What really bothers me about this article is how the author acknowledges Rudd is going for the social justice side of Christianity, then blasts him for not going far enough.

Small steps. He's a politician. I'm quite happy with what he's come out and said. It's an outline of his stance, and he's said that yeah, he's a christian, but there are more important issues facing christianity than gay people and abortions.
Those issues win votes in the religious right, but quite frankly, the rest of the nation wonders why they spend so much time on these issues, when compared to things like the crisis in Darfur - things we can all agree need a fix.

I think Kevin Rudd is a total opportunist.

Rudd is simply playing in the sandpit devised by John Howard. The intersection of politics and religion continues apace in our society, and it seems that more and more, politicians have to "stand" for certain "values" if they are to ever advance their career. The days of rogues and free thinkers are gone. Now while i don't think "values" masquerading as/dressed up as a sudden religious commitment is a bad thing, I DO think that kevin-come-latelies how find their religion, and sing it from the rooftops, while in politics is a bad thing, and it devalues the ideal of an ethical contribution to public life. There is a good essay floating around on this topic here: http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=1828

A former member of the ALP - I don't think one could find someone more mystified with its choice of candidates for preselection. Kevin, is just one example. I am a leftie admittedly, and Rudd is well and truly in the Old Guard (Right) faction - he is still a little mystifying to me as being one the favourites even amongst the Young Beaz Knees.

YEp, Greens DO look more wonderful all the time. At least Rudd is not a pro lifer. Though without a reproductive rights stance in the ALP there are those good ol'labor christians who are: Burke, Hayes, Murphy...Its time Labor got rid of a lot of familiar faces. Beazley, Swann, Rudd, Burke....we could all go on and on.

Kevin Rudd has grown in my estimation, his latest contribution makes me suspect he may have genuine leadership ability.

He displays a clear appreciation of the dangers posed by conservative forces, who have unscruplessly hijacked religious sentiment for short term political ends. More importantly, Rudd identifies the antidote to these forces; He sees the conservative fixation with personal morality at the expense of social responsibility. The christian right has no interest in social reponsibility, they're to busy obsessing over our sleeping arrangements.

I don't believe the greater secular christian majority will suddenly become active in politics. I don't believe Rudd expects that to be necessary. Rudd is simply arming us with the necessary counter spell to break the conservative wand.

Thanks

Gadget, I have to challenge your city/country dichotomy, as an Australian who like 90 % of us mostly lives in a city (although I work in the country and spend a fair amount of my free time there too).

E. Annie Proulx’s story (as she has made clear in numerous interviews) was based on her observations and insights as a country person in the American west when she was living there. It was not some kind of urban fantasy. Whatever weaknesses there are in “Brokeback Mountain” as a piece of art or as an analysis of masculinity or sexual politics, the city/country thing is a bit naff.

In my experience country people can sometimes be a bit shocked initially by the unfamiliar, but once they get to know you they’re more ready, if anything, to look beyond the superficial identifiers of race, religion, ethnicity and sexual preference than city people. Maybe I’m overgeneralising here, but then that’s what people do, isn’t it?

As for the homoerotic Jesus, I’m inclined to roll my eyes a bit here too: but people have always created their gods in their own image. The Jesus that comes down to us through the Christian religion is a complex mix of myth, legend, history and pseudohistory, as well as philosophy, moral teaching and ideals for living. As a secular humanist I find a great deal to respect in the teachings attributed to Jesus. But as to his sexuality or even his beliefs about sexuality I reckon there’s a little bit of projection going on here.

The Jesus I'm familiar with through the gospels was mostly concerned with social justice, and in a pretty radical way. I don't find that at odds at all with Rudd's version of Christianity, particularly when you contrast it with other versions of Christianity that seem to be prevalent currently.