The South Wales Echo has issued an apology after an article by award-winning columnist Dan O’Neill was branded offensive by Christian campaigners.

Dan’s piece – headlined ‘If God considers gays an abomination why did he create them?’ – made a series of tongue-in-cheek references to the activities of Jesus Christ and his male disciples.

Members of the evangelical campaign group ‘Christian Voice’ protested outside the South Wales Echo’s Cardiff offices.

The Echo later printed an apology about the column and pulled the original story from its website, replacing it with a re-edited version with a different headline.

It read: “It has come to our attention that…..our columnist Dan O’Neill offended a number of Christians. We would like to apologise for any offence caused to those people who believe the article insulted the Christian faith, Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible.”

But the apology in turn has offended atheist magazine The Freethinker, which accused the Trinity Mirror-owned title of “spineless grovelling”.

The Freethinker has now launched an online petition calling for the paper to retract its apology, saying the move was a “shameful betrayal of its commitment to freedom of speech.”

Media blogger The Cynical Dragon has also waded into the argument, calling the Echo’s apology “absolutely disgusting”.

South Wales Echo editor Mike Hill was unavailable for comment and other staff at the paper declined to comment further.

Comments

Kate Stanton (05/08/2008 10:12:29)
The paper shouldn’t have apologised. Just about any story, except the most banal, will offend someone. People need to realise that they do not have a human right, or even a reasonable expectation to live life without being offended. I’m offended by a lot of what Christian Voice has to say, but I don’t imagine they would retract stuff they said just to spare my annoyance. Stand tall and support your journalists, South Wales Echo.

Sheila Johnson (05/08/2008 10:38:37)
Surely free-thinking means not giving in to the atheists either? Personally as a Christian and a journalist I don’t believe the Media should pick on Christians specifically and so often give a voice to the atheists. However, I do believe we also need more positive Christian reporting and not just to be seen as campaigning against the Media. So come on Christian journalists how about some positive pro-active news too?

Paul Lagan (05/08/2008 15:28:15)
Not having read the original piece but judging by the headline, I’d say good on you Dan and the sub who wrote the headline.
The paper making an apology however is something I’m unhappy about.
Will the paper now apologise to atheists, criminals or just about anyone who is offended by what is written in the paper.
It’s credibility is now in question.

Matt Fry (06/08/2008 13:14:44)
Sheila; surely the point of the article is that (some) Christians are picking on homosexuals.
“as a Christian and a journalist I don’t believe the Media should pick on Christians specifically”
So how should you be criticised if seen to be necessary? Should you be lumped in with, say, football hooligans, paedophiles, road-ragers, illegal immigrants and anyone else who can be shown to be failing themselves in some way or other? Surely the point is exactly that your personal failings can only be approached in a personal fashion, with all the details. Your offence is your own creation. Own it.

Barry Duke (14/08/2008 15:17:06)
As editor of the atheist magazine, the Freethinker, I have started an online petition calling on the SouthWales Echo to retract its disgraceful apology and reinstate Dab O’Neill’s column on its website.
Please sign the petition at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/southwalesecho/index.html