Inconveniently Documenting Real Life

By Gary Berg-Cross

The 2013 Oscars have their big light drama with serious movie contenders like ‘Lincoln’ one at least based on a serious book (‘Les Miserables’).  Less watched, discussed or popularized are nominees in the documentary category. They lack glitz and glamour of actors on the A-list or celebrities directors (like Michael Moore). What they have are non-celebrity protagonists living our real dramas narratives.

One that has attacked some attention is called “The Gatekeepers” and is about Shin Bet - the shadowy internal security intelligence, and counter-terror operations brother agency to the Mossad. Director Dror Moreh somehow convinced 6 former living heads of the agency to conduct on-the record and pretty frank interviews along with raw footage and reenactments of dramatic historical events that are sewn together into a documentary with some power. As Newsweek noted:

To tamp down Palestinian rebellions and foil attacks on Israelis, Shin Bet operatives have regularly engaged in some unsavory measures—rough interrogations and targeted killings, to name two—all in the service of maintaining Israel’s grip over territories it captured in the 1967 war.

And this is an important part of what we heard from 6, powerful men breaking their silence as Richard Cohen noted unlike what will ever had with past CIA directors. These are 6 men spanning 1980-2011 with access to the most classified information and long experience to understand events historically.

The movies’ arc included the period of Palestinian terrorism and insurrections, the rise of the Israeli settler movement, the assassination of a prime minister, brutalities (“I think he took a rock and smashed their heads in.” )  and cover-ups. The result is what some uncomfortably call an admirable documentary that raises eyebrows if not angst as it argues for Israeli compromise as it documents errors and perhaps bad political faith. As the film voices make clear intelligence gathering has all shades of gray, wrapped in subtle situations that require nuanced understanding.  Yuval Diskin, who led Shin Bet from 2005 until 2011 as well as his former colleagues tell how their nuanced advice have been largely and repeatingly dismissed by most Israeli prime ministers.  As a group they accuse the PMs of ignoring the Palestinian territories and the peace process in favor of kicking an increasingly explosive can down the road.  To paraphrase Ariel Sharon quip, “ I love the peace process so much it hope it never ends.”

WapPo’s Ann Hornaday 4 star  review “An unsettling true-life thriller” (“first must-see movie of the year is a riveting espionage thriller that just happens to be true.” ) suggested the most disheartening messages of “The Gatekeepers” is how many times Israeli leaders squandered opportunities to end the occupation of the West Bank or allowed illegal settlements despite a virtually guaranteed violent response. “What’s the difference between Golda Meir and [Menachem] Begin?” asks Avraham Shalom, who directed the agency from 1980 until 1986. “Nothing. He didn’t visit the Arabs. She didn’t, either.”

One broad theory as to why former Shin Beth leaders allowed the interview is that it involves growing religious influence in Israeli society. According to this view “the film is somehow the parting shot of an old secular elite in Israel, which is steadily being supplanted by another group, this one more religious and less prone to compromise. (The current Shin Bet head is religious.)” from Newsweek’s review which also included this from the film:

Carmi Gillon, who led the Shin Bet from 1994 to 1996, describes the Russian Compound in Jerusalem, where Palestinians are frequently interrogated, as so old and forbidding “that any normative person who walks in the door would be willing to admit to the murder of Jesus” just to get out of there.

Yuval Diskin, the most recently serving chief, tells of the coercive measures required to get Palestinians to snitch on their friends and even family. “[It] involves taking a person who doesn’t really like you and causing him to do things that he never thought he’d be willing to do.”

In one of the more startling moments in The Gatekeepers, Moreh reads to Diskin the comments of the late Israeli intellectual Yeshayahu Leibowitz, who wrote in 1968 that ruling over the Palestinians would effectively turn Israel into a police state, “with all that this implies for education, freedom of speech and thought, and democracy.”

It’s a long, secular look at difficult times maybe now sliding along down a road with new religious fervor added.

There is an interview with Israeli filmmaker Dror Moreh on  The Gatekeepers from Democracy Now.

Religious Decline , Liberal Churches, and their Evolution in Canada

By Gary Berg-Cross

Liberal churches and falling religiosity have been discussed on the blog recently. Here is some follow up on these topics using Canadian examples.

A while ago one could think that French Catholic Canada was a more religious place than the US. But in French Canada, and even across broader Canada, there seems to be a pronounced secular movement. Religiosity is in decline. In contemporary, decidedly secular Québec religion has been eroded by a secular nationalism. In Quebec city you can find an old church turned into a public library. Laval University formerly Catholic has become secular.  Another manifestation has been the national conversation promoted by  people like Gretta Vosper who founded  the

Canadian Centre for Pryogressive Christianity in 2004. Her first book, With or Without God: Why the Way We Live is More Important that What We Believe, emphasized just and compassionate living, and a new and wholly humanistic approach to religion. It quickly became a Canadian national bestseller.

Part of the Canadian religious sceine is the swath of Protestant sects, such as Canada’s Anglicans, in decline.  From 1,343,000 parishioners in 1960 Anglicans declined to just under 642,000 by 2001.

Why so? Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why sees a gradual, painful emergence or evolution of  various religions. Her belief is that there is "recurrent pattern" in which every 500 years Christianity has shed  "the incrustations of an overly established" institution and reinvents itself. She sees a similar phenomenon in Islam and Judaism. What Tickle sees emerging in the future is several different types of Christianity which selectively emphasize different aspects of the Christian message.

In her view there are 4 evolving types making up quadrant. In the upper left, quadrant there would be “Liturgical Christians” (hung on established practices without a deep philosophy); while the upper right we have“Social Justice Christians” (more on these from liberal groups later). In the lower part are 2 fundamentalist groups “Renewalist Christians” (Pentecostal/charismatic/neo-charismaticsmay  who may be very activist  ) and  more “Conservative Christians.”

As Tickle puts it, “One locates oneself or one’s faith community on the map in terms of that which is more, or most, important in one’s Christian practice.”

It’s already possible to see a version of "Social Justice Christians”. It is common to speak of liberal churches in Canada which has located their faith this way. One of these is the United Church of Canada, a pillar of Canadian society, UC is the largest Protestant group and seems to be moving in the direction of “Social Justice Christians” away from the other 3 types. In 1965, but in decline, United Church membership hit its peak at 1,064,033. It then began a decline that has continued for 45 years till today. In 2008, membership was almost half of 45 years ago at 525,673. More recently a candid document from the office of the church’s general secretary itemized some problems generated in part from a shifting (the average age of its members is 65 ) and more secular population:

“They include declining membership, aging congregations and ministers, eroding finances, and a model of ministry and mission that has failed to engage the spiritual yearnings of many young people. Many Canadians find community in workplaces, book clubs, sports teams and Facebook, but church simply is not on their radar.” 

The church reaction has been a bit of following its members many of whom are interested in social justice. Members and congregations have diverse beliefs, which does not necessarily include God. Some congregations describe themselves as “post-theistic,” and as one church elder said, it shows the church is not “stuck in the past.” One disaffected branch of the United Church of Canada in Vancouver has voted to join a Humanist association in reaction to ongoing disputes within its national executive around social issues. At least three churches in Canada have ratified a merger with Humanism this year, and at least some say that more may follow. One reason offered is that so called liberal churches are converging with humanism. Designated Pastor John Meagher of Ottawa’s Humanist Church described it this way:

“Christian and Humanist ethics are almost identical, and we are learning from each other that liberal Christianity and an inclusive Humanism have much to share and to teach each other.”

And at least in the UC social justice issues are driving agendas outside of the usual religious sphere in Canadian society. It shows us what various evolving religious groups may be like as they collaboratively take on social issues.

Members of the United Church of Canada’s general council with more than 350 delegates from across Canada, recently to affirm a motion supporting a boycott of goods produced in Israeli settlements on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. United Church’s Moderator, Mardi Tindal, in response to the Canadian senator’s criticism of the new activism, smacking of politics said: “We are very political, as was Jesus—that’s why he was crucified.” She she added that political does not mean partisan.

In a press release, Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) commended the Church and applauded their affirmation of the boycott resolution.

The press release adds:

“By adopting this historic resolution, the United Church of Canada joins a growing movement of churches, trade unions, and other organizations in Canada and around the world that are boycotting Israel’s illegal,” says IJV spokesperson Sid Shniad. “It is not anti-Semitic to criticize Israel. Given the state’s ongoing illegal activities it is a moral imperative. We are very encouraged that the United Church has recognized the difference and we look forward to working with the church to move this important human rights work forward.”

Image Credits:

Greta: http://49thshelf.com/Blog/2012/03/21/Gretta-Vosper-on-spirituality-vs.-religion-prayer-as-placebo-and-how-to-become-an-agent-for-change

United Church of Canada Dove: http://www.duncanunited.org/