God called in to adjudicate on peacemaking

Radio and television presenters have to be in a position to adjudicate on which way God is going to vote tomorrow. A Bible is a vital part of a broadcaster's working kit in Northern Ireland. Years ago Bob Dylan sang ironically of God On Our Side. Nothing ironic about it up here.

Mr Bill Beatty Smith, a 48-year-old father of two recently diagnosed with cancer, came on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme yesterday to tell movingly of his hopes that the Ulster Unionist Council would endorse the deal.

The presenter, David Dunseith, reminded him that there was a sizeable section of the community who cited Christian consciences in opposing the Mitchell review package.

Mr Beatty Smith responded: "It seems to me there are a lot of quotations coming from the more bloodthirsty and retributive passages of the Old Testament. But for Christians the New Testament refocuses the Old Testament. Christ's essential message is one of love and forgiveness." That meant do the deal.

It prompted responses from several callers, most of whom sympathised with Mr Beatty Smith. Quite a number, though, were unimpressed with his reference to "blessed peacemakers", and spoke scripture back at him to justify the idea of an eye for an eye.

The Rev Ron Johnson, from Armagh, warned of "false prophets" and quoted the Bible to prove that retribution was not an Old Testament concept.

Eric, another Protestant minister, said with absolute conviction that "those who do not decommission their weapons . . . cannot in the view of scripture be members of a government." This earnest debate took up a considerable portion of the 90-minute programme, with the pro- and anti-agreement camps knowledgeably plucking scriptural extracts to justify their opposing positions.

And no greater biblical experts than the reverend gentlemen, Ian Paisley and Willie McCrea of the DUP and the Free Presbyterian Church. Between them they got a good run on BBC, UTV and Downtown Radio yesterday.

David Trimble on the same stations was implicitly blaming DUP-type elements for the alleged assault on Dermot Nesbitt in Newcastle, Co Down, on Wednesday night and for the "letter" from Gerry Adams to the UUC.

Sure youse all know there's going to be a united Ireland, was Gerry Adams's supposed way of swinging the deal. Can you imagine!

The UUP probably concocted the letter, snorted Mr McCrea. All this talk of dirty tricks was a mere smokescreen to hide the fact that the Yes side was losing the argument, said Dr Paisley. "The Ulster Unionist Party is on the run," he taunted.

In the face of some provocation, David Trimble has maintained his cool during this campaign. He nearly lost it, though, with Noel Thompson on BBC television's Hearts and Minds programme last night. You couldn't accept a republican "seismic shift" in July, but now after a few dinners with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness you'd believe anything they'd say, offered Noel.

"Noel, that's a cheap shot. It's below you and the integrity of this station," remonstrated Mr Trimble. But it was just a brief flicker of annoyance. It was steady as you go thereafter, as it has been all week for the UUP leader. None of the old eruptions of anger in the radio and TV studios.