Thinking and praying about truth

Love ... does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. (Corinthians 13:6) (NRSV)

Politicians of every shade are seeking to persuade us that theirs are the best policies, that they are the ones who are most able to lead and govern our country. As Christians, we are likely to have a broad range of views about which are more deserving of our support, but one thing we can hold in common is the desire to see policies and decisions that are based on truth.

In 2013 Baptists, Methodists, the Church of Scotland and the United Reformed Church published a report The lies we tell ourselves – It sought to highlight how at times particular policies and public opinion can be swayed by distortions and caricatures of particular people in our society; how statistics can often be selectively used to support a particular political agenda. We have also witnessed an alarming rise in dishonesty and dubious practices which in turn have had catastrophic consequences for our economy and financial institutions.

When the prophets of the Old Testament reflected on the state of their society, one of their recurring laments was a widespread departure from truth and honesty – Isaiah the prophet declares:

           Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands at a distance;  
This election campaign, whatever our political opinion, we want to make sure that truth is placed at the heart of the agenda. The prophet Isaiah recognised that when truth is eroded, injustice quickly follows. By acting together and speaking with one voice, supported by national and regional initiatives we can seek to ensure that truth does not stumble or become lost in our political debates. This is one way we can follow Christ’s call to love our neighbour by the way in which we use our right to vote.
 

 Prayer: