Isn’t it amazing to what extent a single subject, can dominate so many different nations, and people, for so long a time – I was thinking about this morning as I drove into work.
I was listening to talk back, as I often do, because clearly having turned thirty, I’m now well over the hill (kidding, I’ve listened to talk back for years).
Anyway, so they were rolling through the usual, this morning. Boarder failure, the ‘Team of Five Million’ and how we should feel about the recent community transmission, and postal workers being infected, and guards.
You know the drill.
But I guess it got me thinking.
There are two major subjects that dominate New Zealand right this moment.
Subject One: Covid-19
Subject Two: The General Election
For me, the most immediately impacting of these subjects is of course Covid-19. I work in our business’ compliance and Health and Safety. And while for several years my primary focus has been ring fencing the risk around falling off of a roof and suffering electrocution, these days I’m more so having to explain again and again how frequently our guys change their masks, and wash their hands.
What fun!
Regardless of how much I am impacted by Covid in our communities, the General Election is probably just as important, though. And that’s what I was reflecting on this morning.
This is because there are two referendums involved in this year’s General Election.
One has to do with the legalization of weed, the second is to do with assisted dying.
As a Christian, the latter is a major concern for me, because I am a big believer in the sanctity of life.
And in fact, many Christians within New Zealand are already really disenchanted in regards to current politics, as earlier this year major changes were made to abortion law.
And I guess this morning I was thinking about how interrelated all of these things are, and what they speak of about us as humans, and I guess what lies within us all.
This is because the whole Covid response is pretty anti-Darwin, isn’t it?
I don’t mean to sound crude or disrespectful, but it is. We supposedly exist within a world which is what it is because of a constant wrestling of weak and powerful.
We are only as unfurry, and able to use utensils because the theory says that some lesser creature died out.
Survival of the fittest. The weak and vulnerable are able to fitter out, and the strong will survive and continue.
That’s the party line, isn’t it?
Yet often I’m really surprised, and even Stephen Barr (Modern Physicist) in his book ‘The Believing Scientist’ highlights the absurdity of popular modern atheist Richard Dawkin’s perspective on these things.
‘What is Dawkin’s own respond to what he several times called Darwinism’s “Moral Implications” ‘ Barr notes, ‘It is not to embrace them… nor is it to reject Darwinism itself… rather it is to accept Darwinism is true, but “rebel” against its implications. ‘At the same time as I support Darwinism as a scientist, I am a passionate anti-Darwinian when it comes to politics and how we should conduct our human affairs.‘ (the latter part of this quote being a direct quote from Dawkins himself.)
This from a man who several years ago stated that women who continue with what he called ‘non viable’ pregnancies (such as down syndrome children) are ‘immoral’ – his words.
And yes, I also see the irony in his claims towards any type of absolute morality of what is right or wrong.
Because if truth and morality is indeed relative, then even the statement that it is relative is relative. Which makes little to no sense at all either.
I don’t want to argue evolution, but I am curious, because we are currently in a world that is capitulating economically to protect the vulnerable.
The bulk of those who have passed away thus far from Covid-19 are either vulnerable because of age, or else because of existing conditions (such as diabetes, hearth disease or respiratory illness).
They are vulnerable, and we as the healthy and well of society are sacrificing to protect them – because if we are honest, we see life as being important. We see the vulnerable as needing to be protected.
One of the arguments made by a wild and feral universe without a God is that man isn’t actually all that special to begin with. That we’re just clever beasts.
The argument made by the major monotheistic faiths, however is that man is significant.
I guess what I’m inviting you to do today, is to be curious, and see not just the uniqueness of our intrinsic stance when it comes to the vulnerable, but the beauty in it.
That we are in our base not just clever beasts, but instead wonderful beings that have the capacity to think and feel and reason.
Going back to Barr he says as well ‘in the words of Sir Francis Crick, if our mental life is nothing but electrical impulses in our nervous system, then one cannot explain the realm of abstract concepts, including those of theoretical science. No can one explain the human mind’s openness to truth, which is the foundation of all science. As Chesterton observed, the materialist (which means someone who thinks matter is all that is real) cannot explain ‘why anything should go right, even observation and deduction. Why good logic should not be as misleading as bad logic, and if they are both movements in the brain of a bewildered ape.’ Scientific Materialism exalts human reason, but cannot account for human reason.’
Curious that we are a people who treasure and value and will sacrifice for the vulnerable, and very, very anti Darwin.
So going back to the General Election in New Zealand this year – curious that we have had a recent law change that has taken away the rights of a vulnerable child, and are looking to pass a law that could potentially take advantage of an vulnerable person who has been made vulnerable either by age or terminal illness – and yet we are consumed by protecting a different type of vulnerable in our response to Covid-19.
I believe the vulnerable need to be protected.
I remember someone telling me once who worked in a disabled trust that disabled people invite us to be compassionate, and better versions of ourselves.
That their presence in society actually challenges us to be better – and that ridding society of people who are ‘not up to standard’ would actually make us worse people.
And I agree with this.
I believe we need to be compassionate, and that the strong should protect the weak. But we need to see that this extends beyond Covid-19, and to our political system.
Let me make myself clear – anyone who tells me that we should have a perspective of protecting the vulnerable in our society from Covid-19 and yet holds the belief that unborn children should be terminated, and elderly and unwell are killed as a part of a routine medical procedure needs to reexamine themselves and their perspectives.
Because it does seem pretty hypocritical.
And in many ways, resonant with Dawkins and his anti Darwin response to what he calls morality, and yet also claims the immorality of a woman who decides to go ahead with a down syndrome pregnancy, all the while arguing the lack of value and special significance placed on man through the monotheistic faiths that falls out of step with modern atheism.
Perhaps we can be curious, and like ourselves a little more for the fact that humanity seems to intrinsically at its best value the ‘other’ and seek to protect it.
Yes, terrible people have done terrible things to others.
But there is a consistency around some pretty heavy moral ideas around death, grief, loss, etc. And that is why history is full of yes, the Hilters, but also the William Wilberforces.
Because humanity is special, and has the capacity to be extraordinarily wonderful and amazing – and in this capacity, the true delight of what we are is shown.
That beneath it all we all long to love and be loved sacrificially, and to protect and be protected.
Because we are valuable, and in seeing that perhaps we see the ties between Covid-19 and the General Election and politics in New Zealand.
We people are incredible, and I guess the connection between these two subjects says a lot about what we are, but maybe also a lot about other things too?
brighteyesbigworld 