Jenny or Robert?
My Puzzlement
Brexit and Trump
I am writing this blog with questions to my Christian
friends who are followers of Jesus. Now,
I am sure that, in a democracy there are many who would agree that in the field
of politics, the fact that we are followers of Jesus will not stop us from see
us seeing things from different perspectives. I have many friends in all kinds
of political parties who, I am sure, are followers of Jesus.
However to all of them, as well as you my reader, I would
want to ask these questions, and hopefully find some kind of coherent answer.
Here we go...
- · As a follower of Jesus, why would I not want people to have health care, especially if they could not afford it?
- · As a follower of Jesus, am I not responsible to try my hardest to see that people have a home? Again I say, even if their economic ability does not give them the resource that allows them to buy their own? Why also would I not want to see them clothed and warm? If you are asked for a biblical foundation for this thought, Luke 6.29 come to mind: “Give him your shirt also”.
- · As a follower of Jesus, why would I want to support a policy that makes my nation and people more important than any other people? Matthew 25:38 comes to mind. Am I not a stranger in this world holding the citizenship of another place? And more: Should not my citizenship of the other place impact my outlook in this place?
- · Thinking historically, why would I want to push for Nationalism (as opposed to Patriotism), that says, “My Nation is Great. My nation comes first”? Would that make us think that we are superior to all others? Wouldn’t that make me feel that Mexicans, Polish, Syrians and “whoever” are somehow lesser that my own people and my own nation? Would that not make me feel, somehow, that I was looking forward to the “Master Race”, which … oops! Happens to be mine?
- · On the political side; wouldn’t you agree that the Right wing politics around the planet have, somehow, given us the Hitler’s and the Saddam Hussein’s of this world?
- · Again, on the political view of things: Why would I cheer at the demise of the EU? Do I really want to see the UK putting on the side things like worker’s rights, the Human Rights charter and other things like that. Some are actually cheering the fact that we may have managed to wreck the whole project by our withdrawal. I see nothing to be happy about there. I don’t want to see Europe become a collection of right wing nationalistic groups, with each country feeling that they are the superior one and that anyone who does not fit into their culture is unwelcome. May be those dissidents need to be got rid of. We all know where that leads too.
·
On a positive note, I do think that as a
follower of Jesus my EU brother or my Mexican brother is my responsibility. I
should want the best for him or for Her.
·
On a negative note I don’t think that the
deprecation of women, disabilities, or other nationalities is in any way a
positive force.
I understand the concern from my friends from the USA
about the abortion issue. The problem is that exchange abortion death, death
from no health care, no concern for refugees and other nasty’s raises possibly
even worse scenarios. That is the problem with democracy and politics, its
often having to choose the lesser of two evils – and the difficult choice of
which one is the lesser along with the ensuing battle concerning which was the
lesser evil and which wasn’t.
I understand the concerns of the jobless, and the need to
blame someone, be it the EU, the last President, the governmental opposition,
and, of course, never forget the immigrants.
The problem is, however, that these are not the makers of joblessness,
the closed mines, the loss of the textile industry, or even car
manufacturing.
I was privileged, many years ago, to have a conducted
tour around the British Leyland car factory, formally the Austin Motor Company,
by my Aunt. She was not on the board of directors, but because of her financial
nous they did not usually have a board meeting without her. In that day (the 1960’s) the factory at
Longbridge, Birmingham, employed some 25,000 people. When the whistle blew for
the end of shift it was a site to behold. There was a veritable river of
humanity pouring out of the factory gates.
The same could be said of the coal mines in Wales and the
textile factories in the North of England.
It was probably true of Detroit too.
The thing is that in 1764 the UK went through similar
labour throws, due to the invention of the Spinning Jenny. Workers broke into
factories and smashed the machines. Why? Because one machine could produce together
with a single worker, what hundreds of workers had previously been needed to
achieve the same output. So, it wasn’t
immigrants or politicians that caused the job loss, it was a little piece of
machinery called “Jenny!”
Are we at that stage again? However, this time it’s not the
“Spinning Jenny”. Maybe this time its
Robert, as Nissan can run a car factory with 22 workers in Sunderland in the UK,
and build 5,139 cars in its first year of production. Maybe it’s not the Mexicans, Polish,
politicians, or whatever nationality
you want to blame. Maybe its Robert’s fault! Eh! Sorry!
Robotics.
I am sure that the New President of the
US will be able to create Jobs for things like roads, walls (better to have
bridges), locks and canals, using tax dollars.
Hitler was able to do that. I am still not sure that the UK will be able
to replace the jobs that I believe we will lose, outside the EU mind you, even
if the USA puts us at the front of the queue.
I am not sure how we created those new
jobs that have been taken by the closure of mines, the use of robotics, as well
as the outsourcing to cheaper labour economies.
Even the supermarkets make us serve ourselves these days. Maybe we should invest in social care,
hospitals, care for the elderly, social services, and maybe to do it taxes will
have to go up?
So, 2017! Such new political policies. And
are they really nice ones? Yes it’s the lesser of two evils. However, have we
picked the lesser? Will we move backwards to where the poor get even poorer,
where those who need health care can no longer get it because it is now too
expensive, both in the UK and the USA.
I understand the arguments, particularly
in the USA, but the UK too - where Christians feel that they have to not only
agree with equality and fairness for people they disagree with,
but they must no longer disagree.
They must, in fact, agree and change
their opinions. The thought police are here these days, and we must now agree
in thought action and word. Thinking like those we disagree with, but yet want
them to have their say, and yes treat with respect and equality, even those we not
agree with there view on marriage and whatever.
Could it be that this is where the “Thought
Police” have overplayed their hand they have pushed those who don’t agree to
use the ballot box to give us Trump and Brexit.
Maybe the evangelicals, so called, have
also overplayed their hand, and we will now get injustice, robbery of the poor,
a downer on women, and - hopefully not- but maybe, just maybe, we are back to
Caesar.
Adrianhawkes.blogspot.com
W.1330
Edited by K. Lannon
Saturday, 21 January 2017
