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