Two posts back I wrote about my feelings of shame regarding Australia’s treatment of refugees seeking asylum who try to reach Australia by boat. But what is a ‘right’ christian response? Is there any ‘right’ response?
While we are on the subject of Australia’s attitude to refugees arriving by boat, here is a telling sketch by Aussie satirists John Clarke and Bryan Dawe. (Actually John comes from New Zealand, but works in Australia.) For those not familiar with Aussie politics, the sketch presents hardline Australian Government Minister for Immigration, Scott Morrison, […]
These are difficult times. For many in our world, the difficulty is surviving poverty, or escaping from a murderous regime. I live in Australia. I don’t live in poverty, and while our government has some very bad features, it isn’t a direct threat to my life. For me, some of the difficult issues are ethical. […]
Last post I looked at how some studies show that many christians are prejudiced towards groups such as gays, atheists and Muslims, and are less likely than other people to show love to members of these groups. How can we start to bring about change?
Jesus told his followers, quite definitely, to love their enemies, and warned them against hatred. Yet today, the public image of christians is somewhat tarnished – some christians are seen to be loving and caring, but others are seen to be prejudiced and intolerant, especially towards groups like gays and Muslims. What is the evidence […]
Try this brief quiz (if you haven’t seen my other blog): Which country is the richest in the world in terms of median wealth? Which countries come close? Which countries have the greatest and least disparity between the rich and the rest? In the richest country, what percentage of people live in poverty? Have a […]
I originally wrote this post shortly after bushfires near Sydney destroyed 200 homes and took 2 lives. But since then, Typhoon Haiyan has caused much havoc, hardship and loss of life in the Philippines, totally dwarfing the bushfires. But whether it is the fires or the typhoon, their ferocity and the apparent randomness of the […]
Some people just seem to know how to behave and what to say in every situation. And others have to learn the hard way – they need to learn how to live. I am more like the second type, and so I welcome it when someone teaches me a new simple way to understand how […]
Aussies wear T-shirts. We wear them at the beach, or around the house, or under a shirt when we go out. So we buy lots of them. And we like to pick up a bargain. And we’re not alone – T-shirts seem to be popular all over the world. So how much did your last […]
Malala Yousafzai has become famous for her fight for women’s education, her courage in the face of threats, and her recovery after a shocking gun attack. Her story has inspired many. And she can teach christians a thing or too.