Kev and John go to church
Last week, Kevin Rudd and John Howard addressed church leaders as part of the lead up campaign for the coming Federal election. Predictably, those who would see no problem with these men speaking to Muslim or Rastafarian groups began jumping on the spot and frothing at the mouth at the thought that there could be any dialogue between politicians and religious leaders. Fulminations about separation of church and state appeared under the names of writers whom one would have expected to have at least a little understanding of what they were talking about. It seems that history is not widely taught these days.
I was reminded of the World Council of Churches Assembly in Canberra a number of years ago. I am not a great supporter of that august body — not that I find any fault with Christians seeking ways to work together — merely that I suspect that the aim of being nice tends to take precedence over more important questions like, “How did we get into this mess, and how do we get out with the maximum benefit for the maximum number?” (I’m sounding excessively Utilitarian, I suppose.)
I heard that a well-known fundamentalist WCC camp follower set up outside the venue, bearing a plackard protesting that “Dialogue is demonic,” or words to that effect.
A Pakistani Muslim student stopped by and asked the gentleman about his beliefs. Pleased to get a hearing, the reverend protestor explained his views of Christ and his reasons for opposition to the WCC meetings.
The student then explained, quite courteously, what he believed, and mentioned some problems he had with the older man’s position. He listened while the protestor answered those questions.
The Pakistani thanked the plackard-bearer, and said, “I am sorry that our conversation has compromised your beliefs so badly.” The protestor was somewhat taken aback. “Compromised my beliefs? What do you mean?”
“You have told me,” replied the student, “How evil you consider dialogue to be. You say it is from Satan himself. Yet you and I have been engaged in dialogue for over half an hour already.”
Some “liberals” are clearly as fundamentalist as that old pastor when it comes to dialogue between politicians and Christians.
Maybe it is time for our society to recognise that one triggering factor for fundamentalism, of any kind, is the feeling of being unheard. People who feel that their group is being sidelined and not getting its fair share of attention; worse still, who feel that they are constantly shouted down, tend to become more entrenched in their core beliefs and to shout increasingly loudly until they believe that someone is hearing. In recent years, that “shout” for attention has often been driven by a quantity of gelignite.
As a Christian, I am largely unimpressed by efforts from any side of politics to co-opt the churches into any party’s struggle to win. I am very pleased when politicians encourage us to do good, to love mercy, to establish justice.
But I am always glad when politicians listen to the churches as well as suggest things we can do to improve the world. Listening is one of the most people-changing things anyone can do.