Scomo is not the first politician to have made a show of going to church, so why did we all get excited and start making fun of his Heilsong moment? So much fun, in fact, that he cracked the darks and called us “grubs”.
His arm’s length transaction was, quite simply, far too big a display of emotion for the average settler – a stereotype to be sure, but on this occasion an amusing one that led many to refer to this photo as a picture of his “O Face”.
Those of us who are usually mind-yer-own-bizness-ists have little cause to like god botherers lately: the sort that keep promoting fundo causes like gay conversion therapy, religious seminaries or talking up the good character of convicted paedophile cardinals.
Those quick to contrast our leftie response to Scomo’s O face with our outrage in the face of vague vilifications of people like Muslims miss the most important point:
There can be no freedom OF belief
Without freedom FROM belief
What Scott-free is happy for anyone to exploit is fear based on mere rumours of what Islam stands for. That he is offended anyone then seeks answers about how his own faith would affect our welfare is astonishing. If he really has so little insight into human nature, perhaps he is not the right person to lead anyone anywhere.
Most well established churches in Australia, especially Christian churches, are progressive. The Hillsong website claims they are affiliated with ACC but wiki tells us they left last year. Several non-wiki sources tell us Hillsong promotes a toxic form of christianity.
There is something dangerously arrogant, if not narcissistic, about a prosperity gospel, the idea a supreme being measures virtue by material success rather than seeing material success as a reward that follows and is as a result of virtue.
A key assumption of Western Culture is that material success often requires a sense of personal responsibility and willingness to create opportunities. I am happy to allow as much. But we must never forget that not everyone gets a lot of opportunities to create opportunities.
Trying different can be helpful, but the try harder mantra of neocons is patently absurd. And belief must never be an excuse for unkind behaviour.
Equally important as our need for leaders who treat life – all life – with respect, is our need for leaders who will act now to steer us away from the tipping points of climate change.
Whether a candidate believes in God or not is irrelevant to me, but I would prefer a candidate who will do the right thing for no other reason than it is the right thing to do, than one whose prime motivation is material reward.
A real GRUB, on the other hand, is someone who is silent in the face of hate speech, sends asylum seekers to indefinite detention, allows systemic racism to keep killing Indigenous Australians, and thinks if you need help it’s your own fault.
