Time to leave the Co-op – now!

The Anti-Christian Co-op Bank is taking over a large number of Lloyds TSB bank accounts and all Cheltenham & Gloucester customers, forcing Christian customers to look around for some of the alternatives listed in this article. 

The mutual has secured a deal to take over 632 branches.  An estimated 4.8 million Lloyds customers will transfer to the Co-op, along with up to 7,000 staff who currently work in the branches.

Lloyds, part-owned by the government, was forced into the sale to meet European Commission competition rules.  The bank will be left with 1,300 branches.

The branches that will be going over to the Co-op Bank will not be initially be branded as Co-op banks.  Such branches will be called TSB Banks as opposed to Lloyds TSB Banks (and will not have the name Co-op included in the title).  If the logos and branding and name are similar, the less observant could easily give their trade by mistake to the Co-op and not to Lloyds TSB.  The Financial Times reports that the move is not good news for savers.

In April, The Coop supermarket chain decided not to source Israeli goods from the so-called “occupied territories”.   It is committed however to buying from elsewhere in Israel.

But the main concern about the Co-op bank itself is the way it discriminates strongly against those Christians who take their faith seriously.  See: http://www.repentuk.com/coop.html

 In 2005, the Co-operative Bank objected to Christian Voice banking with them.  The ‘ethical’ bank, who claim not to discriminate, told Christian Voice to take our banking elsewhere because our Christian beliefs lead us to oppose homosexual rights and homosexual practice.  The Co-op group is strongly pro-homosexual, sponsoring 15 gay pride events this summer, more than any other company.

Despite their ‘fair trade’ policies, they are clearly not the bank for Christians, nor for that matter the bank for anyone who does not support ‘gay rights.’

On Thursday 19th July 2012, Nationwide Building Society was challenged at its AGM in Manchester over a £65,000 donation to last November’s Stonewall homosexual lobby group’s awards, which included ‘Bigot of the Year’, awarded to respected journalist Melanie Phillips.

Those who will be affected by the Lloyds TSB changes will receive letters through the post advising them if their branch is one of those to be transferred.  Customers may then object to the changes and demand that their account is transferred to a Lloyds TSB branch rather than remain with the branch that will automatically become a Co-op owned bank and be called TSB bank.  The branches concerned are listed here, (confusingly, in the main list, in order of address not town):

http://www.lloydstsb.com/media/lloydstsb2004/pdfs/Verde_transferring_branches.pdf

Christians disillusioned with the High Street banks in general have the option of the Reliance Bank for ordinary banking.  They are owned by the Salvation Army and 75% of their profits go to the Army’s work among the poor and dispossessed.  http://www.reliancebankltd.com/reliancebank.nsf/pghome?openpage

For savings, there is also the Kingdom Bank, owned by the Assemblies of God, Britain’s largest Pentecostal denomination.  http://www.kingdombank.co.uk/  Funds deposited by savers are lent to Christian projects for the advancement of the Gospel.

 

2Cor 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

 

                                                Show the Co-op who’s boss!  Join Christian Voice today!

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21 COMMENTS

  1. I am daily drained by the sheer incomprehensibility of the corruption and inversion of morality in Britain, and how this corruption and inversion is government-led. The very politicians who should be the protectors of society are in fact its destroyers. I am frequently drawn to Isaiah 3. 9 and 12:- “they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. … O my people, your leaders mislead you and confuse the course of your paths.”

  2. Is this in preparation for the mark of the beast, can’t sell or buy. Our politicians are looking for voters or are gay themselves, no wonder this country is corrupt and immoral. God’s judgement is on this country as we will never get out of this recession, because we are looking in the wrong direction for answers, i.e. politicians, it should be God. The Church in general has become non effective because of turning away from God’s word. It’s gonna get worse. Rejoice the King is coming soon.

  3. When this happened to Christian Voice in 2005 my husband and I decided to leave this despicable bank. Everywhere you turn there is anti Christian incidents going on. Oh well you keep on praying and one day we will be rewarded for the persecution!

  4. A few months back since I heard the co-op had denied Christian Voice banking services, I have given them a wide berth. It’s madness, there’s a recession on and they have a marketing strategy that is against their best interests in a time when companies are fighting for survival!

    Best way to deal with anti-Christian company’s is to hit them in the pocket, that’s were it really hurts and they will take notice!

  5. Alan, Michael and Kay, I can only echo what you are saying. For some years now, I have prayed the Lord would raise up ministries like we had a 100 years ago. I think of those who watch us from above, and Hebrews 12:1 says they cheers us on our earthly race. Together we can stay strong, and thankfully there is this ministry Christian Voice which is standing strong for the Lord. This is very informative and I have definitely taken this information to heart and will walk past the Co-op instead of going inside now.

  6. This is in preparation for the mark of the beast, can’t sell or buy. Our politicians are looking for voters or are gay themselves, no wonder this country is corrupt and immoral. God’s judgement is on this country as happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.
    We say no to homosexuals.
    GOD BLESS YOU

  7. Perhaps the Co-op imagines that legions of gays will come prancing through the doors to fill the tills, the truth is that gays only make up around 1-2% of the population. Various Stonewall surveys that claim a higher percentage should be treated with scepticism. Co-op are pandering to this small group’s sexual behaviour at enormous social cost to the 98% of the population that are straight. It’s a shame the Co-op can’t divert their attention to more worthy causes that would benefit a wider population.

  8. As far as I am aware the Co-op have boycotted Israeli produce. When I enquired they didn’t confirm or deny, but I am reliably informed that they have indeed, boycotted Israeli goods. Let us shop circumspectly and avoid giving the Co-op our business. With regard to the other issues being discussed, don’t be surprised, look up 2 Timothy 3;1 and similar verses, Maranatha.

  9. I am not against homosexuals, I love
    them as God does, but He and I, and all
    Christians should love them (agape) but
    hate what they do. Love the sinner but hate
    the sin. Of course we should never support
    any organization that promotes
    homosexuality, God.have mercy on our
    Government officials that support this
    perversion. (am I allowed to say that?)

      • you personally revel in what you claim is morally wrong with a degree of prurience you certainly hate everyone you disagree with and obcess about gay issues in a a very odd way that suggest you may be aroused by the idea and practice of buggery, I thought I was offered a personally based relationship with god through Jesus for me to accept salvation for me in response for believing in god and accepting Jesus sacrifice it is not for me to condemn or question what others do. Stephen if you are saved you are saved regardless and worrying about others to the point of hating Gays, Muslims , Women, lefties, commies will do nothing for your soul

        • Why is the default position of our opponents that we must ‘hate’ them? Who taught them to come out with that time after time?
          The other canard is that anyone who opposes the homosexual agenda, which truly is an abcess, just must be a closet gay.
          I suppose, by the amount I write about Islam, foreign affairs and social services, I must be also ‘aroused’ by Mohammedanism, British foreign policy and injustice.
          And as I never tire of pointing out the errors of feminism …
          Just to be clear, the blood of Jesus does not save sinners so they can sit back and say, ‘Look at me, I’m saved.’ It is so you can study the ways of God, read his word, seek his face and exercise your prophetic duty to call our leaders to account and confront the evils of this day, shining into the dark corners of power the light of the Gospel.

  10. What do you expect from Leftists? Leftism is anti-biblical.

    Marx himself detested “religion” (which in 19th Century Europe would not have been a reference to Hinduism or Buddhism or Islam, but rather to Judaism and Christianity). His heirs, whether National Socialists in Germany, International Socialists in Russia and its satellites, or Fabians here in the West are no less enemies of Biblical Truth.

    Of course, that’s not to say that political conservatism is synonymous with Christian doctrine — far from it, (I’d gladly see the Tory party sink without trace). …But political conservatism *can* be compatible with the teachings of Scripture. Socialism cannot. It is, and always was, a complete alternative to God’s way, but unfortunately so many people seem to believe that it is God’s way itself. One hopes, that as Leftism shows its true colours ever more clearly, believers will start to wake up.