If the Inquisistion was alive today, DB would be uber-candidate for a stretch on the rack and pinion. Do you think he would give an ecclesiastical fig ? maybe not.

Funny enough, the reaction in the Catholic weekly Sunday new's journals brought a profusion of die-hard defender's-of-the faith: preachers, nuns, and a mixed-bag of wouldbe saints who not only condemned the book wholesale but urged parishioners to boycott Dymock's sales, and curb insidious subversive dogma encroaching on sacred ground. They regaled his heretical theories about liasons with Mary Magellan, etc..etc motwithstanding it only came about 2000 + years ago !

Apart from the time stretch, there have been many earth-quaking upheavals in the Church since. One is tempted to enquire where they sourced their ' proof ' of rebuttal from ? My guess, they trotted out the same timeless gobbledgook mantra they swallowed in large doses to ' brainwash ' kids yesterday and today with. Trouble is, there have been a plethora of encyclical truisms that have been discarded by the diocese, hitherto chiselled in stone. Mass confessions, contraception, celebration of mass sans priest, divorde, bigamy, jazz music and pantomine played at some mass's. Communion and mass's served by laity. No meat Friday's. The list is endless.

Dwindling church attendances, severe shortages in the Priesthood, falling revenue and mass desertions by the faithful have taken a massive toll and distraction within the Synod. There have been countless soul-searching enquires, think-tanks, and counsels to address this Universal pandemic - sadly, the trend continues at an alarming rate, both here and abroad. Watering down some of the 'not too unpleasant ' pieces of Church dogma - to make it more acceptable and appealing to the younger generation has, in my view been an unmitigated catastrophe.

To persist along these ' wishy-washy ' lines of reasoning, beckons redicule, farce, profanity, immorality and ultimately TOTAL irrelevance.

Cheers

I agree with Crusader here, though social justice is important in Christianity, one cannot loose focus on the figure of Jesus himself. It is the "culture" of our society, as people say now adays - I would prefer the spirit of our society - rather than the division of wealth that marks us out as a Christian society rather than any other society.

There have been many attempts to engage the Aboriginal people of our nation with Christianity, especially through things such as rainbow serpent theology, which could be seen as Australia's version of St Patrick's shamrock. It must be remembered how very un-Christian Aboriginal society was before European arrival - a violent, vindictive, and some might claim very mysogynistic society - yet that those whisperings of Truth that are evident in all societies were there. Western societies profess to follow those whispers, but often don't hear them over themselves.

Aboriginal culture will and has benefitted by an amalgamation of the current sort of Christianity with traditional beliefs. It shall be through a taking up of the challenge of Christianity in all peoples in our society, rather than ideas of radical "bolshie" redistribution which will make us a better place. One must remember, the rich can still reach heaven - it's difficult, but many saints, such as the very rich Nicolas would show it. In a nation where the rich give 47 cents of every dollar they earn, far above the traditional 10 cent tithe, to the rest of society, much of which is redistributed down to the more needy, it's difficult to claim that we are an uncaring society.

The poor will always be with us, said our "long grasser" friend, and so they are. Let's keep our minds on task, rather than trying to denigrate our efforts with comparisons to the Romans.

Dalma, I'm disapointed. You didn't mention Mel Gibson once.

No, no. no Rainer – I’m the blonde-haired blue eyed one. Jesus was not only a long-grasser but a rat-faced, weedy, lefty, darkie Jew with a bad hair cut to boot. In this day and age he would most likely be condemned by the Christians He (the blonde-haired one) supposedly inspires. Jesus is too politically correct for this age. Christ he’d cop it today.
Boaz, I’ve been declared a left/greenie, does that mean I have to be baptised. Actually, I can imagine it. Boaz baptising Rancitas with the-The as witness. Scene one (in my brain). My mate: “Ohy. Ohy. I says f*cken ohy big fella.- don’t ya’ tink yud ba holdin Ranc’s noggin unda da holy stuff dar a we bit taa long. F*cken ten minutes f*ckin’ be a long a little while dar dunnit ya’ tink? For Christ sakes dun’t be killen ‘em he be direct decent to Hydra ya' know. One c*nt like Ranc ba’ enough - dun ya' ba' sayin' so. Dunnit ya’ ba tinken dat dar Boaz?” (Spar)

RANCITAS...and I thought Intense Phonetics on orientation course in Singapore 1977 was bad :) I just about had a coronary acclusion desiphering and pronouncing your new language there.....

I suspect both you and DALMA are projecting some preconceived idea of Christianity onto me...

DALMA.. re the Rack and Pinion, did you mean I would be OPERATING it or EXPERIENCING it ? I think you meant I'd be the operator while I'm inquisiting Rancitas and you....
Nah.. not my thing. I prefer something more like OLO :) both of you have a false understanding of Biblical Christianity. I suggest you both read say Mark's gospel or Luke and then Acts. and while ur at it, some of Paul would be good.

Try to avoid confusing Post Constantine 'official' Christianity and the Catholic beurocratic Behemoth with the life of a Christian and the style of 'church' in the New Testament.

Rancitas.. to be baptized, you would need to confess Christ as your Lord and Savior from your heart... and in His name, you would symbolically 'die' and 'rise' as u go down, and come up out of the water. I hope and pray that one day I will witness that joyful event.
Same for Dalma and all who as yet do not know Christ.

DALMA 'relevance' ? Not sure how you mean.. we are not out to be 'relevant' in any other way than as called to be light and salt.

If you think falling church numbers mean anything, perhaps you should research the Great Evangelical Awakening and note social religious conditions prior to that. http://www.newcreation.org.au/books/pdf/072_GreatAwakening.pdf

Elijah once said "Lord, I alone am left"
to which God replied "No, I have 7000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal"

Boaz: You just used the Bible to back up your prejudices. Doing a little projecting of your own there old-fella. (reflection)