Are you lonesome tonight?

What are you doing tonight? More importantly perhaps, who will you be with? According to a recent survey, those between the ages of 25 to 34 are more likely to feel lonely compared with those of other generations (http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/generation-y-so-connected-but-oh-so-lonely-survey-20110719-1hn6a.html). While some may argue that loneliness is the status quo of the 30s and rail against the ‘social construct’ which demands ‘normal’ people be in some sort of relationship or another, others compensate their lack of social activity by utilising technology to meet and interact with other people.  In the same article, social researcher Hugh Mackay warns however, that too much reliance on electronic relationships could be detrimental and socialising in the real (physical) world is necessary for healthy social development.

Another interesting report from the ABC (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-21/australian-men-living-with-realdolls/2802302) seems to indicate that loneliness could be more widespread that we know. For some middle aged men (or at least they are in the article anyway), meeting the right woman has been difficult and elusive so they consort (both um, literally and figuratively), with uh, dolls. And these are quite ‘special’ dolls too! Not just in the price department ($8,500 a pop) but also in terms of anatomical correctness (yes, all of it). Still, one owner insists that his relationship is entirely platonic saying, ‘I do actually enjoy their company. I don’t think people truly can appreciate that element.’ Hmmm.

As Christians, what should our response be to this epidemic of loneliness? Are our congregations warm and welcoming? Perhaps more importantly what are WE doing to help make our churches more warm and welcoming? As followers of Jesus, we can see that all sorts of people were made to feel welcome in his presence (Mark 2:15-17). How can we follow His example? A church in Sydney recently asked everyone in the congregation to write down what they thought best described their group. Most prominent of all the words was “Community”. For them, church was a place where they would always feel loved, accepted and welcome, a place where they truly felt like brothers in sisters in the family of God. And who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

How much too much?

Benjamin Franklin, in one of his letters is said to have written, ‘…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes’. And so it is that the time of the year has come once again when those who death has not claimed download e-tax from the ATO website (http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.aspx?doc=/content/32234.htm&page=5&H5) or make that appointment with the accountant. And thus shall the forms be filled out and sent forth by one and all. And so it has been and so it shall be for evermore (or that’s what it feels like anyway).

Getting those receipts together for the taxman can be helpful. It can be a time of reflection on spending habits in the past financial year. Was it really necessary to buy that plasma TV? Were those alloy rims really that important? Perhaps impulse buying those shoes/clothes/latest electronic widget was just a bit extravagant? But then again, how much should one spend on oneself and how much should one give to God?

Both Genesis 1:1 and Psalm 24:1 remind us that everything on earth belongs to God. So we are merely then stewards of what God has made. God wants us to enjoy what He has created and gives us many good things as an expression of His love and generosity (Genesis 1:28-30). The danger is that we can take all these things for granted and forget who really owns them. We may think what we own is ours through hard work or ingenuity but we should always remember that all things belong to God and we take nothing with us when we leave this mortal plane.

In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus points out to his disciples a widow who has just put in two small copper coins into the temple treasury. She did not give out of her excess. She put in all she had to live on. Perhaps just as importantly, she was a widow in an age when women depended on their husbands to put food on the table. She may not even have known where her next meal would be coming from. Was she being foolish? Jesus thought not.

The New Kingdom

It’s not every week a new nation is formed. For a brief moment this week, the world looked on as the Republic of South Sudan declared independence from Sudan. The print and broadcast media gave us a brief glimpse of jubilant South Sudanese citizens dancing and singing. And then the world moved on and we all went back to scrutinising Princess Kate’s wardrobe from her travels through North America.

While there is much potential for this new nation to rise and prosper (due to its oilfields), it does face many challenges in the days ahead. According to Wikipedia (the great hive-mind of collected knowledge), ‘South Sudan is at war with at least seven armed groups with tens of thousands displaced’ and with a great many atrocities committed in the name of fighting rebellion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan). In addition, Sudan has also been blacklisted as a state sponsor of terrorism (which is why all of the petroleum only seems to go to developing countries) and if you thought the state of health care in Mudgee is bad, consider the fact that in South Sudan, one in every ten children will not make it past the age of five, maternal mortality in the country is the highest in the world and in 2004, there were only three surgeons in South Sudan with one area having only one doctor serving 500,000 people (something to consider the next time we sit in the waiting room at the Medical Centre).

Interestingly when Jesus appeared on earth 2000 years ago, he too talked a lot about a new Kingdom (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15). The new kingdom would start small, but finish big (Mark 4:30-32). In this new order, God’s will would be done (Matthew 6:10), members of the kingdom would have authority over demons (Luke 10:18), the blind would see, the lame would walk, the deaf would hear, lepers would be healed and the dead brought to life (Luke 11:4-5). With Jesus, the Kingdom of God has come, through Jesus, the Kingdom of God will grow (Matthew 28:18) and when Jesus returns one day, it will be complete (Revelation 21:1-4). Until then, we live in hope.

Our Psychological Edge

What makes a good tennis player a great one? Even among two players equally matched in physical ability and skills, it’s not always brawn that wins. Even in this year’s Wimbledon finals, commentators used terms like ‘psychological mastery’ and ‘mental character’. On the topic of ‘Mental Toughness’, Wikipedia has this to say: ‘…a psychological edge that helps one perform at a high level consistently’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_psychology).

As Christians, we too have a mental edge. Unlike sports or secular psychology, we do not look inwardly for that extra boost when we go through tough times. We have many promises in God’s Word that we can hold on too. We should not forget that the Bible contains many reports of God’s followers going through difficult times, and as the people of God, we too can look to the assurances God has made, and apply them to our own lives. Here are three which could give you that ‘psychological edge’ this week:

In Deuteronomy 31:8, Joshua is given the task of leading a nation into unexplored territory. He has no idea how many enemies are ahead or what strategies they will use. But God has a message for him: The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (NIV).

In Jeremiah 29:11, we see the once proud nation of Israel beaten, crushed and exiled because of their rebellion against God. It looks pretty bleak for the people of God. Will the ever return back to their land? Will their favour with God ever be restored? Does God still love them? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (NIV).

At the time of writing 1 Peter 5:7, the church is being persecuted. Many believers are paying for their faith in the crucified and resurrected Jesus. Much of this book talks about suffering and yet we are reminded: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (NIV).

A Strange Mercy

Two million people. It is hard to imagine how so many could have been killed in Cambodia from 1975-1979. It is even harder to understand why they were killed. In a bid to create an agrarian communist utopia, all professionals, intellectuals, artists, writers, ethnic minorities and religious adherents of any kind were arbitrarily tortured and executed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Rouge). How anyone could justify the deaths of so many is a mystery. How does one come to the point where the killing of two million people is just another obstacle to be removed in a plan? This week four Cambodians will go on trial for their part in Pol Pot’s failed social experiment. There are not many survivors of that time left to see justice done, but one wonders if those in the dock will realise the gravity of the crimes they are being charged with.

While there is much we can say about the dangers of making the ends justify the means, or the awful consequences of forgetting the value of human life, we instead want to focus on the strange mercy of God. God shows compassion in many different ways. As Christians, we believe that in sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, God opened the way for a lost humanity to find their way back to Him (Romans 3:22-24). But God also shows mercy by confronting us with our sin so that we can recognise how far we have fallen from His standard and return back to Him. In other words, coming to grips with our own deficiencies, weaknesses and rebellion against God (or having others reveal them to us) is a good thing. Without being convicted of our shortcomings, we cannot ask for forgiveness and seek to change the way we live.

True, being confronted with one’s weaknesses is a painful and embarrassing exercise, but it is an antidote to the problem of pride. It is always good to be reminded that all of us have a long way to go in our Christian walk and that can stop us from developing an attitude of superiority over other believers (and non-believers as well).

Jesus and the Pokie Machine

Gambling is a touchy subject. On one hand, there are those who argue that the government should not have the right to tell us what to do with our money. On the other hand, there are those who have an addiction and who cannot stop putting money in pokie machines. The Four Corners programme on ABC, Monday night highlighted this dilemma and tried to give a balanced view on the subject (transcript of programme here: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2011/s3248667.htm).

Viewers would have been quite touched by the stories of some of the gambling addicts interviewed in the programme. One talked about how some problem gamblers actually pay someone to beat them up so they can say that they were robbed on the way home. He wept as he shared about how he neglected his children as a result of this addiction. Another spent half a million dollars on pokie machines. From the other side, local clubs claim that Andrew Wilkie’s proposed plan will put them out of business and lower the contributions they make to community services (many of which depend on these clubs to keep going). However, the statistics were quite remarkable. Pokies machines generate $12 billion a year (enough to pay off the debts of several small third world countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_external_debt), of which $5 billion comes from gambling addicts.

While it is a complicated business, the suffering of those who are addicted to gambling cannot be ignored. The Christian is compelled to help those who cannot help themselves and are seeking help (James 2:15-17). While it may be true that gambling contributes to the community, it is also true that some of that money comes from problem gamblers. How well could we sleep at night knowing that some of the money used in the building of that new park came from families with children that go hungry? Or that part of a clinic was funded by a man who lost his family as a result of his gambling addiction? Do the ends justify the means? Many individual lives as well as families have been destroyed by gambling addictions. Is it ever worth it?

The story of Jesus- worth dying/living for

If you tell enough people, then it must be true. Take for example the recent photo of a McDonald’s sign charging African Americans an insurance surcharge of $1.50 due to an increased crime rate. It was of course a hoax which sent the fast food giant racing to the press to set the record straight (http://www.news.com.au/technology/maccas-in-damage-control-over-seriously-mcdonalds-picture-hoax/story-e6frfro0-1226074651664). Other tall tales uncovered by the Sydney Morning Herald this week (http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/maccas-jk-rowling-lesbian-bloggers-hoaxers-take-over-the-world-wide-web-20110614-1g127.html) include author J.K. Rowling buying a house in Tasmania (she hasn’t), a woman getting profiles of all her Facebook friends tattooed on her arm (luckily she only had 152) and of course the discovery that the Gay Girl in Damascus blogger is actually (surprise, surprise) a 40 year old male post graduate student in Edinburgh (which is actually quite far away from the Middle East in case you were wondering).

But is something true just because enough people have heard about it? Christians for example are charged with just that: there is no proof that Jesus was a real person who did and said the things He did, but because news of Him got around to so many people, it became true. This is a possibility, except for the fact that for many people, then and now, following Jesus is a life and death decision. Back in those Roman times, following Jesus almost guaranteed a life of hardship, abuse and persecution. Many were stoned (and we don’t mean weed), crucified or fed to animals for amusement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire). Even today, Christians in some parts of the world still have to meet in secret to avoid prosecution. Throughout history, many men and women have staked their lives on the fact that the Biblical story of Jesus is true. Is a hoax worth dying for? Perhaps we are fools for believing in this but if so, we are in good company- John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, and who was made an Officer of the Order of Australia this week is well known for his faith. As Paul says though, if Jesus is all fiction, then we Christians should be pitied more than anyone else in the world (1 Corinthians 15:19).

How can we help?

As we hunker down in our warm cosy houses this winter, awaiting the latest episode of The Simpsons to start, with that delicious smell of dinner bubbling away on the stove, it may be easy to forget that somewhere out there, there are over 10 million refugees waiting to be settled (http://www.unhcr.org/pages/4a0174156.html). Some of them will be curled up in cardboard boxes, others may be snug as sardines (120 men in a building the size of a tennis court is pretty snug), with thousands more living in tent cities without any sort of plumbing, running water, electricity or even (shudder) the internet (which apparently is a human right these days: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386456,00.asp). According to another report from the Left, if we were to put them all in an orderly queue for resettlement, it could take up to 135 years to clear (http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/47533).

While on one hand we may think that sending asylum seekers to Malaysia (Amnesty International has more interesting things to say of the issue here: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/refugees-malaysia-arrested-abused-and-denied-right-work-2010-06-16) is a bad idea, on the other hand, we also have to be practical. How many Australia can take in? How much does it take to support a refugee in the country before they can stand on their own feet and join society? Where is that funding going to come from? It is interesting that there is lots of debate on what to do with refugees but not much about how many we can afford to help.

 As Christians, we should help as many as we can. God demands it (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:33-34, Psalm 146:9) and Jesus Himself was a refugee (Matthew 2:13-16) so He knows what it’s like to flee to another country for fear of being killed.

While many people would say that Australia is no longer a Christian country, it is still a country where Christian values play a big part in most decision making and our expectations of behaviour. Compassion, charity, human dignity and value of life are all reasons why people have heard this is a good place to be. How can we help them in the best way possible?

Cruelty to animals: Christians say No!

Most Australians would have been horrified by scenes of how cattle were treated in a neighbouring country this week. And rightly so. No creature should be allowed to suffer or be tortured so needlessly and without second thought. Some questions may come to mind with regards to this incident. One is that all our meat actually (surprise!) comes from animals and that to enjoy that nice juicy hamburger, some poor beast had to die. What does the Bible say about cruelty to animals. Or eating meat even?

When God first created all things, humanity were told they could have, ‘every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it’ as food (Genesis 1:29). So originally meat wasn’t actually what God intended for our diet. We were made to be vegetarians! We then read that the first animal in the Bible dies when God has to make some clothes for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). In fact when we read about animals in the Bible dying, it is usually (directly or indirectly) the result of rebellion against God. One of the reasons why this happens is because God wants to impress upon humanity how bad rebellion against Him is. We must never forget God’s original command in Genesis 2:15 that humanity was given the task and privilege of taking care of the earth.

So what is the deal with people eating meat then? God actually allows people to eat meat after the Great Flood (Genesis 9:3). The scriptures don’t really explain why, but those who continue reading the next two chapters will note how drastically the life span of humanity decreases afterwards.

While most people would be aware that the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) does most of the work with regards to protecting all creatures, not as many might be aware that the society was founded by men who were known for their Christian faith. As Christians, we should be always aware that we are just stewards of creation and this is why we should take good care of the planet and everything on it.

Freedom for Chaos, Freedom for Order

According to that Great Fund of Assimilated Knowledge (a.k.a. Wikipedia) “Generally art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art). Very interesting. For this is also (we are quite sure) the intention of those who contribute to this august column. Pondering eternity is, after all generally helpful for spiritual development. Which makes one wonder if this article is also a work of art. One would like to think so but others might detect the faint stench of pretentiousness.

In any case, we turn to another (perceived) art form: pornography. Those watching this week’s edition of Q & A would have heard many views on this subject. For those who didn’t, the transcript is here: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s3218450.htm#questions. As most of the panel were writers, someone asked if authors had a responsibility to, “…contribute to the health and moral fabric of our society”. The answer given by Howard Jacobson (winner of the Man Booker prize 2010) was most interesting.

“I don’t actually believe in the health of society,” said Mr Jacobson. “The idea of our being healthy beings would only work if we believed in God- and I don’t know how many of us do anymore- that we were built in a particular way and we fell away from his high idea from (sic) us.” In other words, authors can’t contribute to the moral fabric of society because no one can really pin down what ‘morality’ is all about. Unless one is a God-believer of course. And we all know how unfashionable that is these days. Mr Jacobson is saying that the world is in a mess and admits that only those who subscribe to a view of God could have some sort of concept of an ordered society. For those set free from this superstitious idea of the Divine Being however, there is now freedom for chaos.

The Bible however teaches that God created order in the universe (Genesis 1). The ‘mess’ we see around us today is the result of rebellion against God but He will one day return to restore order (Revelation 21:1). And it is quite probable it won’t be in October (Matthew 24:36).

Eating at the Father’s Table

Many news junkies would have figured out by now that public displays of (sometimes misguided) religious zeal makes for pretty spectacular headlines. Take for example the clash between gay and lesbian rally participants and members of a church in Adelaide last week (http://www.news.com.au/national/gays-christians-clash-at-adelaide-protest-rally/story-e6frfkvr-1226055977537). How should a follower of Jesus respond?

For starters, God does not hate sinners. In fact the Bible is quite explicit in explaining that God loves sinners (Romans 5:8). And thank goodness He does. Maybe there are some people out there who have discovered how to stop being sinners. Good on them. They should write a book about it. The rest of us imperfect mortals on the other hand need to trust God gives us the grace to plod along the straight and narrow. And we Christians really need to be a bit more gracious to those who don’t know the house rules. After all, they’ve not even members of the family (yet).

All those who love Jesus and follow Him are like children of one Father sitting around the family dining table. Because we’re family, we all know the rules of the House and encourage one another to follow them. Our loving Father typically encourages us to invite our friends over to dinner, but because they are not members of our family (yet) we should not be surprised if they don’t know the House Rules and therefore not follow them. They may choose to eat with their hands and wipe their mouths on their sleeves or even spit the bones under the table. Those who aren’t family members aren’t obligated to follow the family rules. However, if these friends of ours decide they want to be adopted into the family (just like we were), then we need to sit with them and explain what the House Rules are like and the commitment we have to our Father and His Rules.

Those who do not belong to God are living according to their own rules (Isaiah 53:6). Maybe instead of yelling at them, we should encourage them to come eat more often at our table instead (Luke 1:77-79).

When the Enemy Stumbles

What a momentous week. Wills and Kate finally got married (and most of the world sighed collectively) and Osama bin Laden finally got found (and most of the world sighed collectively). Within moments of hearing about the demise of the Al-Qaeda chief, thousands gathered outside the White House and the streets of New York to celebrate. Congratulatory messages conveying thanks from various leaders of the Western world (Australia’s Julia included), were dispatched to Washington (interestingly enough, not so many from the Middle East) with words like “great relief”, “a great success” and “a victory for justice” (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/02/nation/la-na-allies-congratulate-20110501).  

For Christians though, it may not be a time to celebrate. Let’s take a look at some inconvenient verses in the Bible: Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice (Proverbs 24:17, NIV). Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11a, NIV). But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44, NIV). The last one of course is all the more challenging as it comes from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

What makes all the celebration in the United States the more interesting of course is this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. in his ‘Strength to Love’ speech of 1963, “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction” (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.). One would have hoped that the many American college students who were celebrating in the streets would have heard (or read) this at one point or another and pondered its meaning.

In any case, death is not something to be celebrated. Even that of someone evil. For it is not for us to judge. That job is reserved for a Higher Power (Romans 12:19).

Christian Leaders and Badly Timed Tweets

Sometime, somewhere last week, if you were a Christian, you may have heard about Jim Wallace from the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL). And his ANZAC day tweet (http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2011/s3200102.htm). And maybe squirmed (or cheered) when you saw it.  There have been all sorts of emotional responses (and understandably so) to the rather puzzling statement, so what should Christians make of it?

Firstly we want to remember that we need to pray for our Christian Leaders. Many occasionally do silly things but we are all only human. A common fallacy that many have is Christians don’t make mistakes (because Christians aren’t allowed to sin anymore). But we do. And it is one thing to lead a group of 10 people in a Bible Study group, but to take up a position where you have to speak on behalf of thousands is a pretty tough gig. We all suffer from foot-in-mouth at one time or another (some more often than others) so divine grace and wisdom is something we should all pray for. And more so for those who take on the burden of leadership.

Secondly, we need to remember that Christian leaders do not necessarily speak on behalf of all Christians. In this case it was a personal view (the context of which Mr Wallace later explains here http://australianchristianlobby.org.au/2011/04/mr-acl-managing-director-clarifies-tweet-misrepresentation/). While many people consider themselves Christians, we need to be aware that the universal church is actually made up of quite a diverse bunch of people. And those on opposite sides of this spectrum can (and do) consider those on the different end (in moments of weakness of course) a bit loony sometimes.

Thirdly we need to remember that ANZAC day is about remembering the sacrifices made by those who went to war for the love of their country and because they thought it was the right thing to do. This is something we Christians should be familiar with. After all, Jesus died on the cross because God loved the world (John 3:16). And we need to remember that the whole world is made up of all sorts of people. Including the very sorts of people Mr Wallace tweeted about.

Justice and the Cross

This week, the Sydney Morning Herald highlighted an interesting story about insider trading and the injustice of it all (http://www.smh.com.au/business/rough-justice-when-asic-does-insider-trading-by-halves-20110417-1djpz.html). Insider trading is when someone who has access to privileged ‘insider information’ (which is not available to the general public) uses this advantage to buy (or sell) stocks or shares at a profit. This of course is unfair to everyone else who doesn’t have access to this ‘insider information’ which is why this practice is frowned upon. From the 23^rd of May, 2007 until June 2008, John Joseph Hartman sent ‘insider information’ to a childhood friend, Oliver Peter Curtis. Both made millions of dollars from this illegal communication. Interestingly, because of the complexity of the laws regarding this issue, Hartman will spend the next four years in jail while Curtis continues to enjoy the high life (he just bought a $6.6 million house).

When listening to a story like this, one naturally responds to the unfairness of it all by feeling anger at the injustice. How can this happen? Where is the justice? As creatures created in the image of God, there is probably a part of us which (like God) seeks justice in all things.

As Christians, we believe this is why Jesus had to die on the cross. The Bible teaches that all of humanity is flawed and we fail to meet God’s standards of goodness (Romans 3:23). Because we have all broken God’s laws at one time or another, we all deserve to be punished. On Good Friday, we remember that by dying on the cross, Jesus sacrificed Himself and paid the price for all of us who believe in Him. Just like the many ANZAC heroes of old, Jesus took a bullet which was meant for someone else.

The Bible describes living life according to our own rules as rebellion against God, basically an injustice against the Almighty who created us all and who we should worship and obey. By dying on the cross, Jesus corrected that injustice and all who come to God asking for forgiveness on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice can now be made right with God again.

The Rise of China’s Economy (according to Home and Away)

There is an interesting Home and Away phenomenon where the very same people who mock and despise fans of the series suddenly develop a craving to hear the latest news from Summer Bay when they start living overseas. And then they come back home and either become secret fans and/or continue the derision. Why, you may even know some of these people yourself!

It is a fact that when we are surrounded by something good, we can take it for granted. Take good old fashioned hard work for example. Most of us living here, a country with a strong Christian heritage, know (or suspect) that it is a good thing to work hard for a living. But why? Max Weber suggested in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904) that there might be a link between faith and wealth. He wrote that the rise of capitalism in the West could possibly have been influenced by the Protestant work ethic.

This is an interesting thought which the country of China may be taking to heart. In a 2008 Wall Street Journal article, a Communist Party member and advisor to the Chinese Central Committee is reported believing that, ‘…Christianity and the ethical system based upon its teachings are the reason that Western countries dominate the global economy’ (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121815556386722667.html). This idea is also expanded on in God is Back by John Micklethwait, current editor in chief of The Economist (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/5443032/God-is-Back-by-John-Micklethwait-and-Adrian-Wooldridge-review.html).

How funny is it then that: 1. Australia’s economy is driven by China. 2. China’s economy could be actually driven (or at least strongly influenced) by Christianity. 3. Christianity is seen as been less and less relevant in Australia (which is dependent on China’s continual economic growth). What?

While many would be happy to admit that Christianity is no longer relevant in life today, we can forget that many of our values and much of our ethical content (which contribute to our standard of living and security we enjoy) is derived from the truths in the Bible. Sadly, just like Home and Away, we can take it for granted until we go overseas.

The Ethics of Hitting Back

In this multimedia age, one can find all sorts of things online. Just last week for example, a video was posted of two school kids fighting. Apparently the giver-of-punishment, Casey Heynes, was a 16 year old who finally snapped after enduring years of abuse (http://www.news.com.au/national/bully-victim-a-world-hit/story-e6frfkvr-1226024755361). He was immediately hailed as a champion of the oppressed by the masses and was soon interviewed on television. By far, the vast majority of responses to this incident were sympathetic to the newest hero on the block. After all, the bully was only receiving his just deserts right?

For the Christian, there is the dilemma. On one hand, we are encouraged to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39) but on the other hand, almost every major denomination in the faith sends chaplains out to fight with the troops. This could be seen as a powerful statement of support when it comes to armed conflict. All that warfare in the Old Testament also complicates matters.

So was Casey justified in his actions? One Mudgee High teacher commented that we don’t really know all the facts, but surely there must have been some other channels of resolution. What if Casey, in his fit of rage broke his bully’s neck? Or in striking him caused irreversible brain damage? Is it ever right to push back?

In the light of the escalating armed conflict in Libya (and we are in no way here endorsing fighting in schools), it might be good for us to consider some of the principles of a “Just War” (but not all for there are too many). And here, we need to remember that even among Christians there are proponents of pacifism who would not hold to these. Firstly, use of force must always be a last resort. We only go down this road after all other channels have been exhausted. Secondly, there must be a darned good reason (i.e.  in defence of others or to avoid human rights abuses). Thirdly, the use of proportionate force must be exercised (as opposed to wanton, excessive, destruction of life and property).

In an imperfect world, we must sometimes choose the lesser of two evils.