Today is Waitangi day. It is instructive to see how the internal tribal politics within each tribe or iwi have limited development and productivity of land, and that the government is trying to fix that: the minister of finance and the attorney general are both Catholic, and they do take teaching on fairness and justice seriously.

I note that there is quite a lot of discussion about political structures and reformation (or counter-revolution) to again reach a point where a stable family exists and Christendom is resurrected.

But for now, one point. Christ was no democrat. No one would have voted for him. His teaching was not popular. Most people left.

John 6:60-71

⁶⁰When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” ⁶¹But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. ⁶⁵And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.”

⁶⁶Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” ⁷⁰Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” ⁷¹He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

Jesus teaching did not grow his flock. There was no mass movement. He did not appease his flock, and the idea that we seek popularity in our Churches and call ourselves Christian is nauseating.

We need to preach the gospel, and The gospel will deeply offend most people. Not all: Christ knows his own and has kept his own. But most people do not want to know that they are damned, and that they have damned others. Most people want to delude themselves that they are good, they can earn their way into salvation.

But Christ pointed out that the flesh will fail. It is useless. What matters is that the Spirit of God is in us and guides us. What matters is that we are chosen.

And how do we know we are chosen? The fruit or consequences within our life and on those around us. In short, does our presence on this planet produce life and health or suffering and death among those we love and those we are accountable for?

I have known some ecological activists who are hateful and destructive, and corporate workers, soldiers and sailors who are not. It is not your occupation (assuming the occupation is not sin: thieves, whores (and most politicians) should find another way of earning their money).

So the church is should use the word of God as a tool, to discern error and correct it, and encourage good works. This process is hurtful: people who complain about it will leave, and will try to silence you.

But Christ tells us the truth. Our response to it tells us more about ourselves than we can sometimes bear.