Thursday 24 December 2015

'Tis a time to be merry.........and hypocritical.

The Xmas Messages put out at this time of year are generally a collection of pretty harmless platitudes but Posh Dave's has something extra: a festive helping of hypocrisy.

Amongst other things he said:
“Millions of families are spending this winter in refugee camps or makeshift shelters across Syria and the Middle East, driven from their homes by Daesh [Isis] and Assad."
"Throughout the United Kingdom, some will spend the festive period ill, homeless or alone."
“If there is one thing people want at Christmas, it’s the security of having their family around them and a home that is safe.”
"We must pay tribute to the thousands of doctors, nurses, carers and volunteers who give up their Christmas to help the vulnerable — and to members of the armed forces who are spending this season even further from home.”
"As a Christian country, we must remember what his birth represents: peace, mercy, goodwill and, above all, hope. I believe that we should also reflect on the fact that it is because of these important religious roots and Christian values that Britain has been such a successful home to people of all faiths and none." 

Isn't it a pity his actions, and those of his government, do not match his words or the sentiment presumably behind them. Have we have ever had a government that least reflected Christian values?

Which 'Christian Values' include covering up a report showing thousands of terminally ill people being found 'fit for work' days before dying? Which 'Christian Values' subjects the poor to cruel sanctions and delayed benefits? Or condemns thousands of families to homelessness, temporary accommodation or hostels?

He talks of coming together with his loved ones in safety and security. But what about those whose work is often temporary or casual with an income that will not support a family or provide a home?
 
And it's a bit rich paying tribute to those working over Christmas while cutting public services and pay to the bone and leading a government whose actions have caused NHS staff, and most other public sector workers, to feel taken for granted, in spite of their dedication. Perhaps he should show his gratitude by paying nurses and other health workers a decent wage?

Christian campaigner Symon Hill is quoted as saying: “Jesus sided with the poor, called on the world to change its ways and was executed by political powers with the collusion of religious leaders. If the Tories had been around at the time, they would have labelled him a dangerous extremist and Daily Mail editorials would have demanded his crucifixion. More people are hungry, more people are lonely, as a direct result of Cameron and Osborne’s policies."

Maybe we'll see more of Dave's Christian side in 2016? But, based on what we've seen so far, that might not be a good thing.
 

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