Religion in Barnet

Last year at the Mill Hill Music Festival Jazz Weekend, I got into conversation with Ex Edgware Times Editor and blogger Dennis Signy regarding "Mullah Permits" being issued to religious leaders in Barnet. All the years Dennis has spent in newspapers have taught him to spot a dodgy scheme from a mile off and this was certainly one he didn't like. In our discussions we concluded that the permits were a blatent attempt by the ruling party to curry favour with the religious establishment in Barnet. A trip to Mike Freer's Finchley Conservatives gallery shows pictures taken with Orthodox Rabbi's, Swami's, outside Mosques and by the wailing wall and other religious sites in the Holy Land. His Leaderlistens.com blog also details his meeting with Roman Catholics at the St Edward the Confessor Church in Finchley.

The question I ask myself as I peruse these sites is "Why are local politicians so keen to be photographed with faith leaders?" Is it because they have a deep long term interest in spiritual enlightenment or is it because they think they'll get a few votes? Now it is clearly right and proper for Mike Freer to engage with all parts of the community in Barnet - Hindu's, Catholics, Jews, Muslims etc. What bothers me is that whilst he's happy to have the smiley pictures on the website, he seems far less inclined to tell us where he stands on certain issues which are central to the faith debate.

If someone says "I don't do religion" then thats fine but if their website is plastered with its surely the very least they owe us is to explain their views.

I'd like to know what Mike had to say about the following subjects:-

With the Roman Catholics - Does Mike support the current Abortion Laws?
With the Muslims - What are Mike's views on Sharia law?
With Jewish Leaders - What are his views on Israel?
With the Hindu's - What are Mike's views on arranged marriages?

If you are going to play the religion card so openly on your websites then I think you have to come out and tell us what you think on controversial issues. For all I know Mike has views with which I totally agree on all of these subjects, but there's nothing on the site to go with the smiling pictures.

An even worse example is on Matthew Offords Hendon Conservatives website and I it found quite upsetting in a religious context. There is this picture of Offord on the Gallery page with the following caption :-

Matthew at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp with Conservative Shadow Minister Rt Hon. Francis Maude MP

I don't know about you, but I find this photo used in this context highly distasteful. If the picture was of him somberly laying a wreath with a caption such as "Councillor Offord pays his respects to the untold millions who perished here under Nazi tyranny", it would be appropriate, but two politicians standing together, smirking in the snow, as if they're standing in front of a normal tourist sight with no mention of the significance of the terrible place is, to my mind awful. Matthew Offord seems to be saying "I'm getting my picture taken with a bigwig at a tourist attraction". It's not a crime, but it shows extremely poor judgement.

I must confess that I am sick to death of pictures of Barnet Politicians in churches, Mosques and Synogogues. I don't mind if they are believers and are there for a good reason but I'm sick of all the sucking up to the religious vote. Given that they clearly think there's votes to be had in the practice, I doubt it will stop any time soon. Can I suggest that if any candidate turns up on your doorstep and in any way tries to use religion to get your vote, ask them a difficult faith related question. If you don't like their answer tell them where to go.

I'm of the opinion that religious worship is something that is private and personal. I see no harm in people saying they have taken a stand because of their faith, but this is something entirely different. If they want to impress us do it by example not with these pictures.