The ABC’s QandA is a program that divides people. It is also, of course, itself divided. That’s the point: a range of views, a clash of heads, a lack of uniformity.

Another feature of the show is it’s a bit like life. The panel speak on topics, and while questions and answers are promised, oftentimes there is little distinction between the two. Many Monday nights we are left with throbbing uncertainties and loose threads as opposed to watertight, logical theses.

And I’m not having a go.

While the show’s title promises answers, there is no guarantee these will be correct. There is no clause suggesting the speaker will hold their views in two weeks time. We are watching a from-the-gut talkathon which is probably the reason authenticity goes a long way towards how views are received. The crowd know they are listening to a conversation rather than a presidential address and they are searching for an opinion – even a tone of voice – to latch onto.

As I watched last Monday’s episode I was struck more than usual by the uncertain nature of the debate.

I decided to do some rushed and very flawed maths on the show’s transcript. Here are my calculations of the number of words and phrases I deemed denoted a level of uncertainty. The count was: “maybe” (4), “perhaps” (5), “I don’t know” (6), “possibly” (1), “probably” (8), “likely” (4), “I guess” (3), “I believe” (2), “I think” (46), and “hard to say” (1).

Some of these came from the lips of questioners, which makes them less useful, though not completely so.

Then I started thinking how different Jesus’ words are. What would he sound like on QandA?

The verdict? Utterly different.

Here are some examples of Jesus’ words direct from the Bible.

“I assure you…” (John 3:5)
“I am…” (John 6:51 and many others)
“But so you may know…” (Matthew 9:6)
“Believe in God…” (John 14:1)
“…I will come back and receive you…” (John 14:3)
“Don’t stop him…” (Luke 9:50)

If Jesus were on QandA, he would prove to be the most certain voice the show has seen. There are no shades of grey with Jesus. You can’t take some of his words and bend others to fit your ready-made beliefs. If you read the gospels, with Jesus it is truly all or nothing.
At one point in Jesus’s ministry, people begin to leave him because what he says is “hard”. “Who can accept it?” they say.

“From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him. Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!” (John 6:66-68)

When one hears Jesus’ words, they must choose to come nearer with ears that hear or walk away. Listen to him long enough and you will discover there is no middle ground.

If Jesus were here with us in the flesh, I have no doubt we would be forced to respond like his first century hearers: “…the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29)

Featured image: The QandA Twitter word cloud at time of publication.