Damien Spillane,
What About Those Who Have Not Heard, CultureWatch discussion, 24 Jan. 2007, 10pm:

I can’t help but think that God knows each one of us intimately and thus knows how much light would be suitable to draw us to the kingdom. Too much light for those that do not want God can be a bad thing as well. It makes them so much more accountable for their evil that they will be given extra punishment at judgement.

[Quick, anyone seen my shades?]

Babette Francis, ‘Seduced by Lies’, Endeavour Forum Newsletter, Feb. 2007, 1:

The unlovely cabal of feminist Senators who have instigated recent anti-life legislation in Federal Parliament … have been seduced by the lies of egotistical scientists into believing that embryonic stem cells will provide cures for diseases.

[Good old Babette, always gracious in defeat.]

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Filed in: Their Own Mouths

While conservative evangelicals sometimes band together for some common purpose, they are really a collection of warring tribes. This is in the nature of Protestantism, which prizes one’s ‘personal relationship with God’ above all else. If your minister or pastor tells you one thing about Christian doctrine, and you have a bit of a pray about it and decide that he (or sometimes she) is wrong – well, congratulations, you win! This is not much of a recipe for unanimity and helps explain why there are tens of thousands of Christian denominations and sects scattered around the place. (For a very funny example of how these and related clashes can work out in practice, have a look at Ken Dempsey’s Conflict and Decline: Ministers and laymen in an Australian country town [1983], available in many libraries.)

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Filed in: Catholicism, Evangelicals, Sexuality

Some time ago my colleague Brian Baxter wrote an article about creationist authors straying beyond their fields of expertise. Having now seen copies of Creation Ministries International’s (CMI) two latest periodicals – Creation and Journal of Creation magazines of Dec. 2006, I think Brian probably understated his case.

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Filed in: Creationism

Things are crook in Tallarook and quite a few other places around the country so the Pentecostal-dominated Australian Prayer Network is going to hold a ‘National Solemn Assembly’ in Canberra next March.

Now, when contemplating a National Solemn Assembly (NSA), it’s essential that you don’t laugh or even smile, so kindly keep a straight face until you’ve finished reading, as this will be a sign of maturity. (Come on, ‘fess up, you’ve failed already, haven’t you?)

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Filed in: Pentecostalism

We’re supposed to be praying for the financial situation facing Salt Shakers, the religious right group run by Peter and Jenny Stokes, Melbourne’s answer to Fred and Elaine Nile. According to an email of 5 Jan. 2007:

We ended December approximately 25% down on the finance required for the month. That means we ended the year short by $4,908.

Prepare for the ‘miracle’ which will now take place. Some benighted happyclaps will pass the hat around and when they count the money it will come to $4,908 which they’ll donate to Salt Shakers. God will have balanced the books, SS can keep getting stuck into gays, lesbians, feminists and other miscreants, and all will be right with the world.

Filed in: Christian Right

Regular readers of this blog may recall some earlier discussions of ‘New Pentecostal’ craziness, among them ‘Australian Prayer Network: Pentecostal Fortune-Tellers‘ (16 Jul. 2005). That article looked at the charismatic gift of prophecy while this one deals with kids’ clothes, but we’re in the same neck of the woods.

Helen Deveraj contributed a piece entitled ‘Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing’ to the December 2006 issue of Salt Shakers Journal (pp.16-17). (Salt Shakers is operated by Baptists heavily influenced by the wilder variety of Pentecostalism). According to Helen:

All may not be what it seems in the clotheswear department. This article deals with my experiences with boyswear and my thoughts about it.

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Filed in: Pentecostalism

It’s an article of faith among conservative Christians that the Church is widely persecuted throughout the Third World. The Australian Prayer Network and similar organisations quickly tell us of any major or minor hindrance to the practice of Christianity in various heathen nations, especially China.

How then to explain this letter to the Melbourne Age of 2 Jan. 2007? The author is Dr John Norman, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, China:

… I have lived in China for several years and can go to church – Catholic or Protestant – any Sunday I wish, and to any number of Bible study or prayer groups during the week. Bibles are readily available …

Specifically with regard to Catholic churches, I have been to churches in China that offer Mass in Chinese, English and Latin – providing the same experience as I have had in Australia and elsewhere.

China’s a big place and Christianity no doubt has an easier time of it in some places than others. But I’ve read lots of accounts like Dr Norman’s and can only repeat what I’ve said before in other contexts: it’s foolish to accept conservative Christian claims unless they’re backed up by independent evidence. These people were staring at the world through ideological blinkers long before Stalin and Hitler came along.

Filed in: Christian Right

Christian Right opponents of embryonic stem cell research regularly tell us that it’s entirely pointless. It hasn’t yet produced any cures, it’s immoral and unethical, adult stem cells are the way to go etc. But let’s look at a specific condition, namely diabetes:

Having already discovered the method for coaxing mouse embryonic stem cells to become insulin-secreting pancreas cells, Professor Alan Trounson says his team at Monash University will be among the first to apply for a new licence to try the technique in humans.

The ultimate aim is to combine a patient’s DNA with a donated egg and then grow the specialised cells – known as islets – in the laboratory. Those cells could then be injected into the vein that drains into the liver, where they would carry out their normal function of secreting insulin in response to blood-sugar levels.

So why the need for embryonic cloning in this instance?

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Filed in: Christian Right, Stem Cell Research

John Mackay of the small Creation Research group always claims ‘another win’ when debating secular supporters of evolution. However, he’s much more downbeat after facing religious opponents. Here’s John in gloomy mood:

November’s Anglican irony as we were pitted in debate against a theological student (PhD), who as the resident theologian defended evolution and claimed Genesis was merely oral tradition borrowed from the pagan Babylonians … John Mackay defended the Scriptures as God’s infallible word.

The debate was topped off by the resident Anglican vicar telling everyone at the end it didn’t really matter … [This is] the position promoted by [Anglican] Moore College and St Matthias and most Anglican teaching institutions, which is almost always a very thin disguise for their belief that Genesis is NOT real history. Pray much for us as we combat unbelief inside and outside the church.

(Creation News, Dec. 2006, 4)

Terrible to see poor old John so depressed. Remember also that Young Earth Creationism as espoused by John Mackay is the Achilles’ heel of Australia’s Religious Right. When arguing with these people, always try to pin them down on this issue and watch them squirm.

Filed in: Creationism