When Jeremy Hunt delivered his Autumn Budget yesterday he mentioned his Party’s compassion and spoke of British compassion. I was taken aback and suddenly images of the Slave trade that once was our main industry and the foundation of Empire. I thought of the often cruel policies of the East India Dock Company.
Compassion is defined in one Dictionary as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Yes we have a Health and Universal Credit system that cares for us all and though free at point of call for all is paid for by all. We fail to see compassion flexed in our Judicial system as access to that is denied by cost to many and mercy in judgments are predominantly overridden by legal precedents. In the Church compassion is rarely seen and there was nothing compassionate in the abuse that flowed out of many, preying on the vulnerable whilst praying elsewhere. Hypocrisy destroys compassion, two faced let’s face it.
As a nation we can hardly label ourselves as compassionate and Hunt is wrong to speak of ‘ British compassion ‘ as the emotion is hardly a national trait. Concern for others is singular and there are many in our Community that genuinely exercise their compassion. There are 21 references in the Bible of Christ’s compassion none more poignant and shown at the tomb of Lazarus as he brings him back to life when He sees the women weep.
Compassion comes automatically from the heart and is freely given at the point of need. Seeing need and responding to it completes, seeing need and doing nothing sucks. Politicizing it as Hunt does reminds me of Shakespeare’ line ‘ thou doth protest too much ‘. Cleverly crafted and delivered by the plausible fresh faced Jeremy convinced many but was flawed. Hunt told us also ‘ We want Scandinavian quality alongside Singaporean efficiency, both better outcomes for citizens and better value for taxpayers ‘. As he did I thought of my Swedish Ikea bed that I assembled only to collapse , I thought of the Singapore Sovereign Fund who lost £300m this week when investing in FTX the sham Crypto ( mentioned in an earlier blog ) .. Scandinavia quality and Singapore efficiency really Jeremy ?
Compassion is out there the Compassionate exist and you can show it today to someone somewhere. However don’t expect to see it flow from your Town Hall or from the Palaces of Westminster. Find it within you and give freely of yourself. ‘ Freely as you received, freely give’ Matthew 10 verse 8, now that’s compassionate Jeremy. ,
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