Shock horror. It’s not a joke, I did indeed vote Tory in the election this past Thursday. If you can stomach that (which most of you should be able to, after all they did win the most votes) there is a serious point, or perhaps question, I’d like to pose. Should our faith dictate the way we vote?

This question is quite separate to the question as to whether our faith does effect us when we come to mark our ballot papers. That is almost certainly true and natural and the Politicians know it, but should we look to our religion, solely, to guide us once we enter the privacy of our polling booth? After voting in the election on Thursday I was speaking to a friend and at hearing that I voted for the Conservative Party he proceeded to throw the book at me…God’s book. Apparently I had done something wrong, not only in the his eyes, the eyes of the Anti-Conservative movement and the Unionists and anybody else you can think of other than the super-rich sipping on chilled drinks on their yachts in the middle of the Carribean…but in God’s eyes too. I had committed a sin and would have to answer to God on the Day of Reckoning. Taken aback I was. His argument was that as a Muslim, it was my duty to vote in line with the teachings of my faith; for justice, for equality and against oppression and greed, so not Tory, in his opinion. But let us take out the variables for just a moment; your particular Political sympathies, your faith and its teaching as to what is right.

Should the fear of God and his wrath compel us to vote in a certain way. I argue that it should not, and that faith should not enter the political spectrum when we go to vote. As I look at UK Politics over the last few years or indeed the last few decades I struggle to find any compatibility with any self respecting faith and dignified values. Are some factions worse than the others? Of course they are…BNP, my eyes are on you, but looking at the Political class as a whole, justifying your vote for one particular Party with the support of your religion to me seems to be a tough case to make convincingly. In this Political system whilst some are worse than others, it is generally agreed that they are all bad. All the main Parties have been lying to the public without any shame for the last month, so lending our votes in support of them and their aspirations is not entirely moral or correct when examined under the lens of God’s teaching of honesty and respect, are they?

Now of course there is the argument of voting for the ‘lesser evil’, compromising on our beliefs to vote for the best of a bad bunch. I can see the logic behind this, it’s a tactical voting of sorts, not too dissimilar from the type Gordon Brown was so desperate for us to indulge in, yet to me it withers away pathetically once more if we want to vindicate ourselves with the backing of God. In religion there is no space for compromise, what is written is written and what is commanded of us is certain. For example, voting Lib Dem over Tory (If of course you think that is a more ‘moral’ thing to do which is a completely different debate all together!) with a view to pleasing God to me is tantamount to punching someone once as opposed to punching them twice, it is wrong to do it all.

So I left my faith at the polling stations doorstep, proceeded to enter, claim my ballot and right to vote, and did so on the basis of getting the Labour government out of power because quite frankly these last few years and wars have been a joke. Did I please God by voting to evict a Government that has no doubt committed great sin during its reign? Or did I throw myself closer to the fires of hell by voting for a Government that may be about to do the very same. Catch 22 they call it.

Is the answer not voting at all? Hung Parliament they say? Then hang them all!

Farhat Raza

Share on Facebook