Hope will conquer hate this Christmas

Sometimes it feels like the forces of hate are gathering and taking hold like never before. Whether that’s in the churn of world events, in our political discourse or in our communities.

Even in Scotland, the voices of intolerance have become so emboldened in recent months that a Christmas school play in Inverness had to be cancelled after racist and abusive messages were directed at the school and staff online because of the inclusion of Syrian refugees in the story line.

Meanwhile, council workers in Aberdeen received abuse for taking down flags (which were put up to intimidate asylum seekers) in order to put up Christmas lights.

In the relentless flood of bad news, it’s easy to lose sight of the hope. Christmas should be a time to cast out the forces of dark and let the light in.

For me that flame of hope was rekindled in the actions of a Syrian-born Muslim shop owner who risked his own life last weekend to save a group of Jewish strangers, engaged in an act of worship at Hanukkah on Bondi Beach before the terrorist attack that killed 15 people and injured dozens more.

If you haven’t seen the video of Ahmed al Ahmed disarming one of the gunmen, it's remarkable. He approaches one of the terrorists from behind while he was still firing into the crowd of worshipers. He wrestles the gun from the assailant and turns to point it at him before raising his hand to the authorities.

Mr al Ahmed was shot twice in the attack and is now recovering in hospital. He has since been heralded as a hero the world over.

The dark voices of the internet who seek to foster division in our world did not like Mr al Ahmed’s bravery as it did not suit their narrative.

They tried, unsuccessfully, to suggest that he was himself a Jew or a Christian (anything but a Muslim) and that did the rounds online until Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed from Mr al Ahmed’s hospital bedside that this was a Muslim immigrant who put his life on the line to save the lives of Jews at worship.

I thought of him as our parliament came together to stand in solidarity with the Scottish Jewish community to mark Hanukkah and to light the Parliament’s Menorah last week.

His actions speak to a common humanity that exists across the boundaries of religion. That selfless instinct people the world over have to look out for each other, irrespective of race, colour or creed.

It is a timely reminder that hate and intolerance exist in the minds and hearts of only a tiny few, and while that infinitesimally small number of people may have the capacity for sudden and devastating violence, they are outnumbered by the vast majority of people who are looking out for their neighbours with tolerance and compassion.

So let there be light in dark places this Christmas. Let’s look for the abundant good and kindness that exists out there while greeting the differences which define our cultures with curiosity and understanding.

Intolerance and hate will never withstand the tremendous capacity for people to reach for the humanity in one another.