Joanna Penberthy is right to encourage people to vote and to vote wisely in the forthcoming General Election.
Probably she will not. The first female bishop in Wales is a proud Corbynista which may account for the subliminal red vote going into the ballot box on the St Davids diocese web site and the red X on the ballot paper rather than the traditional graphite pencilled X.
Former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove has warned that Jeremy Corbyn is a danger to national security and unfit to become Prime Minister. Sir Richard who spent 38 years with the intelligence service warned bluntly: "Do not even think of taking the risk of handing this politician the keys to No. 10."
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| "Jeremy Corbyn and his then-lover Diane Abbott visited communist East Germany together in the 1970s " Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd |
The Daily Mail has accused Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Diane Abbott of being "unashamed apologists for terror, who have devoted their lives to befriending the enemies of Britain while undermining the very institutions that keep us safe in our beds."
In her video address to electors the bishop of St Davids says that in what is "undoubtedly the most important election in British history", we will be voting on "what sort of people and what sort of behaviour we want to see in those we elect to Westminster. Ask yourself: Does this person have my community's interests at heart? Can I trust them?"
Based on the above press reports the Corbynista cannot be trusted.
Numerous Anglicans in Wales can testify that Penberthy and her fellow bishops on the bench are not best placed to speak of trust.
They promised twin integities to provide mutual flourishing when women were admitted to the priesthood. A promise they quickly dropped while developing an 'inclusive' Church which excludes anyone who follows scripture and tradition, effectively excommunicating them for believing what most of the world's 86 million Anglicans believe.
Why would anyone believe a bishop in the Church in Wales?
This highlights the extreme unlikelihood of a former Labour political candidate offering impartial political advice. As I listened to Joanna's coded message, it was fairly obvious that she was describing Mr nice guy, huggy huggy, red Corbyn. If he got in, our national defence would be run down further, the economy would be wrecked and - who knows? - we could become a satellite of the Russia. There are very many worse options than President Trump.
ReplyDeleteThe bishop should have said nothing. We are not children!
Rob
Will not the Labour Party seek to decriminalise abortion? Does not the lady "bishop" repudiate that intention?
ReplyDeleteCome on trainfan and old Mother Riley, respond predictably.
ReplyDelete1552
Many years ago, on the Sunday before a General Election, I led the congregation I was serving in a prayer. And much of the content of my prayer was similar to what the Bishop has said: thinking of the common good rather than just ourselves, working for the vulnerable and needy, the need for MPs to be people of integrity and so on. Knowing that my predecessor has strongly and publicly aligned himself with one political party, I sought merely to promote what I saw as basic Christian values.
DeleteI was therefore very surprised when one long-standing member of the church came up to me after the service. She was furious. "I will not have politics preached at me in the prayers!", she said. "And it's easy to see which party you support". I told her that I had quite specifically not taken a particular party line; and that my own political inclinations might indeed not be the ones she had assumed.
I hold no remit for Bishop Joanna; indeed I have no knowledge of her whatsoever. Nor do I hold a remit for Corbyn or any other politician although I believe that some are much more trustworthy than others. You may well regard Joanna's video as a subliminal plea to vote Labour; however she has not said this. You have jumped to a particular conclusion; however I honestly think that impugns her and that she is trying to get people to genuinely think about who they're voting for.
For it's very easy for us to be self-centred in our voting - hardly a Christian principle! It's also easy to vote a certain way because that's what you've also done. You mention the issue of abortion; well, one is never going to agree 100% with any party's agenda or their leader, so we have to weigh up their different policies. At the end of the day, one is trying to make the "least worst" decision, or the compromise that fits best with our conscience. Sincere Christians may come to different political decisions - but let's at least think them over with care.
Baptist Trainfan, prior to her election as bishop of St Davids 'Jo Penberthy' stood for election as a local Labour Party candidate in Somerset. https://www.somersetlabour.co.uk/candidates/jo-penberthy/
DeleteFollowing her election Joanna Penberthy told The Times that she was a "proud Corbynista who unwinds by cheering on former shadow chancellor Ed Balls on Strictly Come Dancing."
You accuse me of jumping to a "particular conclusion" which "impugns her" but you overlook the far more important point about the security risks posed by the 'Corbynista'.
I did not mention the issue of abortion.
Thanks. As I said, I did not know her history; but I think she intends what she says now to be heard on its own merits rather than with reference to that history.
DeleteI am not, of course, in a position to judge any current - rather than former - security risk that Corbyn may present.
I accept that you didn't mention abortion, I now see that that was another contributor. Having said that, it strikes me that there are Christians, certainly those on the Evangelical Right in America, who would refuse to vote for a candidate purely because of their stance on that matter and irrespective of everything else; similarly it seems that there are folk who, in this election, will cast their vote purely according to what their candidate says about Brexit.
I am certainly not on the right, although I do read the bible, but I would not vote for a 'pro-abortion' (or pro-baby-killing) candidate. Many Roman Catholics also believe killing babies is wrong, but that does not make them part of "the Evangelical Right in America" - a phrase deliberately designed to paint bible readers as intolerant bigots.
DeleteEven some feminists think that allowing the killing of female babies leading to a gender imbalance is not a good idea.
In the video I found myself distracted by the array of electric sockets on the wall behind Her Ladyship (if male bishops are still lordships, that is presumably correct for their female equivalents). Her speech was singularly devoid of spiritual content (surprise, surprise) and filled instead with the sort of sentiments (and delivered in the same kind of tones: superficially friendly but with a bullying edge) one more naturally associates with certain varieties of social workers or minor bureaucrats who Know What is Best. I found myself wondering whether one of the sockets concealed by her person was connected to an electronic device which had taken over the real Dr Penberthy and was using her as its mouthpiece -- surely the real Bishop of St David's doesn't speak like that?
ReplyDeleteOh, Matthew, what a conundrum! Lord or Lady? You might be aware that people these days are allowed to self-identify. So who knows which epithet is correct? It's going to get worse too. University chancellors have decided that students should be allowed to choose their own skin colour. So the Bishop of St David's may self-identify as a black male bishop. Having said that, all the trips she makes to America to sit at the feet of Katherine Jefferts Schori, she may self-identify as a native American male bishop. Perhaps the only way forward would be to ring her and ask her how she does self-identify.
DeleteSeymour
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Thanks for the advice Joanna, I hope you too vote wisely and reject the anti-semitic infested Labour Party who will once again trash this country's economy and pauperize the most vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to end up in a country like Venezuela, vote for the unholy trinity of Abbott, Corbyn and McDonnell.
DeleteOn the other hand, treat the wench with the same contempt as over 50% did His --Darkness at the 2016 Referendum, ignore these non-entities and do what you like.
Your vote, your choice.
Now that Joanna has spoken it looks like Stephen Crabb's days are numbered.
ReplyDelete"How can you tell when a politician is lying?"
ReplyDelete"You can see their lips moving!"
Evangelical Ed
Surely, the same applies to bishops!??
DeleteI'm sure that Joanna Penberthy's counsel in this instance is correct and I shall certainly vote, as I've always done. The truly difficult part for me this time is to which political bunch I opt to lend my vote, because at present none of them comes close to enjoying my unreserved confidence.
ReplyDeleteI'm part of the way; there are political parties whose candidates I absolutely wouldn't support, and under 'first past the post' there's certainly an argument for backing the party best placed to defeat the candidate of the party I detest most! But then the party best placed to defeat the party I detest most hardly inspires my confidence either.
Still, over two more weeks to go before I have to make the final choice ... !
So what did I do wrong?
ReplyDeleteI did put in my user name ,but AB did not publish my contribution!
Sorry to read that Simple soul. I have always valued your contributions. The simple answer is that your comment has not been received. Please re-submit.
DeletePP.My postal vote arrived, 6 candidates. I see what Dr Penberthy means, a matter of conscious and prayer. Is it wise for the Lady Spiritual to make comment? I think so. Given recent concerns raised by other faiths, it's good to find a Christian leader at least making opinion.
ReplyDeleteIf as suggested this podcast is misguided then an air of caution is needed, but there is no evidence of influencing voters, just a little light on the path.
This election is by far one that will cause significant change one way or the other, as the leaders of parties seem to lead blindly with falsehoods and misguided values. With great prayer and supplication the Christian has a duty of care to place that cross in the box.
A whole lot of babble asking for qualities in candidates which they would all say they had. So very flimsy and entirely pointless - descriptions she could apply to her own ministry.
ReplyDeleteLW
I agree I'm afraid LW. It was condescending twaddle, lecturing to adults things they are very well aware of already.
ReplyDelete