Nov 16
2021
On the 12th of November 2019, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said on TV that:
I acknowledge that the two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green party, so I am not going to start attacking them. That's the last thing I want to do.
Why does the politics of the deceased matter and why would Mr. Joyce make such a speculation? I can't help but think that Mr. Joyce did it because, on some level, he thinks those people deserve it. I think this is the subtle poison of religion: that those who do not believe as I do deserve less than I do.
This idea is widespread across all variants of Christianity: you are saved if you believe in God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit but damned if you don't. You deserve salvation only if you Believe. It is this idea that motivates the Evangelicals: they must Save you by spreading their Belief so you, too, deserve salvation. It is this idea that underpins the prosperity gospel: those who Believe is deserving of wealth and therefore the harder you Believe, whether by praying harder or donating more to the Church, the more you deserve wealth. Conveniently if you are wealthy then obviously it is because you deserve it due to your faith.
Once learned and integrated into one's world view via religious instruction, this idea, that those who do not believe as I do deserve less, poisons the lens through which an individual interacts with the world. When a core part of your identify requires you to accept that, on the basis of belief alone, not everyone is equal, then it is a small step to thinking that those who hold different political beliefs deserve less then those whose beliefs align with yours. Maybe they deserve less sympathy. Maybe they deserve less government support. Maybe they deserve less compassion or concession. Whatever the case may be, on the basis of their political belief, they are Other and they are Undeserving -- and in politics this is a problem.
Some would claim that it is possible to separate one's religious beliefs from one's political actions. I reject such claims in the same way I reject any claims one can be racist and still be a fair judge. Some would claim that some people think thusly even without religion and I would agree. However some religions requires such thinking. Some would say not all religions features undeserving unbelievers and claim my title is inaccurate and I would concede their point but also point out that the major religions do not fall within this category.
Aug 01
2011
Of all Brendanites, the worst off are the criminals and other malcontents. Water-boarding is par-for-course as is other cruel and unusual punishments, like electric-clamps-on-nipples and listening to boy bands non-stop. By the O'Neill doctrine, if it worked before then whatever it is is OK now and forever. Amen.
While criminals …
Jul 09
2010
Of late I have seen statements from technologically inclined individuals along the lines of:
I am not worried about the filter. Even if they put it in it will just slow things down a bit but we all know how to get around it.
At first glance this seems reasonable …
Dec 17
2009
You came to me during my first year in university, and sold yourself as the paragon of virtue and integrity - the kind organisation I would be foolish not to be associated with if I want to get anywhere in Australia doing software, or "Information Technology" as they call it now …
Oct 01
2009
The goal of copyright is to encourage production of creative works which
enrich society. This is achieved by granting authors temporary monopoly over
their work, at a cost to society. Society accepts this cost because it gains
new material from when the monopoly ends.
This is the arrangement copyright law …
Dec 20
2008
Dicksmith Electronics is dead to me now. Dead as a door nail, dead just like Tandy.
When I was growing up, Tandy and DSE were the two places I went to get my electronic parts and information. The Engineer's Mini Notebook series and Getting Started in Electronics sold at Tandy …
Oct 15
2008
You can’t be serious.
You wants to filter all Internet connections now, without the option of opting out?! You want every Australian to be on a list so you can see who is “naughty” and who isn’t?!
You can’t be serious.
You wants to filter all illegal …
Oct 11
2008
"...Why should small business take a hit for a public health measure?" -- Dr Hearnden
I am amazed a doctor of all people would utter such capitalistic remark.How can a doctor question whether or not it is in the business' interest to improve public health?
Businesses derive their income from …
Sep 28
2008
Live long and prosper!
Cheers,
Steve
Jul 20
2008
Perhaps I am naive, but I expect those people in Government to have some resemblance of intelligence and be able to apply this very useful thing called logic. Michael Atkinson obviously isn't one such person. His recent reply to the demand for R18+ classification for Electronic Games [1] demonstrates a …
Jul 16
2008
There is a lot of complaining over the Federal Government’s various schemes to reduce our carbon emission. Some of these are valid concerns, yet others are nothing more than short-sighted yapping of the unwashed. Here is a typical example of such a thing:
“if Australia cuts or carbon emissions …
Jun 20
2008
From the website:
“StarStuff is ABC NewsRadio's flagship Astronomy, Cosmology, Space and Science program. “
It is hosted by Stuart Gary and it is the only public program on TV or radio which is dedicated to science.
And it is about to be axed to make way for a 30 minute …
Jun 01
2008
Take the article linked to in the topic, and replace "paedophiles" with "witches":
Victorians rally for more public info on witches
Posted 5 hours 28 minutes ago
More transparency: hundreds rallied in Melbourne today. (AAP Image: Simon Mossman)
Hundreds of people rallied in Melbourne today, calling for the Victorian government …
May 03
2008
Earth Hour was today at 8pm. I turned the lights off, and happily gamed away in the dark. Not many people appreciate the point of Earth Hour, one of them is Tim Blair. I came across his "opinion" page in the paper today. I have to say it is one …
May 03
2008
Why would Keating (who has accomplished one or two things despite his educational handicap, such as becoming the prime minister of Australia) envy academics, massive faculties of whom by and large accomplish nothing and who these days aren't even allowed to feel up first year students?
Says a man in …
Jan 01
2008
It seems a competent telecommunications minister is hard to come by in Australia. Our new telecommunications minister, Senator Conroy,recently demonstrated that he does not understand a) the Internet; b) freedom of speech; c) the concept of the slippery slope.
Firstly, Senator Conroy’s lack of understanding of the Internet …
Dec 24
2007
The Australian Government is busy fitting an outdated concept into the modern world - they want to censor the Internet the same way TV and movies are censored. The Communications Legislation Amendment (Content Service) Act 2007 (Content Service Act) was passed on 20th of July 2007. This Act inserts a new …
May 20
2007
Refreshing to see a politican who is putting the environment before economics:
Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has defended Labor's plan to intercept Japanese whaling vessels after the Government said the idea was doomed to fail.
Under Labor's plan, unveiled yesterday, Australian Navy ships would be sent to intercept and …