Sudden fondness for mX
I may have been slightly rude about mX in the past, but it is improving. Last week the paper featured an editorial by Andy Murdoch, about the ridiculous decision to axe The Glass House. The article was really very good.
I have not been watching The Glass House as much this year, as ever since it moved to Wednesday night I have been apparently unable to remember that it is on. But I am a fan and I am baffled that a show which one would think had no production costs apart from a nice big bottle of scotch just before going to air for certain guest panelists could really be axed for budgetary reasons (especially when people have finally started watching it).
Andy Murdoch took the rather more likely view that it was actually a case of political interference and the ongoing erosion of free speech (I’m paraphrasing, but I agree with him).
However, the most intriguing part of the article said this:
“There are worse things than The Glass House copping the hatchet. The GST, the Tampa, children overboard, industrial relations, “security” laws, the demonizing of single mums/ lesbian mums/ gay dads/ anybody/ artists/ writers/ Muslims/ leftie Christians/ leftie anybody/ the unemployed/ environmentalists/ indigenous Australians/ free speech/ democracy/ anybody who doesn’t like John Howard/ anybody who vaguely resembles a decent human being.”
I have been a Christian for 20 years and a lefty for the last 15 of them. I see being a lefty as a natural result of being a Christian, although it seems that a terribly high number of people disagree with that view. Certainly most people in the particular large eastern suburbs church that I grew up in rapidly came to regard me as some sort of insane communist. Then again, I also drink beer and enjoy dancing, so there was always going to be tension.
I am very pleased indeed to see leftie Christians included in that list. I would absolutely prefer be included with lesbian mums, indigenous Australians, Muslims, the unemployed and the rest of that list, than to be on a list of people John Howard likes, which by implication would include “righty” Christians (and given this government’s fondness for Hillsong, you know it does).
If I’m on the list of categories of people who are vilified by this government, rather than the list of people doing the vilifying, then I’m clearly doing something right after all.
This makes me very happy.
I have not been watching The Glass House as much this year, as ever since it moved to Wednesday night I have been apparently unable to remember that it is on. But I am a fan and I am baffled that a show which one would think had no production costs apart from a nice big bottle of scotch just before going to air for certain guest panelists could really be axed for budgetary reasons (especially when people have finally started watching it).
Andy Murdoch took the rather more likely view that it was actually a case of political interference and the ongoing erosion of free speech (I’m paraphrasing, but I agree with him).
However, the most intriguing part of the article said this:
“There are worse things than The Glass House copping the hatchet. The GST, the Tampa, children overboard, industrial relations, “security” laws, the demonizing of single mums/ lesbian mums/ gay dads/ anybody/ artists/ writers/ Muslims/ leftie Christians/ leftie anybody/ the unemployed/ environmentalists/ indigenous Australians/ free speech/ democracy/ anybody who doesn’t like John Howard/ anybody who vaguely resembles a decent human being.”
I have been a Christian for 20 years and a lefty for the last 15 of them. I see being a lefty as a natural result of being a Christian, although it seems that a terribly high number of people disagree with that view. Certainly most people in the particular large eastern suburbs church that I grew up in rapidly came to regard me as some sort of insane communist. Then again, I also drink beer and enjoy dancing, so there was always going to be tension.
I am very pleased indeed to see leftie Christians included in that list. I would absolutely prefer be included with lesbian mums, indigenous Australians, Muslims, the unemployed and the rest of that list, than to be on a list of people John Howard likes, which by implication would include “righty” Christians (and given this government’s fondness for Hillsong, you know it does).
If I’m on the list of categories of people who are vilified by this government, rather than the list of people doing the vilifying, then I’m clearly doing something right after all.
This makes me very happy.
posted by I'm not Craig at 10:29 PM
11 Comments:
I saw Molly Meldrum on the glasshouse and he was hilarious. Most of the time I found Wil Anderson smug and annoying, and Corrine just annoying, but Dave has always been funny for the most part. I'd still watch it even though those two were annoying, unlike Rove which I cannot stand and the people who have turned that show on in my house expecting to be able to watch it are buried in various backyards all over Australia.. so be careful where you dig, ya'all.
There, was that another case of me commenting on a political blog non-politically? :)
INCraig,
I'm (clearly) a lefty but also am not and have never been religious (you may have already guessed this).
Can I say that Lefty Christians have as much right to be in that list as anyone else there.
Lefty politics should be a natural progression of being a Christian. And being a Christian, like being a "Muslim/Buddhist/atheist/ scientist/communist/ insert ideology of your choosing" should be open to both questions and crises of faith.
WARNING: here comes the bit where I betray my extensive but generally "mind-numbing to everyone but me" reading about divergances in Christian faith, Catholicism, the Crusades, the lives of saints, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Renaissance art
At least part of my interest in Jesus as a man is his ongoing struggle to come to terms with his (human) faith. This is a story replicated in the Catholic stories of the saints, and pre-"historical" Jesus in the stories of the Old Testament.
Sadly what seems to have happened in the last few centuries is that some people have twisted Christian faith to a point where the physical persecution of individuals is the key - I don't think this is true at all.
The real message for people following Christian religion should be that EVEN Christ questioned his faith and commitment to God, and that his ongoing curiosity about the nature of people and the universe was crucially* important.
The reason that Lefty Christians don't appeal to Howard is that they are generally a lot more open about their religion and accepting of those with differing views.
I'm sure conservatives prefer it when the religious model is more dogmatic, as that dogmatism is usually replicated throughout other areas of life-decision-making (like, perhaps, who one might vote for?)
One of the things that appeals to me about lefty politics is that there is huge scope for making a contribution to open debate (although that in itself can be exhausting). And that leads me back to the question of crises of faith - just as common in politics I think as they are in religion.
Here endeth the rant.
* excuse the pun. It's possibly my worst yet.
Hey Kristen, congrats on the whole parent to be thing.
This may completely scare and shock you but if I were having kids and not just cats as kid substitutes, I would send them to a Catholic private school. I volunteered in one once, and those were some of the nicest kids I ever dealt with. INC if you move to Adelaide I'll let you know where it is. You can get a really cheap but fantastic Catholic private school education in Adelaide. Small classes, mass once a week, kids being taught to respect each other. I wish I could have gone to that school.
Unfortunately, they did not accept cats as students. This is somewhat ok, the cats don't go outside so it would have been hard for them to get to school.. ;) and they burnt candles in the classrooms which might have been a little dangerous for cat whiskers but I was disappointed.
Snoskred,
You went one better and commented on a post that was about religion and politics without mentioning either. Well done.
And thanks for confirming the theory that everyone from Adelaide likes burying bodies around the place.
Gigglewick
Wow, you have clearly read and thought about this more than most of the Christians I know. Thanks for your very interesting thoughts on the whole deal.
Dogmatism drives me completely mental, particularly when it’s a lazy substitute for actual thought. Growing up, I was taught that we should not be absolutely committed to following our faith (true) and this meant not having doubts or keeping them to ourselves if we did (completely stupid). I rejected that idea long ago.
You’re right, the debate can be exhausting, but it’s worth it to have a faith that is mine instead of just adopting someone else’s.
Kristen
I was so excited to read this comment. First of all, a big congratulations on being a parent-to-be. I hope you enjoy parenting as much as I do. It really is the most magical experience in this universe.
I’m also really happy that the truly worthwhile things about Christianity have not been totally obscured from view by the various leaders rambling on about how evil they think you are. I can not imagine why these people think they have the right to judge anyone, for anything.
Lastly, I tried to find your blog but couldn’t. Where can I find it, and will there be baby photos in the near future?
Snoskred
Hi again. The Adelaide thing is on hold at the moment but if it happens there will be much posting of news in between dancing around my loungeroom and all tips on good schools will be gratefully accepted.
I hope you can find a good school for the cats in your local area, soon.
InCraig,
"worth it to have a faith that is mine": exactly what I was driving at.
I think a lot about religious faith because I want to understand more about who people are. I also think that doubt is a necessary and intrinsic counter-point to faith - one of the reasons it's good to grit your teeth and listen to people you don't agree with is to strengthen your own ideals through questioning and personal growth (wow - am I Oprah?).
Even though I don't share a belief in a higher being, I don't think it's necessary to punch out everyone who does (except maybe Tony Abbott, but that's less to do with religion and more to do with him being an arse-pain of mammoth proportions).
Religion and politics, eh? How can I introduce sex as well?
But seriously, to be despised by Howard is something we should all aspire to! His policies are morally repugnant.
I'm not convinced about choosing a particular religion to instill a sense of moral place in a child, though. Basically, all religions aim to promote social cohesion within their followers, and this involves encouraging community, compassion and charity. It's when these fine and noble sentiments are used exclusively for only one community that problems occur. Surely, it's possible to teach these virtues within the family, and demonstrate their universal value through example.
i agree with meva. all those values can be taught without a religious framework, they are human values and universal. i do so in my household and it's working out just fine. interestingly two of the kids are likely to go to catholic secondary (my steps) while my princess will go to a school much like the one i went to (which was anglican but not full on).
but anyway, the real reason i visited was to ask inc whether you have found thomas the train yet? let me know as i saw him at malvern central on monday and copied out the schedule for you. he's definitely on the move and he's ranging far and wide.
Gigglewick
You are not Oprah. And I am much relieved that you do not wish to punch me out.
Tony Abbott is no doubt feeling pretty nervous right now.
Meva
Ooh, you're back. Yay!
My suggestion is that you simply walk in and say "Pleased to meet you, sex. I'm Meva."
I won;t be blogging on that topic, since my parents now know where this blog is.
MG
I agree with Meva too.
And no, I haven't found that train yet. It is very kind of you to write down the schedule.
That train appears to be covering more ground than most actual trains in my local area.
Meva - I wish it were possible but I grew up going to a normal school and so much of the stuff I saw in that Catholic school was lacking. So I don't know if it is possible. :(
no problem - i saw him tootling around and thought of you and yours:
malv central 13-17 nov
werribee plaze 18-24 nov
fountain gate 18 nov
epping plaze 19 nov
the glen shopping centre 25 nov
woodgrove (melton) 25 nov
it has wings?
sunshine market place 26 nov-2 dec
good luck
This might be a little off-topic but this talk of religion and politics has reminded of one particular guy in Belfast back in the height of the troubles. He was taking a stroll down the street when he was grabbed, dragged to an alleyway, made to kneel down, a gun was put to the back of his head and he was asked the question nobody wanted to hear “are you Catholic or Protestant?” This guy was scared witless and panicking but suddenly came up with a clever way out: “neither, I'm Jewish.” The voice behind him said “oh man! I must be the luckiest Palestinian in Ireland.”
Post a Comment
<< Home