Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

BUSH

Since George Bush’s historic victory in the US polls, accredited to the votes of the religious right, a debate had been raging whether religion could realize the same kind of impact on elections in the United Kingdom.
I don’t think so.

We live in a completely different culture. Over 40% of Americans consider themselves “born again” and church attendance is vast, (almost compulsory!) Even though 76% of Brits claimed to be Christians in the 2001 census, UK church attendance is a mere 7%. Nor do we have the same kind of focus on 3 or 4 defining issues (gay marriage, abortion etc) as our cousins across the pond.

I cannot see pure religion crashing into our political arena in anything like the same way.

But that said, surely we cannot go on as we are.

We have entered a period of moral confusion thanks largely to the rampant secularism of our times and the legacy of “post-modernism”, the philosophy that has increasingly dominated European thinking for the past two decades. It holds that there are no external absolutes, no finite rights or wrongs, that one person’s views and values are as valid as anybody else’s. Above all we must be tolerant of the lifestyle and rights of others, no matter how bizarre or damaging. The worst possible crime is to be judgemental.

Which is why we are in such a mess. We no longer know what we are supposed to believe in. We no longer have a clear set of values to guide us. We have thrown our compass over board and are wandering around in a swamp of moral relativism!

There are some things that are right and should be rewarded: working hard, showing respect to others, caring for your family and community, being faithful, volunteering, doing your best and being honest. But do our benefit and legal systems currently underpin these virtues?

There are some things that are wrong and should be discouraged: walking out on your children, claiming benefits when you don’t really need to, binge drinking and drug taking, disrespecting the police and abusing positions of authority. Do we condemn such things?

We don’t need more laws, we need clearer boundaries.
But who will decide in the twenty-first century what our values should be? Richard and Judy? OK magazine?
I would prefer to trust in universal truths that have shaped countless generations before us. If not the church, then who? If not now, when?

posted by Nigel on Thursday, November 25, 2004