Global Occupy movement a 'biblical voice'

Church groups say the Occupy movement is right to protest inequality in a way that captures public attention. Photo / Richard Robinson

Church leader lauds protesters' stand for dialogue on growing wealth gap in society.

A leader of New Zealand's mainstream churches says the worldwide "Occupy" movement is a prophetic voice in the tradition of Biblical prophets such as Jeremiah and Isaiah.

New Zealand Christian Network director Glyn Carpenter, representing most of the main Protestant and Catholic churches, visited the Occupy movement campsite in Auckland's Aotea Square on Tuesday to support the protesters' call for "a dialogue on growing inequality".

The NZ Council of Christian Social Services, which is running a campaign to reduce inequality, has also voiced support for the movement.

Mr Carpenter told Radio Rhema after visiting another Occupy camp in Dunedin that the gap between the country's highest-paid and lowest-paid people had widened in his 40-year working life from 30 times to 200 times.

He told the Herald that the movement was right to raise the issue in a way that captured public attention.

"In the church, the word we would use for that is a 'prophetic call'," he said.

"If you look at Micah, a prophet in the Old Testament who was around in about the seventh century BC, it says in chapter 6, verse 8: 'What does God require of you?'

"The answer is: 'Act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God.'

"If you look at Isaiah or Jeremiah - there are four major prophets and 12 minor prophets and all of them are calling the nation back to be more compassionate and more honouring of what God was requiring."

He said church groups in Dunedin were working with the Occupy movement to show a documentary about the global financial crisis, Inside Job, with discussion afterwards.

"We will replicate that around the country," he said.

But he also acknowledged the wish of local councils to regain public use of occupied spaces such as Aotea Square and Dunedin's Octagon.

"We know that the occupations are all going to end at some time. We would like to see that those occupations end peacefully," he said.

The Auckland Council wrote to the Aotea Square protesters on Monday formally asking them to leave, or at least to specify a date when they would leave. But the protesters met on Wednesday night and resolved to stay indefinitely.

Council lawyer Wendy Brandon said the council was now considering whether to issue a formal trespass notice and, if that failed, seek a court order.

Council of Christian Social Services president Ruby Duncan said she and 14 other members of her council supported the protest.

"I admire people who are prepared to make this kind of stand - not just a march but a more prolonged stand which does get more attention," she said.

The Methodist Mission's Lifewise agency has provided food to the Aotea Square occupiers since the protest started last month.

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