This article has gone through so many changes, it’s crazy!  The post talks about how Christians and the Church should see the ‘Cult of Corbynism’ and how do we respond to it.  I do not hide the fact that I support Owen Smith and the PLP in the attempt to remove Jeremy Corbyn from leadership. I mean come on, I have Smith in my profile picture on Facebook! But unlike some Corbynites, I do not worship him; He is just a man, but one whom I just feel will do a far better job for the electorate!  Labour should be about all of us, and not about one man.

This post will be split into two issues.  One on how we deal with Corbynism personally as Christians, and the section section on how the church should deal with it. This allows us to see the issue from an individual standpoint, and from a wider collective issue.

In my humble opinion, Corbyn has been in fact disastrous for the left, always behind in the polls, losing council seats, making the party look like an idiot at PMQs, and failing to lead a credible opposition, failing to call the government to account on key issues at key times and has allowed hard left from the SWP and Greens to join the party (then moans because they cannot vote, though common sense says they shouldn’t) .  This post won’t focus on his past or on his failing, but on what is known as Corbynism.  I have been in many a debate with people over their leader, and it eventually just becomes a cycle, or me just getting called names.  Therefore i am focusing on the whole issue of leadership and what some people have classed as a ‘cult’.  I accept that I have a bias, however certain issues have to be addressed and this article attempts to show how Christians should especially look at the so called ‘Cult of Corbynism’.

What are traditional Labour values?

I keep hearing that we must go back to traditional Labour values, by both Corbyn and Smith.  Go back to the days of Keir Hardie.  I disagree, as a party; we must be forward looking, being adaptable and modern.  The times of Hardie are completely different to what they are now, the working class has transformed and their needs have changed.  The Labour party should be a party that should not be looking back, but always looking to see what it can do next.  As Christians, we should also be forward looking, to the coming of Christ, and in politics, we shouldn’t be tied to what a party thinks ‘values’ are, but by the what the Lord wants, to be that light!  Love needs to be our guide and we should let our values be shaped by the bible.

atlee

A few hours ago, I just watched another Labour leadership debate, once again Smith showed passion and directness, with Corbyn being all over the place regarding policies.  What caught my attention was a speaker who said he left Labour when Blair won and has only just re-joined the party under Corbyn.  Is this what we’re about?  Do people want us to win?  Shouldn’t that be a key value, to win, to help the people of this nation, no matter their position in society?  Of course Christians should be helping people no matter who is in government.  We play a huge role in society, but by having a Labour party in government, at least there is some help given by those in power!

Being the change

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© Chris Beckett, image used under non-commercial reuse licence.

Corybnites seem to rally behind this man even after he is proven wrong, after he failed the nation in his stance on the EU debate (even appearing to sympathise with the Brexit side), and many  polls and voter surveys suggest he’s the worst party leader in the history of Parliament.  We have to acknowledge our failures and faults; we have to remember as Christians, that he is just a man.

What about Owen Smith then? He is a man too, after all.  The simple answer is Smith has a greater chance of winning the 2020 election. He will have more of an appeal across the land, rather than the fanatical obsession of a few (which isolates much of the country) and with that bring a government, a cabinet that will aim to improve the conditions of people’s lives across the board, but it won’t be perfect, it won’t solve all our wants.  Christians should not follow their leader or their party blindly, as sometimes appears the case with many ‘Corbynites’.

Corbyn has many, many faults, and we have to see that and get beyond the propaganda spouted by his office and take a step back.  If you want to make a difference, do not look to the leader of a party.  BE THE CHANGE, look to Christ, and follow His example.  My friend corrected me in a debate once; he said that change has to be done at the grassroots.  We as Christians need to be that change, by the power of the Spirit, help people’s lives.  You want kinder gentler politics?  Then do it yourself, respect the Tories, yes we disagree, but we have to disagree well!  Respect those on the centre-left, and all in the party.  I know you want to be radical, that I understand, but we have to be careful.  If this is achieved then we will see change!  So forget your faith in the man, put your faith in Christ and see what can be done!

Corbyn won’t bring salvation, he won’t change the world, in fact he will fail us, and he will let us down, as any man would.  The Bible, the ultimate authority on life says quite simply:

“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. [But] blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” (Psalm 146:3-4).

The psalm goes on, beautifully, to talk about how the Lord ‘upholds the cause of the oppressed’, in a way that man never can, however much he tries.

Leadership is very much a Biblical principle, but leaders should only go so far and never infringe or get anywhere near the first commandment . Corbyn, however, charismatic chap that he is, is worshiped like some demi-god by his almost-fanatical supporters.

Support for Owen

Recently, key figures such as Khan have given Smith the backing to be leader.  With the support of 170+ MPs and an ever growing support amongst members, i wonder who it is who will be able to unite this broad church in Labour?  As Christians, we understand the value of unity.  How I long for it in the church, reformed, charismatic, we need unity.  Corbyn is like a Hyper-Calvinist or extreme Arminian in a church, just divides it!  You need to understand all viewpoints, and this is why my support goes to Owen.  Yes he is not perfect, but no one is.  I won’t follow him to the ends of the earth, but i trust him to lead the party to victory.

Voting

Vote whatever way you want, but before you do, pray!  I can say that if Corbyn wins in September, I, along with many others will never vote Labour. The soft-left looks to have been defeated.  The radical/hard left politics has won, and now we have right vs left.  History shows that the right in England always prevails, the soft-left was really the only way you could implement socialist policies like under Clement Attlee.  Anyhow, fellow Christians, maybe I am wrong, who knows, God certainly does, but for me, I use what is in front of me, the evidence and facts.

I do pray that Christians can be the light in politics, that we can be the real difference.  It isn’t about a man or a woman, about whom he or she is or where he or she was raised.  It is about Christ, and what he gave us.  If we want to see a radical change, then stop following Corbyn, and get out there and be the difference yourself.  Let love be in your heart.

I call upon Christians to be love, we are always bound to disagree on issues, but let us disagree well.  I am guilty as the next person for letting my emotions get the better of me, but let us learn and let us love.  At the end of the day, vote for whoever you feel is best for the job, however seek God in prayer before making a decision.  Remember that neither Corbyn or Smith will improve us, if you want to see change, then you be the change, by your love, by your actions and by the work of the spirit.

corbyn vs smith

Warnings for the Church

So far, I have discussed how Christians should respond to Corbynism. How as individuals we should respond to the media and support surrounding him.  However the issue can be related to the health of the church.  It can be stated that this point alone could be its own article entirely.  Nonetheless, I feel led to write this together, to see what can we learn from the leadership election as a part of the Body of Christ, the Church.  We have learnt that as individuals we should be loving, and that we need to be the light.  This also applies to the church.  We don’t need to follow political leaders, and that has been shown, but there are also other lessons that can be learnt from this contest.

The Church, sad to say, in many ways is no different than a political party.  We have disagreements over tertiary and secondary issues, just like a political party.  Yet we should have more to unify us – Christ. The Labour leadership contest should be a warning to the church.  So what are these warnings?

  1. Following men is wrong.  Too often do we as a church look to ‘big names’ past and present, at Spurgeon, Ryle, Lloyd-Jones, etc. and see them as something special in and of themselves.  However, we are not meant to follow men, or to glorify the past (1 Cor. 1:10-13 & Phi. 3:13-14) .  We are to see how God has worked in their lives and ministry, and be inspired, yes. Yet too often I seem to hear people treat these men as people treat Corbyn.  We must be careful, look forward and follow God in all we do.
  2. The lack of passion in the church.  We are seeing people turn out on mass to support a man in a political election.  They put us to shame!  Where is our passion brothers?  They defend Corbyn likes he’s their Saviour.  We have a Saviour and where is our voice?  We are quiet, usually in our little bubble.  We should pray and ask God to renew our lives, our hearts, to give us passion for Christ and to make a change in this world.  We don’t have to attend silly rallies, but the passion and energy is something we need.
  3. The Church needs unity.  Like the Labour party at the moment, we have become too divisive.  There are more and more denominations, and it’s getting frankly ridiculous.  CofE, Reformed, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Baptist, Evangelical, Methodist, etc… then all the many sub-divisions of each of these, some wackier than the rest.  We all agree on the fundamentals, that Christ is our Saviour, yet we let secondary issues and the like divide us into arguments.  We take too much pride in our denominations and not in Jesus.  Denominations are man made, and although we will never see a unified church here on earth, we need to make steps towards a more comradely, loving church that sees Reformed and Charismatic churches working together, to understand that they may not be 100% right and can learn something from other churches.
  4. We need to be the light.  What this leadership election has shown is just how nasty politics is.  I’ve already talked about being the change.  But we need to be the light, whether on social media on when we meet people face to face.  I’ve been called a red Tory, a Blairite, and someone even called for a Final Solution for people like me.  When we respond to this behaviour, we must do in love.  I’m glad that the Christians on the Left have not nominated a candidate, but express both camps well.  We need to be careful with what we say and do, the world watches us!  That does not mean we cannot support a candidate!  Just be careful in how we either show that support and how we treat others
  5. We need to be loud.  Too often are we, the church, stuck in our little bubble.  We have to ask God for strength and for courage.  To make a stand in this world.  In the words of my favourite band

“Today is ours, it’s always been
Before we face the fight
We know who’s gonna win
We live by faith and not by sight
We don’t want safe and quiet
We don’t wanna run and hide”

We shouldn’t want a safe and quiet life, we shouldn’t be running from the world.  What we have learnt from the leadership election, is that we have to be bold, and not afraid.  We have to stand up for what we believe in and be a difference.

Conclusion: Let love Prevail

I have never been a Corbyn supporter, and to be frank, his support is terrifying.  He fails us time and time again, yet it never wavers, it is certainly interesting to watch.  Nonetheless, we as Christians do not owe our loyalty to political leaders, but to Christ.  The Church does need to learn lessons and the state of the Labour party is a great example of what disunity look like, and how it can happen.  We should learn some lessons and become more like Jesus.

We are meant to lift up one person alone, and that is Jesus Christ.  Our Saviour and our light.  These words from a Skillet song tell us how we should lift him up and no one else!

“I testify, this is not a secret meant to keep
Your love, like fire, spreading from my heart straight to my feet
And when I was dead, you gave me new life
I’m lifting you up with all of my might
I don’t care who’s to the left, to the right
You’re all that’s on my mind
Don’t really care what they say, what they think
I feel so alive”

Love and peace to all, doesn’t matter what your politics are, who you are, or what you think of me.  I hope and pray that the rest of the Labour leadership is done in more of a comradely fashion and If Corbyn wins, then I wish you and the Labour party all the best.