Thought for the Week

By Rev. Richard Walker – Vicar of St. John’s Church, Yeadon

ONE week ago, one of the most fascinating general elections in recent history concluded with a result few had expected at the start of the electioneering season. Mrs May’s claim that she was the ‘strong and stable’ leader the nation needed, was dealt a severe blow by Mr Corbyn’s call for a more just society and his ability to motivate younger voters to support him. Of course, manifesto mistakes, interview faux pas and non-attendance at televised debates all contributed to the changing fortunes of our political parties. But, it seems to me, that the media’s presentation of the party leaders also played a role.

Inevitably, every TV presenter, newspaper columnist and social media commentator has his or her own political bias. It struck me on a number of occasions how difficult it was to determine the truth behind certain policy statements and whether or not politicians were being represented fairly. In a world where soundbites speak more powerfully than reasoned argument, and the excitement of catching a politician out is greater than the desire to understand their message, we can end up with a very skewed version of the truth. It reminds me of Pilate’s famous question, “What is truth?” with which he concluded his interview of Jesus. It was a cynical expression of our inability to know the objective truths of any issue and an acknowledgement that, even two thousand years ago, people were more than willing to believe ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’.

All this could lead us to despair, were it not for the biblical revelation that God knows all things. He discerns the thoughts and intentions of every heart, and one day the truth will be clear for all to see. In the meantime, we must pray that God’s good purposes for our nation will come to pass through, or perhaps in spite of, the decisions of our elected leaders. And, we must continue to insist that truth and integrity be expressed by those in highest office and by those who work in the news industry. Such qualities are essential if we are to play our part in building a just, compassionate and prosperous society.