RECONCILIATION ROUNDTABLE BY ZOOM 2.11.23
We had an inspiring time when Ps Norman Miller called a Reconciliation Roundtable by zoom on Thursday 19 October. It was called to discuss and pray for strategies to move forward in healing and reconciliation after the Voice Referendum divided our nation and brought grieving and anger to many of the Yes Campaigners. Many of the participants are keen to continue and we are holding another one on Thursday 2 November at 6.30pm Brisbane time, 7.30pm Sydney time and 4.30pm WA time. Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are welcome. Please email us for the zoom link.
There was a powerful communion led by Ps Norman where he pulled the spear out of white Australia as part of removing the payback spirit. We discussed and prayed for:
- A new way forward. This included Closing the Gap as practical reconciliation with key performance indicators being met and money spent more effectively.
- We need a paradigm shift. We need to change the narrative from victim/oppressor to one where we can work more positively. This means accepting some personal and community responsibility by Aboriginal parents, communities and organisations.
- We need to promote the forgiveness side of reconciliation more as it is a two-way street. We could join the National Forgiveness Day on Feb 1 run by the Abdullah family in Sydney.
- A workbook could be developed from Barbara’s Voice Treaty Truth Book with 10 lessons that could be used by home groups, prayer groups and Bible Colleges etc.
- We could have an online course in reconciliation in race relations that has videos.
- We can invite First Nations Christians to do 5-minute videos that could be incorporated in this.
- We can promote trauma-informed counselling
- We will have monthly Reconciliation Roundtable meetings by zoom and have guest speakers with Q and A. Initially we will have another meeting in 2 weeks’ time to keep the momentum going.
- Somehow we need to reach out to schools, maybe through ILO’s or teachers.
We all have the message and ministry of reconciliation 2 Cor 5:17-21
NB I wrote this article for Canberra Declaration as I was concerned about the leaders of the Yes Campaign using similar terms re Australia and Israel i.e. both nations are illegal occupiers & that some First Nations leaders support
the Palestinian Cause & support Hamas terrorism
Legitimacy of Non-Indigenous Occupation of Australia Challenged by Yes Campaign
By Barbara Miller 27 OCTOBER 2023
Leaders of the Yes Campaign for the Voice referendum released on Sunday night, 23 October, an anonymous statement condemning Australians for voting no to their proposal to enshrine a Voice in the constitution. They are not accepting the democratic process in this nation and are calling it a shameful act that promotes colonialism.
They also said that racism, ignorance, and misinformation were factors, and they have received a bitter lesson from the vote. This ignores the fact that it was not a referendum where non-Indigenous people voted no, and First Nations people voted yes. There were yes and no voters in both camps.
The Guardian reported that the statement said that the Voice referendum ‘unleashed a tsunami of racism’ and Australia had chosen “to make itself less liberal and less democratic” by voting no. It continued that the result was so mean-spirited it would remain “unbelievable and appalling” for decades to come.
Occupied Territory?
More seriously, they have accused Australians of non-Indigenous heritage, who may have been born here and had many generations of family members living here, as illegal occupiers who need to have First Nations people recognise their right to live here. Who would do that? The government-appointed Referendum Working Group, who, along with Prime Minister Albanese, have managed to divide this nation with this referendum proposal? The editorial in The Australian on October 24 says the statement by the Yes campaign said:
“It is the legitimacy of the non-Indigenous occupation in this country that requires recognition, not the other way around. Our sovereignty has never been ceded.”
So, do they want all non-Indigenous Australians to leave Australia, or do they want co-sovereignty and co-governance and laws that will flow from this that will greatly change Australian life? If it is the latter, it is true that First Nations People did not cede sovereignty. However, two court cases have determined that First Nations Australians no longer have sovereignty — Coe v Commonwealth 1979 and the Mabo native title decision of 1992. Regarding the 1979 case: READ MORE
Makarrata and Reconciliation Part 1
by Ps Norman Miller 21.10.23
Part 2 – https://youtu.be/9Xc1Okl5os0
PRAYER FOR ISRAEL AND THE HOSTAGES
Led by Ps Norman Miller and the worship team
Vicarious Trauma and Race-based Trauma – God Can Heal by Ps Barbara Miller
Voice Treaty Truth: Has the Christian Voice Been Heard? Book Trailer
Discounted eBook on Amazon to 99c US for 5 days from 7 November 8am PST or 8 November 1am Brisbane time so get the special while you can.
Find out the background story behind the Voice referendum and read a significant Biblical view and prophetic insights. Order the eBook from Amazon or the paperback from Amazon or www.barbara-miller-books.com
Australian amazon link
US Amazon link
William Cooper’s grandson Uncle Boydie (Alf Turner), Abe Schwarz, unknown woman and Barbara and Norman Miller laying a wreath at Be’er Sheva at the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Be’er Sheva on Oct 31 2017. Norman and Barbara led a prayer tour of 50 internationally based Christians through Israel and hosted a Sons of Abraham conference in Jerusalem on this visit as well as attending the Welcome the King of Glory conference.
The charge of the Australian Lighthorse, as well as the fighting by the New Zealanders and British, was crucial to opening up the way for Jerusalem to be wrested from 400 years of rule by the Muslim Ottoman Empire in 1917. A Jewish homeland was set up under a British Mandate and eventually, in 1948, the state of Israel was reborn.
THE MOST AMAZING VIDEOS ON ISRAEL, PRAYER, WORSHIP, THE APOSTOLIC AND PROPHETIC AND MUCH MORE – AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!!! BE BLESSED!!!
