Why Fundamentalism holds people back.

Any individual, group, society or culture that claims to be the sole protector of the “truth”, be that truth Scientific, Statistical, Christian, Muslim, Communist or whatever – holds a fundamentalist view. In fact anyone with a fixed belief, is Fundamentalist. Fundamentalism constrains human innovation; fundamentalists want to revert to what the purveyors of the ideology consider a “cleaner’ more “pure” past. Or in the case of science (and my pet aversion, statistics) if it can’t be “proved” it doesn’t exist, it can’t work or else it is a figment of someone’s overactive imagination.

Fundamentalist either forget or ignore the human spirit, which cannot be constrained. The human spirit (however defined) needs to be free to seek, to strive and to find, in its own way - and not everyone is the same or wants the same things. Anyone who tries to hold back the human spirit, or attempts to direct it into one particular path is doomed to ultimate failure. To prove this point just take a look at what is happening in the Middle East and the hundreds of thousands demonstrating against the practices of financial institutions in American cities and it other cities around the world.

The possible exception here, to returning to the past, is the Scientific Fundamentalist who believes totally in the power and purity of scientific exposition and innovation – and there have been some wonderful inventions and discoveries. But the Scientific True Believer, in whatever field of science, has an absolute conviction that scientific “knowledge” is the basis for everything including Life itself. This scientific evidence, it is often claimed, can be proved statistically; that Statistical “facts” trump all else; that scientific concepts which are supported by statistical “proof” must therefore be true, and anyone who does not see this or who voices any opposition, is worthy of nothing but contempt.

Just recall the years of ridicule and isolation suffered by two Australian scientists, Robin Warren and Barry Marshall who in 1982 discovered that the main cause of stomach ulcers is the bacteria Heliobacter pylori. In their original paper, Warren and Marshall contended that most stomach ulcers and gastritis were caused by colonization with this bacterium, not by stress or spicy food as had been assumed before. They did not conform to current scientific thinking and were pilloried for their stand. Had they been scientific fundamentalist they would never have made this discovery and those suffering from stomach ulcers and medicine would have been the poorer. Stomach ulcers are now cured with a short course of antibiotics.

When the subject turns to Religious (or Political) Fundamentalism we delve into murky waters indeed. To my way of thinking religious or political fundamentalism (often considered one and the same when there is no division between “Church” and State) also holds back innovation by demanding (often on pain of death) that all people believe that they (the Leaders) alone know what is best for them – the populace – and that they (the fundamentalist leaders) are following God’s will. And generally fundamentalists of this ilk try to reduce the role of women to virtual slavery and to being totally dependent on the males in the family. Again, look at the Christian fundamentalists in America, the Jewish fundamentalists in Israel and the Islamic fundamentalists in many Muslim countries, particularly Iran and Saudi Arabia and then of course there is the basket case of North Korea.

I may be wrong (the favoured expression always used by someone who believes they are right!!), but by restricting education to learning the Koran and Sharia Law, or applying a strict interpretation of the Torah or the Bible, and by not educating women, these fundamentalists are holding back their citizens.

One needs to ask how fundamentalism, in any form, adds to the material or spiritual well-being of Mankind?

I did it!

This post is to inform my one loyal reader that I have just received the glad tidings that I satisfied the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Western Australia). I will admit to some pride in this achievement. It has taken me a while, with many days of labour and nights devoid of ease. But I did it. If I may say so myself this is not a bad achievement for someone who is 71 years old!

More on refugees, asylum seekers - whatever.

Much of the discussion in Australia, and I presume other countries with similar problems, has been on how to “stop the boats” from arriving. Short of the drastic step of blowing them out of the water there is no short term solution. People have migrated, gone to what they perceive are “greener pastures”, for thousands of years; in fact we are all, in effect, “migrants” out of Africa!

I am sure that many intelligent people have spent a great deal of time thinking about various solutions to this perceived problem but I have not seen much in the media about the actual causes – why these people take the tremendous risk of a precarious land and sea journey to Australia. For instance just reflect for a moment on where these “boat people” originate – generally Afghanistan, Iran or Iraq – not particularly pleasant places to live at the present time. In none of these countries is anyone “free” as we here in Australia would perceive it; all have corrupt or repressive governments; all are consumed by violence of one sort or another; all have a low standard of living for the general populace; all, with the possible exception of Iraq are culturally bound by a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Quite reasonably many people in these countries want to leave for a “better” future and prospects in Australia. If I was in their shoes, I would too – in fact I did. I left Zimbabwe for Australia, with my family, over 30 years ago. But I arrived in an aircraft.

The solution – long term – is to improve conditions in the countries concerned to the extent that their citizens are not tempted to leave. If this is not possible, and being realistic it is probably not possible, then we have to expect people to move - move to what they believe is a better place. Trying to stop them coming is like putting a finger in the leak in a dike – it may work for a while but long term the pressure will build up to a point when it will be impossible to stop.

A few points to consider:-

• After the necessary health and security checks - welcome them as new migrants and put them to work.
• These are generally industrious, intelligent and resourceful people who have suffered as we have not. There is a shortage of labour in the resource States of Western Australia and Queensland. And some, if not most, have skills we need.
• Give them a welcome; give them succour; allow them to work for a better life than the one they have known – give them a future.
• Be charitable and give them an Australian “fair go”.

Refugees are people too.

First up I would like to state, as boldly as I can, that refugees – however they are portrayed – are actually PEOPLE. Never forget they are people, as I am a person; as are you, the reader. As people, individuals, we all suffer – physical and emotional pain, stress, anguish and anxiety and we all have a desire to be treated justly and without prejudice. This is as it should be and this has been recognised in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1948. It is a noble document and Australia (rightly so) is a signatory to this Declaration.

When some people, citizens of Australia, denigrate and demonise refugees as “boat people”, as “illegal immigrants” or as “queue jumpers” I wonder just how many of them have actually put themselves in the position of these “refugees” and have reflected on what they, the Australians, would do had they experienced a similar background of poverty, injustice and discrimination. And I wonder, also, how many Australians have actually read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Some Australians (the Federal Government included) in violation of the Declaration actually do nothing to prevent prejudice and discrimination, not to say violence against these individuals, ignoring the fact that, for instance:-

Article 7 states that,
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

And Article 9 seeks to ensure that,
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

And then Article 14 which rightfully proclaims,
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

By keeping the refugees/boat people/illegals – whatever – in detention for years Australia is, I believe, in breach of the very Declaration they signed and are hypocritical when they castigate others for not upholding the same Declaration.

And what about charity? This is a quality which is woven into the fabric of every culture and society. In terms of Christianity (and Australia is nominally a Christian country) charity implies love of one’s fellow men (from the Oxford English Dictionary – OED). It means love; kindness; natural affection; spontaneous goodness; a disposition to think favourably of others and to make allowances for their shortcomings; beneficence; liberality to or the provision for those in need or distress.

Is this how we are treating these people who are desperate and in need of succour?

Then there is the adverb charitable which, again in Christian terms, means charity or the love of God and man; tender hearted; loving; benevolent; generous in giving to the poor.

Again I ask are we, as Australians, displaying these virtues and giving assistance to those who ask for our help?

There should be no need for a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If we treat people as we would like to be treated we are applying the universal principles so powerfully declared. We don’t do this because politicians – for political reasons and a few mischievous individuals – for personal reasons, use terms which try to portray these refugees as “different” – they are illegal immigrants; they are queue jumpers; they are disparaged as ‘boat people’ as if this is something to be despised. Once these terms enter the public consciousness it is easy to assume that because they are considered “different” it doesn’t matter if they are treated differently. This is a dangerous step which leads inevitably to the slippery slope of persecution – and history has provided many unfortunate examples of what this means.

To avoid the accusation of breaching the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights all applications for refugee status should be processed IN AUSTRALIA; not “off shore” in Malaysia or anywhere else but here within the safety of this great country.