Ten unique messages on the election – for churches
Our thanks to Shine TV / Rhema Media for the creation/editing of these videos.
- Three things required for a democracy to survive:
Part 1/3. The people must be MORAL (1.33mins) - Three things required for a democracy to survive:
Part 2/3. The people must be INFORMED (2.23mins) - Three things required for a democracy to survive:
Part 3/3. The people must be INVOLVED (2.40mins) - Religion, morality and politics – quoting Ben Franklin and Edmund Burke (1.23mins)
- A politicians regard for God is our only safety – quoting Solzhenitsyn (1.30mins)
- Ronald Reagan – It’s the up and down that matters, not left and right (2.21mins)
- The limitation of powers (& therefore faith) essential to freedom – with Woodrow Wilson & C.S. Lewis (2.14mins)
- The New Zealand Parliament’s first debate (1854) (1.30mins)
- On what basis should we choose who we vote for? (1.39mins)
- Where did the left and the right of our politics come from? (1.49mins)
Making sense of our Democracy
- What is a Democracy? (0.58mins)
- What does the Bible say about God’s ideal for Government on earth? (7.40mins)
- Can you imagine a bureaucracy-free and tax-free welfare system? (1.59mins)
- Where do our cultural ideas about human rights come from? (4.22mins)
- How did these great democratic freedoms become ours? (4.57mins)
- Is this a ‘Christian’ nation? (1.36mins)
- How are a nation’s freedoms typically lost in history? (7.12mins)
- The challenging ethics of socialism (1.14mins)
- Why Plato rejected Democracy (and Capitalism) as a bad idea (3.09mins)
- How are we to make sense of ‘left vs right’ today? (7.47mins)
The Christian and Politics
- Prophets of Socialism (10.14mins)
- Why is Socialism attractive? (3.22mins)
- Socialism vs Communism (1.30mins)
- Communism vs Fascism (4.23mins)
- Socialism vs Capitalism (6.59mins)
- What to do if both socialism and capitalism can fail? (8.01mins)
Ten unique messages on the election – for churches
Three things required for a democracy to survive: #1/3 The people must be MORAL
Our political parties only put out their various promises because they know that we – the people, are no longer moral. Many are looking for what will benefit them personally, while what we should be looking for is what will benefit our nation the most – and with a long term view.
Three things required for a democracy to survive: #2/3 The people must be INFORMED
Public media is known as the ‘fourth estate’. It is supposed to be separate from Government – and impartial. However, when this is compromised, a nation is in trouble. The only hope is for the people is to become truly intelligent – to seek out the policies of the parties, and to study the character of the politicians. If they do not, history shows in clear form that large populations can be duped – because even Communist nations have elections!
Three things required for a democracy to survive: #3/3 The people must be INVOLVED
No matter how far a nation slides from the beliefs and values that enable human freedom and just democracy there is hope. Why? The fact that Christian influence and values in the past managed to turn our political systems from comparative tyranny to freedom demonstrates that it could happen again! The importance of being involved (though only if we are moral and informed) is therefore clear, and here are three ways that we can be involved…
Religion, morality and politics – quoting Ben Franklin and Edmund Burke
Human freedoms are unsustainable if there is no moral character. To sustain these freedoms the root question is therefore, where does the kind of moral character come from in history that produces the kinds of human freedoms we have experienced?
A politicians regard for God is our only safety – quoting Solzhenitsyn
Having suffered under communism, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn concluded that both sides of the political isle would result in human suffering – if ‘untouched by the breath of God.’ Why? And does history back this up?
Ronald Reagan – It’s the up and down that matters, not left and right
While differences in the policies of the left and right are real, both can succumb to the deception of secular sociology – believing human nature to be good, and humans capable of fixing their problems. In contrast, the stories of history reveal a myriad of Governments and rulers who had no regard for God – these tell a story! What actually protects the common people? It’s rarely discussed.
The limitation of powers (& therefore faith) essential to freedom – with Woodrow Wilson & C.S. Lewis
If we study human freedom in history, what do we find? Stories of Greek and Italian democracies are often misunderstood as the backdrop to our democracy – while in reality the majority of their people were still in poverty or slaves, without a vote. The kinds of freedom and prosperity we have experienced are different entirely, and are a recent feature of history – based instead on the inherent value of every individual, ‘created in the image of God’ (Genesis 1:27). This audio reflects the reflections of two scholars pointing on what it was in history that enabled the ‘tree of freedom’ we have benefitted from to grow.
The New Zealand Parliament’s first debate (1854)
While modern narratives suggest we are ‘secular’ (the word having different meanings to different people), our beginnings – whether at the signing of Te Tiriti, or in the first sitting of Parliament in 1854 – tell a different story. To be ‘secular’ back then actually meant to be of ‘no particular Christian denomination’. The idea that we would be a ‘Christian’ nation, shaped by the Christian values of justice, equality and fairness was never in question (though this isn’t to deny we’ve had some cataclysmic failures along the way).
On what basis should we choose who we vote for?
In short, its best not to decide who to vote for on the basis of tradition, promises, what benefits us personally, what others think, or what seem rational at the time on the basis of public media reporting. Our decisions are more wisely made on the basis of two things: The actual policies of the political parties, and the moral character (‘principles’) of the politicians. These things are like the ink of the pen that writes our future!
Where did the left and the right of our politics come from?
In history this question takes us straight back to the seating arrangement of the French Parliament – prior to the French Revolution – which, to note an uncomfortably obvious point, resulted in the death of millions. A lesson that sits clearly here is that there is no perfect Government – but also that there are definitely better and worse options, and also that there are principles and beliefs that history shows to work out better for the wellbeing of the people than their alternatives!
Making Sense of our Democracy
Making sense of our Democracy
(THE FULL MESSAGE)
The full 38min message -which nearly all the above clips were extracted from. This message deliberately covered a range of areas in an attempt to shed some ‘big-picture’ light on the topic.
Segment 1: What is a Democracy? (0.58mins)
Understanding this starting point is essential – because this stands in contrast to the Governments not only of most nations throughout history – but also most nations on planet earth today!
Segment 2: What does the Bible say about God’s ideal for Government on earth? (7.40mins)
Many are unaware that God gave a template for Democracy in the Old Testament. Here are 13 points about God’s original plan for Israels Government!
Segment 3: Can you imagine a bureaucracy-free and tax-free welfare system? (1.59mins)
Repeating a short clip from the previous video – this video answers this question!
Segment 4: Where do our cultural ideas about human rights come from? (4.22mins)
Contrary to what many think, Human Rights are only real if God is real. Without God, they are arbitrary. And our definitions of human rights have a specific origin many haven’t recognised too.
Segment 5: How did these great democratic freedoms become ours? (4.57mins)
Hear a summary of what it took across a 2000 year period of time to deliver us the freedoms we have today!
Segment 6: Is this a ‘Christian’ nation? (1.36mins)
Repeating a short clip from the previous video – this video speaks to this question.
Segment 7: How are a nation’s freedoms typically lost in history? (7.12mins)
Tragically, freedoms have been lost many times. Communism alone established itself in an additional 45 ‘satellite’ nations during the Cold War. There is pattern to this – and 2500 years of history to the thinking behind how you can work to take control of a people, to rule them. It’s sobering, but important, information!
Segment 8: The challenging ethics of socialism (1.14mins)
From a Christian standpoint, humans were created special and have rights. Despite the claims of some to ‘work for equality for all’, the challenges is, ‘you can’t have your cake and also eat it’.
Segment 9: Why Plato rejected Democracy (and Capitalism) as a bad idea (3.09mins)
Plato lived before Jesus – and saw no hope for Democracy. We need to understand why because, while Jesus definitely changed things, on what basis do we expect the views of people who are rejecting the idea of God and faith in Jesus to be any different to Plato?
Segment 10: How are we to make sense of ‘left vs right’ today? (7.47mins)
This video is the all-important conclusion – bringing together all that is discussed prior.
The Christian and Politics
The Christian and Politics
(THE FULL MESSAGE)
This is ‘Part 2’ of Dave’s talk about the origins and values of democracy, and considers socialism, communism, fascism – and their comparisons to capitalism. What are the flaws? Which of these are redeemable – and how have we enabled a capitalistic democracy as well as we actually have (including freedom to own property, initiate a business – and to vote)… …to become one of the most free, equality-based and prosperous cultures not only in the world, but in history?
Segment 1: Prophets of Socialism (10.14mins)
Hear a summary of the ethics of socialistic as promoted by the likes of Machiavelli and Hegal amongst others – as then applied differently by Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler.
Segment 2: Why is Socialism attractive? (3.22mins)
Despite the terrible failure of socialism, with a death count greater than all religions combined the past 2000 years, it still attracts the young – and even in nations like ours. What’s going on?
Segment 3: Socialism vs Communism (1.30mins)
Hear a summary of the ethics of socialistic as promoted by the likes of Machiavelli and Hegal amongst others – as then applied differently by Karl Marx and Adolf Hitler.
Segment 4: Communism vs Fascism (4.23mins)
What’s the difference between Communism and Fascism – and how are they the same, because we’re told one if far-left and the other far-right, BUT they are both the result of socialistic teaching and values. What’s going on?
Segment 5: Socialism vs Capitalism (6.59mins)
In this messages most significant comparison – what’s the difference between Socialism and Capitalism? I’ve said the flaw of socialism is fatal. What of the huge flaw of Capitalism?
Segment 6: What to do if both socialism and capitalism can fail? (8.01mins)
Dave gives his conclusion: No political theory – whether connected with socialism and capitalism, has power to create or sustain democratic freedoms. We are in a free, prosperous in an equality-based society – with rare equal globally and in all of history for a reason. Might it be time to recognise this?