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		Church dumbs down the Good Book Tuesday, 18th September 2007 A Leicestershire MEP has today expressed his astonishment at the refusal of a local church to allow him to read from the authorised version of the Bible during a church service. Roger Helmer MEP was invited to read a lesson at the St James the Greater Church in Charnwood as part of the North West Leicestershire District Council Chairman's Civic Service on 23 September 2007. Preferring the standard King James version of the Bible, he tried to clear this with the organisers merely as a courtesy, and was amazed to be told that it was unacceptable, as younger members of the congregation "would not be able to understand it". Mr. Helmer was shocked to find that the version of the Bible which has been used and loved by many generations is no longer acceptable in our churches today. He argues that when properly read, the King James Bible is perfectly comprehensible, and he regards the church’s attitude as extremely condescending to its congregation. Mr Helmer believes the King James Bible, along with the works of Shakespeare, form the basis of our literary tradition and the foundation of the English language as we know it, and believes that the church’s decision amounts to cultural vandalism. Speaking today, Mr Helmer said: "We expect to see dumbing down at the BBC, but I am saddened to find the same thing in the Church of England. To the extent that the language of the 17th century is unfamiliar, it merely adds to a sense of awe and reverence, without prejudicing comprehension. They are denying their congregation one of the great achievements of the faith. They are making the Bible's message trivial and commonplace."