Reflections in the wake of the 2015 election results

Number 10 Downing Street is the headquarters and London residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Facebook allows you to hear people’s raw reaction to the election and what FB reveals is disturbing.  Given the false hopes created by inaccurate media forecasts, expressions of shock and disappointment were to be expected.  What I had not expected was the level of anger bordering on rage, and hostility bordering on hatred.  So here are a few reflections:-

➡ Every person involved in the election (be they voter, candidate, spin-doctor or commentator) is a person loved by God and whom God has not written off. Furthermore no matter how misguided or offensive his/her views may appear to us to be, and may in fact be, the person is made in the image of God and therefore he/she as a person is worthy of our respect.

Jesus’ followers frequently misunderstood Him, got the wrong end of the stick or held misguided or offensive views and it is instructive to consider how He responded.  Here are a few examples:-

  1. The Mother of James and John asks Jesus to secure places of power for her sons (Matt 20:21). Jesus did not round on her or ridicule her.  He patiently explained the misguided assumptions that lay behind her request and he continued to care for and lead her children.  He did not give up on them or her.
  2. When the disciples misunderstood Jesus’ teaching he treated them with respect and explained it to them. (E.g. Matt 15:10-20 and again Matt 16:5-12).  He did not turn on them, ridicule them or give up on them.
  3. The disciples were concerned about ‘who was the greatest’. Their perception of ‘greatness’ was totally at odds with Jesus’.  Jesus did not react with anger or despair or turn on his disciples.  He patiently taught them (Mark 9:36) and showed them how to be truly great (John 13:5-19).
  4. Even after Jesus rose from the dead his followers continued to be ‘foolish and …slow of heart’. (Jesus’ description of Cleopas and friend on the Road to Emmaus.  Luke 24:25).  Again Jesus did not give up on them or turn on them. He wanted the best for them and did all that was necessary to enable them to thrive.

➡ There are people of good will and good intention in all political parties. There are sincere followers of Jesus in most[1] political parties who are doing their best to give expression to their faith.  I am grateful to them for that.  Jesus tells his followers to influence society (i.e. to be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ Matt 5:13-16) and political participation is one way of doing this.  If in our disappointment we vilify, abuse or hate those who caused it this is not only contrary to Jesus’ teaching, it is also unwise because it deters good people from standing for parliament.

➡ I have been struck by the tribal nature of many of the FB comments. Many people are ideologically committed to a political party and think nothing of abusing their opponents (or all politicians in general).  One example from FB will suffice:-

“I despise Labour far more than I despise the Tories, to be honest. The Tories may be evil, but Labour is parasitic. They leech off popular desperation to escape Tory hell, by presenting themselves as the only ‘alternative’, despite offering practically no actual alternative.  The Tories are evil, but Labour are fatal to the left.”

 

➡ De-humanising one’s opponent is a dangerous step on the way to abuse of power. Watch the gripping and disturbing BBC documentary “Five Steps to Tyranny” for proof of this

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We need to remind ourselves that we are speaking about and thinking about real people who are grappling with very difficult policy choices to which there is rarely a simple or clear answer.  We could credit them with good motives and doing their honest best (however misguided it may appear to be).  The way we react to the election result matters.  It will affect relationships.  The way we talk about the result will have consequences.  For example, if children hear a continual narrative that mocks or belittles or politicians of a particular party what message are we giving them about politicians generally and how we handle disagreements?

➡ The only cause Christians can be 100% committed to is following Jesus. Putting it bluntly, devoting oneself to anything else becomes idolatry and this includes devotion to a political party or its ideology.  A hymn written in the 19th century remains popular today

“My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand”.

In our disappointment or elation at the election result we have have an opportunity to reflect on the whether we have invested too much of ourselves and our hopes on ‘other ground’ such as political success for a party/ideology.

➡ Disagreeing well is difficult. It requires grace.  This is not a quality  on display at Prime Minister’s Questions and was not conspicuous in the election campaign.  Jesus disagreed with people well.  He was not concerned to save face (either for his own sake or for the good of the cause: i.e. doing His Father’s will).  Instead He was willing to serve and was abused, ridiculed and executed in public without striking back.

T.V. and the media make demands which are not compatible with disagreeing well and our politicians too readily oblige.  Appearance has become more important than substance.  The spin doctors have learned from the USA and have adapted the well known saying

“‘No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people”[2]

Looking back over the election campaign and it is hard to remember anyone from any party who admitted a mistake and apologised for it.  (I do not mean the sort of apology which is followed by a ‘but’).  By contrast it is easy to think of gratuitous personal abuse and character attacks.  Perhaps we could write to our MPs/ the party leaders in question whenever we see examples of personal character attacks and tell them how offensive it is and occasionally write to thank them when they do behave graciously (I wonder how many gracious letters MP’s receive?).

➡ Churchill said

“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe.  No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise.  Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time” (House of Commons 11 November 1947[3].

Not least of Democracy’s problems is that all voters are required to resolve their preferences for multiple complex policy choices with one simple cross.  Every voter is required to compromise because he/she is unlikely to support every policy choice of any party.  Those disappointed with the results who are now angry and turning to hatred for the voters who made the result possible are losing sight of this.  Nurturing hatred or ridicule for one’s opponent is not a healthy way to go and we need to recognise this and seek help.  We need to find a better way.  Loving those with whom we disagree, just as Jesus did, is what we aim for.

➡ Jesus calls His followers to be a beacon, lighting the way for others (whatever their political persuasion) and collectively pointing to Him[4]. His command to ‘love one another’ transcends matters of political ideology or nationalism (Matt 5:43-44. Luke 6:27,35.  John 15:12, 17).    The picture of people giving themselves in worship of Christ notwithstanding that they are of multiple different tribes, languages and nations in Revelation 4 is inspirational but it doesn’t just start in heaven.  We are called to that sort of unity here and now which is why it is important to reflect carefully on our reactions to the election…


 

[1] I would have said ‘all’ but this would be an assumption.  I know nothing about some of the smaller parties eg the ‘Yorkshire First’ (6811 votes) /‘Cannabis Is Safer than Alcohol’ party (8,419 votes) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2015/results

[2] H.L.Mencken, adapted from his Notes On Journalism in the Chicago Tribune 19/09/1926.  According to http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/H._L._Mencken the original quote said “No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”

[3]From Churchill by Himself, page 574 https://richardlangworth.com/worst-form-of-government accessed 09/05/15.

[4] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  (1 Peter 2:9).


 

1 Comment

  1. Another great blog. Our politicians get a lot of criticism and little praise. I do hope those elected can enjoy this current time of elation, as I am sure there are going to be many long hours and much criticism over these next five years. I do feel challenged to be positive in my support (either when agreeing or disagreeing).

    Thank you

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