Tim Blair

The PC amaze me with their intolerant tolerance. Compare the following scenarios:

Scenario #1: "I just don't feel comfortable having praying going on near me or under the same roof. Please stop them doing it."

Scenario #2: "I just don't feel comfortable having non-marital sex going on near me or under the same roof. Please stop them doing it."

(Or marital sex, for that matter, if it's in public and frightens the horses.)

Which of these two statements will get you publicly vilified as a bigot?

There's a real inconsistency in some of these religiophobic arguments: are we talking about a minority or a majority? I noticed this years ago when I used to waste my money reading "Socialist Worker"; it's also something of a Chris Puplick trope, too. It goes like this:

On the one hand, PDC (Public Displays of Christianity) should be banned or disapproved-of because "they're only a tiny minority".

But on the other hand, public displays of non-Christian religions, or of in-your-face anti-Christian secularism (tax money to display "Piss Christ", anyone?), should be privileged as much as possible, because "they're going against the dominant religion of the vast majority of Australians" and therefore need special protection.

Can't we at least have a uniform yardstick? Such as: that all religions (including atheism/ agnosticism) are equally entitled to be expressed, in proportion to their numbers of adherents?

Green motto: Celebrate Diversity – but only for those who think like us.

Brownshirt motto: ridicule diversity - and everyone different to us.

bugger that- I demand not only prayer, but a full-time Muazzin to holler a Adhan before and after every motion on the floor of Parliament to ensure that legislation is Helal and has the blessing of Allah. (And just remember who controls all the branches in south-western Sydney).

Hey Habib, just for a laugh: why not peddle your racial/religious vilification on the streets of Lakemba? Just to see how many laughs you get?

I just found this blog while reading Andrew Sullivan's blog. Looks like a similar blog but back here in the land of Oz.

I agree that the greens are an intolerant lot, but what's that got to with state prayer in a secular state.

I've always taken the view that any politician wanting to practise religion of any type in parliament is in the wrong place and should go get a job as a preacher.

Saying a prayer to some divine spirit is no different to reading out today's astrology chart. Both are based on superstitious rubbish that has no place in the parliament house of a secular state trying to work out solutions to real problems in the real world.

It's time to do away with these prays and return to a vibrant belief in that we alone are responsible for our own fate and stop pretending that there's any god out their listening to anything we pray for.

The way I see it, is that pollies just like to wrap themselves in god's cloth to cover up all their lies and tricks.

Instead they should be stripped of any such protection and be made to answer for themselves purely on the here and now of flesh and blood and not some god whatever version it might be trotted out to be.

The greens wont be happy until we're all a bunch of godless fags riding pushbikes and using composting toilets... Also, I hear that the only reason Bob Brown lives in tasmania is that POOFFERY is outlawed down there. Way to go BOB! Be a REBEL .. be a FAG! By the way, what's the go with killjoy Bob Carr banning getting pissed in NSW? gees, he musta had a great teenagehood being teetotal and catching buses all over the joint. UGLY FREAKY little human he is.

wow roscoe. Andrew Sullivan is gay as are lots of people. Why can't you leave your own unsatisfied sexuality in your bedroom and stop looking for fags to beat up on.

This rubbish is flavour of the month with every fringe left parliamentarian and every pink local council in the world.

Ban the prayers and then they'll start on the churches. Multi-use at all hours by all denominations including atheists - they're people too - and get rid of the statues, smash the stained glass iconography, rip up the song books and tell the priest to bugger off and get a life.

>> get rid of the statues, smash the stained glass iconography, rip up the song books and tell the priest to bugger off and get a life.

Isn't it sad that someone like roscoe feels perfectly at home here? What sort of riff-raff are you attracting tim?

"Parliament should represent all the people of New South Wales....."

Why then do the Greens put One Nation last?

Sould Parliament only represent those whose views are 'sound'?

Of course not Mike, we need more unsound policies just make sure eveything is fair and balanced and above board.

This might be the only time I ever agree with anything a Green says. Australia/ NSW IS a secular state, and Parliament should at least be seen to be secular.

And if it's not an issue, why get big about it, Tim?

Hey Miranda, I'll take you for a spin 'round Lakemba anytime in my Skyline, as long as you pull a train for my 'bros- unless you're a good muslim girl, of course.

"get rid of the statues, smash the stained glass iconography, rip up the song books and tell the priest to bugger off and get a life."

-- Yeah, but don't you dare go near the mosque...they're diverse in there.

Tim, where did the soggy biscuit bunch come from? Used to be fun at your place.

Hey Miranda. The boys in Lakemba are wogs. Lebanese wogs. Mainly Christian, okay? They got no problem with the praying, okay?

Jackass.

Miranda,

It seems that if a lefty is nasty and divisive (eg wanting to ban prayers) that's OK with you, but if we on the right complain about anything we are immediately just divisive. Unfortunately you prove once again that lefties are usually intellectual lightweights who cannot win an argument on the facts, so they just try to shut it down with calls of "racist", "sexist", "homophobe" and similar buzzwords. Have yo ever thought that there may a huge disparate, diverse range of thoughts among those people at Lakemba whom you so agonisingly patronise? Probably not. You seem to think that every racial or sexual group's members can only think in one way. How absolutley sad. I pity you.

Tim posts a item on the AFL playoffs and Miranda comments thusly:

Gee, sport creates such a warm and fuzzy comraderie among Tim's flock of sheep. Real men play rugby league, apparently, though all you guys would be more expert at pocket billiards, i'd say. You boys all need to meet in a lonely park somewhere and have big group hug.
Miranda
Posted by: Miranda Divide at 11:50 AM

Sounds like Miranda's implying something.

Someone calling themselves Roscoe P Coltrane (rednecked character from TV's "Dukes of Hazzard") writes a comment here that is more blatantly homophobic and Miranda complains:

Isn't it sad that someone like roscoe feels perfectly at home here? What sort of riff-raff are you attracting tim?
Posted by: Miranda Divide at 01:04 PM

Miranda, is Roscoe perhaps someone you slept with last night in an alcoholic blackout and he has now followed you in here? Take him back out with you.

Like your "concern" for Iraqis, Afghans, atheists, etc., your concern for the dignity and respect of homosexuals is transparently false.

I wonder if the Greens will call for a ban on muslim women covering themselves up in Parliament or jews wearing those funny hats?

Yes, Jesus must be spinning in his ... err ...

I'd have no problems with the greens if they stuck with ECOLOGY issues but unfortunately they're obsessed with social engineering.. As for me being homophobic all i can say is that the radical islamists that the greenies LOVE SO MUCH would treat gays REALLY WELL in an islamic state. Just as a side note; the reason that peter garrett will NEVER EVER join the greens is that he's a born again christian and the greens are well y'know, not very tolerant towards redneck born again christian right wing death beast types.

Peter Garrett's gone BAC? Well, knock me over with a feather.

As for "Miranda" -- welcome home, dear.

Garrett's always been a Christian of some variety, at least for the past few years, but recently (apparently) he's become a bit more theologically conservative. Glenn A Baker (a rock guru who's a devout Mormon) wrote something on this in the Wkdn Oz back in '93 or '94.

As for unlikely born-again Christians, can anyone confirm or deny the rumour that Billy Idol has been washed in the precious blood of the lamb? (As distinct from other rock stars who've been drenched in the blood of chickens and bats ...)