Heckling Jeff Sessions: Lessons about patience from a pastor's protest

We've recently had to start a new list in our house. It's not my son's letter to Santa, that started back in March. This is a list of 'banned words'.

Like anything with a toddler, we know that the best way to deal with these things usually is to ignore them. It's like when they're just learning to talk and stumble into the most obscene swear words with no idea what they're saying or what the words are but then just start shouting them loudly around the house just as you prepare for your great grandma to arrive for lunch or you're heading to a christening. You can't say 'stop' or mention it, that'll only make them want to say it more. The best thing to do is hope they've got sick of saying it before anyone else can hear them.

But we've realised that these particular words aren't accidental or stumbled upon (and thankfully not obscene). The list so far is short but includes:

STUPID
HATE
IDIOT

Like all good parents, we have no idea where he learnt these words and are currently blaming school. There's just one problem, having banned the words, we've not just ensured that he is aware that he shouldn't be saying them, he's also very aware that we shouldn't be saying them either. In fact, having started the list it's fair to say that I've found myself reminding him of it it far less than he has reminded me of it. Most weeks are unable to pass without a shout of 'BANNED WORD!' coming my way with all the passion this particular four-year-old can muster.

I think if someone had asked me how often I said any of these words I'd have been optimistic in my outlook. Very rarely, almost never, if at all, but the truth is, I use words like stupid, hate and idiot far more than I'm comfortable to admit, so thankfully I have a two-foot-tall walking swear jar accompanying me through life at the moment to point out my failings.

Earlier this week US attorney general Jeff Sessions was heckled at an event in Boston.

This is no longer really a surprising headline. The heckling of American politicians is becoming more and more commonplace. From theatre stages to restaurant tables, all those involved in the current US administration are increasingly being met with citizens unhappy with their politics and letting them know about it. At political rallies all over America, protesters are removed by police and guards to allow things to carry on as normal. This incident was no different. The two hecklers were removed from the venue by police while the remaining crowd jeered.

What made this particular incident interesting was that both the removed men were wearing dog collars.

Sessions was speaking at the Boston Lawyers chapter of the conservative Federalist Society when United Methodist minister Will Green began to speak out words attributed to Jesus from the book of Matthew: 'I was hungry and you did not feed me. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me. I was naked and you did not clothe me.' He stood to his feet and went on to say 'Brother Jeff, as a fellow United Methodist, I call upon you to repent, to care for those in need, to remember that when you do not care for others you are wounding the body of Christ.'

As police officers moved towards him, Sessions responded: 'Well thank you for those remarks and attack but I would just tell you we do our best every day to fulfil my responsibility to enforce the laws of the United States...'

At this stage Rev Darrell Hamilton II stood to defend Green. 'That is a person that represents the Christian tradition, the faith that everyone here professes to believe in, actually sharing the words of Jesus.' He too was quickly removed accompanied by a chorus of boos and cries of 'Go home!'

What was perhaps even more striking was that the event at which Sessions was speaking at was a conference called The Future of Religious Liberty. According to reports, he went on to talk about what he called a 'total cultural war' on people of faith and his belief that 'respect for religious liberty and for people of faith has eroded significantly in recent decades'. He also promised that the Trump administration will continue to defend religious liberty in the face of 'liberal secularism' and 'hostility' to religious freedom.

Jeff Sessions is no stranger to religious controversy. In June he famously quoted scripture when asked about the children being separated from parents at the US border. Later that month, over 600 United Methodist clergy and members brought church law charges against Sessions accusing him of 'dissemination of doctrines contrary to the standards of doctrine of the Church'. The charges were later dropped. In August, he announced a new religious task force warning that the USA had become 'less hospitable to people of faith'.

It's hard to miss the irony and Hamilton didn't. As he was removed he said: 'I thought we were here to protect religious liberty, sir...I am a pastor of a Baptist church, and you are escorting me out for exercising my religious freedom.' Words met with more boos and jeers from the other attenders.

I have a strange sympathy for those present. I'm learning what it's like when you think you've found a problem to be solved and a way to do it, only to realise that you're actually more a part of the problem than you thought.

I'm learning what it's like to have the person I thought I was meant to be showing the way instead show me the error of mine.

I'm learning what it's like to have to try and fully understand the implications of the limits I'm trying to enforce.

Because if I want my son to stop using words like 'stupid', 'hate' and 'idiot' it means I'm going to have to make sure that they're not part of my vocabulary either.

If I want to ensure that he understand the reasons why those words aren't edifying or encouraging, why they don't breathe life or bring joy then I'm also going to have to understand that when he does understand that, then he'll then want the same for me and my words.

I truly hope Jeff Sessions does want to defend religious freedom, and not just freedom for his own particular brand of religion. Because while it might feel like the right thing, and get a room full of similar people to clap, cheer, boo or yell in agreement, sooner or later, someone will point out the inconsistency, and take it from me Jeff, that's never a comfortable place to find yourself.

In his remarks at the conference Sessions said something that perhaps sums it up best, and might actually, beyond task forces and conferences, hold something of the answer. 'Maybe what we need is not more litigation but more tolerance, or simple patience, for others.'

'Patience for others': three words that might just hold the key and most certainly should never be banned.

Matt White is a Northern Irish TV producer living in Essex and working in London. Follow him on Twitter @mattgwhite