Theology in the Blogosphere

There's currently a debate on the existence of god(s) over at Craig's blog. (Thanks for the tip, Lara.)

The interesting thing is that everyone is using pseudonyms. Try to guess who I am. Go on, try!

The Chaser's Back!

I'm currently downloading the new episode of The Chaser's War on Everything. (I feel very lucky that the ABC provides such good video podcasts for expats like me. Thanks, Aunty!)

It's such a shame it wasn't airing during the NSW election, but I understand that they did a few stunts that we'll finally get to see. Apparently they have become so well known that they were considered a major security threat during Cheney's visit:

"We have long been vying with al-Qaeda to get the number-one ranking on the security briefing," said Julian Morrow, executive producer and one of The Chaser team, when he learned of his security status. "If we finally knock them off the perch, it is about time."

I'm looking forward to the Federal election coverage. I still crack up when I remember last election when The Chaser Decides did a thing on The Greens, with the slogan "ease your middle-class guilt"!

Telling Lies for God

Fred Nile is probably the most abhorrent figure in Australian politics today. I still haven't got over the 2004 Federal election when he described making the age-of-consent for homosexual sex equal with heterosexual sex as "good news for paedophiles"! (A Greens policy that the Labor government picked up and passed.) As nasty as that deception was, their policy was just maintaining the status quo, as it is when they want to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples and exempt religious schools from anti-discrimination laws. But this election they became worse than ultra-conservative, they became openly regressive, particularly Nile's suggestion of a moratorium on Muslim immigration in favour of taking in more Christians. I can't believe that he can say that with a straight face. This clearly puts him in the same league as One Nation yet the major parties won't distance themselves from him the way they agreed to preference Pauline last. Such is the nature of religion in Australia, although few Australians practice it with any sincerity, it still lends a gloss of respectability to xenophobia.

When I saw this video before the NSW election last weekend I just found it funny. But now it has more of a bitter taste because the Christian Democrats have increased their vote statewide and even out-polled the Greens in a few seats around where I used to live. It doesn't make any immediate difference because they won't take any lower-house seats and they're getting no new upper house seats. But it's indicative of a trend towards an American style fusion of religion and politics and that's terrifying.

One man, one vote

My ballot papers still haven't arrived and the NSW election is this Saturday; I'm worried that I might not get a chance to vote!

It's a shame that I'm not in the right electorate to vote for my old friends Joel or Wade.

Addendum - 2007-3-25
I've just discovered why still I haven't received my ballot papers in the mail:

Please note that registration as an overseas elector does not mean that you will automatically be sent ballot papers. Electors will still have to vote either in person at an Australian Diplomatic Post which provides full consular services or by applying for a postal vote.

Oh, well! I'll just have to remember to apply for a postal ballot as soon as the federal election is called, later this year.