Jesus was from a family who were obviously not part of the upper-class of the times. (Note his birth took place in a stable). I doubt that his upbringing, with a father who was a carpenter, would have provided him and his family with the trappings of success. Because of his socio-economic background he would not even have been granted an interview at Xavier. No Mary would not have wanted to send Jesus to Xavier.

Mary would not be very likely to send Jesus to Xavier or to any other Christian school as neither he nor his family were Christian. She would be sending him to a Jewish school where he would be getting a Jewish education. If there is a heaven and Mary and Jesus are there, they would be taken aback at the many people in the world who claim to follow them but reject their religion.

Yes, indeed, Alan Matheson. Whilst institutionalised religion has won non-taxable status and achieved public funding for private schools, it has not pursued with the same conviction the right of the poor and dispossessed to retain the fruits of their own labours.

By supporting the so-called 'progressive' income tax and rejecting the equity of revenues drawn from the holding of land, the churches have become complicit in a system of land monopoly and speculation that has delivered us into the GFC. Their ability over the centuries to overlook this fundamental point does unfortunately amount to hypocrisy.

In 'Cura Pastoralis' Pope Gregory the Great (540-604 AD) had strong words for people who prefer to replace economic justice with charity:-

"Those who make private property of the gift of God pretend in vain to be innocent. For, in thus retaining the subsistence of the poor, they are the murderers of those who die every day for the want of it."

A thought provoking article. It's the power of marketing in education. Check out the number of jobs for educational marketers in unis in the Weds Australian, Higher Ed section. This is the business of education. The marketers walk a very fine line between the truth and absolute balderdust. It's sad that it has gotten to this state.

It's not only Christian schools but all colleges from reception to Phd. Lock the kids in to the credential system.

Would Mary send Jesus to Xavier? She would if she thought the kid would get a AFL contract at Carlton or Hawthorn.

Public schools are not that different to many private schools in terms of facilities, and it has now reached the situation where a student would not have the time available to use all the amenities, equipment and facilities available in their school.

For many years both public and private schools have been awash with money (until the recent economic down turn), but education is in such a mess that it is now creating a new class of poor in Australia, with states such as Tasmania having over 30% of the workforce classed as illiterate.

If someone is illiterate, their chances of finding well paying jobs in today’s world is zero, so a new class of poor is now forming.

The high levels of illiteracy and innumeracy in the public have rarely been of any concern to any teachers I know of, as their No 1 concern is seeking a pay rise.

I have also known of few teachers who place any priority upon purchasing anything from Australian companies, despite record trade deficits.

While the federal government wants more Australia content in the media, there is now very little left in the schools that is produced in Australia.

To a teacher, their priority is getting as much money as possible, and the public is simply a cash cow to be milked as much as possible.

Interesting that Alan works at a migration centre. No doubt he has no problems with people from poorer countries coming here to live among the rich. For that matter it seems that he is comfortable living in a wealthy nation while large numbers starve in Africa and India. I wonder if Alan thinks Jesus would bother to come to Australia. If He would not then what is a Church of Christ Minister doing living in such a rich place? This article is a load of garbage and an insult to the thousands of parents who work hard to give their kids a decent education which many state run zoos are unable to provide.

I read this article in light of the fact that Kingsdene Special School is to close at the end of 2010 for lack of funds. This school is the last weekly boarding school for severely and profoundly disabled children in the country. It is run by Anglicare who can no longer function with the level of funding provided. Kingsdene provides immeasurable relief for families and brilliant and life-changing programs for its children. It should be replicated across the nation instead of being shut down. I think Mary would have wanted to send Jesus to Kingsdene if he had been a disabled child. Mother Theresa used to say that disabled children were the "wealth of the church, a treasure, a gift and a blessing". For a little more than a million dollars per annum, this school could be saved, but instead the money will go to sports complexes, music buildings and heliports.

I have always wondered what criteria God judges by and I got my answer today. The world is made up of innocent's and ignorant's. In third world countries people receive the good news that Jesus has redemed them from the curse But in the sophisticated west we mock christ and reinforce the curse upon our nation. It does not matter whether you believe in the curse or not you only have to go to any cancer clinic to see part of the curse in operation. The bible teaches that Gods people perish from lack of knowledge. Is it Gods fault if we are to proud to seak knowledge. Something for all to think on. Ps my brother-in-law was a carpenter and he was an excelent provider for his family's needs.
Richie 10

estelles wrote: For a little more than a million dollars per annum, this school could be saved, but instead the money will go to sports complexes, music buildings and heliports.

Dear estelles,

You are probably right. However, it would be good if public schools could provide for all children regardless of their disabilities. That's where the money should go.

I am absolutely sure that Mary would not be sending Jesus to Xavier. Besides the fact that neither Jesus nor his mother were Christian she would not want to send him to a school where he would be encouraged to worship himself. It would be an unusual mother who would encourage a child to be filled with a sense of his own importance.

Who is Mary? Mary who? Should we know her? Is she skiing at the winter Olympics?

OK, then who is Jesus? Now that's a funny name for an Australian. What original nationality was he and what Rugby team does he play for? If the writer thinks he is important enough for us to know he must be a sportsman or someone from a reality show and as I only watch the ABC, his name means nothing to me and probably most of this country. After all, it is 2010, an age of reality and science, not 2000 years ago when the script writers wrote the first scenes in the fiction film script for ‘The Bible” I think it is called. There are, I have been told, lots of bad bits in this book which should not be read by little kids or seen on the internet. But there is a person called Jesus in the book. He does tricks.

It is a real hodgepodge of funny writings some of which mention bits about the nasty Jews who seem to wangle their way into most books in some form or another. They probably own the copyright or certainly the film rights. But there are still people who like that kind of fiction. along with Superman, Dr. Who and Dr. Stangelove .
However, I prefer to watch Catalyst on the ABC, knowing that everything you see is all real.
But when I was very small, all that silly stuff seems to be fun and we were all given a lolly after it was over. So we learnt to be patient, wait for the lolly then home to play footy.

I do hope the writer, Mr. Matheson decides whether he should send the fellow Jesus, (probably one of his relations) to Xavier, wherever that is. It all sounds a bit boring to me, particularly the bits about the poor.
Is there a sequel to this story? Seems a shame not to find out where he was sent in the end. I love mysteries but they do need a proper ending.

An excellent article.
I am surprised that those 'smarty pants' and clever 'funny bunnies' have totally ignored and certainly have not addressed the main tenet. I wonder if they could ever countenance the idea of discrimination.
Vanna, how many teachers do you know?

Atlarak,
I have actually shared houses with 5 different teachers. I’ve been to countless P&C meetings at 3 schools, and every meeting was dominated by teachers. I have also belonged to a teachers group (QSITE) and went to several workshops with innumerable teachers from manny different schools. I currently receive 2 teacher newsletters and magazines, and I have corresponded with many teachers from other countries.

I now have very little time for Australian teachers, most of whom are totally remote and aloof and have no idea of what the real world is about, and every one of them thought of the public as a source of money only

'Public schools are not that different to many private schools in terms of facilities'? Vanna, which country do you live in? I 'do' both public and private schools every week, and they are worlds apart. Public School teachers do not have any say where purchases are made - their Department of Education will have preferred suppliers, who don't seem to be selected on price or quality, so perhaps the contracts just go to Government mates. The private schools are huge offenders in purchasing imports - from swank uniforms made in third world countries by children the same age as their students to the high end European cars provided to their principals.

Candide,
There are public schools with air-conditioning in every room, landscaped gardens between each class block, sport ovals with fully automated irrigation systems, and even student operated cafes.

I know of a public school where a grade 5 student has their normal teacher, as well as a music teacher, a sports teacher, a LOTE teacher, a spelling teacher, and now the school want a specialised science teacher as well (and what the normal teacher will do I have no idea).

As mentioned, I have never heard of any teacher, either from a private or public school every talk of the need to purchase items from Australia, but every teacher I have known has spoken of their desire to get more pay and more taxpayer funding.

I cannot remember any teacher speak of the need to reduce our trade deficit, and I have only occasionally heard of teachers speak of the high levels of illiteracy and innumeracy now plaguing Australia.

Both of those issues can readily drive our country into third world status, and if you believe it can't, watch what happens if coal exports suddenly decrease.

Ritchie10 <" But in the sophisticated west we mock christ and reinforce the curse upon our nation. It does not matter whether you believe in the curse or not you only have to go to any cancer clinic to see part of the curse in operation."

Are you for real? Correct me if I am wrong, but are you saying that cancer is sent to the people in the 'West' because we 'mock christ'?

According to you <" In third world countries people receive the good news that Jesus has redemed them from the curse"
So...people in the third world don't get cancer? Yeah right!

How sad that you still live with the very ancient view that disease is 'sent to us by God' as punishment for our sins.

How then can you possibly reconcile with the diseases and illnesses that tiny babies, who can't possibly have 'sinned', succumb to?

Dear Susie,
When Adam chose to disobey God He put every one of us under the curse and part of that curse is sickness. God warned of the consequences but Adam CHOSE to disobey, Eve was deceived and as such she was innocent but Adam CHOSE. Cursed is the earth because of Adams choice. Jesus became the curse to take the curse off man but unless you bother to take the time to seak out your inheritence in Christ you will never inherit good health. Man has free will and that is why Jesus taught us to pray "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven".{So you can surrender your will to Jesus.}
The good news is that in Gods Kingdom the curse put on the devil back in the beginning does not operate . God cursed the devil and Adam chose to believe the devil rather then heed Gods warning. In third world country's that good news is received with joy. Here in Australia the good news is received with discust and the barer of good news is mocked as we have been programed to listen to the glamorous, the sensational, and the bad news stories.
The devil hasn't changed he still wants to userp mans dominion on planet earth and he still uses the same old line"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God". I am sure that Gods word is truth for all mankind die then the judgment.
Misinformation abounds every where. The truth is found in Gods Word. John 1-14 tells us that the word became flesh (Jesus). I hope this gives you a better understanding. Man is still trying to make a way to live for ever young. Impossible for man but all things are possible with God. God didn't put the curse on man, He put it on satin and Adam chose to believe satin.

Ok Ritchie10 (sigh), I give up!
Have a blessed, happy life.

Cheers, Suze.

<<< God didn't put the curse on man, He put it on satin and Adam chose to believe satin. >>>

Um, does this mean I should toss out my satin bedsheets?

Just askin'.

Good idea Severin if you think that will help.

Dear Richie 10,

If you read Genesis you will not find the word, Satan (or satin as you spell it) or the devil. It was a talking snake that persuaded Eve to eat the apple. The story of Adam and Eve is a Jewish creation story like the Aboriginal story of the Rainbow serpent. There is no more reason to believe in the fairy tale of the Garden of Eden than there is to believe in the Rainbow serpent. Christians interpreted the talking snake to be Satan.

See my article, "Adam's Rib" in olo for details of the Adam and Eve story and its relation to a much earlier story of Dilmun, the Sumerian paradise.

The Old Testament recycles older legends. The New Testament recycles legends in the Old Testament.

Dear David,
In the Life Application Bible I am reading at the moment, it gives this explanation for the serpent or talking snake as you aptly put it, Disguised as a crafty serpent Satan came to tempt Eve. Other words used in the bible include devil, lucifer, beelzebub, and angel of light. All used for satan.
I have 2 friends suffering with hip problems. 1 had a hip replacement and the other is waiting for God to heal him supernaturaly.
What does the truth say. First it says man has freewill. So 1 choses to live pain free and the other chooses to live with pain while waiting for God to answer his prayer request. So what does the bible say about prayer requests,Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you "have" received it, and it will be yours. It doesn't say you get your wish list granted.

It seems to me that private schools are pretty easy targets.
Firstly they generally represent religion and Aussies (for the most part) seem to love bashing organised religion (until they are in need of charity or wanting to go op-shopping).
Secondly they also breach one of the fundamental elements many Aussies love about this country - the establishment of secularism in society and in education. Indeed here in WA about 100 years ago there was a strong push to prohibit Church schools.
Thirdly they seem to reinforce notions of privilege and undermine the egalitarian (and anti-authoritarian) Aussie spirit.
Fourthly they are highly visible and particularly their gyms/pools/new science labs etc.
Fifthly, the charitable work is largely unsung. How many are aware of the scholarships given to disadvantaged students? Fundraising for worthy causes, time spent assisting the poor and needy, not to mention the inculcating of a spirit of Christian giving.
None of this denies the fact that many Church run schools are indeed institutions of privilege - but they are also training grounds for the future. I hope they are training our youth well.

It is unconscionable for a church to be closing Kingsdene while lashing out on luxury facilities at church schools for the privileged. Church people are right to be uneasy about the values being taught in the church schools: due to high fees being a barrier to access, these schools only cater to students from families in the top 20% or so SES group, plus a handful of poorer "scholarship" students. Despite the charitable traditions of churches, students come out of these schools with born-to-rule attitudes, being the worst behaved students in a group in a public situation, having learnt they won't suffer consequences for their actions. I wonder whether such students ever learn self-discipline.
I also have never seen a public school with the facilities Vanna describes:certainly not in NSW. The higher level of facilities at the privileged church schools compared to pulbic schools is stark.
Public schools also support charities:for example my daughter's public school is sponsoring two girls in Africa. The values of this public high school (on the cover of the school diary) are: participation, integrity, responsibility, care, cooperation, respect, fairness, excellence, democracy and courtesy. The school motto is "Not for ourselves alone." Public schools like this are upholding values that most Christians would be happy with.
And I am sick of whingeing wealthy telling us how hard they are working to pay for their children's excessive school fees, along with their expensive mortgages and the other trappings of their unnecessarily expensive lives.

It is unconscionable for a church to be closing Kingsdene while lashing out on luxury facilities at church schools for the privileged. Church people are right to be uneasy about the values being taught in the church schools: due to high fees being a barrier to access, these schools only cater to students from families in the top 20% or so SES group, plus a handful of poorer "scholarship" students. Despite the charitable traditions of churches, students come out of these schools with born-to-rule attitudes, being the worst behaved students in a group in a public situation, having learnt they won't suffer consequences for their actions. I wonder whether such students ever learn self-discipline.
I also have never seen a public school with the facilities Vanna describes:certainly not in NSW. The higher level of facilities at the privileged church schools compared to public schools is stark.
Public schools also support charities:for example my daughter's public school is sponsoring two girls in Africa. The values of this public high school (on the cover of the school diary) are: participation, integrity, responsibility, care, cooperation, respect, fairness, excellence, democracy and courtesy. The school motto is "Not for ourselves alone." Public schools like this are upholding values that most Christians would be happy with.
And I am sick of whingeing wealthy telling us how hard they are working to pay for their children's excessive school fees, along with their expensive mortgages and the other trappings of their unnecessarily expensive lives.