Christian Action Research and Education

{{Bronze}}{{christianity}}
'''Christian Action Research and Education''' is the successor organisation to the {{wpl|Nationwide Festival of Light}} set up by [[Mary Whitehouse]], launched in 1983.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150418153257/http://www.care.org.uk/about-us/our-history "About Us"], via the official website of CARE.</ref>

==Beliefs==
CARE has been described as "an [[evangelical]] charity that promotes traditional [[family values]]";<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DAUuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c9MEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1258%2C2250277 "In bad taste?"]. (4 October 1988). ''The News-Journal''. p.2A.</ref> the organisation has actively campaigned against [[LGBT rights]], [[abortion]], [[stem cell research]] and [[Euthanasia|assisted dying]] bills. Its work has been dismissed in the House of Lords as "[[propaganda]]".<ref name=98sb3>[https://archive.ph/EpKeC "Exclusive: right-wing Christian group pays for Commons researchers"] (30 March 2008). ''The Independent''. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009.</ref>

===Homosexuality and abortion===
The organisation believes that [[Biblical literalism|the Bible is literal truth]], and has stolen the tactics of the [[religious right]] in the United States to persue its agenda through its association with Care for the Family, the European arm of [[Focus on the Family]].<ref name="Tele1">{{cite news |title=[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1975933/Christian-fundamentalists-fighting-spiritual-battle-in-Parliament.html Christian fundamentalists fighting spiritual battle in Parliament] |last=Modell |first=David |date=18 May 2008 |work=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=20 May 2009 |location=London}}</ref> In 2009, CARE sponsored a "[[Judeo-Christian|Judaeo-Christian]]" event [[Irony|held on the Sabbath]]<ref>[http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/04/26/100-protest-outside-london-gay-cure-conference/ "100 protest outside London 'gay cure' conference"]. ''PinkNews''.</ref> about homosexuality and promoting [[Reparative therapy|"'gay cure' therapy"]], which CARE billed as "mentoring the sexually broken". The conference also included a keynote speech from [[National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality]] (NARTH) founder Joseph Nicolosi,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Booth|first1=Robert|last2=Ball|first2=James|title=[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/13/gay-cure-christian-charity-mps-interns 'Gay cure' Christian charity funded 20 MPs' interns]|website=The Guardian|date=13 April 2012}}</ref> alongside Arthur Goldberg, co-founder of {{wpl|Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality}} (JONAH).<ref>Joseph Patrick McCormick. [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/07/14/mp-who-took-interns-from-gay-cure-event-sponsor-appointed-as-welsh-secretary/ "MP who took interns from 'gay cure' event sponsor, appointed as Welsh Secretary"]. ''PinkNews''. 14 July 2014, 11:16 PM.</ref> The organisation also was influential in mounting pressure against the repeal of the homophobic [[Section 28]] legislation.<ref name=98sb3 /> CARE has received media criticism for its stance on abortion and homosexuality and Ben Bradshaw  described the organisation in 2000 as "a bunch of homophobic bigots".<ref>{{cite news|author=Kamal Ahmed  |title= [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jul/30/religion.uk Onward Christian lobbyists] |publisher=The Observer |date=2000-07-30 |accessdate=2014-03-18 |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| author= Tris Reid-Smith |title=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120804053300/http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/uk-mp-cuts-ties-christian-gay-%E2%80%98cure%E2%80%99-charity160312 UK MP cuts ties to Christian gay ‘cure’ charity] |publisher=Gay Star News |date=2012-03-16 |accessdate=2014-03-18}}</ref> 

CARE have funded the network of {{wpl|CareConfidential}} [[crisis pregnancy center|crisis pregnancy centres]] in the UK, some of which came under criticism in an investigation by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' when counsellors were filmed undercover claiming abortions would increase chances of breast cancer and could predispose women to becoming child sexual abusers.<ref>{{cite news |title= [https://web.archive.org/web/20140210224945/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/10622815/Abortion-scandal-women-told-terminations-increase-chance-of-child-abuse.html Abortion scandal: women told terminations increase chance of child abuse] |date=10 February 2014 |newspaper = Daily Telegraph |accessdate=11 February 2014 |location=London}}</ref>

==Connections to politicians==
CARE was condemned<ref name=1a>{{cite web| publisher=Daily Telegraph|date=20 July 2014|title=[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/10977858/People-diary-Welsh-Secretary-Stephen-Crabbs-close-shave-with-gay-cure-group.html Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb's close shave with 'gay cure' group]}}</ref> in 2012 when it was revealed to have placed paid-for interns in 20 MPs’ offices, from [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], [[Conservative Party (UK)|the Conservatives]] – including [[Stephen Crabb]], who formerly worked for the organization as an intern and consequently hired interns from the charity – and the [[Liberal Democrats]] – including the Lib Dems' former leader, {{wpl|Tim Farron}}, who upon becoming leader of the party wouldn't say whether he thought gay sex was a sin.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Booth|first1=Robert|last2=Ball|first2=James|title=[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/13/gay-cure-christian-charity-mps-interns 'Gay cure' Christian charity funded 20 MPs' interns]|accessdate=15 July 2016|work=The Guardian|date=13 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wintour|first1=Patrick|title=[http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/18/tim-farron-avoids-saying-whether-he-sees-gay-sex-as-a-sin Tim Farron avoids saying whether he considers gay sex as a sin]|accessdate=15 July 2016|work=The Guardian|date=18 July 2015}}</ref>

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110312082246/http://skeptical-voter.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christian_Action,_Research_and_Education_%28CARE%29 Christian Action Research and Education] at Skeptical-Voter.org. A very good resource.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Fundamentalist Christian organizations]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]

Categories: Fundamentalist Christian organizations, Homophobia, Right-wing activists