Religion and Politics

On the telly this morning was the question 'Should religion be kept out of politics?'

I would argue that this is indeed impossible. Ed Milliband and Nick Clegg are Atheists, this is going to affect their decisions whether they are conscious of it or not. Tony Blair was openly Christian, as is George Bush. Did this affect their decision to go to war? Was the claim of bringing stability to the middle east a smokescreen for a holy crusade against the infidels?

Every issue I take on is guided by my beliefs about morality, reality and the truths about the universe, and it was these beliefs that guided me to my chosen political affiliation. Hence the blank stares when I argue that, despite Ashford needing more houses (a view I'm not convinced of anyway) the land doesn't want to be built on, the trees don't want to be chopped down, they should be left alone for their own sake.

My belief is that all things have inherent value, and cannot and should not be judged only on their usefulness to humankind.

The point is that this is my belief and will guide my every move, word and thought so, as a representative of Ashford Green Party and 1014 voters I have a duty to be open about where my decisions and actions come from.

To 'take religion out of politics' would only cause politicians to hide what they believe, with a danger that Atheists would take over, effectively creating a theocracy that those of us with different beliefs will not be able to challenge. No faith should have total control, all should be considered and our representatives have a duty to be open about their beliefs, so we at least know where their moral compass is pointing.

Awen!

The Web of Life

We share the Earth with innumerable other forms of life. Only now are we beginning to understand how each species, each sub-species and indeed every individual creature, from the largest to the microscopic, plays it’s role in the ongoing evolution of this living planet we call home. Only now are we hearing, understanding and using words like ‘eco-system’, and ‘biosyncracy’.

The old ideas of anthropocentricity, from “dominion over the Earth” to “survival of the fittest”, are falling away now their error is revealed. In fact Charles Darwins final theory was ‘co-operation, not competition’. As single cell life forms became multi-cellular organisms, and multi cellular organisms became societal species, and mutually beneficial relationships between species and even between plants and animals, even between humans and bacteria, developed, so did this planet evolve, and every form of life with it.

The seperateness we humans have believed in, even celebrated, is an illusion. And it is a cruel, self inflicted and dangerous illusion. Just as we are learning from ancient scripture and cutting edge science that everything is interconnected, so we are beginning to see that the effects of this illusion of exclusion are not exclusive! It is our folly, but all creatures suffer because of it.

The only way forward for humankind now must acknowledge this fundamental truth, or there is no way forward. And this realisation is part of our evolution, that is why the greatness of a nation can be judged on it. From the Celtic web of life, through the Buddhas dependent arising, to Lovelocks Gaia hypothesis, it is now obvious that speciesism is just as ignorant as racism, sexism or any other prejudice.

It is now time to recognise all other creatures as our fellow Earthlings, on the journey through evolution with us, we are they and they are us.

Hunt Sabbing?

So Tony bLiar sabotaged the hunting ban. There's a surprise.

What's more, he also requested that the police were steered away from enforcing it. Who the fox he think he is? He goes on to say he had so much trouble from the pro-hunters he felt like a fox himself: "If I’d proposed solving the pension problem by compulsory euthanasia for every fifth pensioner I’d have got less trouble."

Or, say, took us into an illegal war causing death and suffering for thousands, or ignored climate change till it was too late, or virtually privatised the NHS, or introduced Academies so the under-educated stay uneducated, or put CCTV everywhere and tried to waste millions on ID cards because crime is rife as a direct result of him invading countries illegally, buggering up health and and ruining education, or... alright, I'll shut up.

What else did he get up to? I'm certainly not handing over any cash to find out, I'll wait till his 'Book of Revelations' drops into a certain charity shop. Then hang it on the loo roll dispenser!!

If anyone would like to defend this war-mongering Red Tory, you can find me in town on Saturday trying to protect our countryside from Labours imposed building project which, interestingly, the Tories and Lib-Dems seem to want to perpetuate.

If you find yourself agreeing with me I could do with a hand. Click Here, then get in touch directly.

Iraqnophobia II

Just received a letter that was printed in an unspecified national paper. Don't know enough about copyright laws to reprint it here but the gist was that the author 'didn't care' about the torture that Britain has been complicit in, and she made it perfectly clear that she was a committed Christian (insert joke here). Apparently, as far as I could tell, they deserved it.

I don't normally respond to these e-mails* (though I do read them) but this particularly worried me. It seems the anti Islamic propaganda machine is working.

Here is my response:

"How very Christian of her! Shame people like this don't seem to have actually
read the Bible, much less understood it. I'm sure there's something in there

about loving thine enemy, forgiving those who trespass against us and turning
the other cheek.

The war on terror was started by US invasions, the terrorists happened to be
Islamic, but most Muslims don't actually go blowing things up. Every religion
has it's extremists, even Buddhists and Atheists.

It's also important to remember that most of the torture victims were being held
indefinitely without charge. These stories of torture are coming from the ones
who were never charged, were, in fact innocent.

And it is pronounced Qur'an, two words separated by a glottal stop.

It would seem the five people at the end of this list have wasted their time,
along with the Buddha, Dalai Lama, Gandhi, and many others of all faiths and
none.

Habeas Corpus*2"

*I actually received some BNP nonsense through the post not long after the election. No senders address or name, no explanation and, disappointingly, no death threat. I'm obviously not making enough of an impact!

*2 Google it! Then watch 'Taking Liberties'.

Animal Rights Kent staged a protest picnic on Saturday 31st July outside the gates of Charles River, opposite Manston Airport. Charles River Laboratories supplies various rodents, from mice to rabbits, to the animal research community, including genetically modified species like the patented Immortomouse!

The picnic lasted from 12 noon till 2pm, without incident, and was to raise awareness of the cruelty that goes on in Kent in the name of so-called 'medical science'.

"A.R.K. believes that animal experiments are morally disgusting, but this view is increasingly backed up with science. The similarities between humans and other animals are enough to discontinue this barbaric practice, the differences are enough to render it useless. Animal research has held back vital treatments for years, torturing animals while people suffer and die. The whole industry is a fraud.

The best treatment is to stay healthy on a vegetarian or vegan diet with plenty of exercise."

A.R.K. are a collection of independent Animal Rights groups from around Kent. They take direct, non-violent action and work to educate and inform the public on the cruelty inherent in hunting, the meat and dairy industry, the pet trade and animal experimentation.

The Greenwash Fades...

I've actually spoken to people who voted Conservative because 'Cameron said something nice about the environment'. The Green Investment Bank was a fantastic idea, and won them a lot of votes, and the Lib Dems took on the Green New Deal, promising new jobs in the Green Sector, both of which were, of course, Green Party ideas.

The Green New Deal, based on Roosevelt's New Deal, clearly sets out how we can move towards environmental sustainability, whilst creating jobs, rescuing the economy, lifting people out of poverty and ending the need for armed conflict.

Now Cameron has turned his back on this plan, instead favouring his frankly weird Big Society idea, which basically means getting ordinary people to run the country for free whilst still paying (higher) taxes to the people who should actually be running the country.

I have nothing against charities, I donate, volunteer and even work for one, but it must be understood that charities exist where Governments fail. And now the Government is happy to exploit these well meaning people to fund their own interests.

Britain has a unique opportunity to lead the world towards a sustainable, peaceful, fair future, perhaps even making up for the crimes and destruction of the British Empire, but the Coagulation Government has decided instead to opt for abandoning ordinary people to the effects of poverty and climate change, while investing money in more nuclear weapons, more oil, and Cameron coming out saying he wants to make the military front and centre of our national life once again"

A peaceful, sustainable world? Or another British Empire, to protect us from the victims of our own actions? Hope or fear?

AV or PR

AV = Alternative Vote

PR = Proportional Representation

FPTP = First Past The Post

Nick Clegg is selling us short in agreeing to AV. Under the AV system, a more complicated version of the FPTP system, we will still have one party representing, not the majority, but the largest minority. No change.

Under the PR system, as used in Europe, every vote counts, and everyone is represented. We have Greens in the European parliament because some people voted for them. More people voted Conservative so we have more Tories in the European Parliament, but the Greens and UKIP, along with Labour and the Liberals and even the BNP are represented and have a voice. That's democracy!

The reason we don't have more Greens is because people who want to vote Green but don't understand the system don't vote Green, a situation made even worse in the FPTP system (If I had a pound for every time I heard "I'd like to vote Green but you won't win" I could have funded a much better campaign!!)

The compromise on the voting reform is compounded by the move to have less MPs. That means more people being represented by someone they didn't vote for, who effectively doesn't represent them. If anything we need more MPs, more parties, more people with a voice in parliament.

Under PR more people would vote, and more people would vote for what they really want. Or is that what the Government fear...?