ScoMo's impossible position as PM and prophet

And a plea to pray rather than preach

Scott Morrison hasn’t even spent a week in Australia’s top job. Yet already it seems that he not only bears the weight of a nation, but the reputation of the whole of Christianity. Either that, or he is a modern-day Moses, come to take Australia’s secularising soul and reawaken it to the truth of the gospel. At least, that’s what is suggested by the comments I’ve seen pop up in my social media feeds.

Here at Eternity, we asked readers what they thought about our new leader. Here are a few of the responses:

“Leaders of Faith or none at all, politics is ugly and not for the faint-hearted. Governing in the 21st century needs superpowers few possess, so let’s see if Morrison can rise above the stench of modern politics and lead us to the Promised Land,” said one reader.

“I am so glad that, finally, we have a true Christian who will rely on our God for his direction on how to run this country,” wrote another.

“Congratulations! God has heard the cries of his people.”

One reader said Morrison could not call himself a Christian if he didn’t take the lead of those like Father Rod Bower, an Anglican priest whose provocative political signage outside the church building regularly makes the news. This reader suggested Morrison should be looking at a more welcoming refugee policy, amongst other things.

Yet another reader exhorted Morrison to protect Australia’s “Christian heritage” and exercise “love with discernment” when it comes to refugee policy, by limiting Muslim immigrant intake.

Not every howl from the left or the right can be answered. But, if Morrison’s policy direction isn’t to your political taste, does that mean he is going to hell?

His former pastor and friend Michael Murphy doesn’t think so.

“He is not a celebrity to claim but bears an incredible God-given responsibility for the future of our great nation,” wrote Murphy on Facebook the day after Morrison was sworn in as PM.

“Already, I’ve heard and seen a few believers giving their ‘opinions’ as to his ministerial efforts to date or ‘what he needs to do!'”

Murphy outlined 10 things he thinks Christians should do instead:

1. Do pray for him, rather than preach at him.

2. Do see his appointment as a responsibility, rather than claiming him as your right.

3. Do encourage him, rather than instruct him.

4. Do ask God for his blessing and protection on his family, rather than being only committed to his support for yours.

5. Do realise that his responsibility is to govern for all Australians, not just those of your denomination or expression of faith.

6. Do seek his peace, rather than have a piece of him.

7. Do attempt to understand the pressures of the office, rather than add pressure on him from your office.

8. Do intercede for God’s agenda to operate through him, rather than push your agenda to him.

9. Do use your social media influence to build up, rather than “grand stand” or point scoring to your mates.

And most of all …

10. Every AM pray for your PM!

But then again, perhaps we shouldn’t listen to Murphy, either. He is, after all, a pentecostal pastor that another Eternity reader railed against with their own thoughts on ScoMo’s ascension:

“Disgusted by his actions in promoting a disgraced former minister, Stuart Roberts, another happy-clappy Evangelical Pentecostal as Assistant Treasurer … Next we will have the Parliament highjacked by Evangelical Pentecostal values.”

So, don’t clap too loudly, Prime Minister.