Miss Bartlett Attacks ‘apathetic’ Christians (Press, 27 March 1982)
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Summary: Miss Bartlett Attacks ‘apathetic’ Christians (Press, 27 March 1982)
In March 1982, Patricia Bartlett, a prominent figure advocating for stricter book and film censorship, voiced her concerns regarding the moral standards of New Zealand society during a series of addresses at Wellington Cathedral. She likened the churches' responses to her appeals for support to that of "wee, cowerin’, timorous beasties," indicating a lack of courage and conviction. Bartlett noted that she faced "scant support and much negative criticism" from various Christian denominations despite reaching out for backing in her private petitions to Parliament. She highlighted that, although many individuals expressed dissatisfaction with the current media standards through telephone calls to her organisation, the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, few were willing to take the extra step of putting their complaints in writing or formally addressing authorities such as the Director-General of Television or the Prime Minister. This reluctance, she argued, demonstrated a broader trend of modern-day Christians being overly concerned with public perception and reluctant to take a stand. Bartlett was particularly critical of what she termed the "chronic timidity and self-love" she observed in many Christians. She expressed frustration that these attitudes contributed to a culture where pornography and the degradation of women, marriage, and healthy sexual relationships proliferated in various forms of media including books, magazines, and films. She urged those who identified as Christians to show moral courage and stop supporting what she deemed "grubby, unprofessional weekly papers" and to refrain from attending age-restricted films that exploit sexual acts and violence. With a strong call to action, Bartlett stressed that if even a fraction of the 2.4 million individuals who identified as Christians in the 1981 census exhibited the moral determination required, they could significantly impact the media landscape. She lamented the "apathy and lukewarmness" among Christians and referenced a passage from the Book of Revelation to underscore her disappointment, suggesting that such complacency warranted divine disapproval. Her remarks sparked discussions about the responsibilities of individuals within the Christian community and the role of faith in advocating for moral standards in wider society.
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