Yemen: The Forgotten War and Christians

Today, at noon local time, a seven-day ceasefire came into effect in Yemen. The brief pause in fighting will allow aid to be delivered while the warring parties meet in Switzerland for peace talks. Sadly, BBC News decided not to cover  it, instead focusing on Tim Peake’s flight into space. Then again, perhaps it was fitting-a forgotten ceasefire for a forgotten war. Though forgotten, since March, this civil war has claimed over 5,800 lives and left at least 1.5 million internally displaced. While the world’s attention is still on Syria, charities operating in the country are now describing Yemen as the “world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”  This post will briefly outline the current state of the crisis before looking at its impact on Christians in the country.

Yemen has long been an unstable country. In 2000, Al-Qaeda became increasingly active in the country. Four years later, followers of dissident cleric Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi began an insurgency that has yet to come to an end. The conflict entered a new stage with President Saleh’s resignation in the wake of anti-government protests in 2011. Despite attempts at negotiating a peace agreement, the crisis continued. The insurgency making gains while the government grew weaker. Last September, Houthi rebels captured the capital, Sa’ana, driving the western-backed government southwards to Aden.

The civil war has left Yemen divided.  Houthi rebels control much of the north-west while Alqaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are present throughout the east of the country. The Aden Government rules only the southwestern tip of the country.

Like Syria, this domestic conflict has hints of a proxy war. While Iran supports the rebels, a Saudi-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes on behalf of the exiled government in Aden. Amnesty International has documented human rights abuses and war crimes on both sides of the conflict. The use of cluster bombs by the coalition forces is particularly worrying given the fact that both the US and the UK have provided them with key logistical support. To add to the chaos, IS launched its first attacks in the country this year.

So where do Christians fit into this complicated picture? Out of a population of around 25 million, just shy of 20,000 people identify as Christians. Like everyone else they have found themselves in a midst of a humanitarian crisis that has left four out of five people dependent on foreign aid. But Christians in Yemen face particular challenges, with Open Doors ranking the country’s Christian community as the 14^th most persecuted in the world.

Even before the latest escalation in the conflict, it was difficult to be a Christian in Yemen. It is estimated that there are just a few hundred indigenous Christians in Yemen, with most Christians having moved to Yemen to find work. Evangelism is banned while leaving Islam is punishable by death. Tribal structures are deeply important in Yemen and so the government rarely intervenes in tribal persecution of converts. Last year, one woman was burnt alive by her relatives after she converted to Christianity. The small number of Christians still left in the government-controlled region still face these risks. Coalition air strikes are sometimes indiscriminate, meaning that churches have been destroyed by bombing.

For those living under Houthi control, the risks are greater still. The Houthi rebels are completely intolerant of any religious dissent. They have repeatedly attacked Islamic schools and universities that do not follow the Houthi’s narrow sect of Shia Islam. Jews have been ordered to convert or leave the country. As a result of this religious suppression, Christians have been forced to worship underground in Houthi-held regions. Militants from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are also present in many of the contested areas of the country. In the past, AQAP have been linked to killings and kidnappings of Christians. Understandably, the chaos makes it difficult for stories of persecution to leave the country. However, over the last few months, there has been at least one report of a convert to Christianity being murdered by AQAP militants.

There are many things to pray for in Yemen. Of course, we should pray that the peace talks in Switzerland will lay the foundation for a permanent ceasefire. Aid also needs to get through to the people who need it. We should pray that those who are persecuted would remain faithful and would shun revenge. Christians in the country can be a real light to Muslims in need. But we should also remember that God will build his Church despite the dire situation it seems to find itself in. 

References

 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/articles/middle-east/17894-with-iron-and-fire-the-houthis-suppress-religious-freedom-in-yemen 

http://morningstarnews.org/2015/11/two-converts-from-islam-slain-in-yemen/

http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/yemen_150417.php 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/10/yemen-call-for-suspension-of-arms-transfers-to-coalition-and-accountability-for-war-crimes/

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Houthis-to-Jews-convert-or-leave-Yemen-422604

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/war.in.yemen.forces.christians.to.worship.underground.bishop.says/52511.htm

Faith in freefall

Back in August, during the first febrile fortnight of my Parisian accommodation search, I took some time out to visit an art gallery. (No, don’t stop reading, I’m not pretentious enough to pretend I know anything about art.) This painting in particular struck me:

Its title, “Christians Entering the Amphitheatre”, is pretty self-explanatory. It’s not an unfamiliar scenario. But it had more of an effect on me than so many other “religious” paintings. Every time I looked at it, my eyes were drawn not to the crowd nor to the competitors in the background, but to the two solitary figures at the front. Though they seem scared, there is a stillness in these two martyrs that marks them out from the chaos behind them. And so, despite the grief and terror of the situation, almost paradoxically, I felt at peace. To me, it was a striking depiction of the way in which, throughout the ages, Christians have been sustained by their faith even when faced with death.

Of course, this is “just” a painting. It means nothing if it is no more than an idealistic and unrealistic representation of how Christians have died for their faith.

So how does the painting bare up to reality?

Though the painting depicts millennia-old events, we need not look to see the same things happening again today. It happens across the world, but the atrocities committed against Christian minorities by the so-called Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Yemen seem unrivaled in brutality. Just this week, as they publicly executed yet more Christian hostages, the group warned that "followers of the cross” across the world would never be safe until they converted to Islam. We’ve heard about the “convert or die” orders given to Iraqi Christians. Less well known is the use of crucifixion to punish those who’ve converted from Islam to Christianity. Even when given the option of renouncing their faith and escaping execution, many refuse, preferring instead to face hours, even days of an agonising death.

Of course, some do renounce their faith. We can’t judge them for that when we have never faced true persecution for what we believe. Others may choose death but face it with fear rather than the peace depicted in the painting. As Jesus said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” There’s nothing wrong with facing death with fear. I don't know if anyone can face death completely fearlessly. But, in theory at least, our faith can help us to overcome this fear.

The clearest example of this peace in action can be seen in the way US aid worker Kayla Mueller faced death at the hands of ISIS. In the two years of captivity before her death, she was reportedly tortured, repeatedly raped and forced into marriage with the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Her unimaginable torment surpasses that of the cruelty of the coliseum. It is impossible to imagine how anyone could be at peace while facing something like that. And yet, her deeply moving final letter suggests otherwise:

“I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator because literally there was no else…. and by God and by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall.

I have been shown in darkness, light and have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful.

I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it."

We don’t know how much of this was intended to comfort her family rather than reflect her feelings. It’s clear that her claim that she was treated well was far from true.  But the letter remains deeply moving, even if she did, naturally, have her doubts while writing it.

When we hear about what happens to Christians in Iraq and Syria, of course we will be shocked and saddened. But we should be certain that their faith can enable them to face the unimaginable. We should pray that they would feel at peace, as Kayla Mueller did. And we should be challenged about how easily our faith falters under much less pressure. We can pray that our faith would be strengthened. But we can’t be pessimistic about the future of Christianity. The church grew under the shadow of the coliseum. No developments in the Middle East can threaten its future. Above all, we should become fully confident in Jesus’ words: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Christianity and Fantasy

A lot of the time, Christians seem to have a pretty ambivalent relationship with fantasy. On the one hand, we’ve practically deified C.S Lewis, while on the other, a whole host of Conservative fatwahs have been thrown at Harry Potter. Of course, opinions on J.K Rowling vary from church to church and church-member to church-member. Nevertheless, I think it’s fair to say fantasy is generally less trusted than other genres in Christian circles. However, fantasy seems to me to be that it is one of the genres that Christian can most engage with.

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S Lewis, J.K Rowling- some of the most popular fantasy writers have woven elements of their Christian beliefs into their fantastic literary creations. Far from being Satanic, the plot of Harry Potter draws so much from Rowling’s faith that she refrained from making her beliefs public lest they spoil the series’ ending. In fact she even uses 1 Corinthians 15:26 (“the last enemy to be defeated is death”) on the tombstone of Harry Potter’s parents, whose sacrificial love first defeated Voldemort¹. Although Tolkien hated direct allegory, The Lord of the Rings is not short of Messianic moments, with Gandalf’s sacrificial “death” and “resurrection” being the most obvious. C.S. Lewis…well, I’m not going to patronise you. As much as I love him, he has all the subtlety of an Edwardian lamppost in a Narnian winter.

Of course, the views of a few select authors don’t necessarily represent the genre as a whole. It goes without saying that authors such as Phillip Pullman have sought to promote their own, atheistic worldviews, while others have refrained from any active engagement with Christian ideas. That’s not to say that Christians can’t enjoy and appreciate those works. Some baulk at some of fantasy’s “dark” themes. Some Christians will draw a distinction between the “Godly” and the “Godless” fantasy. However, followers of the paganworldview supposedly promoted by “Godless” fantasy look for pagan elements in Narnia as well as Harry Potter.

But there is more of value to Christians than isolated examples of biblical symbolism. Fantasy is a wide genre, so I’ll readily admit that there are vast gaps in many popular works that I haven’t read. (Recommendations welcome!) Judging from what I have read though, fantasy tends to have a much stronger sense of morality than other genres. I think this is one of the main differences between Science Fiction and Fantasy (that and aliens obvs). Science fiction often takes place in a world of moral ambiguities. Sometimes, this can lead to episodes of either depressing existential angst or humanist ecstasy. In contrast, much of fantasy centres on the need to defeat a powerful but not unconquerable evil. As a result, there is often a very strong sense that there is a right and wrong thing for characters to do.  Sadly, this can lead to world which divides the world into “good” and “bad” people. Even decidedly “Christian” authors such as C.S. Lewis sometimes fall into this trap. From a Christian perspective, this is clearly wrong because it self-righteously creates a world in which some are predestined to be good while others are doomed to their evil behaviour. One of the strengths of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (A.K.A Game of Thrones) is that no character is perfect.  Admittedly, the series isn’t a typical fight between good and evil, and so lacks the sense of sense of purpose that I’ve been discussing. Nevertheless, A Song of Ice and Fire uses fantasy as a means of exploring the way extraordinary circumstances can change the behaviour of even the most “moral” humans. Even our favourite characters end up doing the unthinkable. When I wonder what I would do if I were in a particular character’s shoes, I soon find my self-righteous expectations are taken down a notch or two. I think fantasy is of value to Christians not only when it points to a strong sense of morality, but also when it highlights our inability to do live by that morality.

As I’ve said, fantasy is a wide genre. So is science fiction. Neither genres intrinsically lead to the generalisations that I’ve been discussing. No doubt, you can think of books that go against what I’ve suggested. Maybe you think that what I said applies only to a small range of books. These are my reflections based on my experience, so it may well be the case that my experience is incomplete.

I do, however, think there is a more general, underlying theme in all science fiction and fantasy that is of particular value to the Christian.

 I used to wonder whether it was right for me to long for all the wonderful worlds of books and films when I would never be able to visit them. It’s hardly revolutionary to say that science fiction and fantasy spring from our desire to experience strange and wonderful things. But I’ve come to realise that this longing is, in one sense, a spiritual longing. Think of the moment when Harry discovers magic. Suddenly, it is revealed to him that there is so much more to this world.  It’s a desire we all share. You could even see Harry’s moment of discovery as a picture of Christian conversion. So I’ve come to understand that there is no problem with me longing for strange and wonderful worlds, because it is a longing that will ultimately be fulfilled in heaven.

1.      

*1. Premier Christianity has a very enlighteningpiece on the Christian allusions in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Their discussion of her use of 1 Corinthians  15:26 is particularly interesting:

“Now in the context of that Scripture passage it is the crucifixion and literal resurrection of Jesus that conquers death. Rowling and Dumbledore [who is likely to have been responsible for the inscription] could have put anything on the Potters' tombstone. They did not have to quote the Bible. They did not have to reference the New Testament passage that most explicitly connects Jesus' death and resurrection with a genuine faith. But they did quote that very passage. She seems to me too careful a writer to make this reference without its fullest meaning in mind.”

The Good Samaritan at Calais

“The Good Samaritan.” Everyone knows the phrase. This weekend, two things have made me really reflect on the meaning of this expression. The first, a sermon I heard in Church this Sunday, made me consider the nature of the Good Samaritan’s love. The second, the BBC’s decision to film this week’s Songs of Praise in a migrant camp in Calais, made me think about who our society's Samaritans are.

Often, when we say “Good Samaritans”, we mean a passer-by who helps someone in need. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it unintentionally understates the love of the Good Samaritan. In the parable, Jesus describes how both a priest and an assistant in the temple walk past a man who had been attacked on a remote road. They, of all people would have been expected to help a fellow Jewish person in need, and yet they ignored him. Instead, it is a man from Samaria who stops to help. Traditionally, Samaritans and Jews hated each other. Some Jewish people would even avoid travelling through Samaria because its people were considered unclean. In the minds of those listening, there was no way a Samaritan would stop to help a Jewish person. Yet Jesus commands his audience to love those society hates. The Good Samaritan is more than someone who helps a stranger. It is somebody who defies society’s expectations with a radical, countercultural compassion that reflects God’s own love for the unloved.  It is the love that led some German Christians to care for their Jewish neighbour in the 1930s. It is a love that Christians should exemplify, though too often those of other faiths and none have put us to shame.

Who are the Samaritans of today? Who are the ones that we aren’t expected to love? Who is constantly reviled in the media? Whose suffering is actively ignored by so much of the political establishment?

This week, Songs of Praise, hardly the most controversial programme, took the bold decision to visit a makeshift church in Calais’ migrant camp. Personally, I found the feature deeply moving. Some sections of public opinions thought the same. Others, of course, did not.

“Hymnigrants!” screamed the Sun. “A BBC stunt gone wrong!” chimed the Daily Mail. Several MPs such as Phillip Hollobone were similarly unimpressed. Twitter had its own chorus of disapproval, with many dismissing it as “propaganda” paid for by the license fee-payer. Some of the criticism centred on the idea that the BBC were somehow promoting “criminal activity.”

But many migrants will in fact be eligible for asylum. I know a migrant who came to the UK via Calais. Ironically enough, he was fleeing the very sort of regime that the Daily Mail would have us believe that migrants are trying to bring to Britain. Though he entered illegally, he has now been given asylum. He is not alone.  Even those who are not will have endured the unendurable. We should be ashamed of the way they are being treated.

Christians have many legitimate perspectives on immigration. I don’t wish to politicise the parable of the Good Samaritan. I merely want to explore the outworking of its radical, countercultural love.

Whatever we think about immigration, the parable of the Good Samaritan compels us to care for those who are hated by society. There are no terms and conditions. Nothing, including behaviour we think is wrong, can exclude anyone from this love.

In one particularly moving part of the programme discussed the work of Christians at the camp. In particular, they interviewed a volunteer from a Church in Kent. Those from Kent, having absorbed a disproportionate number of migrants, would be most expected to resent those at Calais. Instead, these Christians spoke of their duty to love the unloved. Taking into account the criticism of the Daily Mail and the Sun, we might be tempted to ask the very question that Jesus asked his listeners:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the one in need?”

I think the answer is pretty clear.

We may not be able to visit Calais, there are still some ways we can follow the Good Samaritan’s example. When we talk about migrants and when we see the headlines that vilify them, we can be the dissenting voice that affirms their humanity. When it comes to election time, though there is no one “Christian party”, we can think about the way we can use the vote to love our neighbour, be they in Britain or Calais. At the very least, we can pray for the wellbeing of migrants in Calais.

Whatever we think about immigration, we simply can’t ignore Jesus’ words at the end of this parable.

“Go and do likewise.”

Disciples of all Nations: Why the EU can be good for the Church

Immigration. Open borders. The EU. With the rise of Eurosceptic parties across, these issues may well shape the election. And yet, despite the way these issues dominate the headlines, I haven’t seen a lot written from a Christian perspective.  Sure, the Bible isn’t a manifesto. Though it unrelentingly condemns those who mistreat the immigrant, it is unsurprisingly silent on the subject of border control. Personally, I  see strong social justice arguments for a more liberal attitude to immigration. But there is no one “biblical” perspective on it.  That doesn’t mean that immigration doesn’t affect the Church. Of course it does. It always has done. Should it worry us? Not if history is anything to go by.

I picked up a leaflet recently that told one view of immigration that is sadly not uncomon. Apparently, immigration threatens ‘our traditional British society, based upon our Christian heritage’. Of course, Britain has been influenced by Christianity. But British society is not a byword for a Christian society. Not so long ago, ‘traditional British society’ involved banning the Bible in English and burning those who dared read it. Go back longer and the argument is ridiculous. Immigration, a threat to our Christian heritage?! Just where do they think our Christian heritage comes from? Yes, you’ve guessed it: immigration. Without the Romans, we’d still be dancing around stone circles and praying Celtic gods.

And we can go back further. Just imagine if Paul had been denied entry to Cyprus, Turkey and Greece. What if the Ethiopian Eunuch had been turned away at Jerusalem’s gates? What if Peter had never reached Rome? And it wasn’t just missionaries. Even after the apostles had died, persecution and trade drove many ordinary Christians from their homeland. As they moved around the empire, they took their faith with them. By the end of the second century, the Gospel was found as far north as modern-day Belgium and as far south as Egypt. There were Christians from Spain to Syria. It’s hard to see that happening without immigration.

Of course, the EU is not the Roman Empire. I doubt even Farage would go that far. Immigration is a complex issue and there is no one ‘biblical’ response. Nevertheless, the spread of early Christianity highlights the massive opportunity that immigration offers for Christians. So, how does the free movement of people help the spread of the Gospel?

Despite the apocalyptic warnings that Christians seem to revel in, the Church in the UK is privileged within Europe. According to Operation World, almost 9% of British people are Evangelical Christians. For Europe, that figure is just 2.5%. So it’s no surprise that we are taking advantage of that mission field. Operation World, UFM, Crosslinks are just some of the organisations supporting long-term Christian missionaries across the continent. Of course, not all European countries are in the EU, and so missionaries working there will need visas. However, missionaries working in the EU are not subject to visa restrictions. They don’t need to be sponsored by an employer. They can’t be turned away at the border. No one will deport without reason. If Britain left the EU, no doubt some missionaries would be able carry on their work. But their future would be far from certain. With opposition to immigration spreading across the continent, getting a visa is not going to get any easier. As it stands, EU citizenship gives British missionaries a legally-protected right to live and work in 28 different countries. Many missionaries benefit from that right. And so I’m convinced that the free movement of people can only be a good thing for the work of missionaries in Europe.

But the benefits of the free movement of people don’t stop there. Wherever we are, at home or abroad, whether we are a missionary or not, as Christians, we are all ambassadors for Christ. As I’ve said, Evangelical Christians are far more commonplace in the UK than they are across the rest of the continent. When they move to other countries, they will most likely end up somewhere where the Gospel is far less widely known.  And with the opportunities offered by EU membership, far more of us live abroad. Last year, there were 1.8 million UK citizens living in the EU. Without a doubt, that figure includes hundreds, probably thousands of people committed to spreading the gospel in their day-to-day lives.  The overwhelming majority won’t be employed by Churches but by businesses, charities and governments. Their presence in European offices, hospitals and universities will allow the gospel to reach people who wouldn’t otherwise meet a committed Christian. This is particularly true of universities. Last year, the European Union’s Erasmus scheme saw 14,000 British students sent on exchange programs in across the EU. That will number include people committed to spreading the gospel. The overwhelming majority of universities in the UK have some form of Christian Union. In many EU countries, CUs are small and may not even be allowed to meet on campusPeople are less likely to meet come across the gospel in European universities as a whole than in the UK. So the presence of one ambassador for Christ really makes a difference. Of course, exchange programmes would still take place if Britain left the EU. But they are now far more common as a result of EU support, and so leaving the EU would most likely mean fewer committed Christians studying in Europe.

The number of Evangelicals is growing in Europe. I don’t think leaving the EU would stop that. History tells us God will build his Church whatever the circumstances. Neither am I saying it’s unchristian to be Eurosceptic.  Of course not. The EU is full of problems. But the EU gives us so many opportunities to spread the Gospel. Perhaps we should reflect on that when we hear the debates and read the scare-stories.

Should Christians vote UKIP?

Unlike the Church of England or the Christian Institute, the Bible doesn’t issue voting instructions. After all, the Scriptures are not a manifesto but the revelation of God’s love to those people who really don’t deserve it.  We can, of course, draw principles from how we are told to live our lives. But applying principles to policy is never straightforward. The Bible is mysteriously silent on the European Union and Trident.  So it’s no surprise that, even when we agree on principles, Christians end up voting for different parties and different policies. While the Anglican Church was once famously the ‘Tory Party at prayer’, the Labour Party was founded by an evangelical lay preacher. There will be no one Christian choice on May the 7^th. Ultimately, it will come down to our own judgement and conviction.

So I can’t tell you it’s a sin to vote UKIP. I honestly don’t think it is. Neither do I want to advertise my own party. I want Christians to exercise their own judgement. But I feel strongly that there is something fundamentally wrong about the way UKIP scapegoats and marginalises ‘foreigners’. It’s not that I think cutting immigration is racist. Though some might disagree, I don’t think it is. The Bible may be silent on the subject of immigration caps, but it is unrelentingly clear about the attitudes we should have towards our fellow human beings. And so I am convinced that Christians tempted by Nigel Farage should think again.

But what exactly does the Bible say about immigrants? Again and again, the Old Testament forbids discrimination against foreigners. Leviticus tells us “foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born.” God himself is described as the one who “loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing”.  Those who mistreat foreigners face strong condemnation. In the words of Deuteronomy, "Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow."  The fact that the rights of foreigners are so often linked with the rights of orphans and widows is a recognition of our obligation to protect the most vulnerable in society.

Of course, you can argue that these verses applied only to ancient Israel, and so have little relevance to today’s world of mass migration. It is true that these passage can suggest no specific policy over benefit entitlement or temporary work visas. Once I again, I think that’s a matter for our own judgement. But there is undeniably a principle at work here. We are commanded to protect the immigrant, and condemned when we fail to do so.

While UKIP’s opposition to mass immigration is hardly a secret, the specifics of its policies are more confused. The most striking announcement recently was Farage's commitment to repeal laws against discrimination in the workplace. I just can’t square this with the Bible’s commandment to ‘treat the foreigner as your native-born’. And UKIP's anti-immigrant message doesn't stop at its policy on border controls.   Pressures on the NHS? The Royal College of Nursing might blame underfunding and staff shortages, but what do they know? Farage knows better- it’s the foreigners. The so-called ‘crime epidemic’ in London? Blame the Romanians, says UKIP’s leader. Never mind the fact that the 2014 National Crime Survey recorded the lowest levels of crime since the survey began in 1981. Traffic on the M4? Yes, you guessed it, Farage was late to the UKIP conference in Wales because of the foreigners.

Of course, population growth (be it due to immigration or Anglo-Saxon babies) can cause pressures in on public services. But what worries me about UKIP is the way they claim immigration is the cause of all of society's ills . They blame 'the foreigner' by default. It betays a deep-seated resentment of the very neighbours that the Bible commands us to love.

UKIP’s hatred of foreigners is even clearer when we look beyond their official policies to the people who advocate them. You all know the insane number of UKIP MEPs, councillors and candidates who end up resigning after racist comments or behaviour. And, of course, there are those such as UKIP candidate Jonathan Stanley who resigned in protest at the party’s ‘open racism and sanctimonious bullying’. While it’s true that other parties face such scandals, they are markedly more common in UKIP than in other parties. Even if not all of their candidates are racists, it’s clear that, when voting UKIP, you don’t know who you vote for. The chance of them being unveiled as a racist after your vote has propelled them into office is woefully high. Perhaps most revealing, though, is the way UKIP responds to these scandals. It’s true that such candidates are often expelled from the party. But too often, UKIP’s response defends, rather than condemns their behaviour.  When UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom talked of sending aid to ‘bongo bongo land’, the Party merely asked him ‘not to use the phrase again’. It wasn’t until a month later, after he had hit a journalist in public, that the party whip was finally removed from him. Godfrey ‘I’m not a racist’ Bloom didn’t love his neighbour as himself because he happened to be black. And UKIP didn’t care. How can a Christian vote for a party that is so blasé about such racist attitudes?

Of course, you can argue that these racist candidates have been dealt with. That’s true, although I am sure that the final weeks before the election will unmask yet more racists in UKIP’s ranks. But even then, there remains one problem with UKIP that just won’t go away- Nigel Farage himself. When Jesus was asked by expert in Jewish law about which neighbours we should love as ourselves, he told the story of the Good Samaritan. His point was that we should love even the Samaritans, who were the most hated ethnic group in Israel at the time. Farage, on the other hand, has said in an interview that he would be concerned if his neighbour was Romanian. He even went on to say that ‘you know what the difference is’ between a Romanian and a German.  In Christ, ‘there is no Jew or Gentile’. In Farage, the truth is rather different.  He’s a racist. There is simply no other way of putting it.

Jesus told us that, after loving God, loving our neighbour was the second greatest commandment. And so I think there is a clear reason for giving these commands particular consideration when voting. As always, it’s difficult to relate these principles to policy. I know I won’t be able to vote for a candidate that loves God. I’m not even sure if that should be the basis on which Christians should cast their vote. But I think it is clear that what does separate parties is the extent to which they love their neighbour. While many parties support measures that honour neither their neighbour nor God, UKIP’s resentment of the foreigner marks it out from any other mainstream pary. “Cursed are you who withhold justice from the foreigner’- I think that includes UKIP. 
And so I urge my Christian brothers and sister to think carefully before voting UKIP on 7 May.