A PRIEST who provoked worldwide controversy when he advised the desperate and needy to shoplift says it is not surprising some atheists feel hatred towards his faith given the behaviour of some Christians.

Father Tim Jones told his congregation during a Maundy Thursday sermon at St Lawrence CE Church, in York, that following his comments about shoplifting during a sermon he gave at Christmas, he had been subjected to abuse from “a small minority” of the Christian community.

He said this had given him an insight into why the so-called “new atheists”, including authors Philip Pullman and Richard Dawkin, felt such contempt and dislike for Christians.

He said: “At the Last Supper, Jesus stipulated what the characteristics of the Church should be: community, servanthood and love. Those are not bad things. So why the vitriol?

“One reason might be their actual experience of Christians. Last Christmas, I preached a sermon with which many people disagreed.

“A very large number of people emailed or wrote to me, expressing their opinions one way or the other. Many were civil, or thoughtful, or both. But very many expressed their Christian opposition in ways that were unrestrained, savage and coercive.

“Such Christians probably represent a small minority, but they punch above their weight. I wouldn’t be surprised if those (like Philip Pullman and Richard Dawkin) who express well-publicised disagreement with Christianity receive that kind of correspondence all the time.”

Father Jones also pointed to the history books that are “full of wars, persecutions and executions, perpetrated by Christian nations, Christian leaders and ordinary Christian believers.”

He said: “There are those who look to Christian history and see a catalogue of cruelty in pursuit of power, greed and lust, from institutions and individuals alike.”