Another Article at the SMH on religious education in schools.

It preaches some thing we would certainly agree with:

No one in authority, no matter what their own beliefs, should ever sanction - or even just turn a blind eye to - conversion by stealth.

But also make some suggestions that those who teach scripture are wrong:

Those who do the proselytising, of course, are unable to see what they are doing as wrong. No doubt they justify any sleight of hand or bending of the truth as a small price to pay to gather young souls for Jesus.

Mike

They fail to see that secularism itself is a religion that converts and kills by stealth.

Yeah funny that secularism claims to be so tolerant of other belief systems, yet is itself intolerant of belief systems such as Christianity that claim to present absolute truth. This shows that secularism is not consistent to its own belief system.

It’s the church’s fault. Secular humanism is just a perversion of Christianity.

Here’s a cool quote from Peter Leithart:

“The climax of the prophetic denunciation of the merchandising of Babylon in Revelation 18 is the judgment that Babylon/Jerusalem has “deceived” the nations “by your sorcery” (18:23). This is immediately followed by the charge that “in her was found all the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” (18:24). Thus, the deceived people of the land become deceivers for the whole world. Sound familiar? Liberal churchmen deceive the nations into an ideology of tolerance and pluralism."*

Babylon never changes. She tolerates everything, and kills anyone who disagrees. My point is, she is always a corruption of the true worship, a mediator gone bad, a narrow door made wide.

*Deceiving the Nations, www.leithart.com

And a quote from David Mackay’s website (I think that’s where I found it):

“Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.”

Cyber sex causes depression

Cyber Sex and Depression

Basically a study that shows that 65% of those who participate in online sex have severe mental problems, including depression.

This shouldn’t surprise anyone.  Rejecting God’s gift of sex as part of the marital relationship will lead to problems.

I haven’t written in, as I don’t feel I have the skill on this one, but it would be worth some of the - umm - better writers - to write in about God’s great gift of sex, and how wonderful it is when used right.

Mike

This review of Peter Jensen’s The Future of Jesus was published on page 35 of the Spectrum section of yesterday’s SHM. I haven’t been able to find it on the website, so I’ve reprinted it in full:

If you are a Christian and your sympathies lie with Archbishop Jensen’s view of your religion, then $16.95 is a small price to pay for “the truth”. If you are not, then it will hold no interest unless you feel it is necessary to know what the other side thinks.

This is basically a reworked version of Jensen’s 2005 Boyer lectures, It is friendly but not particularly profound; not quite a sermon, not quite a lecture. The subtitle Does He Have A Place In Our World? is answered by chapters on the significance of Jesus’ miracles, the nature of the Kingdom of God, how martyrdom (if you are a Christian, but not if you are a Muslim) is a demonstration of the future of Jesus and how Jesus is essential if we are to achieve true freedom.

The problem, which Jensen refuses to deal with, is that many people refuse to see Jesus as having any future because Christianity has been hijacked by a small group of zealots, in the same way that Islam has. Christians bomb abortion clinics in the name of Jesus. Christians deny condoms to AIDS-ravaged Africa in the name of Jesus. Christians heap scorn on Buddhists and Muslims, arguing that their religion is the one true faith. Millions of American Christians spend their weekdays like the moneylenders Jesus scorned and profess their faith on Sundays. American presidents declare their Christianity at the same time they declare war and turn their back on the commandments. And, most tellingly in Jensen’s case, Christians talk about the potency of the Good Samaritan parable and the power of forgiveness while seeming to provide very little of either to homosexuals.

The future of Jesus has everything to do with turning around ‘a bad press’ and marginalising those who commit crimes against humanity in the name of Jesus. Show the world that Jesus’ supporters are not narrow minded ideologues and Jesus may have a future. Until then books such as this seem, very literally, to be “preaching to the converted”.
Reviews by Bruce Elder

Basically, my excuse for not following Jesus is that some of his followers have beliefs that wouldn’t be acceptable at a dinner party in Glebe.

Roger Gallagher - 12 October 2008 03:32 PM

Basically, my excuse for not following Jesus is that some of his followers have beliefs that wouldn’t be acceptable at a dinner party in Glebe.

Hi Roger,

Firstly, I didn’t realise that Glebe was the centre of the universe - and the ‘standard’ to which mortals in the rest of the world should aspire and join in one communal thought pattern ;)

The focus of Christianity is ( or should be ) Jesus. If we look at Christians - we will always see a ‘faulty’ product because of our ( and all mankind’s ) sinfulness.

There is indeed a spiritual battle going on in the hearts of all men and women. We need to look to Jesus - the perfect man and perfect Saviour - and try to understand what He is really on about.

Instead of reading a book from the latest bookstand, and - as the review implies - some do seem like they’re only preaching to the converted, the challenge for all of us is to go and read one of the four gospels in the New Testament - which were written by eye-witnesses to Jesus’ time on Earth.

The word “gospel” means “good news”. When we read any of the gospels of Mark, Luke, John or Matthew we are looking at events as they occurred in their day. Then we can see what Jesus actually did and say - and how and why people reacted to Him in various ways. And why many folk around the world seek to follow Him - and accept the good news that there is hope available in a seemingly hopeless world.

Cheers, Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Firstly, I didn’t realise that Glebe was the centre of the universe - and the ‘standard’ to which mortals in the rest of the world should aspire and join in one communal thought pattern ;)

I was attempting to be sarcastic, as my comment was trying to put words into the mouth of Bruce Elder. Elder’s review made a number of criticisms of Christian’s behaviour and beliefs, which reflected things that Christians had said and done which offended him. I’m presuming that as a SMH writer, he probably lives in the inner-city and could be classified as left-wing intelligensia (hence the reference to dinner parties in Glebe). In common with many other media commentators from the left, he appears to believe that Christianity will only have a future when the message of Christianity and the behaviour of Christians are in harmony with the beliefs and behaviour of people like himself.

From today’s letters to the editor of the smh.

Women viewed as inferior

On Tuesday, and once again, the Sydney Anglican Synod refused to open up the question of a possible way to move towards the ordination of women in the archdiocese.

As a new member of the synod, I heard arguments about the inherent and ordained inferiority of women that were once used by those opposing the entry of women into universities in the 19th century.

Not once, not even among those urging the ordination of women, did I hear an argument that the church is denying itself female talents and communication skills by denying women opportunities for leadership in a rapidly changing 21st century.

It seems many in synod would still prefer to be entranced by the 1950s Billy Graham-style harangues of Archbishop Peter Jensen, who continues to warn of the dangers of secularism and liberalism, including, supposedly, the ordination of women.

Geoffrey Sherington Willoughby

I have already dashed off a reply to the editor, but I’m sure that there are many more eloquent writers who were also there who also didn’t hear any arguments about the inherent inferiority of women.

Hi Jean

You are quite right that no such arguments regarding the inferiority of women were put forward.  Also, these words:

Not once, not even among those urging the ordination of women, did I hear an argument that the church is denying itself female talents and communication skills by denying women opportunities for leadership in a rapidly changing 21st century.

show that Geoffrey wasn’t paying careful attention as Mrs Elaine Petersen in a speech in favour of the motion did indeed put forward this very argument.

Bob

PS I shan’t write to the editor as I don’t want to enter in a nationally published stouche with one of my own parishioners!

There have been two articles in the media on Patricia Weerakoon, a member of my church. For some reason, neither of these articles has been given a link in the Breaking News section of this website.

God said - go forth, multiply - but have fun too

No agony, much ecstacy

Both have a positive attitude towards Patricia’s Christianity.

Baptist raises hell in Jewish dialogue. It’s a beat-up from today’s SMH, but will undoubtedly attract some angry letters. Good for Christians to respond.

Sounds like you were at the event Gordon. It would be good to get your perspective on the matter.

I have sent off something.

This one could do with a response, more from the “spin” put on it by the reporter than anything Phillip Heath actually said.

St Andrew’s head worn out by meddling clergy