A Political Phase

I haven't been blogging much in the last couple of months. One of the reasons for this is that I haven't been that well. I've had quite a few colds and then hay fever, the odd chest infection, and most recently I got a molar tooth out and its been infected and sore as well. I'm hoping to have a better second half of the year than I have in the first half healthwise.

The other reason I haven't been blogging much is because I've been reading more. I've always been interested in politics and current affairs and have been reading some more political books. I have always believed there is a strong link between faith and politics. I suppose I wanted to test out what I believed about politics and how I saw the gospel impacting on political views. I read material from across the political spectrum from right wing Thatcherites and Neoconservatives through Liberal, Socialist and Marxist thinkers.

In the end, having tried to see what is good and bad in all systems I came back to pretty close to where I started - I'm in the Centre of the political spectrum on most issues. My wife summed up my views more succinctly than I ever could myself. She said something like "You think that to be a really Right-wing conservative is incompatible with the gospel." I guess that is so.

There are a few political opinion tests and questionnaires I found useful online. If you want to think about your political views and where you stand, check out the following websites.

http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/

http://www.politicalcompass.org/index

http://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz