The BNP and Jesus

I guess it was only a matter of time before the BNP sought to invoke the name of Jesus in their drive for power and respectability. It's not a new device among political parties. Fortunately, before we all go off the deep end about it, I'm guessing that most people will see right through it, just as they see through any attempts at sound-bite posturing. 

However, I offer the following antidote to the suggestion that Jesus might in any way have some political sympathy with the BNP.

When asked to express the greatest commandment, Jesus responded with the famous couplet: "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind... To love you neighbour as yourself."

In the Old Testament, God made it clear that whilst his people were not to be influenced by other nations and people of other nation, they were not to mistreat them.

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:34)

So I don't think we have to worry that all of a sudden we're going to be targeted as right-wing nationalists. Unless of course we give people that impression. Perhaps the greater challenge of the new BNP campaign is to inspire us to live a clearer incarnational life of discipleship than we have done to date. That way, when people read the BNP literature they can say, "Well that doesn't sound like the kind of Jesus talked about by the Christians I know."

Just a thought.