Disturbing moments!

I had a couple of moments this week that disturbed me a little - and both related to Bob Brown. Anyone who knows me will attest that I don't have much time for the former leader of the Greens, or his party. I have found some of their policies a bit too 'left' for my liking, somewhat naive and outside of my Christian worldview. However, whilst sitting in a car park waiting to take my son home from college I heard Bob being interviewed, and disturbingly, I liked some of his answers to the questions he was being asked.


Now you could be cynical - goodness knows I am when it comes to politicians - and suggest that Senator Brown is adopting a friendlier, more relaxed and conciliatory stance since he announced his resignation from Parliament, but the views he expressed seem to be consistent with the policies and attitudes of the Australian Greens during their history. He made a very good point in suggesting that the two major parties were operating under an old-world paradigm of 'us vs. them' or 'labour vs. management' rather than the new-world paradigm of us all occupying this world together. He talked about his concern that both parties are supporting the type of policies that see the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer and that someone should be going in to bat for the poor and social equity. He also noted that the answer to much of our social ills isn't more central control or smaller government but something in between. And I don't think any of us would argue that serious attention needs to be given to our health care system and education.


I may not like a lot of what Bob Brown says, but I did like that.


Then he received an interesting video question from a bloke in Orange. Basically this man considered himself an environmentalist and thanked Bob for his work in this area over the years, particularly his protection and advancement of environmentalism in Tasmania. However, the 'man-from-Orange' did have something of a problem - he was a follower of Jesus Christ and asked Mr. Brown how, despite the Greens having policies he agreed with on environmental issues, he could vote for them in good conscience given his religious persuasion.


Bob's reply was interesting. He said he had been raised as a Presbyterian and that he felt many of the Greens' policies were consistent with the teachings of the New Testament he remembered growing up. Specifically, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,' meant looking out for people and ensuring we have a society that proactively meets the needs of the majority of the people in our nation. He also brought up, 'Love your neighbour as yourself,' which he understood to mean caring for the poor, the marginalised and - get ready for it - asylum seekers. (You can say what you like about the pros and cons of our asylum seeker policy, I just have a hard time seeing Jesus turning people away or interning children....)


Bob, stop playing with my head, I want to continue disliking you and seeing you as a crack-pot.


But wait....there's more....my second disturbing moment came the next day when, on social media, I noticed some other Christians had also heard Bob's interview, but their reaction was very different to mine. In short, they were horrified that a man who supports abortion, euthanasia, the legalisation of marijuana and gay marriage should dare to compare his policies to the teaching of Jesus! And they had the Bible verses to prove it!!


Please don't think for a moment that I am in favour of abortion, or legalised marijuana, or euthanasia, or gay marriage (although I think there is a place for civil unions, and that marriage will be redefined soon anyway - but that's another post I guess). What disturbed me was the lack of grace, tolerance and Christian charity and the abundance of anger, zeal and self-righteous condemnation that was evident. Attributes that seem more in line with the Pharisees and teachers of the law than Jesus the Messiah.


As followers of Jesus we can do better than this. We can be thankful when people we might strongly disagree with find some inspiration from the teachings of our Lord, we can be loving when disagreeing and reconsider using the Bible as a club studded with proof-texts to beat people with. As followers of Jesus we can give thoughtful consideration to the political parties in our nation and how we can encourage our political leaders to work towards a gentler, fairer, more caring society.


The role of the church (the called out members of Jesus' body) isn't to abandon politics until Jesus comes to take us away from this horrible world - that's dualistic gnosticism that has no place in a Christian paradigm or support from the Bible; but neither is it to take over government and institute some sort of theocracy - that's some sort of militant neo-post-millennialism that ignores the fact that OT Israel and NT Israel (all believers) are different beasts, and every time the church has gained supreme political power it's seriously damaged both the Kingdom of God and the people being governed.


No, the role of the church, as clearly spelled out in Romans 13:1-7 isn't to revile, replace or unquestioningly support the political powers, but to remind them that all power - political, economic, military, cultural etc. - is ultimately answerable to God and as his representatives on this earth we are to hold them accountable. Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, James, nor any of the NT authors sought to impose Christian values on their society, which was far more messed up than ours. (Anyone heard of Nero?) Indeed Paul goes so far as to write, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?" (1 Cor. 5:12) All the NT writers make it clear that the church is to live as visible proof that Jesus has become king and to remind those in all levels of authority that they are accountable to the king for what they do with the power they have.


There is so much more to say, and so many questions to be answered. The presence of God's kingdom isn't seen through repressive 'righteousness through legislation' but through gracious transformation by self-giving love. I don't know how to hold the powers accountable, but I'm prayerfully considering what that might look like. What I do know is that when people like Mr. Brown are working in ways that would make Jesus smile I can thank him and perhaps engage on other issues; and when he supports things that I feel are not acceptable to my Christian faith, I can respectfully debate with him and graciously present my different viewpoint.


My Lord didn't conquer his opponents through power and might, but through grace and sacrificial love. Perhaps we, his followers, might consider doing the same.