Jesus wouldn't have voted BNP, and neither should any Christian






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Tuesday 13 November 2018













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    Jesus wouldn't have voted BNP, and neither should any Christian


    Michael Nazir-Ali says the apparent moral failure of MPs shouldn't tempt us into extremism












    BNP poster



    No Christian should give the BNP a helping hand Photo: PA











    Hard on the heels of the financial crisis, we have a political one. People were just coming to terms with betrayal by one trusted group – the bankers, custodians of our hard-earned savings. Now The Daily Telegraph has revealed that politicians, too, have been cynically manipulating the system to gain maximum financial advantage: an advantage denied to others because of legislation enacted by the very people who were flouting it.


    Understandably, the stories have caused fluttering in the dovecotes of Westminster. Not a day goes by without nostrums being prescribed by political leaders, social commentators, and religious leaders. Some seem to believe that simply by fiddling with processes and structures the problem will be solved: if only we had a smaller Parliament, or electoral reform, or an elected House of Lords, we would not again have to face this lack of confidence in our democratic institutions.


    Others predict that a political vacuum will develop, which various kinds of extremists and mavericks will attempt to fill – even those, such as the British National Party, who enlist Jesus in support of their campaign, when their ideals are as anti-Christian as they come.


    Yes, we need to have confidence in our democratic institutions. But this will not be engendered by tinkering. What is needed is moral and spiritual renewal. We should begin to acknowledge that a culture built on the expectation of endless growth – regardless of its effects on the environment, the person and family relationships – is not the way. Nor will panaceas based on crude utilitarianism and an ethics based on the findings of focus groups serve us well. We need a robust moral framework for our life together. In this country, the Judaeo-Christian tradition has provided the basis for the institutions of state, the laws of the land and the values by which we live. It has also given rise to a sense of mutual obligation which has characterised British society at its best. The notion of the human person, as made in God's image, has given us an understanding of moral agency, the formation of conscience and of freedom. Our commitment to equality derives from belief in the common origin of all human beings; our commitment to liberty from the teaching that people are created free and subject, ultimately, to God alone.


    This tradition holds that creatures have been endowed with inalienable rights. Recognition of this would go a long way in limiting the role of the state in people's lives and, by trimming the role of government, prevent the emergence of elected oligarchies, such as the ones on display at the moment.



    When we talk of a society built on Christian values, it is often misunderstood as a reference to intolerance, of exclusivity. The ultimate expression of this tendency comes in a campaign billboard, unveiled in March, which quoted scripture out of context, then posed the question: "What would Jesus do?" The answer given was simple: "Vote BNP."


    This was a clear example of using Christian-sounding words to promote a profoundly anti-Christian agenda. No one should be taken in by it. The policies advocated by the BNP are contrary to our belief that all human beings, regardless of race or colour, have a common origin and are made in God's image. It is this belief which underlies those British values of human dignity and equality. There can be no compromise about such values. It is recognised that the number of people coming to live and work in Britain must be limited to what the social and economic fabric can sustain. Nevertheless, the Christian value of hospitality demands that those who come legally are welcomed. Providing refuge for the genuinely persecuted is also a long-standing British tradition, and must be upheld.


    So when we ask "What would Jesus actually do?", the answer is clear. He would include all in the embrace of his Father's love, and so change them that they begin to live for others, to meet the needs of strangers and to work for a just and compassionate society.


    Such work is badly needed. Not only have we witnessed the sometimes deliberate destruction of a moral framework for our social and economic life in Britain, but we have also seen the steady erosion in the formation of character. For example, if The Daily Telegraph has revealed anything fundamental about our political masters, it is the woeful lack of that character building, which leads us to behave with integrity and put service to the nation before self. But before we give in to scapegoating people, we have to admit that there has been a lack of emphasis on the formation of conscience and moral awareness in the nation. Once, responsibility, trust, truth-telling and hard work characterised what was best about us. These are virtues derived from Christian beliefs. Have our schools and universities been inculcating such virtues? If they have, how have we come to such a pretty pass in our national life?


    One of the problems with the multi-culturalism that has been foisted on us by a secularist elite is that it seeks to promote an empty "tolerance". This leads to isolated communities which keep growing apart and can fall victim to mutual hostility. Extremists of all sorts can exploit such isolation.


    A Christian moral and spiritual framework would lead, instead, to genuine hospitality towards those arriving to share our freedoms, on the basis of a principled integration into national life. Such integration would be based on sharing a common moral framework and a lingua franca. Integration of this kind should not be mistaken for assimilation. It is quite possible to respect people's faith, culture and language while insisting on a common framework for public life and reasoning. What should not have been done was to have pretended that the people of Britain had no vantage point, no moral or spiritual tradition, from which they could engage with newer arrivals.


    In terms of our political culture, I hope that this newspaper's investigation leads not to voyeurism or recrimination, but to a national catharsis, a purging of all that is unworthy. We should reaffirm a Christian basis for society and the need for a common framework for our life together. If we are looking for moral and spiritual renewal, this will mean that new people, and new kinds of people, will appear in the political life. This is, of course, to be welcomed – as long as it is understood that their participation, and ours, is on the basis of a common moral understanding. Such a transformation would do as much to restore confidence in the nation as any amount of structural or electoral reform.


    Michael Nazir-Ali is the Bishop of Rochester










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