PM likes Bible Studies but not in the curriculum

Published 21/3/2011

"The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said yesterday that the Bible was central to understanding Western literature, but the Bible is not mentioned in her National Curriculum," said Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education.

Ms Gillard said yesterday during a media interview that 'It's impossible to understand Western literature without having that key of understanding the Bible stories.'

"Given Ms Gillard's belief in the importance of Bible stories and the impact they have had on Western literature, it seems strange that there is no reference to the Bible in the National Curriculum, devised while the Prime Minister was Education Minister," Mr Pyne said. 

"In fact the importance of our Judeo-Christian heritage and Christianity's central role in shaping Western Civilisation is treated as an afterthought in the curriculum," he said.

"If the 'Real' Julia wishes to re-brand herself as a social conservative, then just saying something is important is not enough. The Prime Minister should intervene to ensure that the curriculum is re-drafted with a greater focus on the role of Western civilisation and how it has shaped our nation and our institutions," Mr Pyne said. 

http://www.pyneonline.com.au/news/article/pm-likes-bible-studies-but-not-in-the-curriculum

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Gus: please, oh please let's not mix the bible with the story of "our" judeo-christian heritage... Some literature experts might also say that the Greek and Latin writers, philosphers and scientists had also a profound effect on "our" civilisation. And let's not forget the contribution of the Arabs — before they became muslims... I am one to believe that the judeo-christian bit has kept us in the backwaters till the "enlightement" of the 17th century... but since then, every effort has been made by the judeo-christian pedlars to keep us longer in the dark ages.

Aristotle (Greek: Ἀριστοτέλης, Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC)[1] was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Together with Plato and Socrates (Plato's teacher), Aristotle is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy. Aristotle's writings were the first to create a comprehensive system of Western philosophy, encompassing morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics.

Aristotle's views on the physical sciences profoundly shaped medieval scholarship, and their influence extended well into the Renaissance, although they were ultimately replaced by Newtonian physics. In the zoological sciences, some of his observations were confirmed to be accurate only in the 19th century. His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, which was incorporated in the late 19th century into modern formal logic. In metaphysics, Aristotelianism had a profound influence on philosophical and theological thinking in the Islamic and Jewish traditions in the Middle Ages, and it continues to influence Christian theology, especially the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church. His ethics, though always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics. All aspects of Aristotle's philosophy continue to be the object of active academic study today. Though Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues (Cicero described his literary style as "a river of gold"),[2] it is thought that the majority of his writings are now lost and only about one-third of the original works have survived.[3]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle

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Gus: I would say here that Aristotle influence on Western civilisation was greater than Christianity though christianity did all it could to suppress (while appropriating) his direct influence in the plebs minds, by using the fanciful fear of hell as a deterrent... But the scholars of religious stuff had to know about Aristotle.  Aristotle's visions and musings have underpinned most of our sciences and art forms from politics to "entertainment". It is not possible for example to write a proper movie script without the influence of Aristotle, knowingly or unknowingly.

As religious peddling is loosing traction since the "enlightenment" of the 17/18th centuries, the importance of an Aristotle mixed with existentialism can only grow — as we focus on "entertainment" (stuff the ABC thinkentertainment promotion) to fill our spare time before death.

Julia Gillard boasted to Parliament yesterday that as a student, she had won prizes for her perfect recitation of biblical passages. You could practically see her girlish pigtails bobbing smugly as she said so.

At the weekend she told a news program she believed Western literature could be properly appreciated only if you knew your Bible.

She also said she grew up with conservative social values of the sort that nowadays are deemed ''old-fashioned''.

''We believed in politeness and thrift and fortitude and doing duty and diligence,'' she said, outing herself as a bulwark against the new-fangled values of rudeness, profligacy, weakness, duty-shirking and laziness, all of which are so popular with children these days.

It was a speech straight from the ''Call-me-old-fashioned-but'' play book of John Howard, who made a virtue of his Uncle Arthur-style dagdom. In the end his dagginess was his downfall - who could forget his priceless foray into YouTube video during the 2007 election campaign, when he turned up at the home of Daniel Clarke, 10, with a pledge to save the Indonesian orang-utans?

Like an exotic rash, Gillard's new conservatism proved contagious yesterday. No right-winger was safe from Labor approval during question time. Gillard, who is battling accusations that the Greens are running her policy agenda, cited Howard's support for an emissions trading scheme. The Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, expressed his Tory love by quoting the former Margaret Thatcher minister John Gummer, who said that in Europe conservatives led the charge against climate change.

Amen to that - atheist Gillard just loves the good book

While liberal democracy was conceived in a Christian framework, one obviously need not be Christian to be part of liberal democracy.

That’s the whole point. Liberalism as practised in the 21st century is wholly secular and wholly pluralistic - we don’t need to rely on theology to justify universal suffrage or individual freedom.

And, of course, understanding the importance of Christianity in the development of Western thought does not mean we are required to design policy according to conservative Christian values.

Religious arguments for policy should be taken with the same grain of salt as other policy arguments.

The Prime Minister clearly doesn’t want Australian kids to read the Bible out of some evangelical fervour. Teaching children about Christianity is not the same as teaching them to be Christians.

Just as the history of the Middle East can’t be understood without Islam, the history of Western Civilisation can’t be taught without reference to the West’s dominant religion.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/45416.html

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.... and do not forget Aristotle... from whom, many of the christian/jewish/muslims values were copied... But we twisted history, so we're still belting the crap out of each others... unfortunately contrarily to the values of Aristotle...

from Annabel Crabb

Christopher Pyne, the manager of Opposition business, demanded the Prime Minister withdraw her description of Tony Abbott as a "climate change denier".

"We all know the connotation that the Prime Minister is trying to bring about by using the word 'denier'," Mr Pyne argued.

"We know that she is trying to allude to the Holocaust. It is offensive, and it must stop."

Three weeks ago, Parliament House disappeared up its own fundament for half a day arguing about whether it was offensive for Sophie Mirabella to liken the Prime Minister's electoral deafness to that of Colonel Gaddafi.

Back then it was the Government taking offence; this time, it's the Coalition.

The prosaic Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, wasn't having any of it yesterday.

"When you stop denying climate change, we'll stop calling you a denier. That's the fact of the matter," he told the Opposition, flatly.

It's a twisty one, because in point of fact the Leader of the Opposition denies being a denier anyway. He has told his footsoldiers the Coalition does not take issue with the science of climate change; only with the Government's chosen means of addressing it.

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http://www.abc.net.au/rn/rearvision/stories/2011/3166343.htm

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Gus: we expect more from you Annabel... Little shit Abbott has declared many times, even yesterday, that carbon has not been proven by science to be the culprit [in global warming]. Science has done that it has proven that our EXTRA (fossil) carbon added into the equation of surface carbon IS THE CULPRIT... Little shit Abbott is a DENIER... and I won't trust any utterance he makes on the subject... In the end, the jewish lobby supports the little Rat and painful Pyne on the denying argument. We expect nothing less from THAT lobby...

A noisy protest at Parliament House gave Opposition Leader Tony Abbott a rousing welcome today as he accused Prime Minister Julia Gillard of lying about a carbon tax.

Around 3,000 people, mostly bussed from Sydney at the urging of a commercial radio announcer, heard Mr Abbott urge Ms Gillard to go to an election on the tax.

But he also said he is a believer in climate change.

"There are a lot of diverse opinions about climate change," he said.

"Climate change happens, mankind does make a contribution. It is important to have an intelligent response - not a stupid one."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/23/3171486.htm

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Gus: ... see, Annabel, even today the little shit Abbott is DENYING human influence on climate change....

"Mr Abbott admitted prime ministers are entitled to change their minds."

So, piss off Tony...

The radio announcer that the ABC is too shy or too ashamed to name is, of course, no other than Alan Jones:

Radio announcer accused of "fabricating" climate change data.

Activist group GetUp is taking on Sydney shock jock Alan Jones, demanding the broadcaster withdraw comments disputing the science of human-induced climate change.

The organisation is launching proceedings with the broadcast watchdog, demanding Jones publicly and immediately revoke what it calls fabricated statements.

"It's wrong for ultra-conservative shock-jocks like Mr Jones to deliberately mislead their audience," GetUp's acting national director Sam Mclean said in a statement today.

"We have standards in this country which demand the truth from our broadcasters."

Action is also planned against another Macquarie Radio broadcaster, Chris Smith, organiser of today's anti-carbon tax rally in Canberra.

Under the Australian Communications and Media Authority's code of practice, broadcasters are required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that current affairs material, presented as factual, is reasonably supportable and to correct errors of fact at the earliest opportunity.

GetUp has set its sights on Jones over his comments that nature produces nearly all of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2011/03/23/310905_latest-news.html

Eeeerrr... The truth from Alan Jones?... Yar kidding...

Meanwhile :

But the traffic was not all one-way today.

Earlier, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet was presented with a petition of 10,500 names urging action on climate change.

A group of young people lobbying for the same thing also met Ms Gillard.

Youth Climate Coalition director, Ellen Sandell, told Ms Gillard young people wanted a price on pollution and action on climate change.

"We are the biggest stakeholders in our future and we'll still be around when we see the biggest impacts of climate change," Ms Sandell said.

Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne has blamed Prime Minister Julia Gillard for recent rowdy and angry behaviour in Federal Parliament.

In August last year Opposition Leader Tony Abbott promised a "kinder, gentler polity" under a minority government, but his House leader Mr Pyne was the first person kicked out of Parliament under the so-called "new paradigm" when he made a remark to Ms Gillard.

Last month he was thrown out of the House of Representatives for 24 hours after an earlier warning.

Now he has launched a frontal assault on the Prime Minister, calling her "extraordinarily spiteful", and blaming her for the breakdown in behaviour in Parliament.

...

"Paul Keating could be very cutting and very amusing and very insulting. Some of the things he said were very funny and even the Opposition laughed at them about ourselves - but we objected at the time, of course," he said.

"There [is a] difference between that and Julia Gillard saying, 'you're disgusting, you're revolting, you're depraved' which is just childhood, pathetic insults flung across the chamber."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/06/3184041.htm

 

"you're disgusting, you're revolting, you're depraved"???? Sure... quite childish... but accurately used, yes... It defines the true political age level of Pyne, Abbott and the Liberal (conservative) Party... See toon at top.

Again, one may not readily accept this Christian narrative (it is hard even for Christians!), but we should recognise the power of what is being claimed, and how deeply it has affected our culture and its view of the world. Though many may not adhere to Christian practice in ways that the mainstream previously did, it is perhaps appropriate to re-consider what Christianity has to offer us personally and culturally in the light of Easter: a narrative to really deal with the depths of suffering and death; one that offers a way out of violence in forgiveness; and, one that offers real justification for the power of love that defeats violence and death through the Creator’s inexhaustible love.

Joel Hodge is a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University's St Patrick’s campus, Melbourne.

• http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/156974.html

The stuff above, written by Joel Hodge, is off the planet, of course... "a narrative to really deal with the depths of suffering and death; one that offers a way out of violence in forgiveness; and, one that offers real justification for the power of love that defeats violence and death through the Creator’s inexhaustible love.".... Oh boy... Reliigious history — with its inquisitions  and its crusades — has modified Christianity into such a mushy array of "hopeful" lies... The message — itself a fabrication from the start (and not accepted by some, including the Jewry) — has been chewed in so many sauces that one could be confused by the twisted enthused enlightened... But one is not, because one knows when the light are turned off, that's it — good night...

see toon at top and revisit Aristotle

 

This is not the only disjunct between what is said and a contrary implication in the choice of stories and language. In fact, this book is a great subject for textual analysis. Pyne says various experiences have made him humble, but every anecdote he tells has himself winning out, having the last word, trumping someone else not so witty or politically astute. This is vanity, not humility. And omissions are at least as interesting as inclusions. For example Pyne tells us he has visited Israel seven times, and that "Israelis are a lot like us". The word Palestinian does not occur.

There's lots his children should query. He refers often to his Catholicism, but says nothing of what it is about his religion that's important to him. The Trinity? The ban on divorce? Pope Francis' encyclical on the natural environment? Or, again, why is he a Liberal? I suspect that in the last analysis it's because he grew up in a household where his mother cried tears of joy at Whitlam's dismissal.

Come on, children. Ask for more. He hasn't told you the half of it.

Writer Gerard Windsor shares some educational background with Christopher Pyne.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/christopher-pynes-a-letter-to-my-children-raises-questions-for-them-and-us-20150917-gjor5j.html#ixzz3mt249Hf8
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

Following the massive success of colouring-in books for adults, one can only imagine the lack of colour in Pyne's inflatography, where doubt is replaced by the good fairy of omission and vanity self-transforms into self-confident sociopathic success. Half-a-Pyne is as frightening as as full-Miranda... Will the book appear in the fiction section of bookshops or in the remainder bins? 

 

 

Was it the international, inexorable slide of ancient institutions into the sea? The ragged global tide of instability that wrecked the hunchback minaret of the al-Nuri mosque, brought police to the Vatican, drove the Australian Greens to suspend someone for being too left-wing and emboldened the 45th President of the United States to use the term "bleeding badly from a facelift" in an official Tweet? Could that be to blame?

I don't know. All I know is the bald fact of what happened.

Christopher Pyne apologised for something. And things will never be the same again.

read more:

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/an-event-of-breathtaking-enormity-20170630-gx285e.html

If you are not familiar with either Pyne nor the author of this piece, Annabel Crabb, let's say that the world is not safe from any of them. Pyne is a liar, a twisteroo of urinal policies that are awful, a merchant of full-blown right wing nasty "rightitude", a bigot with cynicism as his bed-side companion — while Ms Annabel is a commentating fence sitter who possibly secretly loves Tony Abbott for being a liar, a twisteroo of urinal policies that are awful, a merchant of full-blown right wing nasty "rightitude", a bigot with cynicism as his bed-side companion.

So the biffo between the two friends, Pyne and Abbott is uncharacteristic as both get re-elected by rich "deplorables" in their snooty electorates. Annabel Blancmange was thus hurt by the battle between these two great giants of turdy policies on the epic Australian political landscape. Whether Pyne apologised or not to the promoters of KONservative urinal policies and full-blown right wing nasty "rightitude" is meaningless as he does not mean it.

read from top...

It's 26 years since Christopher Pyne walked into Parliament House as its youngest MP, to a scandalised general gasp generated by the then-whippersnapper's gory elimination of his Liberal predecessor in the seat of Sturt.

Over the intervening quarter of a century, Pyne has been in and out of government, in and out of the dogbox with this century's merry-go-round of prime ministers. But he's never been far from the action.

His resignation has been rumoured for months, and diplomatically demi-denied by the man himself repeatedly in a special form of words with built-in escape flap: "It is my intention to contest the seat of Sturt at the next election."

But the denials have dried up, and Mr Pyne — given multiple opportunities — isn't contesting widespread speculation that he will pull the pin.

The failure of Christopher Pyne to fill a televisual vacuum is a once-in-a-lifetime event on a par with the Menindee fish kill, which is what — along with other clues — leads your correspondent to accept that the Member for Sturt is indeed in the departure lounge.

 

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-01/christopher-pyne-legacy-art-of-po...

 

 

Read from top.

 

See also:

http://yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/27197

 

See also:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-22/crabb-kitchen-cabinet/3844546

and:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-01/christopher-pyne-legacy-art-of-po...

Especially the Star Wars videos with Pyne as the Trooperfixer...

 

See also all the Crabby efforts of the little dancing queen-on-the fence, such as:

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/30942

http://yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/30976

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/28485

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/32167

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/28503

and plenty more