Easter weekend brought the usual pious words from popes and prelates, while war and suffering continues unabated around the world. There are a lot of Christian people who are busy doing good works, often at great risk to themselves. But they get on with it quietly without seeking publicity or praise.
Then there are the hypocrites and charlatans who see nothing wrong with allowing the moneylenders into the temple. Indeed some of them combine money lending and speculation with religion and see nothing wrong with it. Take Jacob Rees-Mogg for example.
The response on Twitter was predictable and bang on the money – Rees-Mogg’s money, that is. Most of us don’t have any money thanks to all the other things that have risen, courtesy of this government, who get no Alleluias from us. This tweet summed up the mood.
Then there was the unfortunate coincidence of The Archbishop of Canterbury in his Easter message condemning the government for the cost of living crisis and for its latest plans to transport refugees to Rwanda.
Government’s Rwanda Plan Is ‘Against The Judgment Of God’, Archbishop Of Canterbury Declares
Government’s Rwanda Plan Is ‘Against The Judgment Of God’, Archbishop Of Canterbury Declares (ladbible.com)
Or as it was pointed out on Twitter,
Left wing Twitter seemed more familiar with the Bible than Rees-Mogg. There were parodies of the Sermon on the Mount and quotes from the Bible.
Jesus Christ: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1.
https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1515722711124828169?s=20&t=x1NSrzoW2cAe0_rSV7EP5Q
Then were was this from the Jack Monroe @BootstrapCook who confessed to being a Sunday School teacher in another life. (Disclosure: so was I.)
Jesus would have flipped a table and driven you out of the temple. FYI “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” – Titus 1:16.
https://twitter.com/BootstrapCook/status/1515600903532863489?s=20&t=x1NSrzoW2cAe0_rSV7EP5Q
Its almost as if the Tories have their own translation of the Bible which tells them that everything they do is blessed by God when we know it is just the opposite. I say, “If.” Critical Mass regular Luke Andreski claims to have discovered an alternative translation of the Ten Commandments, as used by the Tories. Luke is an ethical man. He has even written books about ethical philosophy. So I believe him. He tried to share the news with our sister publication, the Sunday Socialist, but missed the deadline. So with his permission I have resurrected it here.
The Ten Commandments
Conservative Party of Great Britain Translation
I
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image
But idolising greed and power is ok
II
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain
But hypocritically claiming to be worshipful and Christian when you’re anything but is ok
III
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy
Let the poor work on Sundays to profit the rich
IV
Honour thy father and thy mother
But allow them to be impoverished by the Elderly Care profiteers
V
Thou shalt not murder
Except by remote-controlled drone, as collateral damage in foreign wars or in state sanctioned killings
VI
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Unless you are in the Tory Cabinet
VII
Thou shalt not steal
Except from the public purse or the poor
VIII
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour
Smears and lies against anyone who confronts the establishment are ok
IX
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house
/Just rent it to them at extortionate rates
X
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife or his slaves, or his animals, or anything of thy neighbour
Business is business, suck it up
Life long socialist. Now retired, I have been an office junior, a bookseller, a docker and a teacher. I write a lot and read a lot more. Committed member of the Society of Authors, English PEN and the National Education Union. Uncommitted member of the Labour Party. Will they expel me before my direct debit expires?