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42 Volume Three, Number 1 Commentary Dingo Girl: Ten Years On On 17 August 1980 a ten-week-old baby girl mysteriously disappearedjrom a tent in a camp site at Ayres Rock. Her disappearance triggered one ofthe most protracted and more bizarre series of legal processes in Australian history. The secular press has made very little ofthe anniversary, but such am omission would be inexcusable in a Religion Studies Review. Much ofthe hysteria surrounding the Chamberlain case derivedfrom the couple's religious commitment. Fear of the un- familiar and sectarian prejudice engendered exaggerated rumours which were readily spread in the media. Not only the couple but their church were on trial. The Seventh-Day Adventists Church has never had a high profile in Australia, and per haps in other parts of the world, until the Lindy Chamberlain case. Even now, knowledge of the beliefs and practices of the SDA Church (SDAC) is vague, or just plain wrong. Seventh-Day Adventists, as indicated by their name,place great stress on the second coming or Advent of Christ, and of course, their observance of the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) as being holy, constitutes the most distinctive doctrine of the church. Other beliefs, such as the impbrtance of baptism by immersion, and the observance of a cer tain of a dietary codes, also set Adventists apart. However, the great majority ofSDA doctrines are similar to those ofmainstream Protestant denominations. In this brief commentary Norm Young, author ofInnocence Regained which is reviewed in the Book Review section, shares his study of the reactions ofthe mainline churches to the struggle to obtainjusticefor the Chamberlains. Peter Bentley summarises the many reviews of the film Evil Angles and remarks that the religious element so central at the time seems to have been ignored. Azaria: Christian Consciences a Decade Later Christians have no monopoly on ordeal proved that. Because they wor prejudice. The attitudes manifested by the shipped the God of Jesus Christ in a sec media, police, politicians, lawyers, scien tarian community, many mainline tists, and dingo lovers towards Lindy and believers showed a spirit that was hostile Michael Chamberlain over their ten-year Australian Religion Studies Review 43 towards the Chamberlains. This is so well tice of the Chamberlain case, and in attested that it hardly requires proof. dividual Christians were at the vanguard There was little, if any, Christian or of the support movements. Church papers Jewish protest against the linguistic non were often very bold and insightful in sense that tortured macabre meanings their appraisal of there case. Before the from the baby' innocent Hebrew name trial The Australian Church Record 'Azaria'. Christians believed as readily as (February 1982: Anglican) wrote a trench any other Australian that a clergy was a ant editorial slating the media for irrespon liar and his wife a murderer. Gossip sible reporting. The same editorial items, such as the false rumours of child doubted that an impartial jury could be abuse, went through the churches a quick impanelled in Darwin, but called upon the ly as the pubs. the 'evidence' of the black Christian community to put prejudice dress, the supposedly marked family bible aside and pray 'for the proper administra (the passage concerning the death of tion of justice'. In August 1983 numerous Sisera was erroneously said to be under churches held services praying for justice lined in Lindy's bible), and the gimmick for the Chamberlains. Alan Williams coffin were as convincing to Christians as wrote an editorial in Australia' s New Day to 'Ockers' that Lindy had sacrificed (December-January, 1984/85: Charis Azaria as an atonement for sin. It is doubt matic) that spoke of the 'growing back ful whether Christians would have been lash of concern among Christians across so swift to accept such vicious rumours - the country at the implications raised by as Chester Porter QC, Council Assisting the gaoling of Lindy Chamberlain'. In the Royal commissioner, after prolonged April 1984 the Council of Churches in investigation, deemed them - if Michael NSW sent to the Attorneys-General of were a minister in a mainline tradition. Australia and the Northern Territory Help was not always forthcoming notice of its resolution calling for a Royal from Christian leaders. One Anglican Commission. In August 1985 the evan Bishop was not even sure in June 1985 gelicaljournal On Being brought out a what he could do personally to help. The special edition that noted that being Ad Catholic Commission for Justice and ventist Christians had 'counted both for Peace as late as March 1986 (Lindy was and against' the Chamberlains. The ar released from prison in February 1986) ticles in the special issue were supportive 'was not in a position to offer assistance'. of the Chamberlains' struggle for justice. The Adventist leadership itself, though of The editor of New Life (12 December fering remarkable and tangible support to 1985: Anglican) added his voice to the the Chamberlains, baulked at criticising call for a Royal Commission and for any part of the judicial process, or public prayers for the Chamberlains. At the end ly calling for a Royal commission, or of 1985 Anglican, Baptists and Adventist openly declaring their belief in the clergy in Darwin led out in a prayer ser Chamberlains' innocence. As far as the vice for the Chamberlains - the cause of Adventist community was concerned, justice momentarily transcended the public agitation was almost entirely a lay divisions of grace. Thus Christians, initiative. despite their initial prejudice were the Of course many Christians from the first to change their minds. beginning were concerned about the jus- 44 Volume Three, Number 1 Nevertheless, many Christians to this tians to learn from this painful episode in day remain hostile towards the Chamber Australia's legal and social history. lains and towards their church, though First, mainline Christians must not at most have allowed the principles of tribute grotesque practices to sectarian Christ to triumph in the end over bigotry. groups simply because they disagree with By some pelVerse process of logic, too the latter's theology. Secondly, Adven many Christians condemned the Adven tists should realise that they cannot damn tist community along with two of its mem their fellow Christians as 'Babylon' or bers. The wildest opinions were worse and expect to be well thought of entertained about the Chamberlains and and sympathetically treated. their Church's beliefs on no better basis than the sectarian status of Adventism. NormanH. Young There are obvious lessons for all Chris- Avondale College Evil An~S People Writing About the Film How would you write about the film tured in the ftIm' s vignettes. People did Evil Angels? Would you mention that not know very much about the Seventh there is a major religious dimension? Per Day Adventist distinctives (and still do haps you would note that the main charac not). The Producer Verity Lambert ex ters are a Seventh Day Adventist pastor plained 'Lindy was tried and convicted by and his wife? Or, would you neglect religious prejudice and Australian ' these keys to the film's making and inter television and the press. Nobody really pretation? Is religiousJaith (particularly knew what the Seventh Day Adventists Christian) such an oddity and so were about, so they made up rumours misunderstood, that it is better to leave about ritual sacrifice.' (Daily Telegraph out any reference? 15.8.1988) After reading over one hundred ar By the time of the film's release, the ticles (over 500 words) and reviews about rumour mongering had run its course. the ftIm Evil Angels, I almost came to the The Chamberlain's innocence had been conclusion that I had viewed a different fully established and it would have been ftIm. Over sixty percent of the articles foolish for a writer to embark on a sen did not mention any aspect of religious sationalist religious expose. Instead, it concern. The remaining forty percent seems that the opposite happened. usually only made some passing refer Religious references were downplayed or ence. (Half of these articles did note that left out altogether. Few writers examined the religious denomination in question the theme of religious prejudice. Interest was Seventh Day Adventist.) ingly, most who did so were quite sym The absence of religious reference pathetic. reflects the secular attitudes so well cap- Australian Religion Studies Review 45 One person who went against the sym After the first coronial inquest Michael pathetic critic was P.P. McGuinness. He and Lindy face the media on the steps out asked '.Where did the vicious rumours, side the court. One reporter asks what the treatment of her as a member of a has accounted for their ability to stand up bizarre sect, come from? After all, the to the events. Michael talks about Jesus Seventh Day Adventists are pretty well Christ being a personal friend. The for known, and there are few people who titude comes from a personal living faith have not eaten Sanitarium products or in Jesus. His remarks kill the question passed by one of the shops where well ing. The reporters are depicted as lost for scrubbed girls totally free of make-up words. How do you respond to a faithful sold vegetarian food until recently. It is answer from a faithless perspective? Neil difficult to believe the simplistic view of Jillett commented 'The Chamberlains are the film that there was any special an fundamentalist Christians (Michael a tagonism to this religion.' (Financial Seventh Day Adventist pastor), and these Review 4.11.1988) days, compared with the population as a As a researcher primarily concerned whole, that makes them odd-balls.