[Julian Shaw (Man Myth or Monkey?)]

Interesting...where is powderpolitics when you need it?

I'm not a Christian and I disagree with a lot of Christian ideas. But I think 
this is a bit one sided.

1) Being anti-abortion is not a Christian idea it is a piece of Church dogma. 
I myself am anti-abortion but I'm for a woman having the right to chose. There 
is no reason to think that PG would try and force his views on other people.

2) Just because people don't subscribe to a major religious faith doesn't mean 
that there decisions aren't marked by dogma. In fact you will find that most 
political parties are filled with people who will always vote with their side, 
loyalty to the party and all forgetting any reason or principles. In some 
cases being Labour, Liberal, Communist becomes like a religion with all the 
conditions that you should believe in set out for you before you join the 
brotherhood...even if some of them make no sense.

3) In the Oils lyrics the Christian images have always been very universal and 
carefully balanced with other forms of spirituality. There is no reason to 
think that PG has suddenly become a right-wing religious fundamentalist. I 
think he has too much intelligence for that.

Julian


>===== Original Message From Erin Oneill <Erin.Oneill at newcastle.edu.au> =====
>hello one and all...
>
>Last saturdays' financial review had an article on PG.  They commented on how 
he is anti-abortion etc (ie has very conservative Christian views) and may use 
his public tenure within the Labor Party as a possible pro-Christianity push 
using the Labor Party as his vehicle.
>I have to say this worries me.
>I can appreciate his concerns about abortion, but when push comes to shove I 
don't think he should have the right to dictate to women (of all religious 
persuasions) how to live their lives just because he believes in a the 
Christian god.  My second concern is how so much of parliament (both sides) is 
being dominated by God-botherers (e.g. Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott).  I note that 
Mark Latham (leader of the opposition) is not religious and is criticised for 
this.  Perhaps that puts him in a good position to assess policy on it merits 
rather than what will make him feel good about his god.  I'm afraid my 
experience with religious people in general (of any religion) has shown me 
that they put their god and their beliefs before the masses (especially those 
not of their persuasion), and so good public policy is severly compromised or 
stuffed entirely.
>
>I have to say though, I'm not suprised.
>
>If you want to find the article here in Australia, public and university 
libraries usually carry copies of the sat. Fin. Review.
>
>Cheerio,
>Erin.
>
>
>
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