Re: The UK General Election Thread

by Allan D on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 00:08

The main Christian principle (and I come at this from an agnostic point of view) is that Christ is the Son of God and offers eternal salvation. All the other principles such as loving your neighbour, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you (the Golden Rule) and taking care of the poor and the vulnerable stem from this basic premise.

You may have principles that coincide with Christianity but which may be derived from humanism or utilitarianism or Platonism or some other secular philosophy. Indeed there are many principles, the Golden Rule for one, which are not specific to Christianity but occur in almost every major religion as well as ancient Greek philosophy.

It is rather like the political parties who all believe that we should have full employment with stable prices, long-term economic growth and well-resourced and efficiently-run public services. The problem is how do you arrive at that point. I remember in the last election when Michael Howard and the Conservatives campaigned on an election pledge of "cleaner hospitals" I began to wonder which political party was running on a programme of dirtier hospitals.

There are also two common heresies which are still widely believed today which put you firmly outside the bounds of the Christian faith - one is the Pelagian heresy, which St Augustine was particularly strong in denouncing, named after a British writer named Pelagius who believed that salvation could be achieved through good works. Augustine pointed out that salvation could only be achieved by faith. Christ had, after all, redeemed the thieves on the Cross who had done no good works simply for believing in him.

The other heresy is the Arian heresy where you believe that Jesus Christ was a wise and spiritual teacher but not the Son of God. This doctrine has had many adherents including writers such as George Bernard Shaw but again even if you believe that what Christ said was true if you do not believe he was divine you cannot be a Christian.

These doctrinal nuances evidently do not seem to bother the Church of England but then they never have. Non-believers as well as believers are equally welcome among its communicants as well as, it seems, the contributors to its journals. I notice that Clegg states that those who support abortion, as he does, and those who totally oppose it, and those who support stem-cell research as well as those who oppose it, are equally welcome within the Liberal Democrats (making the party comparable to the Church of England) but he does not explain how such ethical conflicts are to be resolved when it comes to forming public policy.

Does the Sixth Commandment apply to abortion and, if not, what excludes it? I would be interested to know Mr Clegg's response on this but I won't hold my breath.

by Chivalry Augustus on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 02:18

THIS FORUM IS DEAD.

by JKLever on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 04:58

Yup, 42 pages of discussion Gus. Dead.

by vilkrang on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 05:09

It wouldn't be a month at FB without at least one psychological meltdown.

by JKLever on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:10

Couple more polls...

MORI CON 32%(-3), LAB 28%(-2), LDEM 32%(+11)
HARRIS CON 31%(-5), LAB 26%(-1), LDEM 30%(+7)

Are we really going to have a tree hugging nuke disarming sandal wearing pinko government?

by vilkrang on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:19

JKLever wrote:Couple more polls...

MORI CON 32%(-3), LAB 28%(-2), LDEM 32%(+11)
HARRIS CON 31%(-5), LAB 26%(-1), LDEM 30%(+7)

Are we really going to have a tree hugging nuke disarming sandal wearing pinko government?

Nah. I can't believe some bookies have Lib Dems as short as 8-1 to get the most seats.

by Dello on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:23

JKLever wrote:Couple more polls...

MORI CON 32%(-3), LAB 28%(-2), LDEM 32%(+11)
HARRIS CON 31%(-5), LAB 26%(-1), LDEM 30%(+7)

Are we really going to have a tree hugging nuke disarming sandal wearing pinko government?

Don't be so tree-ist.

The trees are our friends.

I would've thought you'd be bang up for any party that were into hugging, anyway.

by vilkrang on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:31

by JKLever on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:32

Now now there's a difference between being huggable and being up for a good hugging.

by Dello on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:41

You just can't handle the thought that someone other than you might be the go-to hugger in this country.

by JKLever on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:50

Bloody Clegg, speaks 5 languages and beds up to 30 women. Bastard.

by Dello on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 06:56

Five languages. That's a bit excessive.

You only need two: English and English LOUDER AND SLOWER.

by eowyn on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 09:26

Nick Clegg's Spanish wife is rather lovely.

by Dello on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 09:33

Coming over here, marrying our men...

by eowyn on Wed 21 Apr 2010, 09:44

Can you blame her or, more likely, him?