It's all very well to say that you love someone, but what happens when that love does not fit in with a particular belief system? Well - it's messy.
I believe that the bible is the inerrant word God. I believe that the covenant of marriage is and should be between a man and a woman exclusively. Historically, traditionally and biblically this has been the accepted norm. This is a fundamental part of my belief system and my faith. It is my opinion and I am just as entitled to have one as everyone else in the world.
I also believe that God gave us the ability to love whomever we choose, live wherever we choose, work wherever we choose, worship whatever deity we believe in and express whatever opinions we wish to express - whether He agrees with it or not. In Australia these rights are protected by law - and so they should be.
Can I as a white Australian build a house on sacred Aboriginal land? It's possible - but I would not want to. It would be incredibly offensive. Can I walk into a Mosque and enter the men's area? Yes - but that would be totally disrespectful and I would never do that. Can the government change a law that is fundamental to my religious beliefs? Yes they can. The question is should they?
I express an opinion that is offensive to some - but without malice of any kind, without inciting hatred or discrimination. This idea of offence without malice is actually central to my religion. I am called to demonstrate love to others regardless of whether I agree with their life choices or not. Christianity is founded on relationship with a God whose principles can be seen as repugnant to some and liberating to others. Jesus consistently showed love to people whose lifestyles he didn't agree with. I aim to emulate this.
I am proud to be part of a group of people who have lovingly given their lives to his cause - to serving and helping others regardless of their religion, sexuality, political beliefs, gender, employment, health status, income level, age, intellect or race. I do these things because I love Jesus. I believe in Jesus. I love people. And I believe in people. I believe that everyone's basic right to religious and personal freedom should be protected - and that includes me. Marriage is not simply a state institution. It is an intrinsic part of my religion's belief system - something at its very core.
I understand the desire for public declarations of love and commitment by all members of our community. I understand the need couples feel for the recognition of those commitments and their associated rights and responsibilities. Not agreeing is not the same as not understanding or worse, not caring.
I respect freedom. I respect other people. I expect those things to be reciprocated.
Monday, 18 June 2012
Monday, 2 April 2012
What is killing and criminalising our children???
As many people would be aware from the media coverage The Australia 21 Roundtable released its report today on the prohibition of illicit drugs. And what a frightening conclusion it draws.
Top of the page in its "IN A NUTSHELL" section is the statement "Prohibition puts the production, distribution, and control of illicit drugs into the hands of criminals and exposes young people, police and politicians to their corruptive influence." While this is true, legalising or decriminalising illicit drugs will not change the behaviour or attitudes of those who supply them. These are people who clearly don't care about the damage they are doing while the substance is illegal, so why would their attitude change if we soften the law? Criminality is not merely a label. It is an attitude expressed in action.
One of the factors I find most concerning about this report is that it fails to list any health care professionals in its Roundtable membership. I'm certain that if they were present, they would have had much to say about the social and health implications of loosening our laws in this way.
In the executive summary of the report attention is drawn to the "great progress" Australia has made in recent decades "reducing the harm from tobacco - a drug which kills half the people who use it." This is wrong. We haven't reduced the harm from tobacco. It still kills half the people who use it. What we have done is educated people, supported recovery from nicotine addiction and made it less accessible, thereby reducing the number of people who use it. Is this really a good argument for legalising or decriminilising illicit drugs? Surely we are already educating people, supporting recovery and minimilising access to them.
"Fear of illicit drugs, their culture and consequences is widespread amongst parents" (pg 5) and rightly so. Apparently alleviating these fears will be helpful. That works so well with alcohol! Please read my sarcasm. Alcohol is a legal substance, theoretically unavailable legally to children under 18 years. And yet 13% of deaths relating to young people between 14 and 17 are directly related to alcohol. This is in marked contrast to only 6% whose death can be attributed to illicit drug use. Why would we want to make this more accessible?
The report is right in stating that "prohibition places the emphasis on law enforcement and criminilisation". This sends a powerful message. Alcohol is legal and therefore seen as safe. We have spent decades and millions of dollars undoing the same message about cigarettes. Nicotine is legal and therefore seen as safe. Our young people and others get enough mixed messages from the scientific sphere without legislation muddying the waters as well.
The paper also seems to be pro-methadone and white market heroin, stating that "treatment does work at a population level." (pg10) Anyone who has worked with people who are participants in the methadone program knows that this masks the addiction, keeps people in a constant state of need and traps them in a lifestyle that is unsustainable long-term. This, coupled with the horrific health issues that accompany its use leave people vulnerable and still in need of rehabilitation.
Interestingly, nowhere in the report is there mention of the millions of dollars the government and other non-government agencies spend on recovery and rehabilitation services for those suffering from addiction.
One of the key challenges identified in the report is that "Large numbers of Australians - many of them young people - are receiving criminal convictions for minor drug offences, behaviour such as occasionally smoking cannabis that creates very little harm to themselves or other people." (pg 14) This is dangerously misleading. There is widely documented evidence that even occasional use of illicit drugs of all descriptions, including cannabis, lead to increased rates of psychotic behaviour, decreased motivation, depression and addiction (if not physical, then psychosomatic) as well as increasing the likelyhood of mental illness in those who are genetically predisposed to it. As far as harming others is concerned, it would be interesting to hear from the children of drug users, their partners, their families, their friends and their employers - I am certain their experiences would tell a very different story.
Obviously, I don't have all the answers to the questions the use of illicit drugs raises. But I do know this: We should be promoting the best for people, challenging them, encouraging them, equipping them and nurturing them to reach their full potiential. Lowering the bar has never helped anyone achieve a greater height. I can't see how altering our existing legislation in this way can either.
Top of the page in its "IN A NUTSHELL" section is the statement "Prohibition puts the production, distribution, and control of illicit drugs into the hands of criminals and exposes young people, police and politicians to their corruptive influence." While this is true, legalising or decriminalising illicit drugs will not change the behaviour or attitudes of those who supply them. These are people who clearly don't care about the damage they are doing while the substance is illegal, so why would their attitude change if we soften the law? Criminality is not merely a label. It is an attitude expressed in action.
One of the factors I find most concerning about this report is that it fails to list any health care professionals in its Roundtable membership. I'm certain that if they were present, they would have had much to say about the social and health implications of loosening our laws in this way.
In the executive summary of the report attention is drawn to the "great progress" Australia has made in recent decades "reducing the harm from tobacco - a drug which kills half the people who use it." This is wrong. We haven't reduced the harm from tobacco. It still kills half the people who use it. What we have done is educated people, supported recovery from nicotine addiction and made it less accessible, thereby reducing the number of people who use it. Is this really a good argument for legalising or decriminilising illicit drugs? Surely we are already educating people, supporting recovery and minimilising access to them.
"Fear of illicit drugs, their culture and consequences is widespread amongst parents" (pg 5) and rightly so. Apparently alleviating these fears will be helpful. That works so well with alcohol! Please read my sarcasm. Alcohol is a legal substance, theoretically unavailable legally to children under 18 years. And yet 13% of deaths relating to young people between 14 and 17 are directly related to alcohol. This is in marked contrast to only 6% whose death can be attributed to illicit drug use. Why would we want to make this more accessible?
The report is right in stating that "prohibition places the emphasis on law enforcement and criminilisation". This sends a powerful message. Alcohol is legal and therefore seen as safe. We have spent decades and millions of dollars undoing the same message about cigarettes. Nicotine is legal and therefore seen as safe. Our young people and others get enough mixed messages from the scientific sphere without legislation muddying the waters as well.
The paper also seems to be pro-methadone and white market heroin, stating that "treatment does work at a population level." (pg10) Anyone who has worked with people who are participants in the methadone program knows that this masks the addiction, keeps people in a constant state of need and traps them in a lifestyle that is unsustainable long-term. This, coupled with the horrific health issues that accompany its use leave people vulnerable and still in need of rehabilitation.
Interestingly, nowhere in the report is there mention of the millions of dollars the government and other non-government agencies spend on recovery and rehabilitation services for those suffering from addiction.
One of the key challenges identified in the report is that "Large numbers of Australians - many of them young people - are receiving criminal convictions for minor drug offences, behaviour such as occasionally smoking cannabis that creates very little harm to themselves or other people." (pg 14) This is dangerously misleading. There is widely documented evidence that even occasional use of illicit drugs of all descriptions, including cannabis, lead to increased rates of psychotic behaviour, decreased motivation, depression and addiction (if not physical, then psychosomatic) as well as increasing the likelyhood of mental illness in those who are genetically predisposed to it. As far as harming others is concerned, it would be interesting to hear from the children of drug users, their partners, their families, their friends and their employers - I am certain their experiences would tell a very different story.
Obviously, I don't have all the answers to the questions the use of illicit drugs raises. But I do know this: We should be promoting the best for people, challenging them, encouraging them, equipping them and nurturing them to reach their full potiential. Lowering the bar has never helped anyone achieve a greater height. I can't see how altering our existing legislation in this way can either.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Hanging in - or hanging out? A footy lesson?
I went to a Swannies game yesterday. We got smashed. It was very sad. But it got me thinking. There are two types of people. There are those who support loudly, who cheer, who wear the team colours, who raise their children to be avid supporters. Yet when their team is down and it looks like it's all over, they cut and run. (This is understandable when you know what the traffic is like). But there are those who also support loudly, cheer, wear the team colours, raise their children to love the team and when their team is losing - shock horror - they stick around.
I am one of the latter. (When it comes to being a Swannies supporter anyway). Part of this is my stubborn nature. Part of it is that I've paid good money to watch a whole game & enjoy the kick to kick. And part of it is because I have stickability. I will hang in there to the very end, still encouraging the boys and willing them to finish well. It genuinely worries me to think how the players feel when they see hundreds of supporters who were cheering for them an hour ago turning tail and heading home, emptying a stadium that was previously a sea of red and white. Perhaps more importantly, what message do we send to our children?
Now you may be thinking - it's just footy - seriously, get over it! But it's not just footy. It's life. We all get caught in the same trap. We might be hanging in there through sickness or loss or a rotten job or a difficult relationship. But we stop cheering. We take off our team colours. We start to look at the world outside whatever stadium we're currently in and it looks like a good option. We start to forget which team we belong to and who our coach is. The truth is we're hanging in there through the bad stuff, but we've stopped hanging out for the good stuff to happen. We've lost hope.
1 Peter 1:6 says: "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while."(NLT)
We need to be truly glad. We need to find our joy in hope. Paul tells us that hope isn't hope if you can see it. It's not crazy to take joy in something that hasn't happened, isn't likely or you haven't seen. It's optimism. And if you're in a relationship with Jesus - it's one of his best gifts!
Our kids don't need to see us throwing our hands up in the air in despair. They don't need to hear us whining about how bad the ref is and how unfair the calls are. They don't need to see us getting frustrated with other supporters. They don't need us to take them with us when we opt out and leave when the game's not over.
Rather than hanging in there and just being miserable, our kids need to see us cheering, wearing the team colours and hanging out for a better future. It is their future after all.
I am one of the latter. (When it comes to being a Swannies supporter anyway). Part of this is my stubborn nature. Part of it is that I've paid good money to watch a whole game & enjoy the kick to kick. And part of it is because I have stickability. I will hang in there to the very end, still encouraging the boys and willing them to finish well. It genuinely worries me to think how the players feel when they see hundreds of supporters who were cheering for them an hour ago turning tail and heading home, emptying a stadium that was previously a sea of red and white. Perhaps more importantly, what message do we send to our children?
Now you may be thinking - it's just footy - seriously, get over it! But it's not just footy. It's life. We all get caught in the same trap. We might be hanging in there through sickness or loss or a rotten job or a difficult relationship. But we stop cheering. We take off our team colours. We start to look at the world outside whatever stadium we're currently in and it looks like a good option. We start to forget which team we belong to and who our coach is. The truth is we're hanging in there through the bad stuff, but we've stopped hanging out for the good stuff to happen. We've lost hope.
1 Peter 1:6 says: "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while."(NLT)
We need to be truly glad. We need to find our joy in hope. Paul tells us that hope isn't hope if you can see it. It's not crazy to take joy in something that hasn't happened, isn't likely or you haven't seen. It's optimism. And if you're in a relationship with Jesus - it's one of his best gifts!
Our kids don't need to see us throwing our hands up in the air in despair. They don't need to hear us whining about how bad the ref is and how unfair the calls are. They don't need to see us getting frustrated with other supporters. They don't need us to take them with us when we opt out and leave when the game's not over.
Rather than hanging in there and just being miserable, our kids need to see us cheering, wearing the team colours and hanging out for a better future. It is their future after all.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
The best label maker ever!
Labels. They're everywhere. TV shows have rating labels. Food has nutrition labels. Machinery has safety labels. People have labels too. I have at least five of my own that spring to mind immediately. These are things that people would say I am. I have an officer label, a mother label, a sister-in-law label, a daughter label and a friend label.
The thing is that there are other labels people use that may not be so helpful. These are the labels that aren't simply descriptive of a role or responsibility. They may not even be accurate. They may be out of date. Some of them were never right to begin with. These are the labels that hold us back. They mess with the plans God has for us and they limit the way we see ourselves and each other. Not to mention the fact that they hurt and can often carry with them shame and guilt. Some of the labels that come to mind include "promiscuous", "addict", "criminal", "stupid", "no good", "class clown", the list goes on.
I'll give you another more subtle example. I also carry the labels "outspoken" and "wife". Now on their own they appear fine. Put them together and depending on your theology, your cultural background and your own hang-ups they can be not so fine. They can carry judgement. They can steal confidence. They can create doubt about God's purpose for your life.
Yet when we come into a relationship with God he says in his word that he will give us a new name. (Isaiah 62:2) A new label if you like. He says that we are are made into new people. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He promises us a new purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Romans 12:2 says:
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
As we are transformed, we find that God can use those old labels for his honour. He can turn negative, untrue or even shameful labels into stories of victory that give others hope and confidence. He can change the way we see those old labels. What once condemned us becomes a testimony of God's grace.
The thing is, we need to be aware of these labels and the effect they have on us. We need to keep close to God and know when to own the label, when to rip it off and throw it away, or when to slap a "grace" sticker over it.
We also need to make sure we don't start being a human label maker ourselves, putting a label on people according to our views, our understanding or our attitudes. This is particularly true of the young people we influence. What we say to them has a massive effect on the way they see themselves and the world they are a part of. We need to encourage, equip and inspire them through the language we use. And we need to demonstrate actions that back it up.
After all is said and done... the only label I want on me is a "This person belongs to Jesus " one. Unlike my kids' clothes I won't get lost. But it's nice to know there's someone who'd keep looking until he found me if I did. :)
The thing is that there are other labels people use that may not be so helpful. These are the labels that aren't simply descriptive of a role or responsibility. They may not even be accurate. They may be out of date. Some of them were never right to begin with. These are the labels that hold us back. They mess with the plans God has for us and they limit the way we see ourselves and each other. Not to mention the fact that they hurt and can often carry with them shame and guilt. Some of the labels that come to mind include "promiscuous", "addict", "criminal", "stupid", "no good", "class clown", the list goes on.
I'll give you another more subtle example. I also carry the labels "outspoken" and "wife". Now on their own they appear fine. Put them together and depending on your theology, your cultural background and your own hang-ups they can be not so fine. They can carry judgement. They can steal confidence. They can create doubt about God's purpose for your life.
Yet when we come into a relationship with God he says in his word that he will give us a new name. (Isaiah 62:2) A new label if you like. He says that we are are made into new people. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He promises us a new purpose. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Romans 12:2 says:
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
As we are transformed, we find that God can use those old labels for his honour. He can turn negative, untrue or even shameful labels into stories of victory that give others hope and confidence. He can change the way we see those old labels. What once condemned us becomes a testimony of God's grace.
The thing is, we need to be aware of these labels and the effect they have on us. We need to keep close to God and know when to own the label, when to rip it off and throw it away, or when to slap a "grace" sticker over it.
We also need to make sure we don't start being a human label maker ourselves, putting a label on people according to our views, our understanding or our attitudes. This is particularly true of the young people we influence. What we say to them has a massive effect on the way they see themselves and the world they are a part of. We need to encourage, equip and inspire them through the language we use. And we need to demonstrate actions that back it up.
After all is said and done... the only label I want on me is a "This person belongs to Jesus " one. Unlike my kids' clothes I won't get lost. But it's nice to know there's someone who'd keep looking until he found me if I did. :)
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
What on earth's happening?
Every time I turn on the TV it seems that there are more stories about disasters, both natural and man made. Not only that, but the coverage is graphic. It includes footage of Tsunamis annihilating whole towns, earthquakes decimating cities and farming communities and nuclear power facilities exploding and leaking dangerous chemicals into our atmosphere. As if those things aren't bad enough, we also see wars breaking out or continuing all over the world. As an adult, this is terrifying! For a child it can be just as frightening and difficult to understand.
The map on the right shows the risk to human security, labour rights and protection and civil and political rights. It doesn't include risk caused by natural disasters. The darker the area, the greater the risk. Our world seems like a very unsafe place at the moment.
As parents, we need to find ways to speak to our children about the things they are seeing and hearing through the media. But we need to have some understanding of what Jesus says about it all. The bible speaks explicitly about these things and what our reaction as believers should be. And it's not all doom and gloom!
Matthew 24:5-7 says...
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." (NIV) The emphasis is mine.
So why shouldn't we be alarmed? How can we possible talk to our children about this without them becoming alarmed?
Luke 21:28 says...
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (NIV)
As in all things we need to be honest with our children. Often kids won't naturally come and tell us about what they think and how they feel about things they don't understand. Instead, they'll try and work through them on their own - and we all know the strange ideas kids come up with when they try to come to grips with stuff by themselves! So we need to ask how they feel about what they're seeing on TV. We need to ask them what they think is happening, why they think it's happening. In short, we need to be actively helping them to process the information they're absorbing in a healthy way.
As parents, we need to remember and remind our children that we have God's promise that we'll be OK - that they'll be OK. Whatever happens, we know that God won't leave us, won't let anything happen to us that we can't handle with him. But we also need to remind them of the great commission - that we are to be telling people about Jesus, helping them to come into relationship with him. That is our main priority as all of this unfolds.
So let's not be scared of the hard conversations. Let's be increasingly aware of what our children are taking in consciously and subconsciously. Let's encourage our children and allow them to encourage us by sharing the good news about Jesus Christ and his desire to see all people actively involved in a healthy, loving relationship with him!
The map on the right shows the risk to human security, labour rights and protection and civil and political rights. It doesn't include risk caused by natural disasters. The darker the area, the greater the risk. Our world seems like a very unsafe place at the moment.
As parents, we need to find ways to speak to our children about the things they are seeing and hearing through the media. But we need to have some understanding of what Jesus says about it all. The bible speaks explicitly about these things and what our reaction as believers should be. And it's not all doom and gloom!
Matthew 24:5-7 says...
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." (NIV) The emphasis is mine.
So why shouldn't we be alarmed? How can we possible talk to our children about this without them becoming alarmed?
Luke 21:28 says...
28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (NIV)
As in all things we need to be honest with our children. Often kids won't naturally come and tell us about what they think and how they feel about things they don't understand. Instead, they'll try and work through them on their own - and we all know the strange ideas kids come up with when they try to come to grips with stuff by themselves! So we need to ask how they feel about what they're seeing on TV. We need to ask them what they think is happening, why they think it's happening. In short, we need to be actively helping them to process the information they're absorbing in a healthy way.
As parents, we need to remember and remind our children that we have God's promise that we'll be OK - that they'll be OK. Whatever happens, we know that God won't leave us, won't let anything happen to us that we can't handle with him. But we also need to remind them of the great commission - that we are to be telling people about Jesus, helping them to come into relationship with him. That is our main priority as all of this unfolds.
So let's not be scared of the hard conversations. Let's be increasingly aware of what our children are taking in consciously and subconsciously. Let's encourage our children and allow them to encourage us by sharing the good news about Jesus Christ and his desire to see all people actively involved in a healthy, loving relationship with him!
Monday, 7 March 2011
Baby Christians
It's amazing to think how quickly children are growing and learning. As their rate of development speeds up we fear what is to come next. How fast is too fast? What exposure to media and 'the world' is too much? As parents, these questions create anxiety and even fear. But there are some great opportunities that come along with rapid development as well...
I was so blessed to hear from a friend of mine this morning who was excitedly ringing to tell me that her 23 month old son had accepted Jesus into his heart. It was wonderful news. But it really made me stop and think. Is that possible? What if he doesn't understand what that means? Can he understand what that means? I asked her to tell me how it happened.
She told me that she had been reading the bible to him each night, and each night she asked him if he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. Every night he emphatically replied "No." Until last night. Last night was different. Last night it was emphatically "Yes!"
Now I don't know that this little boy can understand the implications of his decision. I don't know that he can comprehend the life-changing magnitude of God's commitment to him. I'm not even sure how his little life will change in any outward sense at the moment. But I am sure that this little boy knows Jesus loves him - and he knows that he wants to be close to Jesus.
Children of this age trust what their parents trust. They believe what their parents tell them and show them. They love as their parents love. We need to be real with them about our faith.
In Deuteronomy 11:18-19 it says:
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
We can't do this if our relationship with God isn't genuine, if it doesn't invade every area of our lives. I am so thankful that my friend has a living breathing relationship with Jesus. I'm so glad that this little boy has a family who pray, read their bible, talk about spiritual things and encourage each other in their journey. I'm so grateful that Jesus is as much a part of their lives as breathing.
And I'm overjoyed that before he can even string a complex sentence together, my little friend has grasped and accepted the most important biblical truth.
Jesus loves him. And he loves Jesus right back.
I was so blessed to hear from a friend of mine this morning who was excitedly ringing to tell me that her 23 month old son had accepted Jesus into his heart. It was wonderful news. But it really made me stop and think. Is that possible? What if he doesn't understand what that means? Can he understand what that means? I asked her to tell me how it happened.
She told me that she had been reading the bible to him each night, and each night she asked him if he wanted Jesus to come into his heart. Every night he emphatically replied "No." Until last night. Last night was different. Last night it was emphatically "Yes!"
Now I don't know that this little boy can understand the implications of his decision. I don't know that he can comprehend the life-changing magnitude of God's commitment to him. I'm not even sure how his little life will change in any outward sense at the moment. But I am sure that this little boy knows Jesus loves him - and he knows that he wants to be close to Jesus.
Children of this age trust what their parents trust. They believe what their parents tell them and show them. They love as their parents love. We need to be real with them about our faith.
In Deuteronomy 11:18-19 it says:
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
We can't do this if our relationship with God isn't genuine, if it doesn't invade every area of our lives. I am so thankful that my friend has a living breathing relationship with Jesus. I'm so glad that this little boy has a family who pray, read their bible, talk about spiritual things and encourage each other in their journey. I'm so grateful that Jesus is as much a part of their lives as breathing.
And I'm overjoyed that before he can even string a complex sentence together, my little friend has grasped and accepted the most important biblical truth.
Jesus loves him. And he loves Jesus right back.
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