I will not be voting Conservative at the forthcoming election. Not because I am committed to party politics — far from it — and nor because I am convinced of the righteousness of any particular politicians — I am certainly not — but for one very simple reason. I am a Christian. Yes, I will not be voting Conservative because I am a Christian.

I appreciate that this might sound shocking and run counter to the now familiar religious and political narrative but that’s an equation established only in the past 40 years and only in the United States. It has no foundation in either theology or government. Up until the 1960s American Catholics traditionally voted Democrat and in Britain the Labour or Liberal Party was the home of evangelicals. In Canada our most famous social democrats were Tommy Douglas and Jack Layton, the first an ordained minister and the second a man deeply shaped by his faith.

It was only when the twin issues of abortion and gay rights began to dominate the political agenda of the Christian right that the unnatural alliance of conservative and Christian began first to develop and then to dominate. Within a generation we had the jarring scene of followers of the social and economic revolutionary Jesus giving time and money to parties committed to military spending, immigration controls, reduction in help to the poor and harsh, often thoughtless words about their opponents.

My own conservative credentials began to evaporate more than 18 months ago when I embraced equal marriage and once the door is unlocked it has a habit of opening wide. The journey from legalism to love, or religion to relationship, isn’t directly political as such and it’s dangerous and facile to overly politicize faith. But it’s also downright naïve to think that religion and politics have no mutual hinge. Cue the usual attacks because someone has dared to change his mind, as though evolution is a sin and ideological and spiritual stubbornness a virtue.

Back to the basics. There are many fundamentals at play from a Christian point of view that are relevant but I’ll name just four. Stewardship of the environment, care for the poor and marginalized, the pursuit of peace, and personal integrity.

In terms of environmental protection and ecological concern the argument is almost axiomatic. Contrary to how even other conservative parties and administrations have behaved, the Harper government has allowed ideology to triumph over scientific reality and has empowered deniers who are not given table-room elsewhere. I interviewed many of them over the years and while they’re not always the big oil puppets their opponents claim, they are generally politicians more than experts.

The poor and marginalized? The government’s taxation policies have reversed a long-standing tradition of redistribution and have encouraged the perception that tax is a burden rather than a duty. We’ve heard too much about “the other” and of the so-called undeserving and this is as un-Christian as it is un-Canadian. We share therefore we are.

As for peace, let’s take the single example of the Middle East. The government’s unquestioning support for Israeli policies surprises even Israelis, half of whom are extremely critical of the Netanyahu regime. Supporting Israel is not the same as supporting everything a particular Israeli government does and if we genuinely care about a stable and peaceful future for everybody in the region we will encourage compromise, the removal of settlements and the empowerment of progressive rather than reactionary movements. Rather the Prince of Peace than any kings of the arms trade.

When it comes to personal integrity, democracy is best served when politicians feel uncertain and this government has taken power for granted for far too long. Beyond senators on trial and hidden payments there is simply an overwhelming sense of power at any cost and that bruises the body politic beyond recognition.

There used to be a fashion for Christians to attach “What Would Jesus Do?” stickers to the back of their cars. Not my sort of thing at all but in that He repeatedly spoke up for the poor, criticized the wealthy, condemned the judgmental, welcomed the stranger and lauded the peacemaker, perhaps we have a few clues to the answer.

Michael Coren is an author, columnist and broadcaster. mcoren@sympatico.ca

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