Do we need a British Oath of Allegiance, based on shared values?
While some British ‘natives’ yearn for a time when there were few ‘foreigners’ or when most people followed the Christian tradition, it is simply not realistic to work towards such a goal. ‘Revive Britain’ does not mean a restoration of some golden age from the past, it means moving to a Britain of shared values that a wide variety of the people who now live here can identify with.
While we are rightly concerned with illegal migration, grooming gangs, drug trafficking etc, we are also aware that the values with which we can identify as ‘British’ or ‘Christian’ are also shared by members of other faiths who now live here.
We need to identify these shared values and revive Britain based on them. We need to differentiate between people with these shared values and jihadist, mafia, drug-gangs, grooming gags, money laundering, shop-lifters, and welfare exploiters.
Here is a draft for discussion, drawn from a range of faiths.
British shared values
1 Compassion and Kindness:
- Description: Emphasizing care and empathy for others, fostering community welfare.
- Examples: Christianity’s Golden Rule (“Love thy neighbor,” Matthew 22:39); Hinduism’s daya (compassion in the Bhagavad Gita); Sikhism’s seva (selfless service in Guru Granth Sahib); Buddhism’s karuna (compassion in the Dhammapada); Judaism’s chesed (loving-kindness, Leviticus 19:18, seen in Jewish Care’s support for the vulnerable).
- Exclusion: Contradicts the harm caused by jihadist violence, mafia activities, or drug dealing, which lack empathy.
2 Honesty and Integrity:
- Description: Upholding truthfulness and ethical conduct in all dealings.
- Examples: Christianity’s biblical truth (Exodus 20:16); Hinduism’s satya (truth in the Upanishads); Sikhism’s sach (truthfulness in Guru Granth Sahib); Buddhism’s right speech (Noble Eightfold Path); Judaism’s prohibition on false witness (Exodus 20:16, reflected in Jewish business ethics).
- Exclusion: Opposes deceitful acts like shoplifting or feigning disability for benefits.
3 Respect for Law and Order:
- Description: Supporting lawful authority and societal harmony.
- Examples: Christianity’s respect for authority (Romans 13:1-7); Hinduism’s dharma (societal duty in the Mahabharata); Sikhism’s justice within legal frameworks (Guru Granth Sahib); Buddhism’s sila (ethical conduct); Judaism’s dina d’malchuta dina (law of the land, Talmud Gittin 10b, practiced by British Jews obeying UK laws).
- Exclusion: Rejects criminal actions of mafia, drug dealers, or shoplifters, which defy law.
4 Hard Work and Responsibility:
- Description: Valuing diligent effort and personal accountability.
- Examples: Christianity’s stewardship (Colossians 3:23); Hinduism’s karma yoga (selfless work in the Bhagavad Gita); Sikhism’s kirat karni (honest living in Guru Granth Sahib); Buddhism’s right livelihood; Judaism’s diligence (Proverbs 10:4, seen in Jewish contributions to UK professions).
- Exclusion: Excludes laziness or exploiting welfare systems through deceit.
5 Non-Violence and Peace:
- Description: Promoting peace while allowing ethical self-defense.
- Examples: Christianity’s “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39); Hinduism’s and Buddhism’s ahimsa (non-harm in Jain and Buddhist texts); Sikhism’s defense of the oppressed (Guru Granth Sahib); Judaism’s pursuit of shalom (peace, Psalm 34:14, seen in Jewish interfaith work).
- Exclusion: Opposes jihadist violence or mafia aggression, which violate peace.
6 Charity and Generosity:
- Description: Giving to those in need to support community welfare.
- Examples: Christianity’s charity (Luke 6:38); Hinduism’s and Buddhism’s dana (giving in the Vedas and sutras); Sikhism’s vand chakna (sharing in Guru Granth Sahib); Judaism’s tzedakah (charity, Deuteronomy 15:7-8, practiced by World Jewish Relief).
- Exclusion: Contrasts with the selfishness of criminal acts like drug dealing or mafia exploitation.
7 Respect for Human Dignity:
- Description: Recognizing the inherent worth of all individuals.
- Examples: Christianity’s love for all (John 13:34); Hinduism’s and Buddhism’s universal respect (Upanishads and sutras); Sikhism’s equality (Guru Granth Sahib); Judaism’s creation in God’s image (Genesis 1:27, seen in Jewish refugee advocacy).
- Exclusion: Opposes harm by jihadists, drug dealers, or mafia, which degrades dignity.
8 Justice and Standing Up for What Is Right:
- Description: Confronting injustice and upholding moral fairness.
- Examples: Christianity’s call for justice (Micah 6:8); Hinduism’s dharma (moral order); Sikhism’s miripiri (spiritual and temporal justice); Buddhism’s right action; Judaism’s “Justice, justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20, reflected in Jewish advocacy against antisemitism).
- Exclusion: Contradicts the injustice of jihadists, mafia, drug dealers, or shoplifters.
9 Just Defence of Community and Values:
- Description: Protecting community and principles within ethical and legal bounds.
- Examples: Christianity’s protection of the vulnerable (Psalm 82:3); Hinduism’s kshatriya duty (Bhagavad Gita); Sikhism’s defense of the oppressed (kirpan principle); Buddhism’s ethical resistance; Judaism’s defense of life (Exodus 22:2, seen in Community Security Trust’s lawful protection of synagogues).
- Exclusion: Opposes aggressive violence by jihadists, mafia, or drug dealers, which prioritizes harm over protection.
Does Islam fit here?
This list does not contain examples from Islam. This is not because such examples do not exist, but because the British people’s experience of Islam appears to be incompatible with these shared values. Most terror attacks have been by Islamists, the grooming gangs, and the threats to the Batley teacher, for example, are all from mainstream Muslims. If there has been condemnation of these events by the Muslim community leaders, it has not been heard well enough.
We need Muslims in the UK to explain how their values are compatible with those most people share and how they, as a community, will be working to ensure that their version of Islam can become in harmony with a Revived Britain.
British Oath of Allegiance?
When becoming American citizens, immigrants to the USA swear The Oath of Allegiance: a solemn promise taken by immigrants to become U.S. citizens, renouncing allegiance to other nations and pledging to support the Constitution and laws of the United States.
Do we need a similar oath for Britain, based not on our constitution, but on the shared values as drafted above? This would also help us decide who to deport and who to keep under surveillance.