The Greens oppose the CPRS not because it is too weak, but because it will point Australia in the wrong direction with little prospect of turning it around in the timeframe within which emissions must peak, says Senator Christine Milne.
Pell cannot see the log in his own eye
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Sydney’s Cardinal Pell has accused “modern liberalism” as being intolerant to Christians wishing to speak and act freely and in accordance with their conscience and their religious values. His eight page speech focuses on “two tales of intolerance”. The first involves the story of activists from various Christian (and no doubt a fair few non-Christian) denominations in the United States who campaigned in support for proposed state constitutional amendments that enshrine marriage as between a man and a woman only. Pell claims these activists were subjected to intimidation and even death threats. Churches were “the focus for demonstrations, often attended by violence, vandalism and intimidation”. Some blogs even called for certain churches to be burned down, while businesses supporting the amendments were boycotted. Who were Pell’s sources? One was blogger and news commentator Michelle Malkin whose record of tolerance included encouraging the boycott of Dunkin’ Donuts. Did she do so on health grounds and to highlight growing American obesity rates? No. Malkin objected to a Dunkin’ Donuts advertisement showing Rachel Ray wearing a fashion accessory that resembled the traditional Palestinian scarf, known as a keffiyeh. Malkin described the keffiyeh as “the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad” and “a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos”. Pell’s second example of intolerance was a handful of unsuccessful attempts by certain Muslims to seek orders against Christians who engaged in “criticism” of Islam “religiously, sociologically [and] philosophically”. Yet the strange thing is that the very individuals he tries to defend have themselves engaged in the kind of intolerance he accuses proponents of “modern liberalism” of engaging in against Christian groups. Among those Pell defends is Danny Nalliah from Catch The Fire Ministries. Nalliah is on record as calling on his congregation to pray that mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples and even Masonic temples be torn down. Pell then claims that “many in the West have grown used to practising self-censorship when it comes to Islam”. That may be the case with certain non-Muslim Westerners, but there have been plenty of Muslims quite happy to openly criticise and question and even lampoon their faith, leaders and communities. In all these instances, Pell sees Christians’ liberty being compromised by an aggressive form of secular liberalism. Yet Pell was quite happy to see special regulations introduced to stop people from causing “annoyance or inconvenience” to World Youth Day participants. Before his next polemical foray, Cardinal Pell might ponder over words Christ once used: “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” |
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11 Comments
Should we be surprised Pell does not represent a balanced or even well evidenced view?
Well, Irfan, there really is a lot of evidence regarding intimidation of Proposition 8 supporters. You might not like the sources Pell cited, but how about the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/business/08stream.html) that mentioned “the ugly specter of intimidation,” regarding what happened after the backers of the proposition were identified.
Notwithstanding the inability of the world’s mainstream religions, sects, and evangelical maniacs to acknowledge their own differences; I am more than happy to provide to Mr. Pell details of many so-called Christians whom have nothing but contempt for my own beliefs that do not require inclusion of their own non-existent fantasy deities.
Pell is nothing more than a scared little boy. Unfortunately he gets press on ocassions and people believe the snake oil he peddles. His logic is usually concrete and based on an interpretation of a children’s book in conjunction with what-ever goes on in his head at the time.
Pell is an apologist for the worlds second largest corporation that has been associated with so much death and suffering over the last two thousand years. He is quite the revolting product.
You idiot, Irfan.
You will not find one fundamentalist who thinks that “to pray that mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples and even Masonic temples be torn down” is a wish or a prayer to be taken literally. It is a metaphor. Why not stick to what you know.
In fact, Pell might be a hypocrite, but he is spot on when he talks of a cowed marketplace of ideas where criticism of Islam is too scary to be acted on. Look at all those wimps, including Christians, who would not stand up for free speech alongside Salman Rushdie after the publications of the “The Satanic Verses”.
It is a loathsome creed that would threaten so many writers, translators and editors. Read “Why I am not a Muslim”, which was written after seeing so few Christians or Muslims rush to the defence of Salman Rushdie at this time.
Rowan, I am also a capitalist, an ex-social-conservative, a huge PJ O’Rourke fan and a believer in a two-state solution that includes Israel’s right to exist within secure borders. Should I disclose all these things at the end of each article? I’ll do so if it makes you feel better.
I don’t want to hog the comments on this, but I was reading Pell’s speech -
http://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/200936_1118.shtml - and you know what, it does not, as Irfan claimed, defend the people from the Catch the Fire Ministries. I couldn’t see any mention of them - correct me if I just didn’t see the reference - but it doesn’t seem to be there. Not quite proper journalism to make false claims.
Pell whinges about secular liberalism, but it is only the predominance of liberalism which allows him the veneer of being a reasonable individual pursuing his freedom to practice his religion, The middle ages is what happens when people like Pell actually run the world. If the contraints of secular society were removed, Pell would be right there with the burning stakes, the inquistion, and ‘faith based science’. As with a shark, there are no modern theocrats -only the lastest generation of an ancient way of thought.
Is Irfan Yusuf a disinterested writer given that he is a Muslim? Is tehre a reason that this wasn’t disclosed at the end of the article? As John notes, Irfan, there really is a lot of evidence regarding intimidation of Proposition 8 supporters.
Did Cardinal Pell speak out against the ‘religious’ person (his name escapes me,but could be mentioned in this article, it wasn’t Danny Nalliah was it?) who made the very unchristian comment, that the 210 deaths, injuries, loss of homes etc in Victoria was attributed to the decriminalization of abortion in that state? Haven’t heard a reason for the Queensland floods, or the current oil damage?Could a ‘higher power’ be sending good ‘vibes’ to the LNP?
I seem to recall when I was a child, that the eating of meat on Friday; babies not baptized etc would bring forth eternal damnation - no hope of redemption! The attending of civil marriage services is still a crime of great proportions, and the ‘wanton act’ of standing up in defence of same sex couples, championing against racism are ‘crimes’ that can bring about a priest’s sacking?(Fr Kennedy, St Mary’s, Brisbane).
Of course, if you’re a pair of destraught parents who’ve lost one adult daughter (21)to suicide and another is in a deep depression due to their rapes by a priest when they were 5 and 6, then the catholic church under the stewardship of one Cardinal Pell won’t even allow you within a bull’s roar of the pontiff! Those suffering years of rejection, depression and often attempted suicides weren’t allowed anywhere near the last Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral during World Youth Week? Not quite the people that you want mingling with the chosen ones given 1st class seating! Tarnished ‘goods’ was the attitude!
When the Catholic Church still treats the victims(too many of them) as though they committed some heinous crime, George Pell should hide his counsel re criticism of any other religious beliefs. They still don’t get it do they? Sexual assault is a crime, and the perpetrators are criminals! The hypocricy begs belief! No wonder the number of priests are dwindling each year. Who’d want to be involved with such inhumane and unjust bigots!
Cardinal Pell, like all religious extremists, manages to be pathetic and dangerous all at once. As George Monbiot wrote: “Religion makes people stupid.” The world would be a better place if all religions were banned and people could work out their own morality, and do charitable works for the sake of humanity and Planet Earth, not because tragic men in frocks order the sheep around and tell them how to think.