Children Not Heard

I’m sorry God, but the little children aren’t much of a priority to government and you aren’t protecting them. Your followers don’t seem to care much for them either as they’ve accepted years of child abuse in churches and other institutions. Whilst many people are aware of the Bible verse with Jesus saying something like let the little children come to me, there are scant in-depth sermons about it. So, it seems like a verse that has largely been glossed over. I believe that verse, however, should have a profound meaning to Christians as they search to protect and care for children.

During the Prime Minister’s National Apology[1] to survivors of child sexual abuse in October 2018, he said, “…because our children must be heard, and when it comes to the work of safety, it must be approachable and child friendly. They must know who they can tell, and they must be believed, and they must know where they can go.” Perfect. I wholeheartedly agree.

Then along comes another issue involving children: school climate strikes. Standing at the very same lectern where he gave the National Apology, only a matter of weeks previously, Morrison refused to answer the question of whether he would meet with and listen to these striking children saying, “What we want is more learning in schools and less activism in schools.[2]” Why wouldn’t Morrison listen to these children? These are children concerned about their safety in the long term.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has totally muddled the message to Australian children. What exactly is his viewpoint on listening to children? It seems he is interested in promoting the outdated adage attributed to a clergyman from the 15th Century, “Children should be seen but not heard.”  Does Morrison only listen to children when it encompasses a topic with which he agrees? A potentially calamitous mixed message has been declared from Parliament that does nothing to stop a cycle of abuse within institutions. Children are unlikely to tell adults about abuse if they feel they won’t be heard or taken seriously. Morrison’s shouting at kids participating in school climate strikes is not helpful. The Prime Minister’s aggressive and dismissive attitude towards our children’s fears on global warming are likely to discourage children from communicating on many other matters; including sexual abuse.

Recently, a group of eight high school students appealed to the Federal Court of Australia to claim the government had a duty of care to protect children from future detrimental impacts from climate change[3]. The Court agreed that the current Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, does indeed have a duty to consider the “avoidance of personal injury” as it relates to government approvals of projects contributing to climate change. Astonishingly, the Federal Government plans to appeal the ruling! But Morrison previously said in parliament, “…because our children must be heard, and when it comes to the work of safety, it must be approachable and child friendly.” The government’s refusal to hear children’s voices has forced children to act in the Federal Courts; hardly an approachable or child friendly route.

In the Bible, Jesus rebuked the dismissive attitude his disciples exhibited towards children. The disciples’ annoyance at the children’s involvement was corrected by Jesus, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.[4]” I believe this verse relates to the representation of children: innocent; vulnerable; insecure; trusting. These were the very same characteristics exploited by so many churches to cover up child sexual assault. These are the very same characteristics the government does not want to nurture or consider in their environmental or energy decision making.

If only Jesus could rebuke Scott Morrison as he did the disciples. Oh, but it is in the Bible; perhaps Morrison hasn’t read that verse so he doesn’t know of it yet. Does the Prime Minister, a self-proclaimed follower of Christianity, even recognise that his comments and demeanour towards children does not follow Jesus Christ’s message? Morrison’s inconsistent statements surrounding children creates a murkiness that serves our society very poorly into the future. I am deeply disturbed as I observe rhetoric and machinations, by the highest office in our land, that are so profoundly counter-intuitive; so foreign to the teachings of Jesus that Scott Morrison claims to follow. I despair the children of today as their innocence and vulnerability are so readily disregarded. The kingdom of heaven may be theirs, but not a sustainable planet Earth.

[1] https://www.pm.gov.au/media/national-apology-address

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2018/nov/27/scott-morrison-tells-kids-going-on-climate-strike-to-get-back-to-school-video

[3] https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/australian-court-duty-of-care-environment/?template=next

[4] Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16