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| Reluctant Hero |
Bishop states he won't vote Labourhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6439723.stmBishop declares anti-Labour vote One of Scotland's most senior Catholics has declared he will not vote Labour in May's Holyrood elections. The Bishop of Motherwell, Joseph Devine, said he now feels many Labour policies, such as civil partnerships, fly in the face of Christian tradition. He said his congregation's traditional allegiance to Labour had been tested to breaking point. However, Labour minister Margaret Curran said her party's policies had support across the mainstream parties. In a BBC interview, Bishop Devine said: "I'll ask Catholics to exercise their vote responsibly according to their conscience. "But I'll do something else for the very first time. I will indicate the party to which I'm going to vote for. I've never done that before. "I'll not ask people to follow me. If they want to take that lead, that's fine enough." Ms Curran, the minister for parliament, said she was perplexed by Bishop Devine's focus on Labour. "Obviously we would respect people of different opinions, but I can't really understand why he's so focused on the Labour Party holding these views," she said. "The legislation that has been passed, particularly on moral issues around equality and gay adoption, have been supported by many political parties, so it's not just an anti-Labour point." Bishop Devine said he would vote for the party which best supports Christian values. |
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| Celyn |
Funny, I had thought (naively) that people did do that anyway, But I should have hoped that it might depend on things bit more important than civil partnerships. Like mere details about not replacing Trident and so on. That sort of thing Oh well. I should also have hoped that some holy man, clergy man, christian or moslem or whatever would not dare to assume the right to influence the votes of his flock. Oh, wait a minute, how stupid of me: they're called, a “flock” for a reason, I suppose. 
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| Aventinian |
Re: Bishop states he won't vote Labour
I wonder if his interpretation of Christian tradition involves burning witches too. I really am amazed at churches and christian groups who speak out against this. They even have an enormous concession insofar as it is not recognised as marriage by the state. The church did not invent marriage, nor do they have a monopoly over it. Anyway, I think religious leaders making political comments is revolting. Some figures within the Roman Catholic Church in Britain really do make the whole affair seem ridiculous and play into the propaganda served against them. |
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