Monday 30 October, 2006

Sucks

I don't write many political blog entries because the last few years have rendered me close to speechless (relatively anyhow). But this idea of sendng chaplains into government schools - into all schools- is just so outrageous I don't know where to begin. AND THE OPPOSITION SUPPORTS IT. Are they some kind of f*&%$#@ joke? Well, yes, I suppose they are. I will let young Abby express how I feel on the subject.

In fact, within the article at least, it takes a potential chaplain himself to point out the problem with this approach: 'Prospective chaplain Martin Telfer, a theology student in Sydney, said he was worried that government-funded chaplaincy would "blur church and state".

In a school in an area with "a whole bunch of different religions represented", there could be a problem of what the chaplain would teach, he said. ' Exactly.

What happened to the idea of a promotion values without aligning them with any particular religion? That is, the suggestion to all young kids that notions like compassion, generosity and responsibility are essential to everyone, not just christians? I was at a wedding on Saturday night, and was speaking to a woman who is working with young mother's setting up business, and spends 2 months a year in East Timor setting up child care centres. These programs emerged from her work with the Body Shop. Anita Roddick, who started up the Body Shop, has promoted 'good works' for decades. She does not come from a relgious position. Kerry, my friend from the wedding, does not come from a religious position. And we talked about how important it was that this kind of work be done in a way that isn't devisive.

This country (most western countries) are just slipping further and further back. Soon we'll be pre-fucking-enlightenment. It's not even ten in the morning and I need one of these.

(I make a mean martini. Recipe provided in a future blog post. I need to get out of my pyjamas. I don't like feeling so full of rage while still in my ug boots. It seems wrong.)

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