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Re: General Discussions

Reply #1410
Hmmm … I wonder what Church an English lad with Irish relatives would have gone to? I’m guessing it wasn’t the “Church” of Scientology. But you’re right that the joke mocks many religions. More importantly, it also mocks the religious. He attacked the followers a bit more directly with this one:
Quote
Saying that you don't believe in magic but do believe in God is a bit like saying you don't have sex with dogs, except Labradors.


Re: General Discussions

Reply #1412
The Project declares jokes about Jesus are off limits. Are we okay with that? The Age.
I read with interest today where Em Rusciano (has appeared on the project in the past) reckons the producers threw that comedian under the bus. She reckons the show (and all the jokes) are heavily scripted so its them that are probably to blame here.
In any case, isn't the general rule that if someone is hurt by comments, therefore the comments are not ok? So the person who makes it, owns it, aplogises and we move on.

2017-16th
2018-Wooden Spoon
2019-16th
2020-dare to dream? 11th is better than last I suppose
2021-Pi$$ or get off the pot
2022- Real Deal or more of the same? 0.6%
2023- "Raise the Standard" - M. Voss Another year wasted Bar Set
2024-Back to the drawing boardNo excuses, its time

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1413
This is where the difference between punching up and punching down comes in. However much some Christians might see themselves as some put upon minority, the Church still has considerable power (as The Project’s backdown amply demonstrates). And with Christian Nationalism creating problems overseas, I don’t want to see them getting more political power over here.

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1414
This is where the difference between punching up and punching down comes in. However much some Christians might see themselves as some put upon minority, the Church still has considerable power (as The Project’s backdown amply demonstrates). And with Christian Nationalism creating problems overseas, I don’t want to see them getting more political power over here.

But the 'Church' isn't one entity...it's dozens of different branches.
Some more influential than others
Some more moderate than others.
Some quite 'evil' in their past dealings.
And they don't always see eye to eye.
There are  Christians killing Christians in Ukraine at the moment.

My religious acquaintances are quite liberal and moderate in their thinking.
They vote Labor and even Green in some cases, they supported the same sex-marriage vote, and other equality causes.
They don't take extreme positions, but keep their faith and attend church and try to live their lives as good folks.

They would hardly have batted an eyelid over the project joke.
I suspect that outrage was more driven by the Andrew Bolts and Paul Murrays of the world.

Minorities have been oppressed, derided and joked about in the past.
But decency and respect isn't just the right of the minority.
It should be for everyone.

I suspect Jesus would have been more at home at Woodstock than in a church.
(The music's better)



Re: General Discussions

Reply #1415
This is where the difference between punching up and punching down comes in. However much some Christians might see themselves as some put upon minority, the Church still has considerable power (as The Project’s backdown amply demonstrates). And with Christian Nationalism creating problems overseas, I don’t want to see them getting more political power over here.

Arent minorities a minority irrespective?

The most dominant form of religion in Australia according to the census is Atheism.

"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1416
I was thinking of the Ukraine war when I referenced Christian Nationalists. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, is a huge supporter of Putin’s war. And the fact that Putin heads a Christian Nationalist government is what makes it hard for right-wingers in the US to regard Putin as an enemy. They love that he’s turned his government into a dictatorship and would love Trump to emulate him. It’ll be interesting to see if the Trumpists now in control of the House will be able to cut off the financial support offered to Ukraine.

What I know is that people are deluded if they expect the right wingers will accept a rule where no person should be joked about or oppressed. You acknowledge that it’s not moderate Christians who are behind the backlash - it’s the Bolts and Murrays. They’re quite happy to defend the rights of right wingers to their freedom of speech or more accurately their right to harass and humiliate those they wish to other. They condemn the Politically Correct or the Woke who stand in their way. But whenever they can act like snowflakes and claim their constituencies are being offended, they play the victim. Returning to an earlier point, it makes my blood boil when the political correctness card is played because, as we’ve seen, it only applies to left wingers not right whingers. I for one won’t fall for the nonsense about needing to stand against anything that might offend as I know there will be no reciprocation from the right. If the right wing wants to carve out sacred institutions that are beyond the reach of satire or humour, they’ll do it without me.

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1417
Arent minorities a minority irrespective?

The most dominant form of religion in Australia according to the census is Atheism.


Yep. I can’t understand why the Apartheid regime in South Africa was subject to so much vitriol. After all, the whites were a minority. We should have been as supportive as we are of gays etc. The fact that they were the ones in power and felt no compunction over harming the majority shouldn’t matter, should it?

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1418
Arent minorities a minority irrespective?

The most dominant form of religion in Australia according to the census is Atheism.

Atheism isn't a religion and the largest religious affiliation in Australia is Christianity at 43.9%.  38.9% of Australians have no religion while 3.2% are Muslims, 2.7% are Hindus and 2.4% are Buddhists.  Judaism accounts for 0.4% of the population.

If the trend continues, and there's no reason why it shouldn't, most Australians will have no religion by the next census, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and other small religions will grow slightly and Christianity will decline further.  This trend is terrifying for the fundamentalist Christians who are re-doubling their efforts to take control of the Liberal Party.
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”  Oddball

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1419
Yep. I can’t understand why the Apartheid regime in South Africa was subject to so much vitriol. After all, the whites were a minority. We should have been as supportive as we are of gays etc. The fact that they were the ones in power and felt no compunction over harming the majority shouldn’t matter, should it?
Not exactly working brilliantly in South Africa is it?...George Orwell would tell you the farmers(white minority) are gone and the animals(majority coloured population) are in charge and things are worse.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/mandelas-dream-for-south-africa-is-in-ruins.

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1420
So they’ve wasted all of the effort that the whites put into preparing the blacks to take over the running of the country.

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1421
So they’ve wasted all of the effort that the whites put into preparing the blacks to take over the running of the country.
Point is that political power is always used the same way, whoever has it regardless of colour, ideology etc.....

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1422
Mav here's where I'm coming from, make of it what you will. Sometimes I think my wording and how I articulate my point fails me miserably.
- I can't tolerate general stupidity, as a society I think we are generally dumber these days (e.g. see my post about the level crossing removal).
- I care about sustainability, the land, the environment and the people that rely on all three (e.g First Nations peoples, our famers etc). I'm convinced that all the governments/political parties in this country are incapable of caring and properly managing any of those items.
- I like to use the outdoors ie 4wd, camp, hunt and fish. I do this following all the rules and sustainably. I'm convinced all governments/political parties in this country are incapable of managing these activities properly (there's pattern forming).
- I can't tolerate double standards, treat everyone equally and fairly and the world will be a better and more peaceful place.
For example, I can't stand the use of the N word, ever under any circumstances, it's abhorrent. But I also can't stand it when African Americans use it jokingly or as part of their vernacular. Educate, lead and set the example, if you don't want people to use that word, dont you use it, ever. I remember a lesson my father taught when I used the word "wog" once  as part of my vernicular. He absolutely roasted me and said "son, if you dont like being called a wog, dont use the word ever, set the example and call it out when its used". Similarly, First Nations peoples often use the word "black fella". I was always taught its a derogatory term and should never be used. So I say to our First Nations peoples, educate by setting the example, dont use the term and call it out when it is. If not, its hypocritical in my book.
What I found interesting about the comments on The Project was along similar lines as above. The LBGTI community is fighting the good fight for equality. So again I say stay classy, educate, be consistent in your messaging  and the fight will be won (the right way). Don't fuel the fire by making the divide between groups bigger, its unnecessary and unproductive.

My interests and ideals are wide ranging and diverse (sometime they appear conflicting), but generally, I live a really simple, peaceful life and I think the key to it is being respectful towards people, property, land, country and environment at all times. It's not that hard, or is it?

We have a lot in common G2C, and not just our love of the mighty Blues  :)

I coached an under 14 boys' basketall team that had one African boy, one Melanesian boy, one Polynesian boy (whose younger brother was stabbed to death the following year) and three white kids.  They were a handful, but they could play and we ended up narrowly losing the A grade grand final against what was essentially a first division rep team.  The three boys of colour would often use the 'n' word, but not when their parents were around.  Hopefully, they are a little smarter and more respectful now.

Anyway, the point that I really wanted to make is that "black fella" or blekpela is not a derogatory term and has been used by Indigenous Australians to denote themselves since "white fellas" arrived on the scene.  I used to be reluctant to use it but I learned that it is often the preferred term, particularly when the subjects don't have a name that's easily rendered in English or when members of several groups are referred to collectively. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_DHwp5vYBI
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”  Oddball

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1423
I was thinking of the Ukraine war when I referenced Christian Nationalists. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, is a huge supporter of Putin’s war. And the fact that Putin heads a Christian Nationalist government is what makes it hard for right-wingers in the US to regard Putin as an enemy. They love that he’s turned his government into a dictatorship and would love Trump to emulate him. It’ll be interesting to see if the Trumpists now in control of the House will be able to cut off the financial support offered to Ukraine.

What I know is that people are deluded if they expect the right wingers will accept a rule where no person should be joked about or oppressed. You acknowledge that it’s not moderate Christians who are behind the backlash - it’s the Bolts and Murrays. They’re quite happy to defend the rights of right wingers to their freedom of speech or more accurately their right to harass and humiliate those they wish to other. They condemn the Politically Correct or the Woke who stand in their way. But whenever they can act like snowflakes and claim their constituencies are being offended, they play the victim. Returning to an earlier point, it makes my blood boil when the political correctness card is played because, as we’ve seen, it only applies to left wingers not right whingers. I for one won’t fall for the nonsense about needing to stand against anything that might offend as I know there will be no reciprocation from the right. If the right wing wants to carve out sacred institutions that are beyond the reach of satire or humour, they’ll do it without me.

You do know that Ukraine are effectively Christian too right?

"everything you know is wrong"

Paul Hewson

Re: General Discussions

Reply #1424
We have a lot in common G2C, and not just our love of the mighty Blues  :)

I coached an under 14 boys' basketall team that had one African boy, one Melanesian boy, one Polynesian boy (whose younger brother was stabbed to death the following year) and three white kids.  They were a handful, but they could play and we ended up narrowly losing the A grade grand final against what was essentially a first division rep team.  The three boys of colour would often use the 'n' word, but not when their parents were around.  Hopefully, they are a little smarter and more respectful now.

Anyway, the point that I really wanted to make is that "black fella" or blekpela is not a derogatory term and has been used by Indigenous Australians to denote themselves since "white fellas" arrived on the scene.  I used to be reluctant to use it but I learned that it is often the preferred term, particularly when the subjects don't have a name that's easily rendered in English or when members of several groups are referred to collectively. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_DHwp5vYBI

I’m one who has on here who has often referred to Aboriginals as “Black fellas”
However some Blackfellas prefer to be called “Countrymen” I’m ok with that.

As a rule I’m politically incorrect, but I try to be respectful to individuals depending on how they present.
But I don’t do welcome to country…  tokenism at its worst.
Let’s go BIG !