SECTION 2. Chapter 5.
SHOULD POLITICS BE BASED ON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES?
Many people object to religion being linked with political action! But where does any person get their sense of morality, justice and social guidance from except through some form of religious teaching? Socialism is a real religion, putting into practice the principles of professing Christians as taught in the Sermon on the Mount, and all through the life of Christ.
It is obvious that many misinterpret the objects of the Socialists for their own selfish ends. Politics cannot be divorced from religion and the Christian point of view—We believe in collective effort, as portrayed in the Lord's Prayer —note, not My Father, but Our Father—which includes all humanity, implying we are all brothers and sisters—a principle of Socialism.
How can this operate? Whilst living under a system where the few own and control God's great gifts to man, while millions are living in poverty and degradation; is not this blasphemy in deeds? As to hallow His name— it must be by action.
Where is it put into practice—even by the churches or its members as a whole? Because they have failed to realise the importance of adjusting temporal needs of others to the spiritual, it has driven millions to revolt against all forms of religion and to seek a remedy through political action.
This they found in Socialistic teaching and action— for example, the National Health Service; Thy Kingdom come—This is gradually coming to pass, as proved by the social history of our country and many others who are striving to establish a just system of society where class distinction, privilege and selfishness will disappear, through education and equality, which would embrace equal opportunities for all; there Socialists are justified in their faith that Utopia can be established on earth in accordance with the will of God—note: It is " Give us our daily bread "—not me!
This in effect proves the wickedness of accumulating wealth at the expense of others, and this vindicates the collective principles advocated by the Socialists. In the words of William Blake -
Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891) was a political activist and famous atheist. He founded the National Secular Society in 1866
Love seeketh not herself to please
Nor for itself hath any care,
But for another gives its ease
And builds a heaven in hell's despair.
As there are men and women serving in the House of Commons who are attached to many sects of Christianity; so there are some who are not, yet some of the best work in the past has been done by those who professed to none.
Bradlaugh was one of those, and the people of Nottingham raised a monument to him. Examples were given by Edna Lyall (sister to a former Vicar of Bosbury, where her ashes are buried) in a book, " We Two."
Ada Ellen Bayly (1857-1903), wrote several popular stories under the name of "Edna Lyall".
Toleration of each others' views is a golden virtue, but there are three things which deserve no quarter—Hypocrisy, Pharisaism and tyranny. During the period we were establishing Labour Parties in Herefordshire we were criticised by some of these people for holding political meetings on Sunday, and pretending they were horrified at the breaking of God's laws—The Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it—forgetting the fact that day was changed by agreement with a heathen Roman Emperor and a Christian Bishop, not as a matter of principle but for the convenience of trade— hence we get our Sabbath on the first day of the week instead of the seventh, and it was called Sunday to please a man who was a worshipper of the Sun. These so-called good people forgot the object of those meetings; it was our small effort to try to lift the millions who were living in degradation and poverty, whilst the few lived in ostentatious pride, luxury and wealth, thus frustrating the intention of the God who provided in abundance for the many.
Good reader—don't allow these facts to unduly worry you. As Christ said: " The Sabbath was made for man; not man for the Sabbath." Man will be judged by his actions over the whole seven days of the week. If you recognise that people of every race and colour are brothers and sisters, and you are doing your best to apply this in service, you are putting into practice both Christian and Socialistic principles.
It is a slow process, but as the mills of God work slowly they grind exceeding small. All past empires, from the early Egyptian, Babylonian, Grecian, Roman, Turkish and German have ceased to exist. To-day only Holland, French and Britain remain, and the British is gradually developing into a Commonwealth, the Imperialist humbug of Empire, meaning domination over other countries and peoples, will surely give way to the sounder principle of Commonwealth with Welfare States.
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