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A new book by Barbara Miller explains the background to and issues with the Voice to Parliament with simplicity and compelling arguments.

The newly released book by Barbara Miller, Voice Treaty Truth: Has the Christian Voice Been Heard?, is a must-read.

The reader is immediately struck with the deep history she has on the subject. Topics include reconciliation, racism, colonisation, intergenerational trauma, cultural Marxism/identity politics, treaty, traditional Aboriginal spirituality, forgiveness and a history of the voice, treaty, truth process – to name but a few.

What is startling is how remarkably the shortness, ease and simplicity of the book combine with its depth, breadth and intellectual rigour. It is a pleasure to read.

The book is very balanced, lays out the reasons for both sides of the debate, and respectfully but compellingly lays out the reasons for a No vote.

Perhaps most powerfully, the argument for No comes from an author who has an involved history with the movement for voice, treaty, truth and was previously supportive of it. The book lays out the reasons why this is no longer the case with the current Voice proposal. Here is a brief summary:

“I wrote the book because I don’t believe the Christian voice, of First Nations and others, has been heard. I don’t want Australia to be divided by race and I value equality before the law and the Voice will breach this. These are basic Christian values. If it succeeds, the Voice will divide First Nations people themselves as well as the rest of the population.”

Barbara and her husband Norman are a true gift to the Church of Australia and to Australia at large. I do not say that lightly.

They are founding members of Canberra Declaration, helping launch it on the steps of Parliament House on 23 July 2010.

All of that is to say, this book deserves a wide reading.

The Voice Referendum: A Difference over Ideology, not ‘Heart’

Barbara begins by laying out the foundational differences between the Yes and No sides. People of Australia are generally those of goodwill, who desire a fair go for all.

The upcoming referendum is not about ‘heart’ (intentions or outcomes). The real issue, she writes, is a fundamental difference in worldview that both sides bring to the table:

“I believe it is a struggle between progressive and conservative world views and narratives. It is a divide between left and right. And that divide is in the Christian church as well as in society.” (p. 12–13)

Equality and True and False Justice

Barbara lays the foundation for clear, Christian thinking about the Voice debate by grounding the equality of all people in the biblical teaching that all are equally made in the image of God (Gen 1:27–27). “Our skin colour might be different, and our life experiences may be different, but we are the one humanity.” (p. 15)

As a result, justice is a central issue and God is the “God of justice and grieves if people are treated badly” (p. 16). Justice is something Christians must pursue.

Then the author makes a distinction between true and counterfeit justice. She explains it like this:

“The Lord told me there is a counterfeit spirit of justice and it could be discerned by the spirit behind it. If the spirit behind the work for justice is one of punishment, revenge, retribution, hatred etc., then that was coming from a counterfeit spirit of justice.” (p. 18)

What should we make of the Yes and No campaigns? What spirit do they exhibit?

“At least some of the leaders of the yes campaign, wanting justice as they see it, have come in the wrong spirit, a spirit of counterfeit justice.” (p. 19)

The definition of the word ‘Makarrata’ is critical here. It can mean “peace after a dispute”. However, there is another meaning which was pointed out in 2017:

“Makarrata literally means a spear penetrating, usually the thigh, of a person that has done wrong… so that they cannot hunt anymore, that they cannot walk properly, that they cannot run properly; to maim them, to settle them down, to calm them that’s Makarrata.”

Barbara writes:

“This would suggest that making a makarrata between First Nations peoples and other Australians would have the intent to punish them for doing wrong and to maim them so as not to cause Indigenous people any more trouble.” (p. 20)

The Goal of the Voice: Radical, Structural Changes

The book places the Voice discussion in its proper context. It notes that while the referendum is formally about the Voice, the Voice cannot be understood except within the context in which it was called for: the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The purpose of the Uluru Statement is clear:

“… if you read the Uluru Statement from the Heart, it has not hidden its agenda. It is all there in black and white.” (p. 24)

I could not agree more.

The book then shifts to explaining the structural changes to our government a Yes vote would deliver:

“There are three arms of government in the Westminster system of democracy – the legislature or parliament, the judiciary, and the executive (administrative arm.) The Voice will give us a fourth arm of government, so it is a fundamental change. It will have its own chapter in the constitution. This is a radical change.” (p. 26).

Avoiding Syncretism Between Animism and Christianity

There are large sections of the book dealing with the issue of animist Aboriginal spirituality and its relationship to the Voice.

Crucially, the Uluru Statement endorses animist religious beliefs. The one-page Uluru Statement with its decorative artwork includes two snakes (serpents) representing two ancestral beings, “Kuniya, the woma python woman [along with its eggs in the top-left corner], and Liru, the venomous snake man [in the bottom-right corner].” (p. 48)

Many Christian leaders have endorsed the Uluru Statement. But Christians should not endorse an artwork that represents manifestations of the serpent (Gen 3; Rev 20:2).

Barbara helpfully calls the Church out of syncretism and into full, biblical freedom. She believes the Church has been “bewitched” into accepting identity politics/cultural Marxism – often without realising it.

Everyone needs to examine their culture and beliefs. There will be aspects that are good and godly, while others will be bad and sinful.

After making a distinction between respecting Aboriginal culture and making it an idol, she recounts this heart-warming story:

“I am reminded that many years ago, an Aboriginal priest from Yarrabah said to me, tapping his chest, ‘I’m a culture man, but the church expects me to give up Aboriginal culture.’

“This was a dilemma for him, feeling torn between the two. I said, ‘It doesn’t matter whether you are black or white; you need to give up those parts of your culture that don’t line up with the word of God and keep those parts that do.’

“He gave a sigh of relief, saying that he didn’t realise that white people had to examine and give up parts of their culture too.” (p. 71)

This Book Will Be Important Even After the Referendum

The book has been primarily written for the lead-up to the referendum this Saturday. However, it is a soul-searching read that will prove vital for the days, weeks and months ahead.

Despite its relatively short length, Voice Treaty Truth contains a wealth of information and background. There are many “Ah, I never knew that!” moments as conferences, meetings, biblical principles, key people and history are masterfully woven together.

Purchase the book here!

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Image: Wikimedia Commons.