Britain's Religious Landscape in Flux: Could 'Wokery' Eventually Outshine Christianity as the Dominant Belief System? authored by Farrukh Dhondy
In a speech that sparked widespread controversy, British MP Danny Kruger addressed the House of Commons, albeit virtually empty due to his parliamentary colleagues' absence for lunch. The speech, broadcasted to a large following of Christians through social media, touched upon the state of the country, its heart, soul, present, and future, with a focus on the role of Christianity and its alleged displacement.
Kruger began on a note of despair, citing the emptying churches as a sign of a deeper malaise. He believed that Christianity was deeply rooted in the fabric of the country, serving as the substance of its bones, a metaphor that resonated with many. However, he claimed that two forces were displacing Christianity: Islam and a phenomenon he referred to as "Wokery."
The term "Wokery" is a disapproving informal noun used in contemporary British politics to describe attitudes, acts, and opinions of people who are especially aware of social justice issues. It is often used critically to describe what critics perceive as intolerant policing of speech and virtue signalling related to identity politics, social justice, and cultural issues. The word originated in African-American English by the 1930s to mean awareness of racial injustice, but its evolution in Britain is part of a broader backlash against what is seen as left-wing activist culture.
Kruger's assertion that conversions among Christians in contemporary Britain are more likely to be to Hinduism, such as with groups like the Hare Krishna following gaining popularity, was met with surprise. Support for the people of Gaza, for a state of Palestine, or any stand against the genocide by the Benjamin Netanyahu government can also be labeled as "wokery" by some commentators.
The speech, which attracted the attention of three million people, was not without its attempts to appeal to a younger constituency. Kruger could have done so by emphasising that Christianity is in the country's DNA, a sentiment that might have resonated with those seeking a sense of identity and belonging.
Yet, the use of the term "Islam" as a force displacing Christianity was met with criticism, as there is no evidence of mass conversions from Christianity to Islam among British Christians. The speech, while stirring controversy, served as a reflection of the ongoing cultural and political debates in Britain, highlighting the complexities and nuances of modern British society.
- Kruger's speech, broadcast to a large following on social media, delved into the state of the country, discussing the role of Christianity and its alleged displacement by two forces: Islam and "Wokery."
- In his speech, Kruger argued that conversions among Christians in contemporary Britain are more likely to be to Hinduism, such as with groups like the Hare Krishna following gaining popularity.
- As a result of his speech, the term "Wokery" gained attention, being used to describe attitudes, acts, and opinions of people who are especially aware of social justice issues, often perceived as intolerant policing of speech and virtue signalling related to identity politics.
- The speech also touched upon various aspects of modern British society, including the ongoing cultural and political debates, and the search for identity and belonging among the younger constituency.
- However, some critics argued that the use of the term "Islam" as a force displacing Christianity in the speech lacked evidence, with no mass conversions from Christianity to Islam among British Christians reported.
- Interested in lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, books, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, entertainment, politics, pop-culture, sci-fi-and-fantasy, and general-news, the large audience engaged with the debate sparked by Kruger's controversial speech, which had attracted over three million people.
