Mark Keown

How would it be possible for a Christian party to get traction in NZ now? I really have my doubts that it could even if there were the will. It would require all the Christians to work together, which seems impossible. Look at the current situation with 4 parties, 3 of whom polled beneath Legalise Cannabis and the Bill and Ben party! Even then, it would require getting 5% of NZer's to agree to vote for them and/or get an electorate seat or two. Getting 5% seems an aweful long way off when the combined vote was 2.8%! Peter Dunne may get another crack in the future, but he was close to losing this time. Can he pull off another one? Plus, he can't go on forever. The smaller parties have built themselves, in the main, off disaffected mainline party MP's (Anderton, Dunne, Peters) who have pulled the plug on the parties and gone alone. Are there others who could come out of the mainstream to work with Dunne and the other Christians? They would have to be high profile, safe seat p...

So the results are in for the 2008 election. As it was looking throughout the campaign, National are in control of the country and the reign of Helen is over after 9 years. Well done John Key. He has a tough job, the economy is not in a good state and so, leading this nation, blown hither and thither on the winds of the world powers will be a challenge. Here's hoping that they can manage the economy well through this time and that they can build a stronger NZ. What really interested me was the performance of the 'Christian' parties. Here is a little table comparing their election night performances (these are not final, but the scene will not change that much): National Party 951,145 45.45 Labour Party 706,666 33.77 Green Party 134,622 6.43 ACT New Zealand 77,843 3.72 Mäori Party 46,894 2.24 Jim Anderton's Progressive 19,536 0.93 United Future 18,629 0.89 New Zealand First Party 88,072 4.21 Kiwi Party 11,659 0.56 The Bill and Ben Party 10,738 0.51 Aotearoa Legalise Cann...

I see there is a poll running in the NZ Herald which asks readers to vote on whether churches or other religious organisations have a legitimate part to play in elections. As I write the poll is running 74% against this. My initial reaction is to say, get lost! Who says that religious groups don't have a part to play? The principle of democracy is that anyone in the nation can have a part to play. Any group or organisation can participate in the political system. Whether we like it or not, politics is open to all the people and we should, like all people, be in! It shows that NZ is beset with a dualistic mindset. Religion and politics must be separated! This is a hoax of course. Authentic faith affects all of life and is not just a private vertical spiritual matter. True faith is about all of life and so true Christians will be deeply involved with involvement in the politcal sphere to see it reflecting the glory of God. This is a stunning result really and shows that we have to wo...