Professor Singer believes genetic technology will have a profound impact on society in the years to come, particularly the genetic testing of embryos, which is now done to avoid devastating disease.

“Our ability to discover more and more about the genetics of our future children is going to be very significant,” he said. “Eventually it may be used for enhancement selection - for selecting the best embryo on a specific set of abilities that we can identify as being genetically influenced.”

Really great stuff if you really want to make a perfect race isnt it?
Sounds rather like the Nazis to me.

Heart rending testimony about abortion in today’s (July 16 -realised I hit the wrong button and edited an old post!!) Age, a pro-choice woman who had an abortion and now realises she killed her baby.

And two articles in the smh about falling number of RC priests in Australia and Ireland

See post above- also one in smh on ads belittling masculinity

Also report on Abbott on abortion in Australian

Morning all,

In a fit of pique, and FWIW, I’ve started to publish some of my unpublished letters. Some of them end up here .

Some will be surprised by this, but I tend to update it most days :-) I think we are working on putting a nerdification(TM) feature in there so that you get an e-mail sent to you when the site’s been updated, but not sure where that’s up to yet…

[quote author="Gordon Cheng"]I think we are working on putting a nerdification(TM) feature in there so that you get an e-mail sent to you when the site’s been updated, but not sure where that’s up to yet…

You also need to get the footer which reads “Noticed by Gordon...” to read “Nerdified by Gordon...”

Sorry, but I must add that I do think the new MM site is a little less accessible than the former version.

[quote author="Enkidu Jones"]
You also need to get the footer which reads “Noticed by Gordon...” to read “Nerdified by Gordon...”

It is these little suggestions that keep the wheels of innovation grinding ever onward and upward…

Can I suggest you provide some feedback to Guan on the new MM site?

I did the other day, and I’m sure he’d appreciate some more

-A-

What do you think of ‘religious’ articles written for local papers?

Our local free weekly has a place for Albury and Wodonga ministers to put in a piece of up to 350 words. It’s on a roster. So the contents vary greatly.

I am unsure of how these little columns are viewed or recieved. Any ideas? Personally I hope that a column can be a little interesting, and get the name of our church known/noticed. Anything extra is certainly possible, but a bonus.

So, er just to clarify here Chris, you’re asking a bunch of newspaper letter-writers whether it is worth writing for the paper? ;-)

[quote author="Adam Gregory"]Can I suggest you provide some feedback to Guan on the new MM site?

I did the other day, and I’m sure he’d appreciate some more

I agree and I did the same.

The new layout is attrocious (I won’t list my reasons here)!

If you think the same please let them know in kind constructive words by emailing webmaster@matthiasmedia.com.au and info@matthiasmedia.com.au.

Rodos

Just remember to use the same words here too, you never know who’s reading, and us design types have very fragile egos! ;)

[quote author="Luke Stevens"]Just remember to use the same words here too, you never know who’s reading, and us design types have very fragile egos! ;)

Yes, I really don’t want to offend any of the great people at MM. They do such a fantastic job and I am sure there web team has busted a gut like most web developers to do all the work. If anyone here was involved please don’t take it personally but as the helpful feedback which its intended.

Rodos

Just remember to use the same words here too, you never know who’s reading, and us design types have very fragile egos! ;)

Guan had a huge job in redesigning the MM site so kudos to him :) I’m sure he would appreciate any feedback :)

Dani (who still shudders when she remembers redesigning the site a few years back and who is currently going through a three month web site design nightmare)

[quote author="Chris Little"]What do you think of ‘religious’ articles written for local papers?

Our local free weekly has a place for Albury and Wodonga ministers to put in a piece of up to 350 words. It’s on a roster. So the contents vary greatly.

I am unsure of how these little columns are viewed or recieved. Any ideas? Personally I hope that a column can be a little interesting, and get the name of our church known/noticed. Anything extra is certainly possible, but a bonus.

I am sure the Little columns are viewed with great respect!

How does the math work out? Assume a circulation of “x”, assume 95% do what I do with the local rag, which is straight to the recycling/budgie cage, so that actual readership is 5% of x, then assume 10% of the 5% read the column, including on the week you write it, most of your congregation. Is the 1/2 hour you spend writing the 350 words worth that readership? No idea, but probably, especially if the 350 words are plagiarised from one of your sermons in the last month.

Looked at more positively, it is an apologetic and p.r. exercise for you, and an example of how to relate to the community for your congregation.

Speaking of plagiarism, if people in Albury aren’t regularly logging on to Anglican Media or Matthias Media, couldn’t you rip off some of the items you find here ? (ooh I’m shameless. Great website Guan)

Absolutely brilliant letter by Claire smith on abortion in today’s Age, here

Saturday’s Age too! And with the gospel in it.

Praise God, and write.

Morning all,

The abortion testimony from the Age is in today’s SMH (Mon 19 July), and there are more letters in response to that same testimony in today’s Age.

Today’s Australian has this letter:

Kill off the fetal tests
19 July 2004

AS an obstetrician, Caroline de Costa (Letters, 17-18/7) forgets abortion is always distressing, more so for the child being aborted than the parents involved. 

Children with abnormalities should always be loved and embraced, not killed because they are not quite right. 

Along with the proposal to lower the legal limit for abortions, there should be a ban on testing for abnormalities. 

Allowing tests for abnormalities legitimises abortion for such abnormalities.  Parents should love all their children, no matter their disability. 

Abortion is never an act of love.
Danielle Eastlake
Ballarat, VIC

and this one…

Christian spring
19 July 2004

PROPHETIC Pauline Hanson thinks that in 2044 “Australia will mainly consist of Middle Eastern and Oriental religions”. It already does. Where does she think Christianity comes from?
Eric Marsh
Pacific Paradise, Qld

(Mr Marsh’s letter is an excellent example of a short, interesting Christian response based on a bit of lateral thinking on a current issue)

****Hi Chris L****

Another thought on your regular column for the Albury Wodonga local paper. It would be quite interesting if there were some way of doing market research on who that small group of cover-to-cover readers are. Maybe ‘phone the editor and talk to him/her? Good p.r., and you may find out some useful info. Just a guess, here, but I wonder the cover-to-cover readers are older residents, or the ones at home sick or infirm, ie those who are likely to have more time on their hands or an over-the-top interest in local issues. If you knew it might shape the content of what you wrote.

Little Chris,

Do you worry that the column could end up being a little syncretic?

-A-

[quote author="Gordon Cheng"]

Christian spring
19 July 2004

PROPHETIC Pauline Hanson thinks that in 2044 “Australia will mainly consist of Middle Eastern and Oriental religions”. It already does. Where does she think Christianity comes from?
Eric Marsh
Pacific Paradise, Qld

(Mr Marsh’s letter is an excellent example of a short, interesting Christian response based on a bit of lateral thinking on a current issue)

So true!  That’s a fabulous letter.  Bravo to Eric. 

SJK.

Again today, letters on abortion in age, smh and australian (July 20).

Also in the smh, a really awful counter-testimony on abortion, including this astonishing quote:

With only the contrite permitted a voice in the abortion debate, the rest of us self-censor.

There you go folks— the pro-abortion lobby are not heard loudly enough because they self censor (!)

Can I encourage any and all Christian women to write in about abortion.  An oft used argument against Christians opposing abortion is that most of them are men - no one can use that one against me.  Or Han.  Or Dani.  Or Angela.  etc.

ETA: Nice one Gordon!  Please understand that I’m not discouraging men from writing.  Just giving a friendly nudge to the girls.