DAVID CAMERON THE EVANGELIST

David Cameron says he is evangelical about his Christian faith


"Jesus created the big Society "

Prime minister criticises some non-believers for failing to see that faith can give people a 'moral code'


Evangelical Christianity has wrecked American political life introducing a level of public hypocrisy not seen since Caligula’s Rome. Across the world from the Indian sub-continent to Burma, from Thailand and Russia to Turkey and the Balkans religion has poisoned public life. Some states like Saudi Arabia have been turned into theocratic prisons. In Russia the Orthodox church cheers on Putin as he destroys civic society. Hostilities between faith groups tears societies apart across the planet, as Christians attack Muslims, Muslims murder Christians, Buddhists murder Muslims and everywhere turn their violence against non believers. Any possibility of a peaceful settlement in Palestine is blocked by religious fanatics on both sides, with Jewish settlers stealing other peoples land citing religious texts dating back over 2,000 years.

Britain, however, since the last war has been moving steadily toward an increasingly secular society, religion having lost its grip on the masses. True, immigration from the Indian sub-continent has seen the emergence of a self-confident Muslim community, but overall the direction of travel has been away from religious observance toward a more secular, more tolerant society. In Britain, unlike the US, where no avowed atheist could currently be elected President,*  an open non-believer could become Prime Minister without anyone blinking an eye; indeed Ed Miliband has a good chance of doing just that.
Despite the consternation of the established church, so called ‘faith groups,’ eschatological fanatics and sandwich board wearing doom merchants we have been steadily leaving organised religious belief behind us; leaving behind the childhood of our species.

Now however, impressed by the record of religion across the world, David Cameron wants to turn the clock back:-

‘I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country, more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives.’[1]

Now given the current state of British Society, - the open hostility to Muslims in some areas, the tensions between some religious groups and the growing threat of Islamic fundamentalism you might think that ‘expanding the role of faith-based organisations’ is the last thing we need?
But no, Cameron feels we need more hectoring religious zealots, more moralizing from pious God botherers and more interfering bible basher's seeking to bully and coral us so that we too can become ‘sheep’ like them.  Cameron also expresses the belief that that ‘some atheists and agnostics did not understand that faith could be a "guide or a helpful prod in the right direction" towards morality.’[2]

Well stepping up to the rostrum for a moment and taking it upon myself to speak on behalf atheists and agnostics, - enough already. No, we do understand and can see very clearly for ourselves the nature of religious morality around the world and where it leads. If we did not have this concrete evidence we could still read the religious texts, the Torah, the Bible, the Quran, all containing the most hideous injunctions.  All three bullying monotheisms make big claims for themselves with the latter  two offshoots of Judaism, Christianity and Islam seeking to impose their moral codes on others who do not share their bizarre beliefs or practise their arcane rituals. Well no Mr Cameron we do understand and we are having none of it.

Of course as soon as they start spouting pious platitudes British politicians instantly render themselves ridiculous. Thus we have Cameron opining that ‘Jesus invented ‘The Big Society’ 2000 years ago.' This would presumably make the tale of the loaves and fishes the first example of a food bank? ’ I mean really, this is beyond satire.

I don’t give a fig for Mr Cameron’s woolly religious beliefs and half-baked pieties, but when public funds are to be distributed to groups preaching nonsense to children or ‘faith based’ organisations seeking to impose their moral codes on me, I will use whatever platforms I have to protest and object.

As to his new found Christian zeal I can think of no better riposte than to quote G K Chesterton.

‘Talk about the pews and steeples
 And the cash that goes therewith!
But the souls of Christian peoples...
                    Chuck it, Smith!’[3]

*I suspect Obama of faking it. 

[2] Ibid
[3]  From ‘Antichrist, or the Reunion of Christendom: An Ode’ by G. K. Chesterton. 

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