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Original poster

Is it possible to support the Conservative party while at the same time be a Christian?

87 replies

RainbowintheMagpiesTail · 04/10/2015 15:43

My sister (who life has been very kind to) is a fervent supporter of the Tory's and their policies regarding cuts to welfare but at the same time a devoted follower of Jesus- even goes to Mass every Sunday. In my mind, these two things are irreconcilable. Could someone explain how this is possible?

OP posts:
claig · 05/10/2015 16:58

Anastasie, who does your mum usually vote for apart from this time when she didn't vote?

Anastasie · 05/10/2015 17:04

I'm not sure, but it's never Conservative. I think she said their policies were the most pro-life as she calls it but she didn't like the way they were shafting the poor.

HelenaDove · 05/10/2015 17:07

Thats not pro life Thats pro forced birth.

claig · 05/10/2015 17:08

Right, maybe LibDem or even Labour. There are lots of different factors and it depends which ones she thinks take priority.

Hullygully · 05/10/2015 17:22

I think that bit about rendering unto Caesar was added in for political reasons.

The parable of the talents was just that: a parable, it didn't literally mean don't waste money.

Definitely supposed to give it all away to poor folk.

claig · 05/10/2015 17:37

'Definitely supposed to give it all away to poor folk'

I doubt that because Jesus only had 12 apostles who all had human failings like Peter etc, and he never expected stonemason and tax collectors and farmers and lawyers and doctors to give away all the money they earned.

Lots of Jesus's teachings were in parables because the understanding of them is then a process that the listener has to undertake and be subsequently changed by if understood rather than a prescriptive law which would not have any deep effect or resonance or cause any development or change.

In the Parable of the Talents, the man who buried his money and did nothing with it to produce any beneficial good or growth or profit wasted what he was lucky enough to receive and that is doing wrong.

Hullygully · 05/10/2015 17:52

Jesus explicitly says that the rich man should sell his stuff in order to give to the poor in every Gospel this story is written in (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-30 and Luke 18:18-30).

There was some prototype communism too:

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need… No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had… there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-35)

People trying to make out it was just the one rich man Jesus was talking too, or that he didn't really mean it are just trying to have their cake and eat it and not share it as Jesus wanted.

claig · 05/10/2015 17:54

Jesus didn't expect the whole world to turn into his apostles and to give up everything on this earth.

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 05/10/2015 18:11

I think that is exactly what he expected.That's why he told his apostles to go out and be fishers of men, so that they could spread the good word and convert others to the same cause.

claig · 05/10/2015 18:15

Well he wasn't very successful if that was his aim. Very few people give up all their material wealth to become fishers of men. I don't think that is what it is about.

WorzelsCornyBrows · 05/10/2015 18:27

Religion, much like much of the bunfighting on MN, involves people quoting snippets of something bigger (often out of context) in order to either criticise or make a point. It seems MN is the perfect place to debate religion!

I believe far more natural Tories consider themselves to be Christian, due to their conservatism with a small c. Being a Christian and following the teachings of Christ are two separate things (often opposing). So yes of course it's possible to be Tory and a Christian. Would Jesus have been a Tory? I somehow doubt it.

flossietoot · 05/10/2015 18:36

No true Christian should or could vote Tory in their current guise. They are absolutely despicable. They are actively forcing more and more children in poverty. They have used propaganda relentlessly to demonise the poor. I can not fathom how anyone who follows gods teachings could actively support this bunch of bully's.

flossietoot · 05/10/2015 18:39

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26200157

Hullygully · 05/10/2015 18:57

He did expect exactly that.

flossietoot · 05/10/2015 19:03

It is actually really awful, and exactly why some Christians get a bad name (thinking of the middle class and very small minded Christians) that I grew up around in Northern Ireland. Forever sending people on missions to Africa but ignoring the poverty five miles up the road in north Belfast.

caroldecker · 05/10/2015 19:09

I agree with Hully, he expected everyone to give their money to the poor. He did not say, take money from rich people and give it to a central group of shysters who will waste most of it and give some to the poor.
Reducing government spending is not unchristian. Keeping money you have and not giving it to the poor is.
In summary, very few, if any, MPs act in a Christian manner.

flossietoot · 05/10/2015 19:14

It is not about reducing spending- it is the way they have gone about it. Food banks??? In 2015, in the worlds 5th richest nation? Come on- how is that 'christian'? And the Tory party don't take any accountability for their part in this. Suicides as a result of the job centres claimant commitment and sanctioning regime?? 'The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing' springs to mind. I know many 'Christians', and very few of them have any clue of what conservative policies actually mean on the ground.

claig · 05/10/2015 19:16

'In summary, very few, if any, MPs act in a Christian manner.'

Very few people would disagree with that. Puppets!

jellybeans · 06/10/2015 17:26

I don't think it is unless the person is very naive. Selfish individualism is not a Christian ideology.

caroldecker · 06/10/2015 18:42

Conservatives are not necessarily more selfish then members of other parties. Most Labour voters are after improving their own position at the expense of others.
Many Conservatives believe a small government is better for all, and many studies support this, although others disagree.
There have certainly been more people fucked over by socialist countries than capitalist.

blacksunday · 06/10/2015 18:50

I agree with Hully, he expected everyone to give their money to the poor. He did not say, take money from rich people and give it to a central group of shysters who will waste most of it and give some to the poor.

You're an idiot.

flossietoot · 06/10/2015 19:40

We aren't discussing other parties. We are discussing the Tories.

caroldecker · 07/10/2015 01:04

black why am I an idiot? At what point did Jesus say you should take money from people by compulsion for the poor - he said give to them directly and the rich will not get into heaven.

Silver15 · 07/10/2015 06:56

The bible says wealth and riches shall be in your houses.

Also the Lord rewards a diligent worker.

Whatever you touch shall be fruitful

The Lord will bless the works of your hands.

I don't think Jesus was anti-riches.

Greebosmum · 07/10/2015 07:17

Absolutely not.

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