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Today I walked into a Methodist church with my family. The purpose? To drop our daughter off at a guides centenary celebration.
Debbie and I did say on the way in that as we are both members of the British National Party if we started to feel a tingling sensation or steam emanating from our extremities then we would beat a rapid retreat. This was not to be the case.
The Methodist church, in case the reader has forgotten, is the one that has banned members of the British National Party. This action mystified me from the very first occasion that I read it. What on earth could a Christian church be doing banning anyone at all from its congregations?
Before leaving I said a quiet prayer for the leaders of the Methodist church (I never give up) and asked that they be enlightened in the ways of common sense.
After returning home and reading a little reading of the Methodist church website I think my understanding of the situation may be a little clearer.
The Methodist church of Great Britain encourages its members to take an active part in political life as can be seen on its Politics and Elections page.
All Methodists are encouraged to participate in choosing elected leaders. Whilst not endorsing any one particular party or ideology, the Methodist Church sets out what it sees as important social and moral issues and asks Methodist people to take these points into consideration when casting their vote or communicating with politicians.
MPs and Peers who are Methodists or have Methodist connections, are invited to join the Methodist Parliamentary Fellowship, which meets once a month.
So whilst favouring no party or ideology they seek to ban the British National Party and Nationalism. Very clearly thought out I must say.
Moving on to Christians in Political Parties I found the following: -
All major political parties have Christian supporters. From voters, volunteers and paid-up members to campaigners, councillors, MPs and Peers, people of faith can be found at every level of political life.
There are many active Christians in all three major parties, and the influence of Christian teaching has been important in the lives of many important people in politics today.
Methodist friends
Three Methodist ministers (presbyters) sit in the House of Lords, two on the Labour benches, and one as a crossbencher. Several MPs and other Peers have connections with the Methodist Church. All Methodists in Parliament are invited to join the Methodist Parliamentary Fellowship.Political Parties Christian Groups
Each of the three main parties has their own Christian grouping:The Christian Socialist Movement (Labour)
The Conservative Christian Fellowship
The Liberal Democrat Christian ForumMore information can be found on the website of Christians in Politics.
So while not wishing to openly support any single political party or philosophy we now find that the Methodist church openly support the three parties which in turn support the Methodist church. I find this very convenient.
The Christians in Politics website on its ‘about us’ page declares that: -
Christians in Politics is jointly owned by the Christian Socialist Movement, the Conservative Christian Fellowship and the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum.
In 2001 the recognised Christian groups in the three main political parties came together to set up a joint initiative.
So now my friends I seek to draw a very simple conclusion. Since 2001 it has been so blindingly obvious to anyone who cares to look that the three largest parties by representation are all essentially the same. This was so obvious that to hide it any longer was futile so in a bout of honesty they formed this joint venture.
Political people do very little for nothing so I surmise that the reason for this joint venture was to draw support from Christian churches and organisations to the objectives of the main three political parties. Namely the preservation of themselves and the extended status quo of the political class.
This is obviously working rather well for them and I can only imagine the three leaders delight when one of the smaller churches decided, as part of a bid for greater recognition from those in high political circles perhaps, to ban the British National Party membership from the pews during an election year.
Whenever I read about any organisation or group coming out against the British National Party I always wonder what is in it for them. I just cannot help it.
We never thought that we were in any real danger of disappearing in a puff of smoke today.
I bear no grudge against any members of the Methodist church who mat be reading this. I do however extend my sympathies to you.
It must be awful to be led
by such a bunch of numpties.
