Comments on: Does Kevin Rudd not have enough things to do?

By: Yesho ben-Pantera

Yesho ben-Pantera — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:50:22 +0000

Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s! Robert Merkel agrees with me.

By: Paul Norton

Paul Norton — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:43:40 +0000

Do you really need to lobby to make saints? How 21st century.

In fact climbing the greasy pole to sainthood has a long and venerable history. Consider the example of St George, Patron Saint of England.

By: Baraholka

Baraholka — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:46:23 +0000

That link in clickable format here.

By: Acerbic Conehead

Acerbic Conehead — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:39:55 +0000

Baraholka (51). I don’t give a fiddler’s f*** if Eve corrupted Adam, or if the snake ended up on the barbie. A little bit of advice to you – don’t take anything I say seriously – nobody else does.

By: Baraholka

Baraholka — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:28:21 +0000

Acerbic Conehead @ 41

The Bible does not teach that Eve corrupted Adam if that is what you are implying. I recently had a discussion on another blog about that and I have put my case

I would be very interested in any further opinions you may have on the proposition ‘The Bible does not teach that Eve corrupted Adam’

Regards,

Barra

By: Fine

Fine — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:48:46 +0000

Do you really need to lobby to make saints? How 21st century. I guess Rudd could argue that beatifying Mary Whatsherface could create more merchandising opportunites for the Catholics in Australia. The Pope would like that.

I think Rudd would be better off arguing for Jim Stynes beatification. After all, Melbourne won this weekend, which is something of a miracle. And it’s about as sane and reasonable as anyone else becoming a saint.

By: Robert Merkel

Robert Merkel — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:21:14 +0000

he saint making of MacKillop is serious serious business within the Catholic church of Australia. The groundswell of support and lobbying for it is reaching fever pitch. It would be a coming of age for this very young Catholic church to have its own saint.

I realize that – which makes me far more cynical about the whole exercise. But that’s not really relevant to the original point, and, frankly, none of my business as a non-Catholic.

But it signifies deeply to the Catholic constistituency that its PM speaks of MacKillop to its spiritual leader.

Fair enough, some Catholic constituents want it. But indulging their belief – or the belief of any other members of any other religious denomination – that the internal machinations of their church are a matter for secular politics is a bad idea.

Anyway, I think I’ve said my piece.

By: Casey

Casey — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:00:43 +0000

Dear, dear, Joe2. She is looking in all the wrong tool boxes innit?

By: Casey

Casey — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Robert I know this. I said it remember? Do you think this means it is not his brief? The two denominations disagree on a number of signficant points which preclude reunification, but both adhere to the orthodoxy of the Apostle’s Creed. They both share the same historical saints too. What else do you talk about as a practicing Christian Prime Minister of Catholic origin, but now of Anglican practice – but of the developments within the churches of the nation you lead? But Rudd is also clever. The saint making of MacKillop is serious serious business within the Catholic church of Australia. The groundswell of support and lobbying for it is reaching fever pitch. It would be a coming of age for this very young Catholic church to have its own saint. Yes yes hocus hocus. But it signifies deeply to the Catholic constistituency that its PM speaks of MacKillop to its spiritual leader. Of course, Robert, like you I would prefer it if Rudd lobbied the pope on changing his view on condoms and contraception and the ordination of women and of full rights for gay people within the church. But that is not going to happen until we get a female pope.

So back to Ikean saints. Pav, it was a bookshelf – therefore according to my calculations, you are qualified for beatification in the church of clever women with their own drills. Congratulations.

By: joe2

joe2 — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:56:50 +0000

“So I found a tool box with a man attached to it.”

Sometimes they are handy other times not.
Ask St Lily…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qa28ZrHPcc

By: Robert Merkel

Robert Merkel — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 02:30:15 +0000

Casey: Rudd was raised Catholic, but as I understand it (and according to Wikipedia) has attended Anglican services for most of his adult life.

By: Ruby Slippers

Ruby Slippers — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:53:07 +0000

Sorry, Casey. If it makes you feel any better, I reluctantly skived off Week 4 (Plumbing) because I had what felt like swine flu and didn’t want to give it to the tutor, who is the most useful woman in Adelaide, so if the problem involves drippy taps or blocked toilets I wouldn’t be able to help in any case.

By: Casey

Casey — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:48:30 +0000

(Being a feminist however, I did pray to St Anthony to find Pavlovs Cat, who recently did a home maintentance course, to be living next door. But that was just psychotic. No matter how many times I clicked my heels.)

By: Casey

Casey — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:43:49 +0000

Well, they made St George a saint, close enough. And then wanted to get rid of him during Vatican II. Something about it being improbable that he saved a woman from a dragon. No imagination. But they decided against it, he being Englands patron saint and all, the red cross in the flag and all that, which come to think of it, is in our flag. The tentacles of hocus pocus everywhere you look really.

The Dalai Lama analogy needs to be refigured to incorporate the PMs religious inclinations. Therefore if Rudd were Bhuddist, well, of course they would discuss reincarnation.

And speaking of miracles I now have a bookshelf which reaches into the heavens. I call it Babel. St Thaddeus of the the lost Case did jack Joe 2. But I like his name. St Anthony, now, he is a saint. Lost things. So I found a tool box with a man attached to it. Go figure.

By: Acerbic Conehead

Acerbic Conehead — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:38:46 +0000

[And, anyway, what I want to know is why nobody made Robin Hood a saint.]

Paul Burns (26). Just like Eve, it was probably all Maid Marion’s fault: “she made me do it!”

By: Acerbic Conehead

Acerbic Conehead — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:31:30 +0000

[The PM should be focussing his energy on the Major Economies Forum, and not be distracted by things like visits to the pope, or lobbying FIFA. The MEF meeting is too important.]

Peter Wood (33). Man cannot live by MEF (Manna-Enriched Food) alone.

By: joe2

joe2 — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:30:48 +0000

Baraholka, this discussion was more about the proposed canonisation of Mary MacKillop. But since you mention it, Kev seems to have performed an identified economic miracle right here in Australia.

By: Baraholka

Baraholka — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:08:30 +0000

Doesn’t Kevin Rudd have enough to do ?

As I have commented elsewhere on LP, Rudd’s ambition is to become God or at least a god. Consequently he has to be everywhere, be in control of everything, know everything and solve everything.

He’s just getting warmed up…

By: Patricia WA

Patricia WA — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:32:20 +0000

Correction! Disclaimer! Bob Brown wasn’t there. And I am totally ignorant of whatever “democratic structure” there might be among the Tibetans in exile whom apparently our parliamentary group went specifically to meet. And I was so enjoying my little rant…….

By: Patricia WA

Patricia WA — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:00:11 +0000

Furious Balancing – how refreshing to read your comment. I’m always tentative in airing my doubts about the Dalai Lama. They’re not because of his spiritual teachings, being something of an agnostic about things religious, but because of the peasant condition of his followers. His subjects, I mean, not his trendy Western Buddhist disciples.

I’ve met many educated Tibetans in Nepal and of course here as new immigrants. They are so charming, with it and successful and delightful. It astonishes me that they accept the feudal conditions of those they’ve left behind both in Tibet and Dharamsala where the Indians permit him to hold his government in exile. No separation of powers there – His Holiness is both spiritual and secular ruler and his subjects prostrate themselves before him. And no representative government or democratic elections either. When His Holiness passes on to the next life they go scouring the countryside for his re-incarnation to become their next ruler.

We westerners almost bow and scrape too when we meet him, even here in Australia, with our Namastes and Your Holinesses. I even felt a slither of sympathy for the Chinese perspective on Tibet when I saw our parliamentarians last week in Dharamsala lining up for his blessing. I noticed Sarah Hanson-Young there reverentially accepting her white scarf of welcome and wondered if her child was there with her. I wondered too if Bob Brown took time out to have a word with His Holiness about democratic elections should Tibet ever achieve independence from China.