Posted on 04/29/2004 1:56:38 PM PDT by MegaSilver
Voting for the British National Party at the forthcoming Euro elections would be “an affront to God,” according to bishops who are uniting in condemnation of the party’s policies.
The BNP stepped up its campaigning this week with an address by the high-profile leader of the ultra Right-wing French National Party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and the bishops are concerned that voter apathy could hand them victory in the elections.
Leaders of the major Christian churches in West Yorkshire have signed an historic joint statement deploring their policies, which they attack for stirring up racial divisions.
The statement, signed by the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Rt Rev John Packer, and the Catholic bishop, the Rt Rev Arthur Roche, says: “As Christians, we deplore all attempts to divide our society on race and asylum issues.”
Increasing concern at the BNP’s campaigning led church leaders in West Yorkshire to take action to try to prevent a repeat of the riots in Bradford and Oldham three years ago.
“We resist and challenge the messages from the British National Party against members of some faith communities and assert that all human beings are created equally in the image of God,” the statement reads.
“We welcome and celebrate the contribution and example given by all people of faith to this multicultural area. We urge all Christian people to exercise their right to vote only for candidates whose policies reflect a spirit of inclusive welcome.”
The Bishops of Wakefield and Pontefract have endorsed a General Synod recommendation that to vote for the BNP is “an affront to God”. The Rt Rev Stephen Platten and the Rt Rev Tony Robinson have written to Christians in their area, telling them to stand up to a party that wants to divide society on lines of race.
“While they repudiate the charge of being racist, one of their key policies is the funding of voluntary repatriation,” the bishops write. “Giving a voice to such policies as held by the BNP will create more fear and distrust.”
The party is hoping to gain its first seat in the European Parliament in the June elections, and voter apathy could make this a realistic ambition, according to the Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Rt Rev Alan Smith. Apathy and complacency are their strongest allies, he warned, adding that Christians have an obligation to turn up at the polls.
Bishop Smith commented: “Not to vote is to opt out of our civic responsibilities and to leave a vacuum at the heart of our society. Whilst we are all aware of the frustrations of the political process, the alternatives to democracy can be frightening.”
The action of the bishops follows a call by the General Synod for the Church of England to affirm “our multiracial, multicultural society”. It also said that supporting “a political party that offers racist policies is incompatible with Christian discipleship.”
The BNP supports David Duke.
OK, so the BNP supports David Duke. What does the Church of England support with this statement? The Ayatollah Khomeini?
England was never a "multiracial, multicultural" society. And it would remain that way if the voters -- the English people -- had actually been consulted about the matter. So what can you say about the Church and the government if they are unilaterally imposing something on the citizens? How about...."Tyrants"? After all, that's what shoving something down people's throats is.
Maybe the BNP and Le Pen are over the edge. But at some point, ordinary people aren't going to care, after the uncaring overlords ram one more rotten egg down their gullets. And they will then hold their nose and vote for the BNP et al.
But of course, in European "democracies", that won't be allowed, now will it? They'll just outlaw the party and say "too bad, they're racists, therefore we won't let them play. Because we say so". Link: Vlaams Blok - click on "The Lawsuit"
I would say that at this point, the so-called European democracies are a laughingstock. Democracy is only allowed up to the point where the chattering classes hit their comfort zone, and then....back to good old Continental tyranny and monarchism.
That's an excellent way of putting it.
Liberalism was an attempt by the Church to "adapt and remain relevant." Ironically, it seems to have cost them more members than anything else.
England was never a "multiracial, multicultural" society. And it would remain that way if the voters -- the English people -- had actually been consulted about the matter. So what can you say about the Church and the government if they are unilaterally imposing something on the citizens? How about...."Tyrants"? After all, that's what shoving something down people's throats is.
Yup.
Maybe the BNP and Le Pen are over the edge. But at some point, ordinary people aren't going to care, after the uncaring overlords ram one more rotten egg down their gullets. And they will then hold their nose and vote for the BNP et al.
At this point, I wouldn't vote for the BNP. Michael Howard is more of a red-bellied Tory than I'd like, though, so it might not be long.
In France, I would probably hold my nose and vote for the Front National, though.
How dare these theological mountebanks denounce people whose "sin" is to recognize that under the laws of that Creator--the laws of genetics, of biology, of lines of descent--definable human differences are reasonable factors to take into account in defining what constitutes a Nation. For centuries, this was obvious. Because the Marxists in the 20th Century choose to challenge it, does not a theological argument make.
I do not know what the platform of the British Nationalist Party may be. I have already written an essay favorable to Le Pen, however, and stand by the views stated therein. If one of these theological mountebanks--for that is what they are, their nonsense is certainly not based upon Western theology--wants to challenge me, why "Bring It On." (See The Big Truth.)
William Flax
I don't like Le Pen, but I think it's an excellent essay. (And in all honesty, for as much as I dislike the man, I would probably vote for him were I a French citizen. I dislike the UDP and the Socialists even more.)
The implications of their denial of the significance of race and ethnicity, are not a boon to any people on the face of the earth. In denying the importance of those things which make each people unique, they deny those things which make each people significant. There is neither glory nor much hope in being submerged in an undifferentiated humanity, where you become nothing more than a statistic in the vast human ant hill that the collectivist egalitarians are seeking to construct as a replacement for the generation spanning struggles and achievements of the peoples of the earth. And in denying the realities of significant, that is meaningful differences, among us; they are proclaiming a lie--hardly a justifiable adjunct to any form of theology.
These clerics do not deserve respect. They do not debate their skewed views, they offer them based upon a claimed authority. As that authority clearly is not there; they speak neither for God nor human experience; they deserve not respect, but contempt; not obedience, but ridicule.
What is most infuriating about this arrogant disdain for truth and reality, is that it leads to a lot of suffering. Just consider some of the nightmare situations in public schools, for example, where diverse children suffer, because the school authorities dare not recognize the unique needs of different groups, for one example of the incredibly cruelty that the "Big Lie" leads to.
If these sham theologians would actually debate the issues involved, and stop hiding behind their misuse of clerical garb, one might respect them a little. As it is, only an abject sycophant will respect them in the slightest.
William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site
Thank you. Of course Le Pen, and/or for that matter, the murdered Pim Fortuyn, whom I also referred to in the article, are not really the issues. The issue is the right of a people to preserve themselves as a unique nation/culture, etc.. Consider what an outrage it would be, if the United States Government were to insist that the Amish be forced to integrate their children into the public school system; or if the City of New York were to deliberately acquire land in the Orthodox Jewish section of Brooklyn for the purpose of undermining the religious culture there?
It is outrageous to equate a desire to preserve a culture, that represents generations of struggle, with bigotry. And for a cleric to effectively repudiate the implications of the Fifth Commandment, to take such a stand with a holier than thou rhetoric, should be a wakeup call as to how far we have let our peoples be misled by false and absurd prophets, indoctrinated with Leftist theories.
Voluntary repatriation? Oooh... oooh, those-- those Nazis!!! Help, I'm choking on my decaf-latte!! (where's socialized medicine when you need it?)
Liberal theologians have been repudiating fundamental tennets of Christian theology and morality for decades.
My only comfort is the knowledge that their Churches are becoming rather senile as of late. Let's hope they die and stay buried.
No, that's not the point. What is the point is that the longer mainstream parties ignore real problems, and do things that are not consistent with the interests or wishes of the citizenry, then the more likely that a fringe party will propound a solution to the problem, and it might not be a pleasant solution. And, in addition, they may bring along some rather dirty laundry in the form of other policies that they would like to implement. But since ballots are allegedly secret, otherwise moderate people may be provoked into going into the voting booth and holding their nose while they vote for the guys who they think might solve a problem.
The mainstream parties ignore such things at their peril.
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