, but it doesn’t mean we should roll over and stop fighting this Evil.
  
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johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:09am
I think that it’s time for us to reach the tipping point.

Those of us who survive will be free to worship a supreme being in the manner in which we choose.

The rest can go pound sand.

“Remember Benghazi and ALL the Traitors!”

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Kopfjager
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:08am
No surprise here. Look at this and then read some of the posts about the Pope’s Christmas message and you will see where mankind is today.

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vanjonesdad
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:06am
It’s sad to see the UK, a once mighty empire, eating itself alive. It is becoming the state of “A Clockwork Orange” as it panders to modern collectivism and the notion of ‘one world, one people, one government.’ Adios, Great Britain.

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DougHuffman
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:04am
Read Samuel P. Huntington’s The Clash of Civilizations – and the Remaking of World Order.

“The Clash of Civilizations is a theory that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world. It was proposed by political scientist Samuel P. Huntington in a 1992 lecture…”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clash_of_Civilizations

http://www.amazon.com/Clash-Civilizations-Remaking-World-Order/dp/068484441

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Pat Alexander
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:01am
Well that does it!

I am canceling both of my new Bentley orders!

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- Baerlin
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:54am
  I’ll let my wife know we’re not getting our Christmas gift from you this year
  
  Report this comment
- thegoldman
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 9:11am
  There ‘s a lot said for Ford !
  
  Report this comment
- kickagrandma
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 10:25am
  Funny, I was thinking the same thing…. no more Bentleys for us!!!
  
  PRAY ON, AMERICA and CHRISTIANS AND JEWS world-wide. We ARE the last bastion of hope in the darkness threatening to overtake the world.
  
  GOD, YOUR WILL AND ONLY YOUR WILL BE DONE. IN JESUS’ PRECIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME, amen.
  
  “GOD BLESS YE MERRY GENTLEMEN, LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY…”
  
  Report this comment
- TheCalmOne
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 2:09pm
  There is something very strange about people who pray in Internet forums.
  
  Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 7:56am
Thus continues the progressives and Obama’s war on Christianity; there will be no stoppage of it until Christianity is conformed to the wills and desires of the government, or eliminated.

I say this much unto Pharaoh Obama, I and my house serve the Lord, and I will never bow to any man.

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- BODYBAG
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:25am
  @SNOWLEOPARD {GALLERY OF CAT FOLKS}
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 7:56am
  I say this much unto Pharaoh Obama, I and my house serve the Lord, and I will never bow to any man.
  ————————————————–
  Same here brother. Let us define who the Lord is that we are referring to, lest there be any confusion.
  Especially on this day. That would be the Lord God of the Holy Bible. The God of Moses, Abraham, and Issac. The God to whom all flesh will one day return.
  
  “It is just beyond belief.”
  
  Not in today’s world it isnt.
  
  Report this comment
- TheCalmOne
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 2:13pm
  Hey Snowleopard – do you speak in 17th century English in your daily life, or is it just on Internet forums?
  
  Report this comment
Derek01
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 7:52am
Cowards

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italy2007
Posted on December 25, 2012 at 7:50am
is anyone surprised anymore – the total elimination of any representation of God is what Liberals are striving for – sadly it appears they are winning!

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- randy
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:28am
  It’s more than than the liberals… This all came about as fast as it did because of the Muslim and the Muslim Brotherhood in the White House.
  
  Report this comment
- KingCanon
  Posted on December 25, 2012 at 8:29am
  Prophecy would not be correct if they
  were not winning…. (at the moment) …. if you know what I mean. ; )
  
  Report this comment

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