I am sitting here with a hangover of schandenfreude. Last night the centre right party, run by a banker (of Jewish extraction) John Key, won an increased share of the vote to the point where it can govern alone: the internet mana party (funded by Kim Dot Com, of hacking and Nazi memorabilia fame) lost heavily, and the left was decimated.
Bad placement; The @NZGreens at @daybydaycartoon pic.twitter.com/L1XLzo3uSf
— Chris Gale (@pukeko60) September 18, 2014
We should not be smug, those of us who are neo reactionaries: for the underlying structure of our society still encourages unrighteousness, and we have to consider our own patch and our own lives. We need to reflect on what we are doing, not what we are hearing: correct actions are the fruit of our salvation, and the Catholics are correct in that work is prayer — all licit work, as Luther said about cobblers.
However, I watched all the speeches. ANd what I noticed was that the left leaders did not, after being defeated, say that they were wrong. They said the voters were wrong: they would not listen to voters: they recycled the same policies that got them defeated for three elections in a row.
When something is going wrong, perhaps you have to change. If you are in politics, you are ‘there to make a difference” but that difference is unclear. One side says, overtly, they are there to make all kiwis rich. The other side talked about many things, particularly spying, corruption, and that their opposition were doing bad thoughts. The sensible ideas they had were lost.
In institutionalized, post modern hypocrisy.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
(Matthew 6:1-6 ESV)
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
(James 1:19-27 ESV)
Christ tells us to do things quietly, without pulling people out into the open, showing them off in some kind of exhibition of our powers, akin to either the charity organization arriving with a film crew and their tame movie star to do as much fund raising as work, or the neurologist using his patients as anatomical models, though they live.
But doing good is not an option. It cannot be institutionalized, nor become part of some kind of political group that is used to make alliances, for we will disagree with people on all sides at times, and with people from all sides, for we are interested in solutions. I’d rather support someone digging a well than fund water tankers, teachings others how to make lunches, bake bread and keep a garden than run meals at schools, and have McDonalds, Carl Jnr, KFC and Burger King (plus others) offering teenagers jobs than have everything regulated and unionised to the point where most work under the table.
The left has become the party of the bureau, the task group, the careful process, the discussion, and the public display of righteousness. The right do things and solve problems. I would rather solve the problem than fill in forms measuring it.
Let us do things quietly, effectively, locally and cheaply. And may we remain uncorrupted of the leaven of appearances of righteousness, and choose reality, not marketing.