‘Company and friendship can’t be found in a deal at the offie’: Support your local pub, calls DUP MP, before it’s last orders for good
While I was reading my Bible this morning, an email arrived with a link to the above headline in the ‘Belfast Newsletter’.
When I investigated the link I was vexed to discover that it brought me to the headline of a report of the words of DUP MP, Jim Shannon. Mr Shannon is a professing Christian of whom it is commonly reported that he is a member of the Newtownards Baptist assembly.
In 2022 it was reported that he had declared: “I trust that Christ’s finished work at the cross means that, as I have believed and accepted Him as Lord and Saviour, my future is in His hands”
I have no doubt that the statement by Mr Shannon is his response to the lobbying by pub owners and their clientele.
It appears that an MP, even one who professes faith in Christ, must put first the need to maintain the support of voters, even at the expense of the honour and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The ‘Belfast Newsletter’ article contains the statement:—
‘MP Jim Shannon was moved to hail the virtues of the noble boozer after seeing a number of places to go to the wall in recent years, with his Strangford constituency losing around a quarter of its bars over a 10-year period. Hymning the benefits of calling in for a pint instead of cracking open a bottle at home, he also called on the government to help the hospitality industry before it hits last orders for good.’
Does Mr Shannon find his ‘company and friendship’ in the pub? These words speak little of the value of the fellowship amongst the Christians in his Baptist church!
It is very obvious that the wording of the article indicates that the journalist who wrote it is, in my opinion, mocking this man who has made much of his profession of faith in Christ to advance his political career.
One of the portions of the Bible that I was reading when the email containing the link to this article arrived on my laptop, was Luke 6:45-49.
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
These are words that Jim Shannon should solemnly consider!
While true Christians consider the ‘boozer’ to be a source of sin and much social wrongdoing and family distress and hardships, this ‘Christian’ is striving for its preservation.
It was very common in Christian prayer meetings to hear the Lord being petitioned for the closing of public houses, and that from the heart of a Christian who had suffered the consequences of alcohol, either personally or as a result of troubles brought brought upon them through its consumption by others related or known to them.
Such prayers were invariably followed by hearty ‘Amens’ from all in the prayer meeting! Those would not appear to be the sentiments of Jim Shannon!
Just what will be the response of Christians in the DUP and in the Baptist denomination, to this disgraceful and Christ-dishonouring declaration by this most foolish MP?
Will there be a speaking out and a rebuking of Jim Shannon by the likes of his local pastor or by Rev William McCrea, his DUP Westminster colleague? These are but two of those who have a duty to rebuke and disown Mr Shannon’s unchristian sentiments!
There is an obligation upon our Free Presbyterian Presbytery to condemn such thinking because of the links some Free Presbyterians have to the DUP.
Time will tell what the response will be, though I suspect the response may well be a silent ignoring of this manifestation of backsliding!
I will be most glad to discover my fears groundless!
Rev Ivan Foster (rtd)
20th February, 2026