December 2009 - Journal Summary
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Summary of the articles and information in the Journal.
Editorial (full version below)
Have you noticed how often the Christmas season is called the "silly season"?
Of course, this has nothing to do with Jesus, the real reason for the season, but relates to the foolish behaviour of too many people at Christmas parties and New Year events.
Why Did Jesus Die? - The Sacrificial System and Creation
Roger Birch writes on the impact of the creation account on the topic of Christology and Jesus' death.
News & Action
ACT: Same-sex ceremonies; 'Human Rights Day' - Dec 10; School Chaplains
Political Parties - What do they stand for? Part two - Minor Parties #1
Peter Stokes writes about one of the minor political parties - The Australian Sex Party.
Poker machines, VCAT and community interest
Jenny Stokes explains the recent ruling of the Romsey case where the ability to oppose a development on grounds of community interest was reinstated.
Same-sex 'marriage'
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has recommended that same-sex 'marriages' not be allowed in Australia. But we disagree with their other two recommendations.
Euthanasia round up
Euthanasia bills have been debated in three states in the past couple of months. All of the bills have been proposed by the Greens!
Review of ban on transplant of pig organs
There is currently a moratorium in Australia on the transplantation of animal cells and organs into humans. There are good reasons for this - risk of disease, viruses and infection for a start.
Does God exist?
Murray Adamthwaite discusses the question, not of 'does God exist', but 'which god are we talking about?' in light of this month's Parliament of World Religions.
Time heals all wounds
Michael Glatze shocked the US homosexual community a little over two years ago when he publicly denounced homosexuality along with his life as a homosexual man and ardent activist for pro-homosexual 'causes'. Two years on, he tells his story...
Global Convention: The Rise of Atheism
Fresh from hosting the Parliament of the World's Religions in December 2009, Melbourne will be welcoming atheists from all over the world to a global convention of atheists called 'The Rise of Atheism'.
Book Review: Ideological Jihad
Ideological Jihad is an intriguing book written by Vickie Janson as a response to a book by Waleed Aly - who has emerged as the current Australian spokesman for everything Islamic.
Climate Change Update
Jenny Stokes updates us on the latest in climate change - the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference, to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme proposed by the Rudd government.
Global Warming: Now definitely a Christian Issue
Murray Adamthwaite reminds us that Christians are called among other things to be people of truth and therefore question politicized science.
Pro-life TV - Online!
Facing Life - Head On is a pro-life TV program made in the US and available online.
World News
UK: Lower age of consent; UK: Muslims in Cathedral; Manhattan Declaration; Sweden and same-sex 'marriage'.
Editorial
Have you noticed how often the Christmas season is called the "silly season"?
Of course, this has nothing to do with Jesus, the real reason for the season, but relates to the foolish behaviour of too many people at Christmas parties and New Year events.
We get the feeling that the silly season started very early this year, especially at the growing number of 'thought police' government Tribunals and Commissions.
Two government bodies have recently made very silly decisions.
Firstly, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) denied a woman the right to organise women's only holidays for senior ladies. VCAT's reason was that it would discriminate against men. Yet, that, of course, was the idea, to allow women who do not feel comfortable in mixed company to have that freedom. It now seems OK for VCAT to allow a woman to organise a lesbian-only nightclub and for Muslims to have women-only swimming sessions, but if you're not a Muslim or a lesbian, tough! You don't have the right to privacy.
The second silly decision was made by the Australian Human Rights Commission which stopped cruise ship operator Carnival Australiabanning young passengers during schoolies week. Why? Because that would be age discrimination. Yet this decision clearly discriminated against older passengers who wanted to enjoy a cruise without drunken schoolies roaming the ship.
As Elise Parham, Policy Analyst at CIS stated, "this was inconvenient for the government, because the decision came down just as Health Minister Nicola Roxon unveiled her latest tool in the campaign against youth binge drinking: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix. Perhaps no one has told her that that's discrimination?"
But why are we talking about discrimination at Christmas?
Well, the Christmas story shows us that discrimination has its rightful place.
The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus came for all people - John 3:16 states "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
As individuals, God loves ALL people and Christ died for all people without distinction or discrimination. Yet time and again we read discriminatory statements about the consequences of our behaviour.
Paul states in 1 Cor 6 "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived."
Jude states "as Sodom and Gomorrah, ...having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
This is a clear case of discrimination against the wrong choices people make.
The message of Christmas and of the cross is non-discriminatory, but the message of eternal life is pure discrimination based on our choices. Yes, Christ paid the price but it is a fallacy to suggest that presents us with a blank cheque to write our own salvation. Salvation and eternal life are discriminatory because they are based on the response we make and our behaviour.
Today we hear a very false message that all discrimination is wrong. All people are born equal but the consequences of our choices are certainly not equal.
Yours, in the service of Jesus Christ
Peter & Jenny Stokes
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