Categories: uncategorized
Date: 17 March 2007 11:43:30
I read Ian's most recent post at Exploring Orthodoxy. In it he tells us that there is an upcoming election for the State government in NSW. He bemoans the lack of choice available to him. Jack The Lass echoes the thought in a comment.
I've always been an advocate of personal democracy rather than large institutions run on narrow party lines. Democracy is about personal choice and the feeding of that into a constructive discussion leading to the majority few view holding sway. The problem with party democracy is that it is really a democratic form of dictatorship.
We elect a government with a majority that they can govern with. They then either keep the promises they made or, more often than not, rule as they want. Our only anaswer is to vote them from office at the next election if we're not happy. This is not democracy. In a democracy the government is elected by the people to govern on their behalf in the way that the people want.
I think that the Swiss have a much truer form than we do elsewhere in the world. Where there are important, possibly life changing, decisions then the whole country gets a say in the decision and not just the politicians. Therefore it is the people who decide on all major policy decisions that will effect them for generations, such as nuclear power and EU membership.
In addition we should not strive to separate religion from politics but call for it to be a stronger part. Our faith can help us to use government in a more socially responsible and charitable way. We can strive to show our faith in our works. We should not be divided on the grounds of liberality or socialism or conservatism. In a democracy we should be striving to work for the betterment of all through corporate action to help the weakest first and the strongest last.
On the little I saw of Comic Relief last night I was struck, not by the conditions in Africa but, by the way an 11 year old girl has to act as a carer for her sick parents. Not just for a short time but over a period of years. Where is our government's support for such people. This is no way for an 11 year old to grow up. We, as a society, have become too insular. That applies even more so to Christians than the general population.
Christianity is about amking a difference in the lives of others. Not through monetary gifts but through personal action. Whenever the sick and needy came to Jesus he didn't reach into his pocket and send them away with afew shekels. No, he addressed their need directly with personal action.
The same is true of the early church. We read in Acts how the church was a social network that provided help to all who needed it. Whether it was food, money or spiritual assistance. Remember how the church prayed for Paul when he was im,prisioned. Can you see that happening very often today.
Too often our churches are used once a week and never open again. We have forgotten that we are supposed to show the world how different we are. We should be reaching out but, even I, get too tied up in our personal circumstances. We are here as agents of change. We are the true revolutionaries. We have a message that is more relevant today than yesterday.
We should not be so arrogant as to believe that we have all the answers but we should be at the head of change in society. Remember it was Christians who took the lead on the abolition of slavery and health and social reform. Make Poverty History should be a never ending cry to all. We have allowed society's apathy to infect us and make us ineffective tools of the Kingdom.
RISE UP MY CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD. LEAD OUR NATIONS TO CHANGE.
WE NEED TO SHINE THE LIGHT AND ADD THE SALT TO THIS WORLD. AFTER ALL WE ARE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY POWER FOR CHANGE.