I’m a priest magnet.
I always have been.
Actually, not just priests. But pastors, ministers and chaplains too.
(In fact, in one particularly dark chapter of my life I was married to a minister.)
I don’t know what a regular amount of “ordained” friends is…but I need more than two hands to count my “church leader” friends.
All that to say, the last three years have been interesting, observing their response to the genocide. (Interesting is probably not the correct word but you get my drift)
Anyways, one of these friends is very lovely. He’s not a friend friend but I know him well enough to know that he’s very much into social justice and human rights. It’s not like we hang out or chat or anything besides when we bump into each other and he has supported some of my events.
I decided to send him the church talk I did for Yom Kippur and Peace Day because I thought he might be interested.
This is the one if you want to watch it yourself:
September 21: Brunswick Baptist
He watched it and this is the texting that happened after. I think it’s a perfect example of respectful Christian bullshit.
Him: Veronica - I’ve finally made time to sit with this and listen to it intently. It’s a very good presentation - you are a very good speaker. Your message of ‘no peace without justice’ is utterly biblical and I accept the truth of your message, even if it runs counter to some of my biases. I am a Zionist and I hate the events of October 7 vehemently. Your final landing is great - it’s not just a matter of cutting the baby into two and giving half to each of the combatants. The best vision is one of one nation with justice for all - shalom. New leadership on both sides and wisdom amongst the nations - yeah, sure. God bless - and thanks for sending it.
I was so stunned by having him write that he’s a Zionist…that it took me a couple of days to respond because I wanted to be careful how I worded my message and I didn’t have enough free space in my day to do justice to a proper response.
So before I had a chance to text him back, I received another message.
Him: Hi Veronica. I was reading the story of the Good Samaritan (Palestinian) this morning and it really impacted me. Felt I needed to contact you again. Every Palestinian who has died is my neighbour and I grieve for them and want justice for them. Truly!
Me: I’ve been sitting with your text hoping to find the words to respond gently. I don’t know you well, but enough to know you wouldn’t want to cause anyone harm. So to have you say that you identify as a Zionist is challenging for me. I’m not sure you understand that being a Zionist means supporting Jewish supremacy. I hope you allow the story of the Good Samaritan to lead you to uncomfortable spaces.
Him: My self-description as a Zionist simply means that I support the existence of the nation of Israel - something that has often been under threat. But I also believe in justice for Palestinians. If my use of the Z word triggered you, I’m sorry. The appalling atrocities on Oct 7 have been verified by the UN and I can well understand the trauma they have created within Israel. But there has been far too much loss of life in the efforts to eliminate Hamas. But these opinions do not define righteousness and I can still regard you as a great woman while not entirely in agreement with your view of it all. I have visited Israel and can’t help loving it.
Me: I think you would love Palestine if you were to visit. Or do you specifically love the apartheid state of Israel that are ethnically cleansing a whole people group under the shield of their religion?
Him: I’ve already said that I don’t love everything they’ve done - not at all.
Me: I would encourage you to explore what the word Zionist means.
Him: Yes, OK - will do.
Me: Did you watch my Christian Zionism seminar by any chance?
Him: Thanks - I’ll have a look at it for sure
That was a couple of days ago. And then last night I watched the film NAZA and I came away wondering who in my life could benefit from watching it. And I thought about this guy. So this morning I sent him a text.
Me: I watched the film NAZA last night. Would you watch it with me and have a chat after?
Him: I would not choose to watch that, Veronica. Besides, that issue is not front-of-mind for me. Every person on the planet has an opinion and it’s hugely important, I know, but I’m going overseas soon and I’ve got a book review to write, a talk to give on Aboriginal stuff, and a mountain of admin and other issues to attend to for the Aboriginal church.
So yeah…that’s where we’ve left things. I need a few moments before I respond. And at this point I don’t know how. In the meantime I’ve channelled my frustration with organising a NAZA invite to a few other people in my life that I think miiiiiiiiiight say yes to coming along.
Sigh.
He has an open heart but a closed mind. 🥺
All of us are subject to conditioning through parents, schooling, friends, religion, law, government, universal belief and etc. etc.
Some of that conditioning is insidious and some of us may never be conscious of any of it, let alone all of it, and it's effects on what and how we think, act and react.
All of us are capable of positive and negative.
All of us share 99.9% identical dna.
Even Adolf Hitler, by most seen as the ultimate instance of 'Evil' - which is a religious term based on a particular belief and concept, in any case - showed 'love' to his German Shepherd dogs and to Eve Braun, possibly even to others of whom I'm unaware.
The point is that is makes no sense to as is common and describe the character or person of any human being or even any animal as 'good' or 'bad', for to pigeon hole life and living in such a way is to ignore the multiplicity of elements which compose a living being.
So, it doesn't surprise me or seem at all surprising that your friend or acquaintance, should exhibit many traits which accord with your view and belief of what constitutes a sound moral and compassionate outlook and attitude towards others - and some which do not, even seeming quite at odds with his 'other side', if you will.
Unfortunately, critical education is uncommon. Our schooling and social norms are possibly, even probably, the major sources of conditioning us to think, feel and behave in certain ways. Agreed moral codes, standards, laws, institutions and such are others. Religion and its purveyors are one of the strongest of those for they, by definition, claim that their 'codes' are pre-eminent.
So, it is reasonable to accept that acolytes of any particular faith or church may act or feel in certain ways which are disagreeable to our own concepts of what is rational, positive and caring. It is also likely that such people will be more inclined to stances which are hypocritical. However it is important, if we wish to be fair, to understand and remember that we may not be aware of many of the views and beliefs we have that are the result of conditioning rather than active and conscious learning.
That is why, I suggest that what you have witnessed and described is hypocrisy but by that, it does not mean to say the man is 'knowingly' a hypocrite. He is quite possibly completely unaware that there is a conflict between his opinion and the principles he no doubt espouses and by which he attempts and, in fact, largely does live.