JIM HACKER MP: What is the purpose of government if not for doing good?
SIR HUMPHREY: Government isn’t about good and evil. It’s about order or chaos.
JIM HACKER MP: It’s in order for Italian terrorists to get British bombs?
SIR HUMPHREY: *shrugs*
JIM HACKER MP: You don’t care?
SIR HUMPHREY: It’s not my job to care. That’s what politicians are for. My job is to carry out policy.
JIM HACKER MP: Even if you think it’s wrong?
SIR HUMPHREY: Almost all government policy is wrong, but … frightfully well carried out!
JIM HACKER MP: Have you ever known a civil servant to resign on a matter of principle?
SIR HUMPHREY: I should think not! What an appalling suggestion!
JIM HACKER MP: For the first time, I fully understand that you are purely committed to means and not ends!
SIR HUMPHREY: As far as I’m concerned, and all my colleagues, there is no difference between means and ends.
JIM HACKER MP: If you believe that, Humphrey, you will go to hell.
SIR HUMPHREY: Minister, I had no idea you had a theological bent.
JIM HACKER MP: You are a moral vacuum.
SIR HUMPHREY: If you say so, Minister.
*****
SIR HUMPHREY: What’s the matter, Bernard?
BERNARD: Nothing really, Sir Humphrey.
SIR HUMPHREY: You look unhappy.
BERNARD: I was wondering if the minister was right.
SIR HUMPHREY: Very unlikely. What about?
BERNARD: About ends and means. Will I end up as a moral vacuum, too?
SIR HUMPHREY: Oh, I hope so, Bernard. If you work hard enough.
– Yes Minister, “The Whisky Priest” (1982)
On a long journey home passing through south west Sydney yesterday, I was startled to see giant billboards on the M7 sternly warning that, “If he wins, you lose”:
You see, I have been avoiding the mainstream media — especially TV — even more than usual during this election campaign. Frankly, it turns my stomach.
So I was not aware that our governing political party — the one whose former leader recently returned to the leadership, and pointedly pontificated from the heights of his self-erected moral pedestal about ending the “politics of negativity”, with “A New Way” that would transcend “3 word slogans” — had proclaimed to the world their complete and utter moral vacuity, by launching a 100% negative attack advertising campaign:
My opinion?
If you cast a ballot in favour of a political party that is so clearly and repulsively hypocritical, that is so obsessed with ends that it is no longer capable of distinguishing between means and ends, then perhaps you are well on the way to becoming a moral vacuum too.
Barnaby Is Right 
This post exemplifies precisely why I NEVER vote for either side of politics. Both sides are poison. Add to that the fact that MOST politicians these days are career politicians who are there for the over generous instant superannuation they get after serving 2 terms and you have a pretty bleak picture. It’s a job!! And one where accountability is all but absent.
The conundrum for voters is: do they vote Liberal and see billions of dollars flow into the bank accounts of the rich whilst anything not pertaining to business is run into the ground. Or do they vote Labor and see money poured into a welfare pit where many Australians ‘choose’ not to be work.
This conundrum is why I vote Independent or minor party. If only the cattle were capable of giving how they vote some thought. Then perhaps we would get a better system. But as the old saying goes “a fool and his money are quickly parted”. And so it is in the political game.
All correct. Though in modern times, both Liberal and Labor policies (and back door action) favour big (multinational, espec.) business and the rich. Despite their rhetoric and “brand positioning”.
Blissful is it any different in other countries, some are much worse. India for example. And now China and Russia. But I can understand the Liberal or Nationals philosophy, we do need big business to provide employment, and in someways that has not changed anywhere. We are all working class, that’s the difference, but some earn more dollars per week than others, they generally are at the mercy for job security from the bosses.
“we do need big business to provide employment”
I don’t agree that we need “big business”. The biggest employer in the country is still (remarkably, given all the efforts to suck it dry) small business.
I understand that big business competes with small businesses causing some to close like Coles and Centro in Armidale. Small businesses that only employed one or two people have been hit. But actually the public service is one of the biggest employers, and quite honestly, I worked for the Health commission, and many of the senior staff were useless. One of the doctors was continually recommending the Guru who practised that meditation where they were able to levitate. Fair dinkum. Helped people off drugs, and recommended out of body experiences and trances. HMMM? She reckoned it was a good substitute for pot. And one manager was continually haranging females. Mind you there were some people who were worth their salt, not many.
Who do you give your preferences for though under the 2 PP voting system.?
“Then perhaps we would get a better system”
Not so Mick. Whoever gets their fingers on the lever of credit will abuse it. It is nothing more than human nature to fancy yourself as a God.
Just imagine the Greens taking the lever!
Start with cutting 12,000 Climate Change “jobs”.(especially Tim Flannery)
Absolutely agree Serf. But Tony Windsor believed in all this climate change rubbish, as Oliver will no doubt agree with as he gave as good as you get on WUWT. Showing the mistakes in the alarmist science. Now Tony Windsor has a ring in for him, Rod Taber against Barnaby. Rod owns a solar panel company, and of course Tony has sponsored him to carry on his work or is it just a show of proxy votes for him. Rod reckons in a media release the independents are currently in favor because people are sick of the main parties, like Mick. Well actually according to Newspoll people are sick of the ALP/Greens and the coalition is probably going to win 20 seats from them. Hope Rudd gets his taken from him. You see Tony Abbott will scrub the two million in the Green bank, that supports clean energy projects, and solar panels and wind turbines are in the firing line, eh? I won’t give Rod Tabor a high preference , with Labor Greens Jamie McIntyre, and Clive Palmer last. He’s in it to benefit his business not the electorate. Same as the NBN, Windsor I believe, was encouraged to buy into the optic fiber manufacturers. I was told this during the last campaign. And selling part of his farm to a coal mining company for 4.3 million then leased it back, and bought another two large properties, out of the electorate but where they are mining CSG.
I meant the two billion not million in the Green bank, that Rod has most probably benefited from. Hypocrites. And they complained about Barnaby owning two properties in scrub land really, that he has for sale. Conflict of interests.
10 billion in total for the “green” bank – http://www.cleanenergyfinancecorp.com.au/about-us.aspx
Really, I read it was only two billion, you see the lies perpetrated. And the billions even trillions in carbon credit trading.
$2 billion already handed over, of total $10 billion committed/promised.
Blissful, I bet Rod Taber and Tony Windsor will benefit. But one wind project failed to pass muster in New England as it was not viable. Don’t they see or realize what is happening overseas with solar subsidies, wind turbines, and countries building more coal electricity generators?
The entire world has been living in a moral vacuum constructed from FEAR
of nuclear annihilation in 1945.
Here is a one-page synopsis of a book in progress:
Click to access Synopsis.pdf
First summarized in messages to the Congressional Space Science & Technology Committee:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1
0640850/Creator_of_Life.pdf
The autobiography began in 2003 as:
“My Journey to the Core of the Sun.”
By that time the best available data and
observations left no doubt the Sun:
a.) Made our elements,
b.) Birthed the solar system, and
c.) Sustained the origin and evolution of life.
The social implication of opposition to
factual information remained unclear
until official responses to 2009
Climategate emails revealed the mess
that all of us are now in together.
The book will be published on-line, as
written, beginning with the one-page synopsis so access to the story will not depend on publication of the entire book.
With kind regards,
Oliver K. Manuel
Former NASA Peincipal
Investigator for Apollo
I think since the cold war allegedly ended, we have entertained the clash of civilisations. I lived through the cold war, my husband was a captain on Vulcans, the nuclear strike force in Britain. They were a nuclear deterrent. But I remember being a teenager working for the Bank of England where we had atom bomb survival exercises. And absolutely living in fear at the time especially when the great summit between Krushchev, Eisenhower, and Macmillan broke down. Yes we lived in fear of the communists or rather the Russians. Then we had the fear of the Chinese. Moa’s problem was he thought China could survive any foreign nuclear attack. Problem was they intended to drop lots of dirty bombs around the country, that would contaminate it for generations and kill off the people with slow radiation. Gee are we not rotten to one another.
This email I received fits in well here –
“Some good news…about Julia ( She’s Gone ) .
.
Ever wondered why Julia originally chose September 14 for an election date?
For a PM to receive FULL parliamentary pension and perks, they need to be leader/PM for three years within a full term of government. Julia Gillard would have been eligible for the full parliamentary pension and perks on September 13 this year. Good news is she never made it meaning she loses the perks and gets about 2/3rds of the Parliamentary Pension she would have got. She will still get more than she deserves but at least it’s less than she could have received.
If anyone was naive enough to think she cared about this country then hopefully they can now all see, her entire period of her time as PM it was always ‘What’s in it for Me’ Julia!
.
Why Rudd called the election was that he got news that the PNG Parliament are putting thru A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE For O’Neil. But here’s the crunch. It will vote on kicking O’Neil out on 10Th SEPTEMBER!!!! Rudd needed to go yesterday because an election ONE WEEK LATER would see the Manus Island deal the 2 stitched up STOPPED. The PNG MPs are hostile that O’Neil has done this and it will probably cost O’Neil his position. Rudd was desperate to go to G20 in Russia. Not gunna happen now. Looks like Manus won’t go ahead either. Can you imagine what the Australian voters are going to say when this gets out? What a deceiving mongrel he is.
.
Makes one wonder what the hourly rate is for this aircraft and how many hours the flight took !!
Passing this from a retired Wing Commander.
.
This is a Politician who thinks He Owns Everything……………..
.
I made an enquiry via my ex RAAF connections, apparently KRUDD & the first shiela’s trip to Afghanistan via a RAAF KC30-A A330 Tanker was specifically tasked for just him, wife & media visit to Afghanistan. The trip went via Perth and was a very quick over & back task. What a complete waste of taxpayer funds for a photo op with the troops, when we have a massive cutback in defence spending.
.
To demonstrate what a sneaky little person Rudd is, this trip will not have come out of No 34 VIP Squadrons funding for Prime Ministerial travel.
The KC30-A Tanker belongs & funding expenditure is allocated by No 33 Squadron at Amberley. In effect he is stealing funding from defence operations for his own political purposes. Is there no end to his selfishness, self aggrandisement, waste and contempt for the Armed Services and the Australian Tax Payer?
.
And this while most of my retired military friends are living impoverished lives on their Labor Party deliberately reduced (Defence Forces Retirement Benefit Fund) superannuation indexation. In my case it is minus $550 a fortnight since I retired and I was a Wing Commander.
.
Most of the retired guys were Warrant Officers or lesser ranks and really struggling after serving their country all their working lives. It’s a bloody disgrace! About $560 million would repay it all back which is about 2 weeks worth of illegal immigrants under Rudd!
.
Come on 7th September!!”
Thanks for the analysis on Kevin, Kevin.
Yes, he is a dirty little scumbag, who needs a good dose of Waterboarding”.
There’s always plenty of money(debt) when there’s something in it for them, but FA when someone who deserves a hand needs it.
I don’t know how it’s going to happen, but I can FEEL something smouldering.. Anyone else notice that lately, there are many skeletons being dragged out of dark closets?? Things previously buried deep under layers of time and lack of real reporting??
I love JFK’s “Secret Societies” speech. Google it.
Libor, Isdafix, the Federal Reserve, Bankster Bailouts, NSA spying on all of us, NDAA and the “Patriot” Act, the Royal Commission into paedophilia, Rolf Bloody Harris, Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald, Julia Gillard and the AWU ripoff from the 1990’s, rebel-originated Chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian civilians, the overt bleating of certain US politicians about the “humanitarian” need to bomb Syria back to the stoneage for Assad’s dastardly (and as yet un-proven) CW attacks on civilians,Have I left anything out??
Oh yes, Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth. About 2000. or so chemical, structural, mechanical engineers and high-rise architects all saying that what happened was IMPOSSIBLE.. Therefore, something else caused it. Who, how, and why???
And let’s not forget the TOTALLY UN-REPORTED Citizens Hearing on Disclosure in April/May of this year. Is there NOTHING these bastards haven’t been lying to us about????
Is humanity truly waking up??
Bloody hope so, ’cause the Powers that Be pulling Obama’s strings seem to REALLY want to hot things up in Syria. Which means Iran (aka The Persians- really tough, smart people who DON’T like being stuffed around), Russia and China will more than likely get a serious case of the shits and kick back very hard.
And note the not-so-subtle way some of our New World Order pollies try
to steer public opinion into supporting a “punitive strike” on the Syrian govt. before the UN Weapons inspectors have reported on who actually was responsible to the Chemical attack last week, Pricks like Bob Carr and K Rudd.
One day soon, we might get a South African style “Truth and Reconciliation” commission and actually get some prosecutions of these traitors to humanity.
One thing I think my ex husband said once, when I became a liberal feminist, was ‘The back pocket rules the world’, (That’s where men kept their wallets). That’s a fact of life, but people like Palmer get my goat, have you seen the DVD he dropped in my post box. He’s crazy with his Titanic II project to be built in China. Then says he could only afford to travel third class, whose he trying to kid. I heard from a good source too, that the finance for the project has not gone ahead as planned. Gud!
Excellent analysis Kevin. Keep it coming. Maybe that is why Tony A, went to Townsville to join them in their morning physical jerks. Very impressive too. The problem with Queensland politicians, is they seem to think differently from the rest of us, their image in the community and overseas. The Australian character, I studied this at University as it is displayed in the film industry and media generally. It started in Gallipoli, when Australians began to see themselves as not little south sea island cockneys, as the British pollies once called them. When I arrived in Sydney in 1965 when my husband has been a pilot and Flt.Lt in the RAF, and joined QANTAS our neighbors or some of them, were straining to accept us. There was obvious prejudice against Poms and also Greek and Italians.
“Garlic the fruit of peasants one said” Within 6 months I felt the Aussies I knew were inverted snobs, with a big chip on their shoulders, but as I lived longer in Sydney, and then moved to the bush, I began to see why this happened and began to respect the Australian character that was more noticeable in the bush than in the large cities.
At one time, I noticed while in UK, the Australian dialects or accents were generally varied and different from State to State. South Australians seemed to have more English accents, Victoria next and then NSW. Queenslanders appeared very protective and precious, even racist too. It’s still there to some degree. Look at Palmer, Rudd and Katter, they are brash, overtly egotistical, rude and to me don’t have the class of Tony Abbott or Malcolm Turnbull, both Rhodes scholars, and Tony was born in UK. And their antics seem to be accepted in Qld, but not else where as politicians behavior and cantor is not always agreeable to some as being representative of the true Aussie, who has sophisticated and become more worldly not insular. So I think Australians, since the internet where blogs like this can be joined are very conscious now on what is going on overseas for one. But there is still a lot of bigotry here, as I expect in other countries. So Rudd is just crafty enough to spin bull to satisfy many Australians feelings and thoughts. It happens when I asked a cousin in UK, who he would vote for in the last British election, he said, “I’ll never vote for any bloke who went to Eton”. Are the same sentiments also present still in Oz? By the way, I became an Australian citizen in 2000, when the referendum was against a Republic. But I had the vote since 1965.
OH HAPPY FATHER’S DAY GUYS, HAVE A GUDUN.
The conundrum is that if you vote Liberal you are voting for the same people who ran the greatest criminal racket this country has ever seen. Fraud is a crime. Howard & his buddies cut so many bad cheques that the entire banking system almost blew sky high in 2008, or perhaps better described, almost went down the toilet.
The Greens are some kind of eco communists & Labor just a more incompetent version of the Liberals.
Vote Nobody, because Nobody gives a f**k!
Quote –
.
“Memo to Sen Carr. What about the ” thugs and murderers ” Australia supports, such as the barbaric Saudi regime, the dictatorial regime in Bahrain, the atrocities of the American regime and the war crimes of the Israeli State, just to name a few? Oh, but they are ” our ” thugs and murderers”. I see. The hypocrisy of the Australian government and the Federal Opposition over the Syrian calamity is breathtaking. Australia must condemn war crimes and crimes against humanity wherever they occur. Australia again is either a party to American lies, or is too dumb to sort the chaff from the wheat. Whichever case applies, it is clear Australian governments take their orders from Washington, and not the Australian people.
.
Prime Minister and Mr Abbott. If you believe so strongly in the war on terrorism and Australian policy to send young Australians all around the world to prop up the Americans, then tell your kids, who are of military age, to enlist in the Australian Defence Force and set the example by doing their bit. Or is it a case of politicians, particularly old men, send other people’s kids to war and not their own?
.
Putin demands proof of chemical attack claims
.
Russian president Vladimir Putin says suggestions the Syrian government would use chemical weapons is “utter nonsense”.
.
The US has laid out a raft of evidence that it says shows Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s forces were behind a chemical weapons attack last week that is said to have killed more than 1,400 people.
.
US president Barack Obama says his country is still in the planning process for a “limited, narrow” military response that would not involve “boots on the ground” or be open-ended.
.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bob Carr says Australia would support the US and labelled Assad a “thug and a murderer”.
.
Well, isn’t that just dandy. The people are so pleased these politicians have attended to what really matters in Australia. As an aside, when Ms Julie Bishop becomes Australia’s Foreign Minister, which seems a certainty on Sep 7 as the trend is at the moment, it will be interesting to see her strutting the international stage, fluttering her eyelashes and baring her pearly whites as she comes up against extremely worldly and experienced Foreign Ministers from Russia, China, Indonesia and other countries who will chew her up and spit her out for breakfast. She is an utter amateur and no amount of petty clawing and scratching by her will replace the vast worldly experience of people like Lavrov.”
I don’t trust the Americans either, they make money out of war, or some do. But I am glad they are nearly always on our side in conflicts. The thing is Kevin, and I don’t know if anyone agrees, but I know this from experience being married to a pilot in the RAF, who actually flew PR 9s from Cyprus, in the recky flights over the middle east. The general public, or media, does not know what really is behind the truth of international conflicts. It’s covered by the official secrets act. And that is why Assange is in so much trouble, he went into the holy of hollies and took advantage of the situation to make money, no disrespect intended to Judaism. Same as the Grinch or Grench Ute exposure, that got Malcolm into trouble and made to look a fool. He should know emails can be fraudulently composed. And jumped in to early. It’s just a shame, Tony Windsor backed the ALP. However, let’s pray the same situation doesn’t face us in September the 7th.
They reckon they have proof of Sarin gas use, but the UN hasn’t come up with anything yet for weeks, if they go in without waiting for the UN, it might turn out as the last time, when they found no weapons of mass destruction. May Putin is right, would Assad be mad enough to use chemical weapons, knowing the US’s response might include military intervention? But the same was said of Saddam Hussein.
Fireagra,for foreign policy impotence – on Vimeo
“The Zionist Regime Will Seek To Destroy Syria and Iran” by Jonas E. Alexis
.
“I don’t believe in Western morality. Living by Torah [the Talmud, of course] values will make us a light unto the nations who suffer defeat because of a disastrous morality of human invention.”—Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/08/31/the-zionist-regime-will-seek-to-destroy-syria-and-iran-part-i-2/
http://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2013/08/31/kca-2013-federal-election-campaign-launch-putting-judicial-corruption-on-the-political-agenda/
Yeah Kevin, but Shane won’t put in things he doesn’t like. I made a comment on one of his, and it was wrong and too simplistic and I won’t continue on this blog as he cherry picks what he puts in.
Lt Col Robert Bowman was a really great man who died just over a week ago. His integrity was never compromised. Considered to be leader of the 911 truth movement he had PHD’s in Nuclear Physics and Aeronautics and taught mathematics. He was also head of Advanced Space Programs at NASA. Robert for a long time fought cancer from his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Robert Bowman should have been President of the USA. http://patriotsquestion911.com/
Filling the moral vacuum –
http://politicalvelcraft.org/2013/08/05/most-corrupt-bank-in-the-world-basel-iiis-hsbc-engaging-in-blackmail-now-hsbc-shuts-down-banking-accounts-on-40-sovereign-nation-state-embassies-nwos-desperate-move-in-an-attempt-to-leverag/
.
http://politicalvelcraft.org/2013/08/28/hungary-orders-rothschilds-imf-to-vacate-the-country-now-issuing-debt-free-money/
“Robert for a long time fought cancer from his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam”
The use of toxic chemicals by the US Army in Vietnam is deserving of greater attention, considering recent events, don’t you think?
I’m not aware that the US government crossed any lines there, fully supported by the Australian government of course.
JMD; the people of Vietnam are still suffering sickness and birth deformities from US Chemical spraying and the environment has not fully recovered.
Those who are all powerful dictate what is known and who should know it.
Robert Bowman came to Australia in 2008 to shake us from our complacency. Unfortunately I did not meet him. In 2009 I had the privilege of meeting Richard Gage the founder of http://www.ae911truth.org/ Prof Steven Jones and our Dr Frank Legge. Prof Niels Harritt came to Sydney in 2009 and gave a lecture on the nano thermite used on 911. Both Jones and Harritt are very humble quietly spoken people who have a depth of character that puts shame on our so called leaders. Frank Legge is a similar personality. These are people of enormous intellect but very humble and shun the media hype.
Neils Harritt with Steven Jones and our Frank Legge along with 7 other international scientists produced a peer reviewed paper proving the use of Nano Thermite, a highly sophisticated explosive known only to a few military on the planet at that time. That peer reviewed paper to this day has not been challenged or disproven, just ignored.
Like many of our readers here, I’m disgusted at the depths of depravity our humanity has reached and still the decline knows no limits to the lies, deception or treachery.
Evil has prospered because there are not enough good men and women.
Nanothermite may explain the slicing through of steel beams, but what was it that reduced the rest of the building and its human content to dust?
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/09/02/nuclear-demolition-of-the-world-trade-center-damage-to-bathtub/
Yes Kevin I’ve read Dimitri’s theories which Gordon Duff has been pushing. It is possible because some people experienced deep basement explosions in the towers before the planes struck. No scientific study has been done and Dimiti Khazolov is not an expert in this field.
Niels Harritt and his team have not ruled out other forces. They stick to the known scientific facts.
There was a archaeological research project done by a university, or forensic archaeologist. They found bone and human remains, all over the place on top of buildings, etc., the explosion was massive. An engineer took on the non believers, and said that a building could collapse like it did. It imploded. But the other building that was already destined to demolished, and they did that deliberately, saying it was unsafe. Then tried to claim damages from the government. I think they were successful.
Ross, I’ve posted this before but there is a documentary on the ‘net called Chechnya – Dirty War. Produced by Channel 4 in the UK sometime in the early 2000’s, it not so subtly implies that the apartment bombings, Beslan school siege etc were inside jobs, that the Russians did it themselves to justify a massive military strike on Chechnya, under the guise of the international ‘War on Terror’.
There’s no mention whatsoever of another act of ‘terror’ around the same time & the resulting military strike on certain middle eastern nations, only the implication that Russians are terrorists. That us ‘civilised westerners’ would never do such a thing is taken for granted.
Worth a watch. I never gave much thought to the idea that 911 was an inside job, now I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
One thing for sure it wasn’t a pancake collapse.
Kevin Rudd on Q&A tonight inferred that in his professed belief as a Christian that his conscience is clear in that same sex marriage does not contravene Bible doctrine.
.
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Sodomy/
.
Bible Verses About Sodomy
.
Bible Verses About Sodomy from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance
.
Leviticus 20:13 – If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.
.
Leviticus 18:22 – Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.
.
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
.
Jude 1:7 – Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
.
Romans 1:26 – For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
.
Romans 1:27 – And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
.
There are St.Marks secret gospels. They were available on the net. Homosexuality has been outlawed by many cultures as is incest. It is believed that those texts were destroyed around the 4th century on instructions of some bishop. The Lazarus story has been interrupted differently and Peter’s dislike of Mary Magdelan, Lazarus’ sister, could be involved too. But – you know the bible should not be taken seriously, and not all gay people are born that way. Women who have been abused tend to have a choice and for men there seems some evidence that they were born with that tendency. Also there is the bi-sexual people. It depends on ones religious creed, like the creationists still don’t go by the fact that of evolutionists. And we walked with dinosaurs. I think the Bible has some great stories in it, but – horses for courses. As a child, brought up as an RC, we were not allowed or encouraged to read the old testament, as it was primarily take from Jewish scriptures.
So you support Kevin Rudd and references to Sodom and Gomorrah are a lie?
I don’t support any interpretations of the bible when used politically to support a moral stance or ideology.! The Bible is not to be taken literally. Sodom and Gomorrah? Maybe a town existed and was destroyed at one time, but beyond that the Bible is not to be taken literally. lOOK Kevin, I had a good friend I really helped out, now she has cut me off because I believe in evolution. She and my only grandchild belong to fundimentalist religions, and I am prohibited from seeing her because I might contaminate her beliefs, or her parents beliefs. That’s not Christian beliefs, it is a set of deranged and inhibited people who are afraid of the truth and reality and they have existed ever since the Salem murders and the Witch seeker general.
Re “Secret St Mark Gospels,
Do you really believe this? –
“In 1958, a manuscript was discovered at a monastery at Mar Saba, east of Jerusalem, which shows how the Jesus story was rewritten by the Church whenever it suited them at the time. It was found by an American, Morton Smith, Professor of Ancient History at Columbia University, and it included the content of a letter by Bishop Clement of Alexandria, Egypt, an early Christian father, to a colleague called Theodore.
It also revealed an unknown segment of Mark’s Gospel which had been suppressed. It included in the ‘Jesus’ story some details of mystery school initiations and it was an account of the raising of Lazarus by Jesus, the famous raising from the dead.
In this suppressed text Lazarus called to Jesus before any ‘raising’ took place, so proving that he was not supposed to be physically dead. There was also another devastating revelation for Christianity.
The manuscript makes references to the effect that Jesus was understood to have engaged in possible homosexual practices involving the ‘rich young man’ mentioned in Mark’s Gospel………..”
http://christianthinktank.com/qbadmark.html
I know I mean where are the original manuscripts, so much manipulation was about during the 4th Century, and the original Bible was written in Greek. But archaeology has given some credence to the myths of the deluge, it happened but was restricted to the area separating the black sea and the area around the present Dardanelles. Folk memory passed down through generations often can have some basis in truth, as well as legends. But not to be taken literally.
My understanding is that the entire fields of modern archaeology and anthropology — and thus, the storehouse of knowledge we now have of past history of humanity — came about in most part directly thanks to investigators and researchers (“scientists”, in modern parlance) looking for evidence one way or the other related to claims/events detailed in the Bible. As a consequence, it is my further understanding that there are more validated / confirmed events and personages in the Bible, than there are outstanding/unconfirmed “myths”. So I think it quite incorrect, and intellectually lax, to dismiss the Bible out-of-hand as simply being a collection of “myths” and “fables”, as so many (have been re-educated / brainwashed to) do in our modern age.
Now, in terms of biblical exegesis, yes, undoubtedly there is much in the Bible that is allegorical, figurative, and not meant to be understood literally. Flip side of the same coin, there is clearly much that is meant to be taken literally. It is my observation that there are many who choose to label (thus, uncritically dismiss) the whole Bible as being little more than “stories” and “myths”, often citing out-of-context, cherry-picked examples of those parts that are clearly allegorical or figurative in order to teach a moral lesson, as (ir)rationalisation for the blanket labelling/dismissal of the whole thing.
Blissful, I respect your opinions. However, it depends on ones perspective and world view. We learn a lot from history, ancient history and also archaeology and palaeoanthropology (I have two degrees in these disciplines) and given that there are great gaps in the archaeological record, not all is totally understood. But I didn’t learn anything from the Holy Bible! For example, there was an archaeologist who reckoned he had found Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararak. Not so. Visions? Even the predictions of doom, Nostradarmus. The only thing that can be corroborated is scientific research because old manuscripts were written so long ago when religions were in flux it is hard to say what is truthful or politically motivated. No – sorry people who need a crutch, and find solace through religion or theology but remember, the Jews were hated by the Christians, and Christianity is a branch of Judaism until it broke away around 4th century. But to live a moral life is a necessity for peace of mind and getting on within one’s culture. Although with all the goings on in religious circles right now, people are turning away. Quite honestly the longer I live I see despite people who believe in the bible’s authenticity that people are out for themselves and self survival, even if it harms others. ‘Without a knowledge of history, one is a leaf that doesn’t know it belongs to a tree…”
Bushbunny,
You say – “I don’t support any interpretations of the bible when used politically to support a moral stance or ideology.! The Bible is not to be taken literally.”
.
But the Law contradicts you –
Divine Law
.
Definition:
.
The law that defines the Divine in accordance with Astrum Iuris Divini Canonum and clearly demonstrates the spirit, purpose and instruction of the Divine Creator including the operation of the Volition and Will of the Divine Creator through existence. Therefore all valid Law may be said to be derived from Divine Law. The highest law of all Law is therefore Divine Law, then Natural Law, then Cognitive Law, then Positive Law.
————————————————-
“de jure sanguinis coronae”
.
Definition:
.
Ancient Latin legal maxim literally meaning “concerning (the) law of (the) blood of crowns” In COMMON LAW since the end of the 16th Century, royal or noble blood has claimed superior status — in particular to the freedom of their body, protection of property and the obligation of any matter brought against then to follow DUE PROCESS (of the LAW), especially right of RELIEF. When an individual claims de jure sanguinis coronae, providing they demonstrate a comprehension of the term and why they should be granted such status (for example–knowledge of the valid argument that you are of royal birth by virtue of being Sons and Daughters of the King of Kings) then the COURT must grant such recognition. This means any failure of DUE PROCESS or failure to account for RELIEF by the COURT obligates to compensate the individual accused.
I do think our legal system has some relationship with our Christian beliefs and most religions have the same regarding this. This has evolved over centuries. 12 Jurers, one judge, etc., and our civil laws do follow the ten commandments. But our civil laws are sometimes not as strict as religious laws such as Sharia law, or beliefs on abortion or homosexuality. I don’t think Rudd’s answer at Q & A does not reflect his knowledge of the bible, he just put that point about slavery, that a cleric reminded him was said by a Ancient Greek philosopher and does not appear in the bible. Just remember the Greeks did not frown on homosexuality and felt women had an inferior position in life and marriage. We are not a theocracy we are a democracy where religion is separate to State, and should be.
I noticed this in the “twittered” section here. It totally debunks the ALP’s carbon trading schemes. In my view it should be publicised as much as possible.
http://www.trendingcentral.com/incredible-video-debunks-entire-global-warming-agenda/
Anyway…
Blissful Ignoramus, just wondering if you were “asked”, “directed” or “persuaded” to take down Barnaby’s image from the header table?
I have just come back after a few weeks away and this was the first thing I noticed, was this a personal decision?
Yes, just a personal decision. Came across the (new) image, liked it, decided to use it to make a fresh header. Simple as that.