Comments on: The Opposite of Poverty is not Wealth, it’s Justice

By: Robyn

Robyn — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 23:20:59 +0000

In reply to Simon. Simon, you address some relevant issues in a non aggressive way, thanks. I hope someone more able can give you a worthy response, because as Christians, we need to love and be aware of reality. and labelling doesn't help the discussion I agree.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 22:47:43 +0000

Mike, thank you for your posts that continue to challenge and inspire me. They are of the few emails I read almost immediately as I know they will be succinct and worthwhile! As a follower of Jesus, I strive to respond to the plight of refugees but it can be difficult to keep attending rallies and supporting sit-ins etc when nothing seems to change. Still, I know that faithfulness and perseverance are part of the journey. Thank you again for all that you contribute to contemporary discussions around faith, life and justice. You (and Hirsch) have had quite an impact on my life!

By: Simon

Simon — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 11:13:31 +0000

It’s an interesting and worthy view up until God is brought into it. It concludes with quoting xenophobia is a sin, but are homophobia, gender phobias and misogyny not ‘sinful’ too?
Most ‘branches’ of Christianity outwardly practise many ‘phobia’s’ because their interpretation of the bible ‘allows’ them to do so.
In the real world an atheist would be charged with an offence without the backdrop of their ‘faith’.
Don’t get me wrong, I read these blogs with interest and in the main agree with the moral and ethical message they look to perpetuate; do unto others as you would have done to yourself (forgive any misquote).
I suppose my point is you call someone a sinner who may just be (on a basic level), patriotic and be worrying about jobs and security of their family and yet you sit drinking tea with other faith liberals and academics who openly treat other areas of society as second class citizens. Life’s views are subjective as are interpretations on all religious scripture, which in the main are violent, murderous, racist and threatening. Unless of course you give yourself absolutely to God who loves you unconditionally, but if you don’t he’ll burn you in hell….

By: David Berlach

David Berlach — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 05:01:54 +0000

I recently picked up a copy of “Notes on an Exodus” from the Art Gallery of NSW – an essay by Richard Flanagan with illustrations by Ben Quilty from their travels to Lesbos, Turkey, Lebanon and Greece in early 2016 (https://penguin.com.au/books/notes-on-an-exodus-9780143782353).

The excerpt reads: “Refugees are not like you and me. They are you and me. That terrible river of the wretched and the damned flowing through Europe is my family.”

Such sombre and heart breaking reading, made moreso by the accompanying note comparing how much the Australian government has spent in aggressive military responses in Syria with what we have given in aid (not to mention our treatment of them if they ever get near our shores). It really is pitiful and Christians should be amongst the most vocal about it in our society.