The Anti-Manichaeist

I am thankful for the wisdom of my sisters and brothers in Christ over in Britain, who have a Christians in Politics website offering advice that it would behoove for us in the US to take seriously.

PRINCIPLES FOR POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
These principles are offered for political involvement:
Be an insider. Be tactical. Be patient. Be a person of integrity.

“BE AN INSIDER” Why wait until elections arrive to stand up for your beliefs? Real influence comes from working inside political parties. By being a party member you have a direct say in choosing local and national candidates and electing the party leader. You can also participate in policy discussions or even stand for office yourself. Some people choose active involvement; others attend only very important meetings. It’s your choice but isn’t it time that your voice was heard?
“BE TACTICAL” It may not be possible for you to change the world but solid achievements are possible if you set realistic goals. At a local level you can improve street lighting in a crime blackspot or can improve the goverance of a school. At a national level you can campaign for better recognition of faith-based social projects or for faster debt relief for the world’s poor. It’s certainly better than doing nothing! After all, Edmund Burke once warned - ‘All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing’.
“BE PATIENT” You won’t achieve much overnight. William Wilberforce - the leading campaigner for the abolition of the evil slave trade - gave forty years of his life to this great cause. If something is worth fighting for, it’s worth persevering for, too.
“BE A PERSON OF INTEGRITY” Politics is a noble calling but not currently held in high public regard. It needs more men and women of integrity to lift its standing. Men and women who are committed to justice and liberty; who act in ways that are consistent with what they say. Who treat their colleagues and their constituents with respect and honesty.