The Deputy Police Commissioner of Clown World

Tracy Linford, Queensland’s deputy police commissioner, recently described the murders of two police officers and a very unlucky wrong place/wrong time neighbour at a Wieambilla property as an act of Christian terrorism. Ms. Linford said that the bizarre love-triangle involving three Train family members operated as an “autonomous cell” which, according to her version of events, was “religiously motivated”.

Significantly, the Deputy Police Commissioner stated at her press conference:

What we’ve been able to glean from that information is that the Train family members subscribe to what we would call a broad Christian fundamentalist belief system, known as   ‘premillennialism’.

Whilst the behaviour was similar in some respect to sovereign citizens, we don’t believe this  was connected to a sovereign citizen ideology, we believe it’s connected to the Christian extremist ideology.

There was a belief that Christ will return to the Earth … and provide peace and prosperity.

 But it will be preceded by an era, or a period of time of tribulation, widespread destruction and  suffering.

They started preparing for the end of days.

Predictably, all this inspired articles steeped in scriptural ignorance, like this one.

Believing that Jesus is going to physically return is not “Christian extremist ideology” but traditional, mainstream belief. And what’s more, there is no denomination which condones the use of violence. Instead, one of the chief obligations of a follower of Jesus is to submit to governing authorities as we would submit to God Himself (i.e. Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13-17).

There’s a fundamental principle which should be drilled into all scientific and journalistic investigations: correlation doesn’t equal causation. To blame the horrific events of December on a certain interpretation of a book in the Bible is just as irresponsible as claiming that the Queensland Department of Education was responsible for Gareth Train’s murderous actions because he was a former public school principal.

Martyn Iles, director of the Australian Christian Lobby, has challenged the Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner to substantiate her claims. Iles wrote on social media:

The most popular eschatology in Evangelical and Pentecostal circles is apparently a         motive for terrorism.

 It is the first time “Christian ideology” (their words) has been linked to a terror attack.

I call on Deputy Commissioner Linford to point out where in premillennialism there is any    authority given whatsoever for a person to use premeditated violence.

She can’t, because there isn’t.

Submission to the State is taught in three places in the New Testament. Jesus Himself submitted to Pilate’s judgement, acknowledging the man’s authority. He also said, “My kingdom is not of this world, or else my servants would fight.” Premillennialism affirms the absolute authority of these scriptures.

We’re living in clown world. In Ancient Rome, the authorities blamed Christianity for the evils of their day because they either hated it, or were totally ignorant concerning it.

I guess history can repeat. In a follow-up comment, Iles further wrote:

Premillenialism of the kind described in this instance has been around since 1845 and       globally popular since the 1960s … and yet … not one single terror event has ever been  perpetuated in the name of this belief … until now?

Clown world indeed.

As an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church of Australia, my observation has been that politicians and especially journalists, are generally illiterate when it comes to the teachings of the Bible. Mind you, this doesn’t stop them waxing eloquent about what they think the Bible says, or at least, what they would like it to mean. But, for the most part, when it comes to religion very few journalists don’t know what the hell (pun intended) they are talking about.

Iles is right. Not a single terror event has ever been perpetuated in the name of premillennialism.

If one were to sit down and read what the book of Revelation actually says, the likes of Deputy Commissioner Linford would quickly find that it condemns all forms of violence (e.g. Rev. 9:21; 21:8). Indeed, it actually says that people will be specifically judged for crimes such as murder. This remains true no matter what misinterpretation is applied by those who should know better, especially senior police officers.