Anarchists, humanists and religionists united

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." 2 Cor. 6:17

A 'Rainbow' Alliance

What with all the public concerns about the planet, politics, war, economics, poverty and injustice there is plenty for folks to get upset about. However these issues — some real others perhaps ‘manufactured’— are causing some very eclectic and possibly problematic alliances to form across what would normally be insurmountable ideological barriers.

With the G20 summit in progress a new grouping calling itself 'Put People First' has formed to include organisations and interest groups which are united by common but superficial factors – they are all concerned (about one thing or another) and they are all (to one degree or another) angry.

An unholy alliance

But those who are diving into these groupings of co-belligerents without giving due consideration to what, or with whom they are becoming involved, could be heading for big trouble. A diverse range of concerns can result in an anarchic and hydra-headed monster comprising of religions and ideologies that are – in their core beliefs and values – at best incompatible with and, at worst violently hostile to, one another. Yet these fundamental differences are, for the sake of expediency, being glossed over in order to give a semblance of ‘common cause’ and provide a common platform for political and street-level action.

Evangelical Christians joining in the fray

From a Christian standpoint the worrying factor in all of this is the number of Christian organisations which are jumping into the explosive mix.

From a biblical perspective moves of this sort are warned against in the strongest possible terms (Is 30:1-3; 2 Cor. 6:14-17) and the Old Testament narrative is replete with stories of woe whereby the Jewish kings from time to time made expedient alliances with surrounding (pagan) nations. And these nations similarly formed alliances against God’s people on the basis of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. This dynamic is described in Matthew’s gospel where we see the Pharisees and the Herodians who normally hated each other mounting a joint attack on Jesus (Matt. 22:15-16)

What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

So in our day we are now seeing religionists chanting hate towards British soldiers, marching alongside trade unionists, anarchists, environmentalists and humanitarian aid groups in demonstrating (sometimes violently) against public policies and government actions— but with a seeming disregard for the fact that the these various groupings are focussed respectively on widely varying issues which may bear no relation to one another; and indeed would normally be poles apart.

However, as already mentioned, the very sad and dangerous development – from spiritual, political and societal standpoints – is the readiness with which 'Christian' (the word nowadays is devoid of meaning) organisations are becoming part of it all. Whilst God is indeed concerned with peace, justice and righteousness there are strong biblical warnings against the associations currently being formed.

The newly-formed ‘Put People First’ group includes the following ‘Supporter organisations’ [emphasis added]:

ACORD # ActionAid # AJCC # ADD # ACTSA # Advocacy International # Akina Mama Wa Africa # AMREF UK # Article 12 in Scotland # ASLEF # ATL # Avaaz # BECTU # BIF # BOND # BOVA # BRAC UK # Bretton Woods Project # Cafédirect # CAFOD # CCC # CBM # CDD # CAWN # CSP # Change is Coming # Childhope # Christian Aid # CEL # CND # COIN # Compass # Concern Worldwide (UK) # Co-operative News # Connect # CWU # Dalit Solidarity Network UK # Defend Council Housing # DoSomethingAboutIt # Down2Earth # EAP # ECCR # Ekklesia # Engineers Against Poverty # EQUITY # Everychild # Fairtrade Foundation # Fatima Women's Network # FBU # Find Your Feet # Footprint Friends # Friends of the Earth # GardenAfrica # GCAP # GMB # Green New Deal Group # Greenpeace # Health Unlimited # HelpAge International # Hives Save Lives # Interact Worldwide # InterHealth # International Service # John MacMurray Fellowship # Jubilee Debt Campaign # Justice for Colombia # LabourStart # Lattitude # Learning for Life # Merlin # Micah Challenge UK # MRDF # Musicians Union # Muslim Council of Britain # NAPO # NASUWT # NCVO # NEF # No Sweat # NPJG # Novas Scarman # NPC # NSC # NUJ # NUS # NUT # One # One World Action # 100 Months # Operation Noah # Oxfam # Pants to Poverty # PCS # People and Planet # Performers Without Borders # PSG # Plan UK # Priced Out # Progressio # Project Hope UK # Prospect # Red Pepper # RHM # RMT # Salvation Army # Save the Children # SCIAF # SEAD # Share the World's Resources # Shelter # Sightsavers # Skillshare International # SOAS Activists' Forum # SoR # SPEAK # Stamp Out Poverty # STOP AIDS Campaign # Stop Climate Chaos # Sudanese Women for Peace # Synergy Centre # Tax Justice Network # Tax Research LLP # Teach a Man to Fish # Tearfund # The Bihar Development Foundation UK # The Other Tax Payers' Alliance # The Rights Practice # Thirty-eight degrees # TFSR # Tourism Concern # Trade Justice Movement # TUC # Trading Visions # Traidcraft # Transnational Institute # TSSA # UCATT # UCU # UK Aid Network # UNISON # UNITE # United Nations Association # UPSU # USDAW # VSO # War on Want # WCIA # WILPF # Womankind Worldwide # WOW # World Development Movement # World Vision # WWF

References:

Put People First

"Anarchists and climate campaigners have joined forces to carry a message to world leaders meeting in London" - The Guardian

Christians Together, 02/04/2009