Amachree recalled that the woman aged about 30, “was in a state of absolute despair. It was out of compassion that I said to her: 'Sometimes the doctors don't have all of the answers. I suggested she could put her faith in God. I said 'Sometimes we read in newspapers, or see on television, instances where doctors have declared a patient's condition incurable but they went on and recovered'."
A spirit of the anti-Christ has struck once again at a London, England, borough council, leaving 53-year-old Duke Amachree, a Nigerian by birth, jobless – at least for now.
Amachree, a Homelessness Prevention officer with Wandsworth Council, was suspended on January 28 for discussing his faith with a client. He had worked in the council for almost 18 years.
Agency reports say Amachree’s problem began on January 26 with a visit to his office by an unnamed woman described as having an “incurable bowel condition” who approached him for advice in his official capacity. For 50 minutes they discussed her concerns that she was going to have to move out of her privately-rented flat because her landlord was selling it. The woman, an artist, was hoping she could find alternative accommodation nearer a hospital, where she could be treated for her illness.
Amachree recalled that the woman aged about 30, “was in a state of absolute despair. It was out of compassion that I said to her: 'Sometimes the doctors don't have all of the answers. I suggested she could put her faith in God. I said 'Sometimes we read in newspapers, or see on television, instances where doctors have declared a patient's condition incurable but they went on and recovered'."
The woman was said to have replied that faith doesn’t seem to work for her and that she had accepted her condition and was willing to live with it. Amachree, who worships at the UK World Evangelism Church in London, remembered that “she then smiled, thanked him and left.”
But two days later Amachree was approached by his line manager who escorted him to see Roy Evans, the council's director of housing. In the presence of a personnel officer, Amachree says he was handed a two-page letter of suspension. He was accused of making “a long and aggressive religious rant” against the seriously-ill woman, in defiance of past warning not to raise his religious beliefs with members of the public.
Amachree recalled that moment on January 28: "I was stunned. I was speechless. It was a like a bad dream. I could not believe it. I was so stunned I could not even bring myself to tell my wife what had happened." Since then, the £30,000 per annum, married father of two young children has been out of work, in spite of two further meeting with his employers. "This is a worrying time for me," he said.
Michael Phillips, a solicitor working with the Christian Legal Centre CLC, which is representing Amachree, was present at the latest meeting on March 17. He told newsmen: “Mr Amachree's employers told him that 'God had to be kept out of the workplace'. He was accused of crossing boundaries. The issue of religion, according to the interviewer, should not be raised in a housing issue."
Mr Phillips said he queried this statement by asking if "God bless" would be an appropriate comment. He says he was told that it would not be appropriate and that any complaint would again lead to an investigation.
A spokesman for Wandsworth Council, run by the Conservative Party, said in a terse statement: "A serious allegation has been made against a member of staff by a member of the public, which is currently being investigated as a disciplinary matter. The allegation is that the member of staff gave wholly inappropriate and unprofessional advice to a very sick person who has an incurable illness, which caused great upset and distress. Until our investigation is concluded, the member of staff remains suspended."
Amachree's legal team is waiting to hear the outcome of the internal council inquiry before deciding on the next step in a legal action planned against the council decision, which he says effectively "privatises" Christian faith and is against his human rights.
Andrea Williams, the director of the CLC said: "We are supporting Mr Amachree in this case because it is absurd to think that any public body could be in a position to enforce a policy which means that you can't even say 'God Bless'.
"This would effectively mean that faith would become entirely privatised. A Christian cannot leave faith out of any aspect of his or her life including work."
An anti-Christ spirit has been on the rampage in public institutions in the UK lately. Last November, Caroline Petrie, a 45-year-old nurse from North Somerset, was suspended for offering to pray for an elderly patient's recovery from illness. Mrs Petrie, also a Christian, was accused of failing to demonstrate a "personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity", but she was later reinstated by her employers, the North Somerset Primary Care Trust.
Similarly, a primary school receptionist Jennie Cain remains under disciplinary investigation after the headmaster got hold of a copy of her private prayer email to friends. Mrs Cain had asked friends to pray about her five year old daughter Jasmine, who had been reprimanded by a teacher at the school for discussing her faith with another pupil. The headmaster informed Mrs Cain that she was under investigation for professional misconduct and could be subject to disciplinary action up to dismissal.
Also last year, a highly experienced Christian foster carer had her name struck off by a council carers’ list because she allowed a Muslim teenager in her care to convert to Christianity.
