When you boil it down, the current marriage debate is about two things: cultural normalisation – what we consider normal in our culture, and, who gets to define it.
WHO DEFINES CULTURE?: Paul Clark says faith groups have a role in defining culture but must “win people’s hearts and minds through compassionate good deeds”. PICTURE: Darren Coleshill/www.unsplash.com
For a time the church defined culture in Australia. The church had won the hearts and minds of society through its compassionate good works.
Now that those good works are done by government, and parts of the church have been scandalised, the church has lost this authority.
It lost much of the battle years ago. Just think of Sunday trading.
Who should define culture? Faith groups should certainly be part of the discussion. And a discussion it should be, a reasonable, compassionate discussion.
Ultimately we decide. Do we understand what you are deciding? Who defines cultural?
If the church wants to again, it must win people’s hearts and minds through compassionate good deeds.
Paul Clark’s musings can be heard on radio across Australia and at atthetop.org.au.
