Thinking Out LoudLast week, I was invited to Parliament House in Canberra to talk about my new book The Freedom Trap (to be released in March). Upon entry I was met with a chaotic buzz. Lobbyists packed the foyer. Interest groups flooded the halls. MPs and their staff scurried about, fuelled by caffeine and opinion polls. It was democracy in all its frantic splendour.
In the midst of it all a number of Ministers, MPs, and Senators dropped by for a chat and to pick up an advance copy of my book. They came from both sides of politics and the full spectrum of faith.
At one point, a debate broke out between two MPs from different political parties. Both were baffled by how the other could possibly reconcile their faith with their politics.
I tried explaining why I thought they were both wrong – why a good-faith Christian (in this case) could be on the political right or left – but no consensus could be reached. The argument raged for some time. But then they smiled, shook hands, wished each other well, and went on their way.
What they did was harder and more beautiful than tolerance. They respected each other. It struck me that opportunities for such conversations – both inside and outside Parliament – are far too rare.
My book contends that the freedoms of thought, speech, and debate are not enough. They must be accompanied by genuine respect for those with whom we disagree. Respect precedes empathy, bypasses prejudice, dilutes vitriol, and trumps tolerance.
Democracy is a messy and frustrating form of government. Still, its secret sauce is respect, not tolerance. Tolerance tries to negate our differences, but respect cuts through them. In a divided Parliament, a polarised world, we need more than mere tolerance. We need mutual respect.
This Thinking Out Loud was first published on Facebook.