GUEST BLOG: Ben Morgan – Beware the Puritans
Alfred Ngaro and Brian Tamaki’s recent announcements that they intend to form right-wing Christian conservative parties should give us all pause for thought. Shit, already we are fighting the modern Puritanism of ‘woke’ Millennials. Now we have to sound the drums to battle an older foe, one we thought had long since collapsed under Reason’s onslaught.
The word Puritan is from the English Reformation. When Henry VIII separated the Anglican Church from the Catholic Church many English Protestants believed that new church was still too Catholic. That it was not ‘pure’ enough, they thought the new Church should promote hard work and devotion to God and the state should censure anything frivolous like; drinking, dancing, music, fornication and wearing colourful clothes. Puritan’s frowned on anything that was fun!
Elizabeth I was crowned, and ruled England for a prosperous 70 years, she wasn’t stupid and the Puritans were kept in check. England was merry and rich. But Puritans lurk in the shadows waiting for their opportunity. The English Civil War 40 years after Elizabeth’s death saw the rise of the Puritans. Out of the chaos a strict Puritan, Oliver Cromwell, created a ‘New Model’ army. One strict in virtue and powerful on the battlefield that swept the Royalists aside. In the process England lost art treasures, books and people were terrorised as the Puritan government enforced strict religious and moral codes mercilessly. Anything Popish like art or beautiful churches was destroyed.
Sounds familiar eh. Think of Afghanistan, once a liberal sensible place where Hippies went to smoke weed and party with girls in mini-skirts. But war and social disorder opened the door for the Talib Puritans. Who also work hard destroying art and books.
Nazi Germany was a Puritanical state. Not religious Puritanism. More of a logic defying social puritanism similar to today’s ‘woke’ social justice campaigns. Social disorder and the failure of the reasoned and rational to defend their liberties in Germany allowed these weirdoes to triumph.
Therein lies the problem with Puritans, their raison d’etries is tell other people what to think, what to say and how to live their lives. But when you scrape away the dogma mostly Puritanism is about power and control. Those with superior ‘purity’ telling other people what to do. Whether it is Protestants in the 17th century, Taliban thugs or millennial whingers the bottom line of any puritanical movement is ‘we are morally superior and you should do what we say”.
And they wait in the shadows for an opportunity to take power. The scariest thing about Mr Tamaki and Ngaro’s statements are that our society has reached a point that these Puritans believe that they will get traction in the electorate. Puritans are not a feature of happy societies. Puritans rise in times of stress and tension. So why is the old foe (Christian Puritanism) coming out of the shadows again.
That is a difficult question but I think that it is reaction against the excesses of the social justice movement. The ‘woke’ generation’s persistent whinging and self-entitlement is easily ridiculed. The illogical claims made by social justice campaigners scare normal people and drive them to look for solutions at the fringes.
The civic discourse is supposed to be a rational expression of ideas but is becoming a ‘four legs good – two legs bad’ contest of poorly reasoned dogmas shouted at each other. The calls to ban Jordan Peterson from speaking because – Why? He has ideas some people find challenging. Demonstrate how silly things are becoming. When progressive people behave this way it promotes extremism and drives normal people to consider voting for a solid Christian conservative. When they have a voice in government get ready for our rights to be eroded.
Our ancestors fought for the rights that we take for granted. Continue this kaupapa. use the ‘rights of the enlightenment’; rationality, reason, free speech to contest all Puritan agendas. But do it in a sensible, logical way that does not drive people into the arms of the weirdoes on the fringes!
Ben Morgan
A free-thinking, Gen X aspiring to write. Seeing some bad places means I value love and reason more than most.
Particularly interested in moral and constitutional issues and encouraging a more reasoned civic discourse.
These people aren’t a step forward they are a step backwards and after listening to their new leader i think they are making a big mistake again by entering politics. I also think they are not politicians they are church leaders and i can see a can of worms bring opened ( on moral issues)
that will distract from our bread and butter issues like housing, education, mental health and we don’t need this.
” distract from our bread and butter issues like housing, education, mental health and we don’t need this.” Yes, plus all health issues, and it is already distracting.
Abortion is an issue which has always been subjected to emotive sensationalism and downright lies by those determined to force others to think the way they do.
The same righteous indignation was not displayed about kids living in cars, and in fact the Nat Govt continuously denied that there was a housing crisis, while causing it. So there is a cherry-picking of issues going on here.
Everyone is entitled to their religious beliefs, but if Tamaki and Ngaro think that they will gain traction in the electorate, then they can only have got this impression from the chatter of their own in-groups; generally speaking they are seen as a joke and at times quite obnoxious.
Yeah calls for social justice … prepare the way for the return of the old authoritarians.
If they did, would not calls for economic justice also prepare the way for the return of the neo-liberal regime?
Those asking for activists to be silent, merely pave the way for perpetuation of the status quo – which is a comfort for those of existing privilege. Conservative older wealthy white baptised men.
And fearful of both cultural Marxist liberal secular regime and social(ist) state provision system democracy.
Kia ora Ben
I see that you are “Particularly interested in moral and constitutional issues and encouraging a more reasoned civic discourse.”
Yet you gloss over the six hundred year history of the Protestant reformation with the suggestion that it was a historical aberration, and the merely opportunistic action of a group of kill-joy iconoclasts.
Your observation that “Puritans rise in times of stress and tension” is true to a point, but it is a demonstrably inadequate explanation of both modern and historical puritanism.
The fact is that puritanism is a popular response to societies in a state of moral decline. It is most often, though not necessarily, associated with revolutionary movements such as the “Great Rebellion” in England, republican revolts in central and norther Europe, communist revolutions in China and Cuba, and present day resistance to imperialism in the Muslim world.
You may object at length to the popular puritanical reaction to the excesses of imperialism and neo-liberal capitalism, but I suggest that history will ignore your protestations.
Liberal merry-making, founded on alcohol, drugs, gambling, fornication, ostentation and conspicuous consumption, is paid for with the blood, sweat and tears of the poor and it will end badly. Although I am moderate by inclination and temperament, I myself will be taking the side of the puritans in the battle against neo-liberal capitalism.
I should just add that although both Alfred Ngaro and Brian Tamaki are making a pitch to the conservative religious voter, neither could be properly classified as “puritan”. When you are confronted by a genuinely puritanical political movement in this country you will have a real fight on your hands.