Would Jesus vote?

So, the BNP think the church should stay out of politics. They don't say why, although it would appear to be because the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have encouraged people not to vote for them.

On Sunday at church our vicar read out a letter from the archbishop which encouraged people to vote, and despite any reservations they might have over the current Westminster expenses scandal, to think carefully before voting for a party encouraging division rather than community unity and tolerance. The BNP wasn't named, although it was obvious what- or rather who- they were talking about.

According to the article quoted above, the BNP say that "The archbishops were trying to make themselves relevant." They say this as if it were a criticism! I've always thought that this was a good thing. The stance of the person quoted appears to be that the church is, and should stay irrelevant, that the church has nothing to say that still has a point in the twenty-first century world, that can still make a difference here and now.

If that were true, that the church was irrelevant, what would be the point of it continuing? In fact, if is irrelevant, why are the BNP scared of the archbishops' letter? Like it or not, you've got to admit that some people at least don't see the church as irrelevant.

And yet, at the same time, apparently, the "BNP has used an image of Jesus suggesting that he would vote for the party." Not very consistent, it seems.

I don't like the idea of the church telling people which party to vote for, and I think the archbishops went as far towards telling people not to vote BNP as they could before crossing this line. But I think they're within their rights to suggest to people that they consider what their faith, their beliefs say about political matters before voting, rather than just expressing their anger. Much of the stuff we've heard about 'Expensesgate' is morally unjustifiable. Yet compared to many other countries' politicians- Mugabe in Zimbabwe for example- we really have very little to complain about.

Some of the things the BNP talk about I find very hard to reconcile with a proper Christian attitude which emphasises loving one another, caring for the outcast and the stranger, helping those weaker than yourself. So I think it was right for the archbishops, as the leaders of the church of England- which is, whatever you think about it (and that's another debate), the established church- to draw this to the attention of voters, as well as encouraging them to vote.

So whichever other party you want to vote for, please get out on Thursday and vote!