Religion is not a "private pursuit"

We do not live in isolation.

The slightest thought of the manifestly intelligent person should help us realise that religion is not a personal or private pursuit. 
I mean religion is essentially a community activity, it's about relationships, family life, society....etc and etc.

It's a big call to question the Pope's right to make observations about outrageous things that people say from a religious perspective.

Let's face it, Trump doesn't seem to have any qualms about questioning the Pope or  anyone's bona fides on anything. Certainly  he doesn't seem to think there are any limitations on his right to comment on things that he is manifestly not qualified to coment about.

As for the furphy that religion is private and leaders should not offer political critique, try telling that to Mary...who saw her son crucified. 
Or to Mohammad, peace be upon him, who never felt such compunction. Or to George Bush who blatantly exploited his evangelical credentials.

Or to Barack Obama who sang with true faith of God's Amazing Grace. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN05jVNBs64)

Kev and Bazz

I suppose it's good for us that the Pres and the PM seem to have hit it off so well. But the thought of another love story to rival George and John seems sickening!!

Pineapple Fritter

One commentator notes on one of my recent posts that "Grace doesn't appear to have lasted the week!"
Cryptic...but this could mean many things
I guess it flows from my original post about various small graces (here); though it is posted against my comments about Howard receiving the medal of "Freedom" from that great Freedom Fighter...George Bush...(here) or maybe it's just a reflection on the hideous state of affairs in Gaza.
So I just make my response a bit more obvious.....I think that part of the issue for the spiritual person is not that we should think that "grace" is an invitation to be pathetic, and to overlook the faults of others; to demur and be sweetly nice in the face of other people's appalling garbage, (like ranking Howard alongside Nelson Mandela) . But rather that we should recognise that (like a baby born) God touches our world more profoundly than we think...but goes unnoticed, and/or that we fritter away God's abundant life.
But I do say....
1. I am not gracious to JH... true I have found it difficult for some time to see him as anything other than the supreme political opportunist. The victim of his own hubris. Who would do anything to stay in power, and bend in any direction if it would get him re-elected.
2. The Gaza situation. There is always a deep sadness about the sort of gross abuse that is war (on both sides)
3. On a smaller scale our life fritters the grace away so easily, I guess the call to the spiritual person is to try and hang on to this and to recognise it in our midst. The message of Christmas

No surprise

I don't know why we should be surprised by such things...but news that John Howard will receive the US Medal of Freedom from outgoing President Bush seems some what indecent.
You could think that David Hicks doesn't really have the right to complain, but Mohammed Hanif certainly does. The Captain of the "Tampa" could be forgiven for being outraged, anyone who has been interned on Christmas Island, or Nauru could certainly make the case for being annoyed.
Perhaps, more importantly, any indigenous Australian who had to suffer the bitter stubborness of an arrogant little man who, despite his desire to be seen as an international statesman, could not be seen to utter one little word of apology...well they could eb rightly outraged.
But it rather gives the lie to the quality of such awards.
I always feel disappointed with our national honours to see that so many of those who are given AC and AM are already rewarded with power and wealth, one hope this year it may be different...but it probably won't

An end to terror

In the last week or so the African National Congress, and in particular Nelson Mandela were removed from the US's Terror Watch List (see here).
No doubt Dr Mandela was pleased with this birthday present, but it raises the question of what such lists are all about. They are of course propaganda, and don't serve much useful purpose at all.
The US list has (apparently) nearly 1,000,000 people on it.
One only has to see some of the names on the list, (here)which includes US senators, serving military officers, and any number of people who have opposed President Bush on issues great and small. See the American Civil Liberties Union counter here
The Anglican Church's GAFCON conference (reaction to gay issues and women's ordination) which recenty met (against that Bishop's wishes) in the city of Jerusalem...also had a (much smaller) hit list.
Security were instructed to not allow certain people entry under any circumstances (see here), that list, too, is propagandist and political!

He's arriving soon

Yes, I am sure that you are all aware that he is arriving from the States soon, and Sydney will never be the same.
No, I am not talking about Dubbya (here)who is most certainly on his way here, with an entourage that Rolf Harris would be able to justifiably add to the court of King Caractacus....on the first day of Apec my true love sent to me a George Bush and entourage....750 security, $150K of photographs, a personal chef or three..it all sound like one of the Louis de France
But, no in our house it is the arrival of Zac Efron, sweet faced star of High School Musical 1 & 2 and hit of the new movie Hairspray that will be heralded today.
What must (and does) really frighten political leaders is that in the end young voters will take more notice of Efron than of Howard or Rudd, or even Garrett.
But so far he keeps mum!