The attack on Charlie Hebdo, including the murder of two
police officers, was both a horrible crime and a reprehensible assault on the most
basic of freedoms – free speech. However offensive Charlie Hebdo’s
publications might have been (and were intended to be) there could never be any
basis for such wickedness and violence. The incident has been the subject of
wide-ranging debate covering political, security and religious issues. Many of the problems are longstanding, complex
and seemingly intractable – in other words way beyond the capacity of a blog to
deal with. There are, however, a number of observations that can be made in reflecting
on Charlie Ebdo from a Christian vantage point.
1.
Freedom
of Speech is a declaration of Christian faith
Historically Western freedom of expression has often been
summed up by Voltaire’s famous maxim: "I do not agree with
what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.” It is a principle that
allows for disagreement, debate and objection – but rejects censorship and
repression. Such a premise is really only morally permissible, however, because
of the Christian confidence that good ideas will prevail over bad ideas. It is
why Christians, who although claiming custody of Truth, can tolerate other
points of views - because ultimately they believe God Himself will vindicate
that which is right and expose that which is false.
It
is thus a hallmark of Biblical faith to leave the final verdict on such matters
in the hands of God – ‘the day will declare it’. Insecurity in faith, on the
other hand, is typically marked out by the need to attack and coerce opponents
into agreement now. As one radio journalist so starkly expressed it when
interviewing a militant Islamic leader some years ago, ‘Surely the eternal fires of
hell are punishment enough for infidels: why do you need to kill them now?’ It
was a question that went to the heart of what real faith convictions look like. Muslim
violence, or indeed Christian expressions of vilification, towards faith opponents
simply suggests that those perpetrating such acts fear, deep down, that they
might not be proved to be right in the end.
So Christians can uphold the freedom of Charlie Ebdo to ridicule and mock religion,
not because such actions are commendable, nor because it is the price to be paid to ensure freedom of speech for all – but
because defending Charlie Ebdo is a profound declaration that they actually
believe in the God they profess.
2.
Secular media hypocrisy
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| Bryan Barkley expelled from the Red Cross after 20 years of volunteering for opposing SSM. |
Much
of the secular media on the other hand have demonstrated a deep hypocrisy in
this matter. The reaction of journalists
has been shock and outrage at this attack on freedom of speech – feelings
heightened of course by being the victim in this instance. The many media expressions
of protest against this attempt to intimidate and suppress free speech, are of course
quite right, but would have more moral authority if not for their own inconsistency
in this area. That is, our ostensibly liberal media have a track record of not
defending the right of free speech for those out of step with their own approved
viewpoints. We live a country where people have lost their jobs, been demoted
and generally bullied for expressing non-violent and moderate opposition to
Same Sex Marriage – but we hear of no media consternation at such practises.
Indeed it is the fear of negative media comment that often drives and
encourages such draconian reactions.
The
inconsistency extends to our politicians – Holyrood, which refused to include a
respect clause for those with religious and conscience-based reservations on
the issue of Same Sex Marriage, has no doubt sent its message of condemnation
about this attack on freedom of speech to the French people.
It
would be heartening to believe that the media might become champions not just
of their own freedom to question and dissent but also of those with non PC
views. The likelihood of course is that Charlie Ebdo will quickly become
yesterday’s news – and the media will revert back to its previous partiality.
3.
The hellishness of twisted
religion
During
the Rochdale Child Sex scandal one silhouetted girl described her experiences
being trafficked around by the gang using her for sex. She mentioned in the
passing that the men gave her crisps, but only Cheese & Onion, as meat flavoured
crisps might be non-Halal. It was a detail that revealed the hellishness of
twisted religion. The very idea that there might be a god in heaven who would
be more concerned about the flavouring in your crisps than about trafficking
under-age girls for sex is beyond damnable. Such perversions can happen in any
religion of course – sadly Christianity has not been immune from its own distortions. Too often the trappings of Christianity have become more precious to its proponents than its message - its religious robes elevated above righteousness.
Such
misuses point to the sinfulness endemic in humanity – a world in which good
things are frequently misused for evil purposes (whether medicines, the
internet, or indeed free speech). Some will seek to use Charlie Ebdo as the
proof that all religions and expressions of Faith are dangerous and nasty; a position no more credible than suggesting the Labour party will inevitability
result in Stalinism, or that the RSPCA is just a breeding ground for
anti-vivisectionist criminals. The answer of course to all such misuse and
extremism is not non-use but correction and right use.
4. The Contrast of The Cross
It
is why the Bible is such a challenging book – because it relentlessly confronts
such misuses, starting ‘at home’. Israel was fiercely held to account by the
prophets for its misuse of faith, its hypocrisy, its neglect of the poor and
its tendency to substitute outward religious observance for loving God and
their neighbours. Jesus explicitly banned His followers from using violence in
order to defend or promote Him (Matthew 26:52). Those who follow Jesus are to
be those who love their enemies and who bless those who curse them. The New Testament makes it painfully clear that Christianity is not a faith for those
seeking worldly power, advancement or status: rather it is a faith most fully
expressed in weakness, turning the other cheek and putting others first.
The
glory of Christianity is that at its centre is one whose response to His
enemies – to those who abused him, mocked him, slandered him – was not retaliation
but to lay his life down for them. Even on the Cross, his response to his
executioners was to pray that they might be forgiven. Despite His innocence,
and even his divinity, he was content to entrust himself to the one who judges righteously
(1 Peter 2:23).
The
final word on all the issues surrounding Charlie Ebdo is still
to be pronounced and it will be God’s – who knows all hearts, all truth, and
judges with absolute justice. For now it stands as a warning against insecure
faith, double standards and twisted religion. But it also points us to the
astonishing grace and wonder of the Gospel – a man dying for his foes that they
might be blessed.
