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The Forum > Article Comments > Clinging to the wreckage > Comments

Clinging to the wreckage : Comments

By Peter Sellick, published 23/9/2020

It occurred to me at the time that a new thing had occurred, that the national interest was now the basis of all policy. What more do you need?

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Indeed:

"There is only one answer to the question of personal and national purpose, and it sounds impossible to the majority in our country, it is to glorify God. What else can be said?"

That while it is unrealistic to expect the "nation" as such to glorify God, not for the next 426,878 years anyway, Australia still serves an important purpose:

To provide the environment of religious freedom for the minority of us who choose to glorify God. We must be thankful to God for without Australia being how it is, dictatorships like China would have taken over and our freedom to glorify God would be quashed. Let others do it for the football or the beer, let them sing in ignorance "we share a dream", let them even preserve us for the sake of hedonism and mammon if that makes them temporarily happy, but for this great privilege of living here, let us give thanks to the Lord for He is Good, His grace endures forever.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Thursday, 24 September 2020 9:08:19 PM
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Possibly we humans with our insecure egos need to be glorified. However, if a God existed why would he, she or it need to be glorified? God is a creation of the human imagination. As such God has human needs such as to be glorified. A god with a need to be glorified would be an imperfect God. To glorify God satisfies humans who believe that a God exists who needs to be glorified.

I appreciate living in Australia but think it is wrong that God is mentioned in the Australia Constitution. As one who does not believe in God is my disbelief in God a violation of the Constitution which is the basic law of the land? I am not breaking any other law that I know of.
Posted by david f, Friday, 25 September 2020 12:09:19 AM
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Dear David,

The purpose of glorifying God is to purify one's mind and heart,
this has nothing to do with God's existence and/or expectations
and neither the article nor any comment here suggested that.

I personally do not hold that God exists, nor that God has any need to be glorified,
yet I find glorifying God the most satisfying and meaningful pursuit.

It is not a crime in Australia to disagree with the Australian constitution or any part thereof. But even if it were, given you disagree with the constitution, why would you have a problem about "violating" other people's laws which you never agreed to abide by in the first place?
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 25 September 2020 1:48:21 AM
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Dear Yuyutsu,

You asked. "why would you have a problem about "violating" other people's laws which you never agreed to abide by in the first place?"

I agreed to abide by Australian law when I became a citizen of Australia.

You also wrote: "I personally do not hold that God exists, nor that God has any need to be glorified, yet I find glorifying God the most satisfying and meaningful pursuit."

I don't understand the statement above. How do you glorify God?
Posted by david f, Friday, 25 September 2020 2:00:19 AM
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Dear David,

«I agreed to abide by Australian law when I became a citizen of Australia.»

Then you are determined to keep your word.
This has everything to do with your own honour, dignity and self-respect, but little to do with the Australian law.

I would go a step further, to claim that your effort to keep your word despite any arising difficulties, is not only an honourable quality, but a divine quality. In time, your determination is purifying your mind and your heart.

If you received your Australian citizenship over 7 years ago, then every cell in your body would have been replaced by now, so no part of your body is now obliged to abide by Australian law. By insisting to still keep your word, you acknowledge that you are more than just a body, recognising that which the bible figuratively described as "God's image" within you.

Glorifying God literally means to thank God by singing His praises.
But this does not equal going to church/synagogue to sing: there are zillions of ways to sing God's praises, in thought, word and deed. Every single positive action, big or small, can be offered to God by having the right intention, thus converted into glorifying God.

What's even better is that you do not need to use the word 'God' or any other particular word: God is not some silly old man sitting on the clouds, nor some praise-seeking limited, imperfect, egotistic deity. You can find God everywhere, especially including in your own heart, you need not even name Him. When you make effort to become the best version of yourself, including to keep your word, including to be good to and not harm others, including to be strong, free, knowledgeable and benevolent, you are then glorifying God within you!

May you be sealed in the book of good, peaceful and healthy life this coming Yom Kippur.
Posted by Yuyutsu, Friday, 25 September 2020 11:38:43 AM
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Dear Yuyutsu,

Your mind is active, and you argue well.
Posted by david f, Friday, 25 September 2020 11:58:51 AM
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