this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2025
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UK Politics

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A right-wing priest has been defrocked after mimicking Elon Musk’s controversial salute while addressing a pro-life convention.

Father Calvin Robinson, 39, spoke at the National Pro-Life Summit in Washington D.C. last weekend where he claimed that the U.S. is the “only country fighting for life”.

Robinson concluded his speech by thumping his chest and raising his right hand to the sky. “My heart goes out to you,” he said with a wry smile as he exited the stage.

The priest’s actions – and remarks – appeared to emulate those made by Musk who, at Donald Trump’s post-inauguration rally on January 20, beat his chest and shot his right hand – twice – uttering the same phrase. Musk denies his gesture was a Sieg Heil, or had Nazi connotations.

...

Robinson, from Nottinghamshire in England, belonged to the UK Anglican Catholic Church – before he was defrocked and had his license revoked.

“Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist,” the church wrote in a notice on its website on Wednesday.

“Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC.”

...

Robinson has been colloquially branded Britain’s conspiracy theorist cleric.

After studying theology at St Stephen’s House in Oxford, he hoped to become a deacon for the Church of England but his application was unsuccessful. He continues to trash the church as being weak, and cowardly.

Robinson become a firm fixture in the UK’s far-right movement and bills himself online as a lead spokesperson for the right-wing populist party UKIP, which was formerly led by Trump loyalist and Reform U.K. leader, Nigel Farage.

Robinson, who describes his background as “half Afro-Caribbean and half English”, previously derided the Black Lives Matter movement as “clearly a con”.

On his Substack, Robinson condemned same-sex marriage as “sacramental sodomy,” urging homosexuals to “repent!”

...

Robinson is friends with incarcerated far-right agitator and founder of the now-defunct English Defence League, Tommy Robinson, whom he describes as “a patriot, persecuted for being a working-class hero”.

top 39 comments
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[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 106 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] nick@midwest.social 23 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Priest lives don’t matter.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Make Anglican Catholicism Great Again - by leaving.

[–] 52fighters@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

So he was a member of a sect that was a break-away of a break-away. Now he gets to form a new sect to the third degree.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 3 points 5 days ago
[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 69 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 8 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Father Ted has been on my back burner for so long, I need to get to it. I loved vicar of dibley, and it feels similar

[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's best when you pirate it so Graham gets nothing not even the love of his children.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Graham is such a transphobe that his wife and kids left him

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Well that's shitty. But also, who's Graham? I googled the cast and the only Graham I see is Graham Norton, and he is married to a man (or was? Search was unclear)

[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted and the IT Crowd.

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 1 points 20 hours ago

Ahhh, okay. Thank you

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Well jump to it - it's an order of magnitude better than the Vicar of Dibley (and I say that as a fan of both).

[–] dharmacurious@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 days ago

That's high praise! Alright, I just finished Evil, and I need a new binge. I'll check it out!

[–] Catoblepas@lemmy.blahaj.zone 54 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I’m immensely relieved he was actually defrocked and not just given a slap on the wrist.

I sense a right wing grift career in his future.

[–] SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

He’ll say he’s been cancelled for being Christian, or something, too.

[–] ALiteralCabbage@feddit.uk 4 points 5 days ago

"I'm being persecuted which proves I'm right"

A common sentiment in Christian circles.

[–] zante@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

If you’ve seen his schtick, he’s been at it for a long time.

[–] apotheotic@beehaw.org 1 points 5 days ago

I'm sure quite a few unfortunate people have seen his schtick

[–] Gerudo@lemm.ee 34 points 6 days ago (2 children)

It's funny when all these poor people doing "awkward hand gestures" keep getting fired, yet the rich one who did it is still around.

[–] sculd@beehaw.org 2 points 5 days ago

Its an American thing

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Who fires the owner of a company? Who can afford to sue you for decades straight?

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The shareholders. He holds 20% stake.

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

These shareholders who gave him more money than Tesla has made in profits so far? I don't think they will.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 24 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

It musk just be a misinterpretation 😵‍💫

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 20 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I salute your effort, but not like that.

[–] DiaDeLosMuertos@aussie.zone 5 points 6 days ago

Haha. Yes niiiiice aaaaand sloooooow.

[–] TIN@feddit.uk 18 points 6 days ago

Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, a working class hero? I wonder why he changed his name to Tommy Robinson?

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 16 points 6 days ago

A right-wing priest has been defrocked after mimicking Elon Musk’s controversial salute while addressing a pro-life convention.

Robinson concluded his speech by thumping his chest and raising his right hand to the sky. “My heart goes out to you,” he said with a wry smile as he exited the stage.

JFC "Elon Musk's controversial salute"?? JUST SAY IT ALREADY.

". . . with a wry smile" yeah they're all in on it. This needs to be stopped now.

Robinson, the premier surname for all right-wing asshats.

[–] deacon@lemmy.world 10 points 6 days ago

Here we see a giant piece of shit.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 9 points 6 days ago

This poor man thinks US administration would consider him "one of the 'good' ones."

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] Flax_vert@feddit.uk 1 points 5 days ago

Call him a mormon, that'll really grind his gears

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

why do they all have that slack jaw?

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

It's the weight of the chinstrap beard pulling it down.

[–] Ioughttamow@fedia.io 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] DiaDeLosMuertos@aussie.zone 4 points 6 days ago

Seems to be fully functioning in regards to this whackjob.