An unconvicted Christian
You often hear the question, when people are speaking about Christians living a testimonial life "if you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you in court?". Today I found out that I would remain a non convicted Christian. I was editing a case from the Federal Magistrates Court regarding a refugee from China who was claiming religious persecution in China as a reason to be granted a protection visa in Australia (you can read the case here ). As a matter of course the Refugee Review Tribunal needed to establish that the applicant was in fact a Christian. During the subsequent review hearing the judge says this (at paragraph 10):
The approach taken by the presiding member to test the veracity and depth of the applicant's beliefs was in part questionable. For example, on page 88 of the court book the presiding member records that she asked the applicant who or what Christians understand God to be. That is an awfully big question to ask. It is apparent from what follows that the presiding member was looking for a description of the Trinity. The presiding member's own understanding of the Trinity, apparently based upon internet material, is itself questionable. The presiding member records her understanding that Christians believe that God was made up of three persons. A more orthodox description of the Trinity would be that God is a single entity with three natures. These are subtle and difficult questions which have vexed Christians for as long as the Christian faith has existed. There are Unitarian Christians who reject the concept of the Trinity altogether. The applicant was not necessarily wrong in responding that he only believes in one God. My own view is that a Christian is someone who is capable of reciting the Nicene Creed (which sets out the fundamental articles of faith) and who believes it ...
I am sure I believe it, and I am sure there is value in learning it, but how's it go again? (I actually won a share in a giant Toblerone recently for taking up the challenge of learning Romans 3:21-26 - I wonder whether that counts.)
The evidence required was not so much about a life lived after all. This case does raise a lot of questions about how the court goes about establishing a genuine religious belief ...