The Fallacy of False Cause Writ Large

The Maori Party has publicly acknowledged that Maori are grossly over represented in criminal activity and violence. Now, party leader Tariana Turia has gone one step further--she has given us an explanation as to why this is so. It is because the Maori were taught to beat their children. And who taught them to do this? It was the missionaries.

So, Maori are lawless and violent today, and they beat their children today, because the missionaries taught them to do so. Before the missionaries came, says Mrs Turia, Maori loved their children, never beat them, and were indulgent toward them. They treasured them. So you can put the blame for Maori criminal behaviour right at the feet of the missionaries--and by implication--right at the feet of the Saviour they served--the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have a better theory. Maori never stopped being indulgent towards their children. They successfully retained that part of their pagan culture. So the kids, never corrected, trained, disciplined, or controlled grew up unconstrained. When they became adults they continued to live self-indulged, ill disciplined lives. When things did not go their way, when life did not indulge them the way it was when they were kids, they lashed out, became violent, beat up on their own kids, committed crimes, and acted totally irresponsibly.

The Proverb says, "train up a child in the way he would go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." If you indulge your tamiriki, when they grow up they will want to be continually indulged--and they will be locked into it. And that is a far better explanation for Maori violence and lawlessness.

Ironically, the only hope--the only hope--for Maori is to humble themselves before the God and Christ of the missionaries, repent and believe in Him as their Saviour, and turn away from their sins. Many Maori are now doing just that--for which we thank our King--and they are entering the new human race, created after the image of Christ, and being made more and more like Him every day.

The very ones which Mrs Turia, in her ignorance, blames and rejects are the ones (through their spiritual descendants) who can bring the power of salvation and transformation of life to her people. Today, if you would not harden your heart, is the day of salvation. May God be gracious and merciful and compassionate to all Maori.