As with Haman, threat to Jews comes back on its own head

Frances Rabbitts reviews Samuel Burgess’ timely defence of Britain’s political heritage.

Mention the word ‘conservatism’ these days in the context of politics and many will automatically assume you are referring to the Conservative Party. The word may also trigger an adverse reaction, as it has gathered some negative connotations: unfettered greed, elitism, obstinate refusal to accept change.

In this timely, concise volume from Wilberforce Publications, Samuel Burgess pares away the vagaries and peculiarities of party politics from the much longer-standing (even ancient) political/philosophical tradition of conservatism, acknowledging where the former and the latter have coincided over the years, but also where they have parted company.

In so doing, Burgess ‘rediscovers’ conservatism as a rich heritage of principles and values with a huge amount to offer in modern-day Britain. His contention is that politics is a moral endeavour (being concerned with the bettering of individual, civic and national life) and that only conservatism is morally substantial enough to guide us in the days ahead.

A Valid Philosophy for Our Time

At 190 pages this is a relatively slim volume, but the prose is considered, eloquent and thought-provoking. Complex subjects are dealt with cogently, though it is by no means a light read.

Burgess starts by dispelling the myth that conservatism is just about preserving the status quo, unpacking its substantive principles, its historic roots in English common law and its debt to the ‘father’ of modern conservatism, Edmund Burke, who is quoted regularly thereafter. Eight subsequent chapters consider matters of civic importance in Britain today, including the idea of the nation-state, the market, freedom under law, culture, religion, the environment and even the idea of beauty, showcasing in relation to each the virtues of a truly conservative approach.

Burgess does not provide comprehensive accounts of these subjects (or the book would be far longer than it is) but offers succinct outlines in accordance with his core argument. As such, this is a book that will start conversations more than finish them. But Burgess undoubtedly achieves his overall goal: to set conservatism back on the table as a valid philosophy for our time (and, presumably, to remind those who ally themselves with the ‘Conservative’ Party what they ought to be standing for).

Burgess ‘rediscovers’ conservatism as a rich heritage of principles and values with a huge amount to offer in modern-day Britain.

Refreshingly Constructive

In unpacking the goods of conservatism it is obviously necessary to highlight how and why other approaches have failed. Burgess strikes a good balance, not indulging in excessive debunking of philosophies like liberalism and socialism but letting the virtues of conservatism speak for themselves. As such, the book is a refreshingly constructive, uplifting read.

The beauty of conservatism, according to Burgess, is that it is not so much a grand political project as a common-sense set of principles, rooted in an objective view of reality and morality (i.e. truth really exists, as do objective standards of good and evil). These principles can be applied to the specifics of any issue or circumstance. Conservatism is therefore a creative, flexible philosophy which allows for society to develop according to the uniqueness of individual places and people – provided they remain rooted in the soil of morality. Conservatism is, according to Burgess, “a political expression of a belief in moral order” (p162).

Unlike liberalism and socialism, conservatism recognises that human nature contains both good and evil and seeks to harness this complex, messy moral reality for the betterment of society. This realism gives conservatism appeal to everyone, not just to Christians. However, throughout the book we catch glimpses of conservatism’s Christian roots – for instance its understanding that true freedom is not about license and permissiveness, but about deference to legitimate authority and flourishing within good moral boundaries.

As the chapters unfold, we discover that conservatism is a friend of gradual, organic change (rather than overnight revolution) and is innately social, recognising the importance of kinship and community. Indeed, we discover that conservatism has people and their best interests at its heart.

Because each chapter is relatively brief given the depth of the subject material, it would have been good to have some further reading recommended at chapter ends. In places, Burgess could also do more to connect his comments back into his main argument about conservatism, especially for readers without a grounding in political philosophy. But these criticisms are minor and do not detract from the overall worth of the book.

Unlike liberalism and socialism, conservatism recognises that human nature contains both good and evil and seeks to harness this complex, messy moral reality for the betterment of society.

High Stakes

Today, the stakes are high. Transnational governance threatens to supersede the nation-state, libertarian individualism is leading to community disintegration and aggressive secular liberalism is stifling freedom of speech. We desperately need to recover a more reasonable, positive, common-sense approach. More than this, we need to have the confidence to put morality and belief back at the heart of politics, recognising that this is the only route to social order and true flourishing.

These are complex issues, but Burgess provides a robust, hopeful defence of why conservatism’s framework for a flourishing society is unparalleled. Today, we seem intent on throwing away its hard-won benefits, accrued over centuries, and these will not be recouped overnight. Our challenge is not to recreate the past, however, but to learn from it and look to the future. The first step is to re-envision ourselves, strengthening our confidence in values which have been much derided and ‘deconstructed’ in recent years. In this, Burgess has done us all a great service.

Whether or not we can recover what has been lost without wholesale repentance and return to belief in God, Burgess leaves unanswered. Nevertheless, the book remains an empowering reminder that Christian beliefs birthed a rich political tradition in Britain with much to commend itself to our modern age. Conservative principles are grounded in timeless truths and will still be standing when all other ideologies have crumbled.

This book is a must-read for those in government, for anyone concerned about how to blend faith with politics and for all who seek a better understanding of how Judeo-Christianity has blessed our politics in the past and could yet do so again.

‘The Moral Case for Conservatism’ (2019, Wilberforce Publications, paperback, e-book) is available online for £10 (£5.49 on Kindle).

You may also be interested in Samuel Burgess’s first book:

‘Edmund Burke’s Battle with Liberalism’ by Samuel Burgess (2017, Wilberforce Publications)

The British people benefit from an extraordinary political heritage, but few know very much about it, or about the debt we owe to the faithful individuals who went before us and helped to create it. 18^th-Century Irish statesman Edmund Burke is one such giant, on whose shoulders we now stand.

In this, Samuel Burgess’s first book, we are treated to an in-depth look at the ‘father’ of modern conservatism and his political legacy. Edmund Burke sought to uphold a biblical approach to politics at a time when the tyranny and moral anarchy of the French Revolution were threatening to spill across the Channel into Britain, ideologically and physically.

Burke’s political defence of the realm was influential at the time, but his was also a prophetic voice. Though libertarianism was rejected in the 18^th Century as too radical, it enjoyed a resurgence in the late 20^th Century and now dominates our politics, media, language and culture, paving the way once again to coercion and authoritarianism.

Burke’s political defence of the realm was influential at the time, but his was also a prophetic voice.

In seven chapters, Burgess unpacks Burke’s Christian beliefs and how they shaped his approach to politics. As he goes, Burgess shows how unique the Christian conservative tradition is in its beliefs about humanity and the world and what it offers in an era of political turbulence and confusion.

In the latter part of the book, there is some similarity with material in ‘The Moral Case for Conservatism’, but the difference in focus between the two means that both books are still worthwhile purchases. ‘Edmund Burke’s Battle with Liberalism’ lays a good historical foundation for ‘The Moral Case for Conservatism’ and the books can be seen as companion volumes.

Burgess’s first book is perhaps a little less accessible and more academic than his second, but no less important. Apart from anything else, it is a solid encouragement that the path we tread today has been trodden before: that great men of faith have gone before us, battling the same powers, learning the same lessons and shining a light on the way forward which we would do well to heed. Edmund Burke is not a well-known name outside the realm of political theory, but it ought to be. We owe him much.

‘Edmund Burke’s Battle with Liberalism’ (180pp) is available from Amazon for £9.99 (paperback) or £4.99 (Kindle). Find out more on the Wilberforce Publications website.

Lifelong Labour supporter writes of anti-Semitism shame

As a lifelong supporter and one-time candidate of the Labour Party, Rev Alex Jacob is shocked and ashamed by its association with anti-Semitism.

The UK’s chief executive officer of the Church’s Mission among Jewish people (CMJ), an international Anglican society co-founded 210 years ago by William Wilberforce, Rev Jacob has written to party leader Jeremy Corbyn about the issue a number of times, but has yet to receive any reply or acknowledgement.

He has even offered to meet with Mr Corbyn and share his insight, warning that Corbyn’s leadership, along with the future success of the party, rest upon this issue, and that time is running out for decisive action to expose and uproot those individuals responsible for fanning the flames of anti-Semitism.

Conceding that he is clearly informed and shaped by his current position with CMJ, Jacob has assured Mr Corbyn that he is writing in a purely personal capacity and that his concern is not fuelled by any anti-Labour sentiment or wider political agenda.

Rev Alex Jacob. Photo courtesy of CMJ.He acknowledges that anti-Semitism has a variety of sources, including Christian circles which have “at times been seduced by misplaced theology and poor pastoral practice”.

Labour’s Worthy Track Record

Nevertheless, some of Jacob’s work colleagues and other contacts have expressed surprise at and even challenged his involvement with Labour, especially in light of its current problems. But he has rightly pointed out that Labour has traditionally been a great supporter of Israel:

Many of the early pioneering Zionists were strong socialists and, alongside this, the struggle for the full emancipation of the Jewish people was often linked to members of the emerging Labour and Trade Union movements, who saw this as a foundational issue of social justice.

He further writes that today’s party includes some outstandingly diligent Jewish MPs and councillors, that Labour has a strong and respected record of fighting fascism and is even committed to a just settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which Israel can flourish within secure borders.

But such points are often obscured by images of Labour supporters waving Palestinian flags and singing songs calling for the total annihilation of Israel.

CMJ CEO Alex Jacob has written to Corbyn on a number of occasions about the issue of anti-Semitism, but has yet to receive any reply or acknowledgement.

Jacob even commends Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry for her recent comment that “…there are sickening individuals on the fringe of our movement who use legitimate support for Palestine as a cloak and cover for their desperate hatred of Jewish people and their desire to see Israel destroyed.”

And he adds: “Clearly, I would argue that such individuals must be identified and, after due process, expelled from the Labour movement. This must be a priority for you; time is running out for you to act decisively and expose and uproot such anti-Semitic individuals. I am sure that your leadership and the future success of the Labour Party rest upon this issue!”

Anti-Semitism Exposed

Meanwhile, virtual civil war has broken out within the party as it comes under increasing pressure – even from its own deputy leader Tom Watson – over its failure to deal effectively with the problem.

A BBC investigation for its Panorama programme has thrown further shocking light on the subject with the help of whistle-blowers, who have in turn provoked fury from colleagues amidst accusations of BBC bias, while Labour officials are accused of displaying “Stalinist levels of paranoia”.¹

The documentary, broadcast last week, aired allegations of interference by Mr Corbyn’s closest aides into the party’s complaints procedure. One official said her party was no longer a safe space for Jews after she was told “Hitler did not go far enough”.²

Izzy Lenga, who is Jewish, said she had heard Labour members denying the Holocaust in party meetings. Others told the programme how they had been called a ‘dirty Zionist’, a ‘Nazi’ and a ‘Jewish pig’ by members.³

Seeing Prophecy Fulfilled

In the light of Rev Jacob’s contribution to the debate, it might be helpful to retrace our historical steps to the founding, in 1809, of the mission he now leads.

Evangelical leaders acted on the biblical call to preach the Gospel “to the Jew first” (Rom 1:16) with the arrival in London’s East End of Jewish refugees from the pogroms of Russia – including the ancestors of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who will be appearing on the popular BBC TV programme Who Do You Think You Are? on Monday night (22 July).

Also motivated by their debt to the Jewish people for the scriptures, and their Messiah, CMJ’s work expanded throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. And in focusing on Israel’s spiritual restoration repeatedly prophesied in the Bible (Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:26; Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26), they also helped prepare the way for the Jews’ return to the land from which they had been exiled for so long – this too in line with biblical prophecies.

Virtual civil war has broken out within the party as it comes under increasing pressure over its failure to deal effectively with the problem.

Because it is there – in the Promised Land – where Jesus will return as King of Kings and finally be recognised by those who pierced him. This is God’s great plan, and world events are rapidly heading towards its fulfilment. But the devil and his hordes will do everything to prevent that happening, which is why such a fierce battle is being fought over Jerusalem, and Israel, and why anti-Semitism is once more on the rise.

The psalmist predicted this some 3,000 years ago with these words: “See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ O God, do not keep silent…Let them know that…you alone are the Most High over all the earth” (Psa 83:2-4, 1, 18).

He won’t keep silent. He will wipe away every tear when he comes again, and there will be a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-4)!

References

1 Daily Mail, 15 July 2019.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

How to pray in a time of upheaval.

The nations of Europe are still reeling from the results of the EU parliamentary elections. It is not only Britain that has produced surprise results; all over Europe people have expressed their frustration with the establishment and looked for alternatives. The battle for power between Macron and Merkel may now be in full swing, but in both their countries voters have expressed their discontent with their rulers and their desire for change.

In Britain the Brexit battle continues relentlessly with more Conservative hopefuls throwing their hats into the ring to be the next Prime Minister – even though the role is a poisoned chalice. No doubt each of them thinks they could do better than Theresa May, who bravely went to Brussels this week to greet other crestfallen leaders facing uncertain futures.

Tory leadership hopefuls. PA/PA Wire/PA ImagesUndoubtedly the Lord is fulfilling his promise to shake all the nations! The prophecy in Haggai 2 includes shaking the physical universe as well as the structures and foundations of the nations. I’ve quoted it many times, but it is so central to contemporary issues that we need to keep it in the forefront of our discussion of what’s happening today:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: in a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty. (Hag 2:6-7)

I know that our political masters don’t recognise that God has any place in what is happening among the nations, but God actually laughs at their stupidity and blindness. It would do all our leaders good to read Psalm 2 and meditate on it for a few minutes each day before they open their mouths in public.

The plain fact is that God is not only in charge of the climate upheavals that are causing such anxiety to many people (witness the unprecedented 500 tornadoes that have ripped through the USA just in the past 30 days¹), but he is also allowing the incredible levels of uncertainty and anxiety in the social and political lives of the nations.

Undoubtedly the Lord is fulfilling his promise to shake all the nations!

Admitting the Problem

If we share the beliefs of the biblical prophets, who saw the hand of God in everything that happened around them, we have to ask: why is God shaking everything? – from our weather patterns to the major institutions in society: our familiar high street stores, our banks and post offices, our social services and our health services, our political parties and even our churches, where we see ‘For Sale’ notices on great old buildings where our parents were married and their children were blessed.

With all the familiar things in life being shaken, it is small wonder that the levels of mental health problems are overwhelming our health authorities. In Britain we have such a crisis of mental health that even Royalty have joined in to share their stories in an attempt to reassure the public that there is really nothing wrong - that we all have times when our minds are sick, when we are unable to think clearly and give way to our fears and anxieties.

When are we going to wake up to the fact that there is something seriously wrong, and we ought to be concerned? We ought to be asking major questions about what is happening in our lifetime. Why is there such dissatisfaction, such anger, such disagreement and such division in society? The dissatisfaction is not just among the deprived who envy the rich and the powerful. It is also among those who have plenty and who have good jobs and homes and cars and multitudes of gadgets, none of which gives them real satisfaction.

The uncomfortable truth is that there is something in our human nature, put there by the God of Creation, that makes us long for a relationship with the Creator. We are lonely in the universe without any connection with its Maker. But, collectively, Europeans have abandoned that connection. They have chosen to discard their spiritual heritage and to go it alone, so they are at the mercy of the spiritual forces of darkness that roam the universe and plague its occupants.

When are we going to wake up to the fact that there is something seriously wrong, and we ought to be concerned?

Deserving of Judgment

In Britain the European Parliamentary election (that we did not want!) has dramatically highlighted the division in the nation. We may expect to see an increase in conflict during the next five months as those who are determined to prevent Britain leaving the European Union intensify their activities.

As we get nearer to the deadline of 31 October and the parliamentary battle advances, it will be reflected upon the streets. The worst possible outcome would be the revoking of Article 50 and a second referendum, which would undoubtedly inject further hatred and violence into the public sphere.

Let’s face the facts: we are part of a nation richly deserving judgment. Every working day a black bag full of babies is taken out of the back door of our hospitals and thrown into the incinerator. We are just like the Moabites, who threw their babies into the fire - a heinous sin that God roundly condemned.

The latest sin is the grooming of our children, which is a national act of child abuse! Just last month an Education Bill was nodded through our Parliament, too occupied with Brexit to study it carefully, which brainwashes juniors and presents pornography to senior students; even advocating ‘threesomes’ for getting the most exciting sexual experience – with cartoon illustrations.²

We may be near the final point of depravity described by Paul:

Since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity…they invent ways of doing evil… (Rom 1:28-32)

Nevertheless, there is still a powerful remnant of Bible-believing Christians in Britain who could stand in the gap between God and the coming disaster if they were fully aware of the situation and understood how to pray into it.

There is still a powerful remnant of Bible-believing Christians in Britain who could stand in the gap between God and the coming disaster if they were fully aware of the situation and understood how to pray into it.

How to Pray

We must not ask God to stop shaking the nations just because we don’t like what’s happening today. We have to recognise why God is shaking the nations.

It surely has to be to warn the nations that we are heading for self-destruction, and that only repentance and turning that can save humanity from unbelievable disaster. Perhaps it was with this in mind that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, saying: “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

All Christians in the Western nations can see (if they open their eyes) that our civilisation is crumbling. But we have yet to realise that there are no political solutions to the problems facing humanity! Only God can heal the nations! But the greatest fault lies in the blindness of the Church, whose silent leaders do not declare the word of the Lord with the first call to Christians to repent. The writing is on the wall and judgment is already starting at the household of God.

As we approach the season of Pentecost, we should all be praying for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God to open eyes that are blind and bring a fresh spiritual awakening – beginning with ourselves.

References

1 Read more at Sky News.

2 This can be seen online, though I will not give the link here.

The cry for justice (Amos 5:24).

What is the reason for the leaders of the churches - Anglican, Roman Catholic, Free Church – being so conspicuous by their absence and silence concerning the definite increase of anti-Semitism, especially in the Labour Party? Where is their prophetic voice of solidarity for the despair and fear of the Jewish people, who have made such a great contribution at all levels of our society?

It is impossible to separate the events of the Bible with the Jewish people living in the Land of Israel and here in Britain. The very foundations of the Christian faith are based on the Torah (Laws) of Moses, the Psalms of David and message of the Prophets. Jesus the Messiah was Jewish, and lived this out faithfully – including being circumcised on the 8th day and participating in the Jewish Feasts, particularly Passover. The Christian Communion service is directly related to the Passover celebration. All of the 12 Apostles were born in the Land of Israel.

In the 19^th Century Bishop John Lightfoot from Durham, in discussion about God's purpose for Israel, emphasised “the miraculous preservation of Israel throughout history”. And in the 20^th Century, Dean Inge of St Paul's Cathedral said "The Jewish people stand at the graveside of their persecutors". Archbishop William Temple addressed the House of Lord in March 1943 concerning the tragic events befalling Jews in Europe: "We stand at the bar of history, of humanity and God. At this moment we have a tremendous responsibility and opportunity of showing mercy".

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn’s parents were dedicated Methodists. When he attended Sunday School at the local Methodist Church, he must have heard the famous story of Jesus and encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. In this conversation, Jesus stated "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). This tremendous truth is still valid today. Christianity owes an immense debt to the Jewish people.

So, I say again: why are our Church leaders silent as the scourge of anti-Semitism raises its ugly head in our nation once more?

Gerald Gotzen

UK Board Member of Jewish Voice Ministries International, Founder of Beit Shalom Project in Ethiopia, providing practical support for Jewish people who are waiting to make 'aliyah' to Israel.

Examining the true spirit behind all the election promises.

The manifestoes are published! The day has arrived! No more leaks. No more fake news or half-truths. The real thing is now here. Each of the main parties has now published its policies for the next five years.

The politicians and their advisers have been poring over the texts, burning the midnight oil, arguing over each point and how to express it to the public. At last agreement has been reached and the results have been printed – there for all to see!

But how many voters will actually read the manifestoes? I decided to investigate what the politicians have actually said. I wanted to get past the big stuff on the NHS and migration; the economy and Brexit. I wanted to get the feel of what lies behind the policies. I wanted to read the small print – the things the politicians and their professional advisers have slipped in to the text – things they probably hope the public won’t really notice – the things they want to get away with undetected.

These are the things that reveal the true spirit behind the political promises that are being poured out this election time.

The Spirit of the Age

Upon closer inspection, all three main party manifestoes are pandering to the spirit of the age, seeking to endorse and extend radically anti-Christian values. Just look at some of the social issues that crop up across all three:-

• Extending sex education to all children
  
• Promoting LGBT+ lifestyles
  
• Tackling hate crime
  
• Enforcing and strengthening equalities law
  
• Promoting humanist values worldwide
  

Let’s look at what the parties have to say on these issues. The following are a few quotes:

Not-so-hidden agendas: Tim Farron makes it clear where the Lib Dems stand on Brexit.

Sex Education

The Conservative Party “will introduce comprehensive relationships and sex education in all primary and secondary schools” (p79).

Labour will “make age appropriate sex and relationship education a compulsory part of the curriculum” (p77). Labour will “ensure that all teachers receive initial and ongoing training on the issues students face and how to address them. We will ensure that the new guidance for relationships and sex education is LGBT inclusive” (p111).

The Liberal Democrats will “include in SRE teaching about sexual consent, LGBT+ relationships, and issues surrounding explicit images and content” (p29).

Promoting LGBT+ Lifestyles

The Labour Party says “A Labour Government will reform the Gender Recognition Act and The Equality Act 2010 to ensure they protect trans-people” (p111).

The Liberal Democrats will “strengthen legal rights and obligations for couples by introducing mixed-sex civil partnerships and extending rights to cohabiting couples” (p72). They will also “extend The Equality Act to all large companies with more than 250 employees, requiring them to monitor and publish data on gender, BAME, and LGBT+ employment levels and pay gaps” (p71).

Tackling Hate Crime

The Conservative Party will “push forward with our plan for tackling hate crime committed on the basis of religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity” (p44).

The Labour Party will “bring the law on LGBT hate crimes into line with hate crimes based on race and faith, by making them aggravated offences” (p111).

The Liberal Democrats will “tackle bullying in schools, including bullying on the basis of gender, sexuality, gender identity or gender expression” (p30).

Enforcing and Strengthening Equalities Law

Theresa May launches the Conservative manifesto, Thursday 18 May.

The Conservative Party will “strengthen the enforcement of equalities law – so that private landlords and businesses who deny people a service on the basis of ethnicity, religion or gender are properly investigated and prosecuted” (p56) (This is a direct threat to Christians).

“A Labour Government will enhance the powers and functions of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, making it truly independent” (p108).

The Liberal Democrats will “extend protection of gender reassignment in Equality Law to explicitly cover gender identity and expression, and streamline and simplify The Gender Recognition Act 2004 to allow individuals to change their legal gender without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles” (p72).

Promoting Humanist Values Worldwide

The Conservative Party will “continue to champion British values around the globe: freedom, democracy, tolerance and the rule of law” (p38).

The Labour Party commits to “appoint dedicated global ambassadors for women’s rights, LGBT rights and religious freedom to fight discrimination and promote equality globally” (p118). Labour will also “continue to ensure a woman’s right to choose a safe, legal abortion – and we will work with the Assembly to extend that right to women in Northern Ireland” (p109).

British Values?

All of these policies are either expressly anti-biblical or more subtly so – dressed in language that seems to promise good for society. The protections of hate laws and equality legislation, for instance, are difficult to argue against from a Christian standpoint without being labelled hateful or bigoted. However, it is these catch-all policies that are being used to shut down freedom of conscience and speech for Christians, while enforcing the nation to not only accept but also endorse wrongdoing.

All of these policies are either expressly anti-biblical or more subtly so – dressed in language that seems to promise good for society.

Moreover, the Conservatives are the only ones who spell out the values that lie behind all their policy decisions: freedom, democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. They claim these to be British values - and to untrained ears they sound positive - but there has been no national debate upon what constitutes British values, where these concepts have come from and what they are being used to promote.

They certainly are not the values of our forefathers, which were the biblical values of truth, justice, righteousness, faithfulness, integrity and love. These are the values of our Judeo-Christian heritage that former generations embraced and became the foundations of our civilisation. Are we to allow them to be abandoned without even protest?

Aggressive Humanism

All the values underlying the policies put out by all three parties in their manifestoes have come from Darwin, Freud, Marx and other humanists. They are based fundamentally upon evolutionary/secular humanist beliefs, not on Judeo-Christian values. By what right do our politicians champion humanist values “around the globe”, calling them British?

This is the spirit of the age that is driving the political policies being promoted in Britain today – aggressive humanism. Continued unchecked, these policies will undoubtedly bring Christians into conflict with the law in the future. Our freedom of speech risks being curtailed by hate laws and soon we will not even be able to quote parts of the Bible in public worship services. No doubt the day may even come when our home-based Bible study groups will also be under threat.

All the party manifestoes are based fundamentally upon evolutionary/secular humanist beliefs.

We Need the Word of the Lord!

When similar things were happening in Israel the prophets thundered forth the word of God, but today our church leaders are silent. Why do we not hear the word of the Lord declared in our nation?

“This is what the Lord says, cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes…But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream…It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:5-8)

Charles Gardner comments on the controversy.

I was struck with a mysterious sense of déjà vu when, having spent much of the afternoon researching the life and times of Theodor Herzl, inspiration for the Jewish nation, I heard on the news that a red-hot political row had broken out over anti-Semitism.

I had just been witnessing movie scenes¹ of the shocking racist incidents that probably drove Herzl into an early grave as he vowed to do something about it. Yet now, some 120 years after his campaign to establish a Jewish national home got off the ground, anti-Semitism is still rife in Europe's corridors of power.

The Labour Party, Britain's official opposition which has traditionally had the support of most Jews, is reeling from the shockwaves of anti-Jewish feeling expressed by some of its leading figures.

First we heard of the suspension of a Labour MP for having posted anti-Israel comments on social media,² then it was the resignation of an Oxford University Labour group leader sickened by anti-Semitism in its ranks.³ Then we learnt of a young Labour councillor forced to resign after it emerged she had tweeted that Hitler was "the greatest man in history".⁴

And now former London Mayor Ken Livingstone takes to the airwaves to defend a Labour MP suspended on similar grounds.

After claiming Hitler was a Zionist who, in 1932, believed Jews should be moved to Israel, Mr Livingstone invoked a tirade of invective not only from opponents, but from many within his own party including a Nottinghamshire MP, John Mann, who confronted him in the street and called him a "disgusting, lying racist" and "Nazi apologist".⁵

Britain's official opposition is reeling from shockwaves of anti-Jewish feeling expressed by some of its leading figures.

Around 30 Labour MPs, including several Shadow Cabinet members, demanded Mr Livingstone be expelled from the party (he has been suspended) and there was outrage over the decision by Mr Corbyn to issue a public telling off to Mr Mann.

Labour peer Lord Dubs – who escaped the Nazis as a child through Britain's Kindertransport scheme – is "enormously troubled" by the row. "What we need is firm leadership; the leadership has been a bit slow in responding [to anti-Semitism]", he told a British TV news programme. Jewish Labour donor David Abrahams, who has given £650,000 to the party, called for Mr Corbyn to resign, saying a new leader was needed to cut out the 'cancer' of anti-Semitism.⁶

As for Mr Livingstone's claim, historian Andrew Roberts says it's a "grotesque mangling of the historical record", adding: "The idea that Hitler ever wanted a fully-functioning successful Jewish state in Palestine...is ludicrous."⁷

Mr Corbyn, for his part, who has referred to terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah as "friends", denies the party is in crisis.

Godlessness in the Public Square

The chilling aspect of all this is that it is not something taking place in a dark corner. It's in the public square, at the very centre of British politics. And I have a hunch what lies behind it.

The root cause, I believe, is the growing godlessness in the nation, and especially in the Labour Party. What a travesty for a political movement launched by devout Christians like Keir Hardie determined to let their faith make a difference to society by campaigning for a fairer share of wealth (for example). But what motivates them now?

People who are godless hit out at those who are special to God. That's what happened in Hitler's case; it led to mass murder and mayhem, but ended in disaster and defeat for the dictator and his people. As Genesis 12:3 says, those who bless Israel will themselves be blessed - but those who curse Israel will be cursed.

The chilling aspect of all this is that it is not taking place in a dark corner. It's in the public square - at the centre of British politics.

Steven Jaffe, a member of the UK's Jewish Board of Deputies, made this point earlier in the year when he said that the Holocaust had been spawned by godlessness and the rejection of faith. He said the exodus from Egypt was immediately followed by the battle with Amalek, who had no reason to attack Israel. There was no territorial dispute or history of conflict, for example. And they attacked the sick and the elderly – those who were most vulnerable. (Deut 25:17-18)

"The conflict with Amalek is not over", he said. Amalek denied God and his power in the same way the Nazis did, and the latter mirrored their lack of mercy.

Never Again?

The poisonous view that God does not exist naturally leads to godless behaviour and thought. Pledges of never letting another Holocaust occur are not enough, in my opinion; without a recovery of faith in the God of Israel, there can be no guarantee that it won't happen again.

The only safe place to be – in the long term – is in God's hands, doing his work. I challenge the Labour Party to return to its Judeo-Christian roots.

References

1 It is no dream. Moriah Films collection, Simon Wiesenthal Centre.

2 MP Naz Shah suspended from Labour. BBC News, 27 April 2016.

3 Tran, M. Labour opens inquiry into antisemitism allegations at Oxford student club. The Guardian, 17 February 2016.

4 Labour councillor suspended over claims she called Hitler 'the greatest man in history'. The Telegraph, 10 April 2016.

5 Daily Mail, 29 April 2016

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.