The fragmented Cubism of Pablo Picasso’s pictures is a parable of the fragmented politics in the UK and possibly western politics in general.

Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi are watching western politics fall apart. Russia is flexing its muscles militarily and China economically.

The west has lost the necessary leadership because of its fragmented morality and lack of social cohesion, behind which is the fragmented thinking of post-modernism.

This was illustrated in the UK by the inability to find anything to unite the country at the celebration of the new Millennium. Our de facto multicultural society does not even find unity in a common English language.

Just as admirers claim to understand Picasso’s fragmented cubism, multilingualism was lauded along with multiculturalism as if there was merit in not understanding each other.

Multilingualism

The UK has witnessed the promotion of multilingual barriers in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London in the name of multiculturalism. Failure to understand the language of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) is another barrier to European integration and a driver of Brexit.

The confusion promoted by the European Union is illustrated by Dobromir Sośnierz MEP who has drawn attention to the translators in the European Parliament being unable to keep up with the speed of voting dictated by the chair of the meeting, so that the vote has been taken and counted before the translator has finished translating the motion on which to vote!

What hope does the European project have in such a Babel of confusion? It was language differences that scattered the nations after the God-defying project of the Tower of Babel, which for some extraordinary reason was the inspiration behind the design of the European Parliament building.

After pulling down the Berlin Wall, complaining about Israel’s building protective fences against suicide bombers and campaigning against Donald Trump’s border wall to stop drug migrants from Mexico, one would think that Britain would be pulling down barriers rather than creating them through failure to promote a common language.

Language and law

Diversity, multiculturalism and multilingualism are only a few factors in our Picasso politics. What about the fragmentation of our legal and parliamentary system? Not only are there various sources of law, from Holywood to Westminster to Brussels, but we have Shari’ah law being practised behind the closed doors of mosques, and family law being strong-armed behind the closed doors of family courts, with all the semblance of being kangaroo courts for those on the receiving end of their injustice.

Language is one unifying feature of a nation but the UK is not even united under the rule of law. Having abandoned Judaeo-Christian ethics based upon the Bible, the EU, Westminter and Holyrood struggle to assert sovereignty, in a country that cannot make up its mind whether sovereignty resides in the monarch, the various Parliaments or the people. The Brexit Referendum illustrates the point, where the Westminster parliament has overturned the will of the people, encouraged by the Holyrood parliament, with the non-existent Northern Ireland Assembly currently suspended from sitting in Stormont being in the firing line as well as the front line.

As for law itself, Shari’ah law competes with British law in some parts of the country. Tommy Robinson is demonised for publicising this uncomfortable truth. Some years ago the archbishop of Canterbury suggested it should be recognised as an alternative source of law. In such a context how should we interpret the recent suggestion about no-fault divorce? This is exactly what Shari’ah law advocates and practices, and if some branches of islam claim otherwise, it still raises the question why the law of the land permits such life-changing events to be discussed and conducted in a clandestine manner behind closed doors.

So what about comprehension, utility and democracy? Our fragmented Picasso society is not pretty to behold, whatever artists may think about Picasso’s skill. Being able to skilfully portray current reality does not mean that this reality is admirable. Far less should its fragmentation be extolled through admiration of the skill of the artist, and even far less should it therefore become the paradigm. Our fragmented society with its fragmented politics is not admirable no matter how well it can be painted and portrayed.

Unintended consequences

Not only will this fragmentation introduce more unintended consequences that our myopic parliamentary lawmakers do not anticipate, but it moves in the direction of Shari’ah law where a husband can divorce his wife at will. Jesus Christ spoke against a similar situation taught by the school of Hillel among the Jews with its prejudicial doctrine in favour of a husband divorcing his wife but not vice versa.

Christianity delivered oppressed women from such arbitrary male behaviour. Modern secularism has laboured hard to overthrow Christianity so that feminists are left alone to struggle with the laissez-faire attitude of secularism with its shifting goalposts, to such an extent that transgenderism is threatening their feminism.

Fragmented Borders

In addition the UK has no certain borders, under threat from Scottish and Irish nationalism.

Borders are of the essence of a nation and a country, and the EU attempt at a landgrab of Northern Ireland in the Brexit negotiations is putting the UK border under threat. This is what ancient warfare used to do, demonstrating the spirit behind such modern ‘democratic’ movements.

The EU doctrine of the free movement of people is simply a landgrab in disguise. It moves and defines the EU border and threatens the unity and stability of the United Kingdom.

The free movement of workers is a different subject. This is a political rather than a national issue, and it is discriminatory in favour of those with the capacity to move around.

The EU has no common language –yet – and a similar Tower of Babel is being promoted in the United Kingdom. We have no unity under a shifting legal system and who can say what our Picasso politics will produce. Already evil is called good and moral inversion is the new standard although it is as old as sinful mankind.

Secular morality with its shifting sands will ensnare the unwary who don’t keep up with its prevailing orthodoxy. Christians are already being falsely accused by the shifting norms of our secular society.

No common language, no standard of common law, no certain borders. Cubism illustrates fragmented British society’s disparate segments. Who are these people who admire it and apparently see value in it? What is their agenda? Rather, “the emperor has no clothes”.

May the Lord give us leaders who will deliver our society from such folly Isa 9:17.