The building where I work
nice huh?
people come here purely for photos and weddings
Monday, February 13, 2006
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Government opposes less traumatic abortions in Australia
I know I am only a guy, but I want to have it known that I think abortion is the right of the couple or person in question.
We recently had a debate here in Australia over a drug called RU486 or Mifepristone. Political boundaries meant nothing as moral majority Christian lawyers (our mostly male leadership) went up against the women in their own parties and our more liberal opposition representatives.
In a conscience vote (individual, not party aligned) the result was a recommendation that the veto power over the use of the drug would be taken out of the hands of our openly Catholic, anti-abortion health minister, and would be the responsibility of the experts - the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). After all, these are the unbiased experts who are allowed to look after all other drugs that are prescribed in this country.
The government is concerned that these people are not elected, and therefore not representative, but politics swings in fads, peoples rights and wellbeing should be a constant.
Leave the authority over drugs to the experts, not the moralists.
We recently had a debate here in Australia over a drug called RU486 or Mifepristone. Political boundaries meant nothing as moral majority Christian lawyers (our mostly male leadership) went up against the women in their own parties and our more liberal opposition representatives.
In a conscience vote (individual, not party aligned) the result was a recommendation that the veto power over the use of the drug would be taken out of the hands of our openly Catholic, anti-abortion health minister, and would be the responsibility of the experts - the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration). After all, these are the unbiased experts who are allowed to look after all other drugs that are prescribed in this country.
The government is concerned that these people are not elected, and therefore not representative, but politics swings in fads, peoples rights and wellbeing should be a constant.
Leave the authority over drugs to the experts, not the moralists.
Friday, February 10, 2006
The gospel according to me....
I can't think of religion as anything other than blind arrogance. Look at all the miracles, events etc. written and presented as facts that would be hard to take in an animated kids flick. If you don't just take it on face value and suspend disbelief, you are a sinner. What a cop out. We don't have to prove anything, as it is an article of our faith that doubt is a sin, therefore proof would simply be providing an outlet for doubters.
I was brought up an atheist, but have evolved into an agnostic. I really want to believe that there is something more, but the old man with the beard, the no women allowed, the virgin birth, the killing in the name of, etc etc. is all so exclusive. Religion and faith should be INCLUSIVE at its core, not exclusive.
Ive read the bible, bits of the Koran, Buddhist texts, Hindu, etc, and the common element is a sense of community, of loving your brothers and sisters, forget about the heaven stuff.
The common people have to reclaim what has been hijacked by the powerful to control the masses and serve their own ends. The Roman Empire dictated the structure and content of the majority of Christian churches in existence today. The modern Churches are simply puppets reacting to strings that were pulled two thousand years ago.
Ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Gnostic texts? Most people have. But do we know what they contain? Titles such as the Gospel according to Mary & Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Theres also what appears to be original or at least very very old New Testament texts and Torah writings.
I have a few questions about all of this:
**why hasn't every person of faith run out and bought a copy of the texts (the fact is that most havent)?
**why were the other gospels and letters written by apostles left out of the book we see today, even though they appear to be from the assumed time of the new testament?
There are so many similarities between the story of Jesus and the other religions, gods and demi-gods from the region of the time, and most of the dates 25th December, Easter and others, that were already celebrated by Pagans and Jews in the region for various ceremonies.
The more we think about it, and the more evidence amassed such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the more it looks like Christianity is a construct, created by those in power along the lines of other organised religions in the area at the time.
Unfortunately it takes a doubting mind, and one unclouded by a life of Church bred guilt, mysticism and idolatry, to think enough about it to get anywhere.
I was brought up an atheist, but have evolved into an agnostic. I really want to believe that there is something more, but the old man with the beard, the no women allowed, the virgin birth, the killing in the name of, etc etc. is all so exclusive. Religion and faith should be INCLUSIVE at its core, not exclusive.
Ive read the bible, bits of the Koran, Buddhist texts, Hindu, etc, and the common element is a sense of community, of loving your brothers and sisters, forget about the heaven stuff.
The common people have to reclaim what has been hijacked by the powerful to control the masses and serve their own ends. The Roman Empire dictated the structure and content of the majority of Christian churches in existence today. The modern Churches are simply puppets reacting to strings that were pulled two thousand years ago.
Ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Gnostic texts? Most people have. But do we know what they contain? Titles such as the Gospel according to Mary & Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Theres also what appears to be original or at least very very old New Testament texts and Torah writings.
I have a few questions about all of this:
**why hasn't every person of faith run out and bought a copy of the texts (the fact is that most havent)?
**why were the other gospels and letters written by apostles left out of the book we see today, even though they appear to be from the assumed time of the new testament?
There are so many similarities between the story of Jesus and the other religions, gods and demi-gods from the region of the time, and most of the dates 25th December, Easter and others, that were already celebrated by Pagans and Jews in the region for various ceremonies.
The more we think about it, and the more evidence amassed such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the more it looks like Christianity is a construct, created by those in power along the lines of other organised religions in the area at the time.
Unfortunately it takes a doubting mind, and one unclouded by a life of Church bred guilt, mysticism and idolatry, to think enough about it to get anywhere.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Kids are scary
When do we stop being the kid, and become the adult? is there an age or an event or moment that triggers our status as an adult, or is something deeper? I'm thinking about this because there is a lot going on that raises this and other questions about kids and their accountability for their actions.
The most horrific was an eight year old boy in Queensland who invited his friends over (aged ten and eleven i think) to rape their three year old neighbor. The ring leader cannot be prosecuted, counseled or any other enforced means of punishment or monitoring because of his age. He is not even banned from seeing the girl he raped.
Then there is the group "Prussian Blue", 13 year old twin girls from California who perform songs of hate and white supremacy. Their web page and songs carry on about how down trodden we whites are. As if we have time to think about it whilst we rule the world, raping and pillaging the developing world and banning them from defending themselves. Two fourteen year old girls were arrested yesterday for the murder of a taxi driver. They beat him to death, stole his phone and his taxi, and then were picked up shop lifting. They were too scared to appear in court this morning, but not too scared to beat the old man to death and steal his things.
When I was fourteen i was a bit of a little shit, but drinking, a little shoplifting and a few other nefarious activities were the limit. I didn't even like fighting, forget about killing anyone. Is the world different now? I wasn't sheltered as a kid. I saw shit, but this disturbs me.
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