My membership came up for renewal a couple of weeks back. I put off renewing until after payday for entirely practical reasons. I had been on a bit of a "Lib Dem high" of late with the Lib Dem fightback rhetoric and the prospect of a new leader. I even decided to defend my choice for leader, Tim Farron, from some attacks on his record on same-sex marriage.
How quickly my mood can change. I must be very fickle. But in the wake of his interview with Cathy Newman on Channel 4, I can no longer force myself to give Tim Farron the benefit of the doubt. I'd done that after serious concerns before and this... this is the straw that broke the camel's back.
If someone asked me "Do you think practicing Christianity is stupid?", I'd say no. So I'm not really sure I share others nuanced views of Farron's inability to answer a similar question about homosexuality and sin. I get the theological arguments. I get that "it's complicated" probably is a good answer for a short interview and expressing his views might take forever. But really, ultimately, it is a yes or no question. The fact he couldn't answer broke my liberal heart. How different things are under Farron than under Clegg...
But far worse than his interview has been watching Lib Dems engage in theological and philosophical debates over homosexuality, stretching partisan apologia into the realms of Christian apologists. This just isn't the party I thought it was. I got it wrong, I'm sure the party is the same as ever.
As some have said "Well you didn't mind Kennedy?". I didn't. But I thought the way Clegg dealt with religion and sexuality was a breath of fresh air. I've been spoilt and obviously ruined.
I'd say one of my personal fundamental red lines is "homosexuality is not a sin". I cannot follow a man who believes otherwise or refuses to take a stand on that stance. Thus I won't be renewing my lapsed membership. I hope, for this country's sake, the Lib Dems prosper and flourish under Tim Farron's leadership. I see no other party even close to matching my political beliefs. But I won't be there to prosper along side you.
5 comments:
The reaction of Lib Dem "online activists" to Farron's refusal to say "No" to that question is truly depressing.
Some there are, evidently, whose rationale is "my party, right or wrong." They defended Clegg's toeing of the Tory line on that basis, and now they'll defend Farron's views on social issues, no matter how illiberal they are,
Equally depressing is the reaction of those who were opposed to Clegg in the last parliament. Now they've got rid of him, and now that their anti-Cleggite figurehead has prevailed, they feel an equal compulsion to defend whatever he says, even if it constitutes (albeit by implication) a gross insult to a large section of their natural supporters.
All this is political tribalism at its worst, and no doubt it will confirm those of us who left the party because of Clegg, and resisted the temptation to rejoin it after his resignation, in our opinions.
"But far worse than his interview has been watching Lib Dems engage in theological and philosophical debates over homosexuality, stretching partisan apologia into the realms of Christian apologists. This just isn't the party I thought it was. I got it wrong, I'm sure the party is the same as ever."
Well, I don't think it's the party it was.
When I tried to post a comment about this on one Lib Dem blog, the comment wasn't published, but the owner responded that even someone who believed interracial sex was immoral could be a liberal, provided they stood for legal equality!
You are being profoundly silly.
I have no time for Tim's personal views on sin - which as an atheist I think is a non-concept - but I will defend to the death his right to hold those personal views, just as long as they don't lead him to interfere with other's, especially gay people's, rights to their own personal lives.
Indeed, his ability to simultaneously hold the view that some personal behaviour is morally wrong and the view that he has no right to interfere with that behaviour, is pure liberalism.
I hope you will reconsider.
I agree with Denis. Tim's ability to simultaneously hold the view that some personal behaviour is morally wrong and the view that he has no right to interfere with that behaviour, is pure liberalism.
You wrote,
**I hope, for this country's sake, the Lib Dems prosper and flourish under Tim Farron's leadership. I see no other party even close to matching my political beliefs.**
If you really believe this, then your following sentence about "not being there to prosper alongside us" doesn't make sense.
Please reconsider and renew your membership.
Anyway the Leader is important but (s)he is not the Party.
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