Sometimes the steady stream of craziness becomes so full on that one can only list the various episodes along with the briefest of commentary. The past day or two has been a good case in point. There were a number of headlines which featured the latest acts of lunacy. So let me provide a whirlwind tour of some of these recent escapades.
The Government’s war on children
We have just been informed about two major Victorian decisions. First, the Parliament has just voted through controversial legislation which will allow singles and lesbians access to IVF and other Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Second, the Brumby Government has announced a crackdown on youth violence, disrespect and hooliganism. And the two stories are in fact closely related.
The call to instil good values, responsibility and respect in our students is to be welcomed. But it must begin in the home first, and then it can be supported and complemented in the schools. And the best way to instil good values in children is to ensure that they grow up with their biological mother and father.
Over three decades of social science research has made this abundantly clear. Children raised by their own natural two parents do better on every indicator – on average – than in any other household structure. They are less likely to be involved in crime, in drugs, in suicide, in anti-social behaviour. They do better academically and are more socially adaptable.
But what the Brumby Government wants to give with the right hand it is taking away with the left hand. By introducing, and passing, the new ART Bill in Parliament, the Government has declared war on the well-being of children. Indeed, it is unleashing a new stolen generation. It will allow children to be deliberately created and raised without their biological mother and father.
And as the research shows, this is a recipe for disaster. All the problems Brumby wants corrected in schools – drug abuse, disrespect for others, anti-social behaviour, violence, reckless partying, drunkenness, and gang activities – will now all be exasperated and compounded, because this Government is more concerned about appeasing the radical social engineers and the minority group activists, than in looking after the well-being of children.
Whose loyalties?
An Islamic School in Brisbane has banned the singing of the Australian national anthem. As one press account puts it: “Australia’s national anthem has been banned at an Islamic school in Brisbane, the Courier-Mail reported Friday. The paper obtained a copy of a memo sent to teachers in July banning Advance Australia Fair, and a former teacher, Pravin Chand, confirmed that the anthem was found to be against the ‘Islamic view and ethos’.”
After a public outcry since the story broke, the Australian International Islamic College has reversed its decision, and is now allowing the anthem to be sung. Nice of them to back down – but only after public pressure.
But all this raises questions about how keen Muslims really are to integrate into Australian culture, or whether they regard themselves as a distinct people who need to stay “uncontaminated” by Australian values and mores. Multiculturalism can work when those coming to a host nation embrace the culture and values of it. But to come to a nation and remain in ghettoes, refusing to integrate into the wider community is always going to be a recipe for trouble.
The Christmas gift of death
Although this story is about a week old, it is certainly worth a mention, given its sheer repugnance. Planned Parenthood of Indiana is offering dead babies as Christmas gifts. I kid you not. More specifically, it is selling Christmas gift certificates that can be used for goods or services, including abortions. It seems the certificates come in $25 increments and can be used for breast exams, birth control, and abortions.
The condemnation by Black pro-life activist and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Alveda King, is well worth repeating here: “The word inappropriate hardly describes Planned Parenthood’s scheme. To give someone a gift card from the nation’s largest abortion business is to give death for Christmas. Planned Parenthood really should call these ‘King Herod certificates’ after the Roman ruler who slaughtered tiny babies in his vain attempt to kill the baby Jesus. Better yet, it should just leave Christmas, a celebration of birth, hope, and life, completely alone. Planned Parenthood’s selling of Christmas gift certificates that can be redeemed for abortion is an irredeemable act. No amount of spin can turn this promotion into anything other than an abomination. Congress gave Planned Parenthood $300 million last year and now a chapter of this group is defiling the celebration of our Savior’s birth. As one of America’s taxpayers, I want my money back.”
Another Black pro-lifer, Day Gardner, was equally appalled: “Clearly, Planned Parenthood is making a mockery of the birth of Jesus Christ. Looking back to the very first Christmas I’m sure Mary, was a frightened young girl–unmarried and suddenly pregnant, yet she believed God had a plan for her and her child. If she had not given birth to her son, Jesus Christ– there would be no such thing as Christmas – He alone is the reason for the season that Planned Parenthood so adamantly disrespects. Planned Parenthood is a billion dollar, money grubbing, baby killing machine. And like the Biblical King Herod, who tried to kill Mary’s baby, Planned Parenthood is on a rampage to kill as many babies as possible while spewing ‘Happy Holidays’.”
This poor exploited child
Finally, a story about the terrible exploitation of a poor, defenceless child. Actually, I jest a bit. What we really have here is another example of rabid misotheism, this time from Brisbane. A recent news item tells us about a very angry parent who is incensed that his daughter in primary school had to take part in an evil and nefarious activity. It seems that the poor lass was involved in actually helping to make a replica of Noah’s Ark! Shocking!
Here are excerpts from an article in the Australian about this: “A Queensland father of five has taken action in the Anti-Discrimination Commission after his four-year-old daughter was asked to help make a replica of Noah’s Ark at the local state school. Ron Williams, who has five children under the age of 10, is opposed to religious instruction in state schools. He said he was taking action because he did not believe students should be ‘exposed to superstitious mumbo-jumbo, presented as fact, in an educational setting’.”
But the school does not see things in such a sinister light. It claims that the children were merely shown a video of “Evan Almighty” (which is a comedy about a modern-day ark-builder) “and a book about the Ark as part of a unit of study on animals and the noises they make. In a statement to The Australian, Queensland Education said there were ‘no references to “God” or the biblical story of Noah’s Ark made in Kathleen’s classroom. Through negotiated planning, students began studying animals and used the book Trouble in the Ark as reference material,’ the statement said.”
But it seems Mr Williams believes all this is on a par with the Spanish Inquisition, and he has withdrawn his daughter from the school. And on top of all this, “Mr Williams intends to sue Queensland Education for the cost of having his children educated by distance education or some other, secular alternative to the state school program.”
Yikes, this is one ornery anti-theist. This is one really mean Scrooge. He seems totally convinced that his four-year-old daughter will obviously be scarred for life after this nasty activity. He seems to think that this is a case of a school ramming religion down her poor little throat. How dare his school be so heartless and cruel?
In truth, I think Mr Williams has been reading far too many of the angry screeds of Dawkins, Hitchens and Co. Like those rabid misotheists, he really needs to just lighten up a little. His obsessive hatred of religion has obviously greatly affected his capacity to think and make balanced judgments.
Conclusion
Of the making of much madness there is no end it seems. There seems to have been an even greater amount of moonbeam activities taking place this past week. In the face of all this craziness, one can be tempted to become overwhelmed and want to give up. But it is exactly because of such lunacies that we need to redouble our efforts to provide a bit of sanity, morality and common sense. If we don’t, things will only get a whole lot worse.
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