Cynical opportunists or dumb as posts – or both?
When Scott Morrison told the shadow cabinet meeting on December 1 2011 at the Ryde Civic Centre that the Coalition should ramp up its questioning of “multiculturalism” and appeal to deep voter concerns about Muslim immigration and “inability” to integrate, senior colleagues like Julie Bishop and Phillip Ruddock disagreed, pointing out that the Coalition had long supported a non-discriminatory immigration policy and saying it was not an issue that should be pursued.
Others said they had picked up on strong anti-Muslim sentiment in their electorates but thought running a campaign against Muslim immigration could be “misconstrued”.
But some of the right faction embraced the idea. Liberal backbencher Gary Humphries even went so far as to table a petition, signed by three people, calling for a 10-year moratorium on “Muslim immigration”.
The dog-whistling of the Abbott years has empowered these people who, flush with their success at stopping the boats from landing coupled with the rise of Daesh, have decided that Islamophobia is a vote winner.
This cynical opportunism by ambitious young upstarts like Josh Frydenberg shows how low some people will go to satisfy their own desire for advancement.
It also exposes just how dumb these people are.
When Frydenberg said that the Paris attacks showed a “problem within Islam”, criticising the Grand Mufti for a “lack of leadership” when he said the reasons for radicalisation were complex, others jumped on board.
Michael Sukkar, the Member for Deakin, said “It’s clear that Islam hasn’t had the same reformation that occurred in Christianity which means some of these medieval teachings and practices have not been stamped out.”
Our pouting ex-PM added his special brand of ignorance saying “It’s not culturally insensitive to demand … respect for Western civilisation. Cultures are not all equal,” as he too called for reform of Islam.
Aside from the historical facts about the Reformation being when Protestantism split from the unreformed Catholic branch of Christianity and the bloodshed that ensued, Abbott belongs to a church that is run by a couple of hundred celibate old men who condemn homosexuality, contraception, abortion and divorce while protecting institutionalised pedophilia. They refuse to let women take any part in decision making and those who choose to become nuns are made to wear a veil. They sit on a fortune that exceeds the wealth of any sheik while millions of their congregation suffer extreme poverty.
Catholicism teaches that, unless you chant some archaic phrases as you tip some water over your baby’s head, their soul will remain in limbo forever. They engage in symbolic cannibalism at Communion and believe that saying ‘hail Mary full of grace’ over and over again whilst holding on to some beads will absolve you of your sins.
They base their beliefs and laws on a book about a time thousands of years ago and genuflect to the tabernacle in a sign of submission every time they walk into a church.
And they want Islam to stamp out medieval practices?
Whipping up hatred and mistrust might be a successful short term political tactic but the danger it presents is a far greater threat to Australian society than anything that is happening in the Middle East.
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Graham Parton -
kizhmet -
Kaye Lee -
Kaye Lee -
Matters Not -
paul walter -
mars08 -
kerri -
Do Youself a favour -
Do Youself a favour -
Kaye Lee -
Miriam English -
susan -
pappinbarafox -
Kaye Lee -
Matters Not -
Kaye Lee -
mars08 -
jim -
Do Youself a favour -
Miriam English -
Kaye Lee -
Kaye Lee -
Do Youself a favour -
Kaye Lee -
Miriam English -
Matters Not -
Matters Not -
jim -
Wally -
Matters Not -
Sir ScotchMistery -
Florence nee Fedup
Return to home pageAnother brilliant post from Kaye
Catholicism in context … love your work Kaye Lee. Bravo!
And I didn’t even mention the weirdness of exorcisms and dressing little girls up like brides for confirmation
I wonder how Frydenberg gets on with George Christensen who has previously expressed concern that new versions of the Bible were, quote, “removing accusations that the Jews killed Christ”.
One of the major weaknesses in western democracies is the separation of Church and State. By denying opportunities for the Church to participate actively in the governing process, we are in fact denying access to those who know, not to what maybe ‘good or ‘bad’, but what is known to be ‘Right and Wrong.
It is though we don’t have confidence in those who are God’s representatives here on earth. It’s this separation of Church and State that needs to be reformed. Indeed overturned!
Pell for Prime Minister.
He is a great advertisement for Xtianity.
In answer to the question in the title of this discussion…. BOTH!!!!
Josh Frydenberg annoys the hell out of me! If anyone claimed there is a problem within Israel with the way they kill 15 Palestinians for every Israeli murdered in protest at their appalling treatment in their own country, everyone would jump up and cry anti-semitism but politicians think their opinions on religions that are not their own are valid! Too many pollies let their faith interfere with our lives. Separation of church and state??
Your summation of Catholicism is priceless Kaye Lee!
@ Matters Not,
From experience, if you fail to end a comment like that without the /sarcasm tag, some people will think you are serious.
“Cynical opportunists or dumb as posts”
Neither. It is all part of the script.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/why-is-a-hate-campaign-being-waged-against-muslims/5494852
I hope George Christensen and his vile bunch of Reclaimers are happy. A woman in Townsville whose house had a sign in Arabic writing above her door which wished people a peaceful welcome (and which was placed there by the previous owners) has had her house trashed and set alight….it was covered with graffiti with death threats
http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/news/blog/2015/12/womans-emotional-facebook-post-after-her-home-is-torched-and-trashed/
Excellent Post Kaye, as always.
Have many people here seen the post from a British soldier that’s gone viral recently? He lost his leg in a bomb attack in Basra in 2007 and has become annoyed by people who think he would automatically hate Muslims. He wrote this:
Getting frustrated by some people expecting racism from me, because I got blown up. Here it is:
Yes. A Muslim man blew me up, and I lost my leg.
A Muslim man also lost his arm that day wearing a British Uniform. A Muslim medic was in the helicopter that took me from the field A Muslim surgeon performed the surgery that saved my life A Muslim Nurse was part of the team that helped me when I returned to the UK A Muslim Healthcare Assistant was part of the team that sorted out my day to day needs in rehabilitation when I was learning to walk A Muslim taxi driver gave me a free ride the first time I went for a beer with my Dad after I came home. A Muslim doctor offered my Dad comfort and advice in a pub, when he didnt know how to deal with my medicines and side effects.
Contrary to that, A white brit spat in my girlfriends face for ‘f*cking a cripple when you could have me [him]’ A White brit pushed my wheelchair away from a lift so he could use it first. A White brit screamed at my Dad for parking in a disabled bay when I was in the services coming home (Although, alot of people helped in my recovery! I dont hate white brits either! hahaha)
Point is, f*ck off. I know who I dislike, and I know who I dont. I know who I appreciate, and I know who I dont. If you want to hate an entire race of men and women for the actions of a few dickheads feel free, but don’t push your views on me, thinking I am an easy target because one douchebag decided it was my day to die.
Blaming all Muslims for the actions of groups like Daeshe and the Taliban, is like blaming all Christians for the actions of the KKK or Westboro Baptist Church. Get a grip of your lives, hug your family and get back to work.
Religions are like multi national corporations. They are only about money and power and couldn’t care less about anybody.
If I may correct one misinterpretation of Catholic belief … you said: symbolic cannibalism at Communion . Transubstantiation is a fundamental Catholic belief and is NOT symbolic – the host of communion IS the body of Christ.
Yeah I know common sense tells us otherwise but who said common sense had anything to do with any religious beliefs.
pappinbarrafox,
As I recall, that was one of the sticking points between Catholicism and Protestantism – one lot thinks it is symbolic, the other lot think it’s real. Worship of Mary was another contentious point which I found interesting. They don’t want statues of a loving mother but they have grisly statues of a near naked man in agony as he is tormented and murdered.
Do Youself a favour, you wrote:
And so they should. If (and it’s a big if) there are those who believe there are God’s representatives on this earth and if they also believe in Right and Wrong as deontologists argue (as distinct from good and bad as teleologists aver), then why shouldn’t they argue that the Church must be involved in the affairs of the State. Surely we are entitled to the Right decisions?
Now I know that Tony Abbott said (not argued) the other day that the separation of Church and State was an ‘advance’, but that aspect was not questioned. So I ask in the light of what I say above, why don’t we trust the Church to offer guidance in such matters?
Historically, I recall Abbott visiting Pell for some type of discussion, which would be consistent with his religious beliefs. But then he denied same. He lied. Which is probably inconsistent with his religious beliefs. But I supposed he ‘confessed’ at the appropriate time which means it can be ‘forgiven’.
In October 2010, the Senate’s Environment and Communications Legislation Committee agreed to table a letter from Cardinal Pell which quoted heavily from Ian Plimer’s book Heaven and Earth to claim there were “good reasons for doubting that carbon dioxide causes warmer temperatures”.
Director of Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology Dr Greg Ayers said “At one stage [Cardinal Pell] lists greenhouse gases. Included in the list is the gas nitrogen. That is not a greenhouse gas; it is 78 per cent of the atmosphere. You cannot have people out there telling the public that nitrogen is a greenhouse gas, because it is not.”
Pell, even though he has never studied any science, thinks that vigilante lawfare groups should shut up and let him tell it like it is.
“Radical environmentalists are more than up to the task of moralising their own agenda and imposing it on people through fear. They don’t need church leaders to help them with this, although it is a very effective way of further muting Christian witness. Church leaders in particular should be allergic to nonsense….. I am certainly sceptical about extravagant claims of impending man-made climatic catastrophes. Uncertainties on climate change abound … my task as a Christian leader is to engage with reality, to contribute to debate on important issues, to open people’s minds, and to point out when the emperor is wearing few or no clothes.”
In 2011 he delivered the annual Global Warming Policy Foundation lecture in London. The GWPF is a United Kingdom group opposing action to mitigate climate change.
His evidence was quotes from ‘The Hancock Free Enterprise Lecture, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, June 2011 delivered by none other than Lord Monckton and sponsored and attended by Gina Rinehart.
George, Gina and Rupert all attend IPA functions together.
I’m wondering if he has discussed his views with the Pope.
kerri:
Politicians and the media relentlessly inform us that a twisted interpretation of Islam (or the Koran itself) is the driving force behind ISILs aggression. While this might be true of the ideological cadre at the top, there is solid evidence that the foot-soldiers are motivated by various other factors…
http://www.thenation.com/article/what-i-discovered-from-interviewing-isis-prisoners/
http://www.academia.edu/255374/Fully_Com%C2%ADmitted_Suicide_Bombers_Motivation_and_th%C2%ADe_Quest_for_Personal_Significance
By portraying it as a religious problem makes it so much easier for our politicians to maintain the fear and hysteria in the electorate… and shuts out any discussion of the conditions that feed terrorism.
And each and everyone of us is a sinner would you believe, that’d be because we all just have to go to church and pay a tenth oh sorry that’s only if we all want to get closer to him. aah right.
@ Matters Not..
religion doesnt have a monopoly on morality, if anything, they have a monopoly on perversion, george pell the kiddy fiddler enabler.. for PM.. SERIOUSLY??? you do realise these comments are public and everyone can see what you are writing?
as the great george carlin said..
It amazes me that idiots like Pell think we should bluff our way through the risk of climate destabilisation. Virtually all the climate scientists in the world are certain it is not crap. Yet here we have dotty Pell, with no qualifications at all, and less than no good sense who thinks we shouldn’t do anything to mitigate the danger.
What does he think will be the right thing to do when the climate does go badly out of control, all the seaport cities in the world flooding, Australia gripped by worse cycles of drought, bushfire, and flooding, and tropical diseases spread throughout the temperate zone? Will he say, sorry? What help does he think that will be? What a complete moron.
Is he blind to glaciers retreating worldwide, temperature-sensitive species moving higher up mountains and towards the poles, migratory species arriving for spring earlier and leaving for winter later, NASA satellite studies of temperatures skyrocketting worldwide? There are none more blind than those who refuse to see.
“Some of the hysteric and extreme claims about global warming are also a symptom of pagan emptiness, of Western fear when confronted by the immense and basically uncontrollable forces of nature. Belief in a benign God who is master of the universe has a steadying psychological effect, although it is no guarantee of Utopia, no guarantee that the continuing climate and geographic changes will be benign. In the past pagans sacrificed animals and even humans in vain attempts to placate capricious and cruel gods. Today they demand a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.”
– George Pell
Sydney’s Archbishop George Pell told pilgrims at World Youth Day in Toronto “abortion is a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people”.
“I believe we can, as a species, continue to pollute our planet as much as we like, with absolutely no adverse consequences, because god will look after us.”
– Religious Nutter
“Increased levels of CO2 will be good for agriculture”
– Far too many people who are equipped with whole departments and paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to listen to the best advice available as they flit around getting the taxpayer to pay for everything they do (all within entitlements of course). But mention any form of quality assurance in the form of a federal ICAC and watch the wagons circle.
“We’ve been attacked by the intelligent, educated segment of the culture.”
— pastor Ray Mummert (Intelligent Design advocate)
I notice that George Pell no longer has the ‘heart’ to appear before the Royal Commission into child abuse.
Anyone surprised?
As for: ” SERIOUSLY??? you do realise these comments are public and everyone can see what you are writing? ”
Yes! Because I am not into me but into ‘ideas’, ‘concepts and the like.
Understand?
George Pell’s lack of ‘heart’ is ‘noticed’ internationally.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/vatican-treasurer-delays-evidence-to-australia-child-abuse-inquiry–cites-illness/41832690
Perhaps this is the compelling argument of why we need a separation between Church and State.
I should add that this ‘practice’ of moving paedophiles around upon discovery was not confined to the Catholic Church but was the ‘norm’ across Education Departments.
Whats wrong with the right wingers moreover how are they getting away with it here if you got an hour of spare time although 20 minutes is all you really need ;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P74oHhU5MDk
“old men who condemn homosexuality”
Outwardly but they protect paedophiles who abuse young boys.
How many times has Pell found an excuse to avoid testifying? He must be on par with Tony Abbott when it comes to lame excuses and telling lies. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/george-pell-withdraws-from-child-abuse-royal-commission-hearing-due-to-ill-health/news-story/b4f3baecba29ff6871d08dd34839610c
It seems to me that George Pell lacks confidence in his God, given his God’s supposed almighty power. Surely, George believes that his God decides when he departs this Earth and not some medical specialists whose understandings are limited by the limitations of ‘science’. So, Fly George! Fly!
George, my advice is to ignore the ‘scientists. And just ‘believe’.
Be a leader and all that. And if in doubt, ‘confess’ to Abbott.
Too many pollies let THEIR FAITH interfere in OUR LIVES is probably more accurate.
Abbott’s lies is him not letting his faith and one supposes, his belief in the 9th Commandment, interfere in his daily struggle to be seen as a) useful b) hard done by and c) re-electable (based on the intellect or otherwise of the voters of Warringah).
Maybe PM could offer a aircraft to fly the court to Rome.
If he has heart condition that has deteriorated, can’t see him improving. Well not until RC has finished it’s work,