Christian charity compares abortion to burning children alive

A pastor at a Christian charity has compared abortion to pagan child sacrifice and called menstruation "a symbol of death", the National Secular Society can reveal.

The sermons were delivered earlier by pastor and chair of trustees Matt Coster at the Christian charity Mow Cop Community Church in Stoke-on-Trent.

The church registered under the charitable purpose 'the advancement of religion' earlier this year.

Registered charities are entitled to a wide variety of tax reliefs.

In a sermon titled Proactively Pro-life, Coster tells the Old Testament story of pagans burning children alive as a sacrifice to Canaanite deity Moloch.

Coster says the "idea" behind this was "if I'm willing to give up my child to this demonic entity, then it will reward me and make me prosperous".

He continues: "Prosperity, success and pleasure are still worshipped today, aren't they?

"As our society worships pleasure, a part of that is worshiping sexual pleasure, isn't it? So whatever makes me sexually fulfilled then I'll do it, I'll pursue it. And for many people then an unwanted byproduct of sexual pleasure is children."

He then goes on to describe abortion statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care for the year 2022.

Coster admits "it's not exactly the same but I think you can see where the parallel is drawn".

The NSS has raised concerns about the sermon with the charity watchdog.

Women who have abortions compared to murderers

Coster compares women who have abortions to the last two murderers to be hanged in the UK, Gwynne Evans and Peter Allen, who stabbed John Alan West to death in 1964.

He suggests women who have abortions should be forgiven because "murder is not an unforgiveable sin".

He likens them to the woman spared stoning for the capital crime of adultery in the famous "let him who is without sin cast the first stone" bible story.

Coster also claims a woman who sees a pregnancy to term is "40% less likely to develop breast cancer" than if she had an abortion.

The NHS and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists agree having an abortion does not increase the risk of breast cancer.

Menstruation is "a symbol of death"

In another sermon, Sexuality, Childbirth and the Menstrual Cycle, Coster claims periods are a "symbol of death" and a result of Adam and Eve being tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden.

He explains "it isn't appropriate" for a symbol of death to come into God's presence.

Coster describes the Old Testament practice of enforced isolation and rest for "ritually unclean" menstruating women as a "blessing in disguise" because the woman would "have a headache" and "just be argggh".

Misogyny from religious charities

In May, the NSS raised concerns about an Islamic charity which compared women who don't wear the hijab to 'unwrapped sweets' that have been trodden on.

Earlier this year, a pastor at Rosyth Baptist Church claimed "a husband is the head of his wife" and a wife "that submits to her husband's leadership and respects him is easier to love".

In 2022, a preacher at Moray Coast Baptist Church said housework is the "primary function" of women. The Scottish charity regulator refused to take action against either church.

NSS: "organisations which promote such extreme, misogynistic messaging should not be getting tax breaks"

The National Secular Society's Human Rights Lead Dr Alejandro Sanchez said: "Matt Coster is entitled to his public pronouncements on abortion and menstruation. But organisations which promote such extreme, misogynistic messaging should not be getting tax breaks and other benefits which come with registered charity status.

"The exercise of legally protected reproductive rights is not comparable to human sacrifice.

"Furthermore, it's extremely concerning that this sermon could leave congregants with the impression abortion increases the risk of breast cancer.

"This is just the latest example of a charity registered under 'the advancement of religion' spreading harmful messages about women.

"If charity law is allowing religious misogyny to be spread with impunity, 'the advancement of religion' must be urgently reviewed as a charitable purpose."