Brethren praying for Nats to win

The Exclusive Brethren church is calling on its 8000 New Zealand followers to pray for a National victory in the general election.

The hardline Christian sect issued a prayer agenda calling for the ‘‘right Government which maintains Christian principles’’ to win on September 23.

A $1.2 million leaflet campaign by Exclusive Brethren businessmen to discredit Labour and the Green Party in the leadup to the 2005 election became a public relations disaster for National, who initially denied any knowledge of the campaign.

Nicky Hager’s book The Hollow Men later revealed extensive behind-the-scenes cooperation between National and the Brethren, with finance minister Steven Joyce named as a key go-between.

Massey University religious historian Peter Lineham said the Brethren had maintained links

What we're getting should be no surprise. Religious historian Peter Lineham

with National, and had traditionally been ‘highly suspicious’ of the Labour Party.

‘‘There have been deputations sent to key ministers, so what we’re getting should be no surprise that they would come out strongly on the side of National.’’

A National Party spokesman played down the ties, saying there had been no recent contact or meetings with church members.

The July 3 prayer agenda, distributed to Exclusive Brethren members around the world, shows the sect supports right-wing governments and opposes unions. It encourages members to be actively involved in contentious political issues.

New Zealand-based church spokesman Doug Watt said members offered support to any government they believed was doing the right thing.

The church had not donated money to National or any other party, but individual church members were free to donate to any organisation.

The church’s ‘‘Doctrine of Separation’’ bans followers from engaging in ‘worldly activities’ such as voting, but Watt said they were ‘‘free persons to do what their conscience allows’’.