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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/22/its-time-for-the-right-to-stop-tarnishing-christianitys-image
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| It's time for the right to stop tarnishing Christianity's image | It's time for the right to stop tarnishing Christianity's image |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| I am a person of faith, which is apparently | I am a person of faith, which is apparently |
| surprising to those who believe that having a margin-noted, dog-eared copy of | surprising to those who believe that having a margin-noted, dog-eared copy of |
| Marx's Capital Volume 1 obliges one to throw a celebratory party every time | Marx's Capital Volume 1 obliges one to throw a celebratory party every time |
| Richard Dawkins releases wind. Those who wish to believe that anti-materialist, | Richard Dawkins releases wind. Those who wish to believe that anti-materialist, |
| collectivist politics necessitate a complete abrogation of theism may wish to | |
| consider that Jesus Christ was, well, an anti-materialist collectivist who was also rather | consider that Jesus Christ was, well, an anti-materialist collectivist who was also rather |
| involved in a bit of worship-based religious practice. | involved in a bit of worship-based religious practice. |
| Similarly, considering | Similarly, considering |
| yourself the source of determinative morality in a universe without God doesn't | yourself the source of determinative morality in a universe without God doesn't |
| necessarily mean you're rocking a progressive lefty world view. Any rational adult should know | necessarily mean you're rocking a progressive lefty world view. Any rational adult should know |
| that professed belief, lack of it, existential confusion, attendance at | that professed belief, lack of it, existential confusion, attendance at |
| meeting, mass, mosque or meandering about the Melbourne laneways is no | meeting, mass, mosque or meandering about the Melbourne laneways is no |
| guarantee of morally unquestionable behaviour, let alone a right-on kind of | guarantee of morally unquestionable behaviour, let alone a right-on kind of |
| politics. | politics. |
| In other words, good people can do bad things, bad people can manage absolutely | In other words, good people can do bad things, bad people can manage absolutely |
| appalling things, and it's unfortunate for anyone trying to live morally | appalling things, and it's unfortunate for anyone trying to live morally |
| when spiritual belief (or non-belief) is invoked as justification for | when spiritual belief (or non-belief) is invoked as justification for |
| something that damages other people. | something that damages other people. |
| The Easter festival is a time of year when the | The Easter festival is a time of year when the |
| world's Christian believers are supposed to take some time out to engage in ritual and contemplation around the moral lesson of | world's Christian believers are supposed to take some time out to engage in ritual and contemplation around the moral lesson of |
| selflessness versus self-interest. It commemorates Jesus Christ marching | selflessness versus self-interest. It commemorates Jesus Christ marching |
| himself as an innocent man to his own unjust execution to make the point that | himself as an innocent man to his own unjust execution to make the point that |
| the sacrifice of the self to meet the needs of a greater (sometimes ungrateful) | the sacrifice of the self to meet the needs of a greater (sometimes ungrateful) |
| humanity is what brings both humanity and the self "eternal life". | humanity is what brings both humanity and the self "eternal life". |
| Contrast his example to that of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot, who may have | Contrast his example to that of his betrayer, Judas Iscariot, who may have |
| personally made 30 pieces of silver on the denouncing Jesus deal, but later realised he'd traded true wealth for money. In the abject grief of this realisation, he threw his silver away and hung himself. | personally made 30 pieces of silver on the denouncing Jesus deal, but later realised he'd traded true wealth for money. In the abject grief of this realisation, he threw his silver away and hung himself. |
| The moral lesson offered is by the biblical | The moral lesson offered is by the biblical |
| events is why Pope Francis spent the | events is why Pope Francis spent the |
| beginning of Easter in a church-run rehabilitation centre just outside Rome, | beginning of Easter in a church-run rehabilitation centre just outside Rome, |
| washing and kissing the feet of 12 sick and disabled people, including an aged | washing and kissing the feet of 12 sick and disabled people, including an aged |
| Muslim man with a brain injury. "In our hearts at this moment, let | Muslim man with a brain injury. "In our hearts at this moment, let |
| each one of us think of the other ... and how we can help each other," said | each one of us think of the other ... and how we can help each other," said |
| the Pontiff. There is a theme to his papacy: "Human rights are not only violated by | the Pontiff. There is a theme to his papacy: "Human rights are not only violated by |
| terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures | terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures |
| that creates huge inequalities," he said last year. | that creates huge inequalities," he said last year. |
| Contrast his example to that of Australia's | Contrast his example to that of Australia's |
| minister for social services, Kevin Andrews. Andrews spent Easter dropping | minister for social services, Kevin Andrews. Andrews spent Easter dropping |
| hints that, contrary to pre-election promises, "people younger than 35 who are on the disability | hints that, contrary to pre-election promises, "people younger than 35 who are on the disability |
| support pension (DSP) may be reassessed by an independent doctor" under mooted Coalition "welfare reforms". Such a broken promise | support pension (DSP) may be reassessed by an independent doctor" under mooted Coalition "welfare reforms". Such a broken promise |
| would mean government's doctors would be in a position to override those of the | would mean government's doctors would be in a position to override those of the |
| young people and force the claimants from disabilities pensions onto Newstart, | young people and force the claimants from disabilities pensions onto Newstart, |
| resulting in a cut to their income of up to $160 a week. | resulting in a cut to their income of up to $160 a week. |
| It's the likes of Andrews who are perhaps | It's the likes of Andrews who are perhaps |
| the reason why people like me, outspoken in all other things, tend to keep the | the reason why people like me, outspoken in all other things, tend to keep the |
| spiritual beliefs they've inherited from their Catholic upbringing or cultural tradition quiet; Andrews claims his Catholicism very loudly. "My values involve my faith values", he has declared about a parliamentary career that has also | spiritual beliefs they've inherited from their Catholic upbringing or cultural tradition quiet; Andrews claims his Catholicism very loudly. "My values involve my faith values", he has declared about a parliamentary career that has also |
| involved cutting humanitarian refugee quotas for those fleeing war-ravaged | involved cutting humanitarian refugee quotas for those fleeing war-ravaged |
| Sudan, voting up the old Work Choices legislation, being part of a government | Sudan, voting up the old Work Choices legislation, being part of a government |
| trying to destroy the racial discrimination act and interning legal | trying to destroy the racial discrimination act and interning legal |
| asylum-seekers in the inhumane hell of Manus Island, as well as warning that gay marriage could lead to "group marriage"(whatever that means). | asylum-seekers in the inhumane hell of Manus Island, as well as warning that gay marriage could lead to "group marriage"(whatever that means). |
| With contemporary | With contemporary |
| Catholic identity in Australia shaken by church abuse scandals, | Catholic identity in Australia shaken by church abuse scandals, |
| an internal anti-feminist culture, latent homophobia, and intolerance for an | an internal anti-feminist culture, latent homophobia, and intolerance for an |
| inclusive society (the latter being exemplified by the proclamations of public adherents | inclusive society (the latter being exemplified by the proclamations of public adherents |
| like Joe Bullock), Andrews is, for many believers, just one brand damage | like Joe Bullock), Andrews is, for many believers, just one brand damage |
| too far. | too far. |
| It's the burden | It's the burden |
| of modern Australian faith communities to see that those most loudly trying to | of modern Australian faith communities to see that those most loudly trying to |
| co-opt a religious identity to their political behaviour are those acting with | co-opt a religious identity to their political behaviour are those acting with |
| the least selflessness or humanity. Note that other denominations | the least selflessness or humanity. Note that other denominations |
| are not spared – Scott Morrison's avowed devout protestantism does not gel | are not spared – Scott Morrison's avowed devout protestantism does not gel |
| theologically with the actions a man keeping more than a thousand child | theologically with the actions a man keeping more than a thousand child |
| refugees in forced detention, and yet it is Morrison who is the chief publicist | refugees in forced detention, and yet it is Morrison who is the chief publicist |
| of his own religious views. | of his own religious views. |
| But as all atheists are not Richard Dawkins, it's | But as all atheists are not Richard Dawkins, it's |
| worth recognising those Christians who are not Andrews or Morrison. | worth recognising those Christians who are not Andrews or Morrison. |
| The inspiration of moral political example is not limited to Melbourne's | The inspiration of moral political example is not limited to Melbourne's |
| beloved Father Bob, still marching for refugee rights while tending his flock | beloved Father Bob, still marching for refugee rights while tending his flock |
| of the "unloved and unlovely", nor to the fantastic Father Rod Bower, | of the "unloved and unlovely", nor to the fantastic Father Rod Bower, |
| whose hilarious billboards at his Gosford Anglican Church have meme-stormed the Internet with a powerful message of love and inclusion. | whose hilarious billboards at his Gosford Anglican Church have meme-stormed the Internet with a powerful message of love and inclusion. |
| It's also the | It's also the |
| Christians without celebrity who were arrested at Morrison's and then | Christians without celebrity who were arrested at Morrison's and then |
| Julie Bishop's offices for staging peaceful occupations of those places, holding | Julie Bishop's offices for staging peaceful occupations of those places, holding |
| prayer vigils for children in detention. And it's the thousands of Catholics, | prayer vigils for children in detention. And it's the thousands of Catholics, |
| Protestants, Quakers and all other denominations who walked alongside Jews, | Protestants, Quakers and all other denominations who walked alongside Jews, |
| Muslims, Buddhists, pagans, agnostics and the most militant of atheists in the | Muslims, Buddhists, pagans, agnostics and the most militant of atheists in the |
| Palm Sunday marches before Easter in a "walk for justice" for | Palm Sunday marches before Easter in a "walk for justice" for |
| refugees. | refugees. |
| Theirs is greatest gift anyone – a believer or | Theirs is greatest gift anyone – a believer or |
| not – can give to the secular society in which they live, and that's | not – can give to the secular society in which they live, and that's |
| determination to act to promptings of a better, fairer conscience. Kevin | determination to act to promptings of a better, fairer conscience. Kevin |
| Andrews, take note. | Andrews, take note. |