I recently read a deeply upsetting story about a daughter who lost her mother after she became involved with a religious group, in my view a cult. The mother sought spiritual healing, joining a church that prohibited seeking medical care, a decision that later cost her life.

According to the church: "We recognise the Holy Spirit as our counsellor according to scripture, and each person in fellowship is at liberty to, and urged to seek God for advice and direction in all areas of their lives.... and the sick should be prayed for with the anointing of oil and laying on of hands, under the direction of the holy spirit."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-19/seeking-spiritual-healing-at-hosanna-excelsis/104704172

Her daughter, who had once been part of the same church, reflects on her loss every day. She left the church at 17, after experiencing how its rules constrained her life, relationships, friends, and limited personal freedoms.

What concerns me the most is the lack of accountability. Religious groups, whether cults or mainstream, operate without facing any consequences for the harm caused. If someone steals a loaf of bread, they are arrested and punished, but when a group’s harmful practices lead to a life being lost, there seems to be no reprimand.

I strongly support religious freedoms, but stories like this leave me heartbroken for the families. Their pain is permanent. I do also believe the problem here lies with society. It's partially our fault. We turn a blind eye to others’ struggles and difficulties and create an environment where vulnerable people seek solace in places that promise life improvement and salvation but ultimately lead to devastating consequences, with the real price paid by those who lose their life and those left behind.

Shouldn't religious people be less concerned about
the physical purity of their own bodies
and be more concerned
about self-sacrifice for the well being of others?

Religious people I thought first and foremost have
always not been concerned with political liberty
but in self-sacrifice for the well being of others.

Therefore depriving others of immunisations for
preventable diseases, and prohibiting medicinal
help and surgery - makes no sense. The law needs
to apply for the health and well-being of all.

Hi Nathan,

"I strongly support religious freedoms" We have had a recent discussion on this, but the statement must have limitation, would that still be correct if one said; "I support religious freedoms, to conduct human sacrifices", of course not. The dangerous side of religion is the control factor, and the use through interpretation of religious scripture to impose controls over people. Religious cults as we call them, do exactly that, control peoples lives through religious interpretation. The woman in your story allowed herself, for whatever reasons, probably rather pathetic ones, to be controlled by a religious cult, using their fundamentalist religious beliefs with disastrous effect.

A paradox of freedom and truth.

For example-

A problem of freedom is people are allowed to do stupid things.
A problem of truth is government are allowed to do stupid things.

Nathan,

There is no reason for you to be concerned about this sort of thing - unless you just want to tell everyone what a jolly nice fellow you are. There is nothing you can do about it; nothing your fellow moaners and groaners on this site can do about it; and it is none of your business.

Adults are entitled to live their lives the way they choose, and there has never been a shortage of cranks, religious and otherwise, like the woman you refer to.

Your liking for posting weird behaviour suggests that you should be attending to your own mental health. Most people would not take any notice of this sort of weird behaviour; they certainly would not think it was worth dwelling on it and rushing into print.

Perhaps you should avoid the ABC, as most other Australians do.

ttbn,

You are the number one thread starter, and the number one comment poster on this forum. Yet, you attack others as "wasting theirs and others time by posting on this forum" according to you, no ones listening, and no one is interested. What does that say about you!

As for your comment; "Your (Nathan) liking for posting weird behaviour suggests that you should be attending to your own mental health." I suggest the only person here with a mental health problem is the silly old octogenarian who constantly post far right diatribes.

Freedom of religion, the same as freedom of speech are
both subject to limitations as prescribed by law and
are necessary to protect public safety, order, health,
and the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

Few rights and freedoms are absolute.

And, that is as it should be. There are many cults, and
many beliefs. However, we do need to have laws that all
should be required to abide by. Especially in the case of
doing harm to others.

However, I'm not sure what the laws are regarding
certain issues. For example, regarding female genital
mutilation (FGM). Is it a religious belief or a
cultural one? I believe that FGM is illegal in
Australia - but this may change with people coming
into this country - from countries where this is
acceptable. Also what about male circumcision? This
is allowed.

Then there's a question of child brides? And the list goes on.

Controversy will be with us for some time yet. It all needs
to be worked on and laws passed in parliament at the federal
and state levels. Doctors may be conflicted on some of
these issues.

Conflict of ethnicities and cultures. Good fences make good neighbours - and everyone can do what they want.

And poor old NathanJ taking his emotional prompts from the ABC. Grow some maturity and think for yourself.

As a comparison to the ABC’s slant on life, reflect on the fact that total one sided view of religion invariably focuses on the evils of Christianity. This diatribe is just more evidence.

Reflect for a few seconds on the catastrophic evils of the mad and totally insane cult of Islam.
Why not instead, weep for the total waste and loss of life initiated by this cult which is now wiping out Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and other adherents of the madness of Islam world wide.

And as a little closer to home aside, New Orleans , where the Islamic “cult” following lunatics slaughtered fifteen ( at last count) innocent and uninvolved new years revellers.

It would be a great day in history if ever the cultish ABC was eliminated; that would be an event with many positives.

A problem of truth is government are allowed to do stupid things.
Posted by Canem Malum,

A veridical paradox of truth (and Government) viz: The more things change, the more things stay the same.

The problem of freedom:

In our Democracy, the challenge to freedom is exampled by the chorus of virtuosity beaming out 24/7 from the ABC, and the adherents to the cult that wish to impose its “ABC think” on the rest of us.

Great Job NathanJ.
I give you full merit points for raising this topic.

Until the world faces up the to uncomfortable issues it's never going to change and will remain in the hands of fools, like some advertising their foolishness on this thread.

The answer to all the shiddy religions, is 'ethics'.
Which can rise above dogma and doctrine.

Everyone has the right to live however they choose so long as they don't harm others.
If you harm others, then you should automatically expect criticism, because everyone has an obligation to themselves to defend against the harm caused by others.

It's not the narrow-minded 'ethics' that the woke progressives preach;
That's just another shiddy religion creating another set of shiddy problems.
Whack a mole. Try fixing one problem, create two more.

And it's not the flawed one-eyed 'ethics' that the religious themselves preach, (when they're turning a blind eye to genocide)
- Because if that was all it was stacked up to be, we wouldn't have the problems in the first place.

'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
'Whatever you do unto the least of thee, you do unto me'.

The rest may have limited value, except turning peoples minds into mashed potato or scrambled eggs.

Stop being neanderthals, grow up and think for yourselves.
Most people have a conscience, yet not all of them use it.

NathanJ,

Regardless of how societies have been structured and governed, religion has played a fundamental part.

When the Roman emperor, Theodosius, made christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire he was making a political decision not a religious one.

By giving a religious group authority and the ability to tax the population through the use of a tithe he could get on with governing the empire.

Religious laws were much more restrictive than secular laws so a large percentage of the population could be kept in check.

All religions are cults designed to control and tax the fragile and gullible

Did anyone watch Monty Python's "Life of Brian",
last night?

Nathan wrote: "The mother sought spiritual healing, joining a church that prohibited seeking medical care, a decision that later cost her life."

While not exactly false, its not exactly true either.

Did anyone read the actual article about the incident?

The women suffered depression and anxiety prior to joining the church. Clearly the meds she was getting weren't of much help otherwise she wouldn't have been seeking other solutions.

Her son died and she couldn't process it.

She suicided due to her grief and prior medical problems. Nothing to do with the church.

And now we have a daughter who, for many years, abandoned her mother and now seeks to assuage survivor's guilt by moving the guilt elsewhere without any evidence.

And the ABC, being the ABC, leaps at any chance to attack anything that looks even vaguely Christian.

Life of Brian...

I've watched it so many times I don't really need to any longer. I could probably do all parts from memory.

And its relevance to today?
(smile).

Dear Nathan,

Cults have very little to do with religion - cults are essentially a social phenomena.

Forming cults which restrict the behaviour of others, can happen in many settings, including in family/clan settings, in workplaces and among children.

People's animal nature and insecurities make them seek power, money and sex (in different order for different people).
Until one has overcome their animal nature and insecurities, it is OK to pursue the above using ethical means.

Some people, however, are willing to make unethical shortcuts in their pursuit, and one method is by forming cults.

Only because someone mentioned the word 'God' does not make what they do religious.

Religion takes us beyond our animal nature - hence there are no religious cults.

«What concerns me the most is the lack of accountability. Religious groups, whether cults or mainstream, operate without facing any consequences for the harm caused.»

What nonsense - nobody can escape the consequences of their actions. The law of karma operates without lapse.

«when a group’s harmful practices lead to a life being lost, there seems to be no reprimand.»

Yes, there SEEMS to be no reprimand. It only SEEMS so.

«stories like this leave me heartbroken for the families. Their pain is permanent.»

You seem to take it too personally.
People need to experience what they need, including pain.
What if, they were themselves a cult-leader in a previous life?
Won't you agree that they now need to experience how it feels on the receiving end?
No pain is permanent. Both pleasure and pain come and go, that is the very nature of life on earth.

«I do also believe the problem here lies with society.»

What you consider a "problem" is a natural behaviour.

Now if you have formed a society, you may want to limit animal behaviour within it, but do remember that this applies only within your society: you have no right to limit the behaviour of others who never willingly consented to belong to your society - and if you do so, then your own society is in fact a cult!

'Life Of Brian' replayed on SBS World Movies this arvo. The funniest move ever made. mhaze, which character do you most identify with?

To me the various religions can be viewed like I view people.
Some I like what they do and how they work for/with the local
community.
Some are isolationists, and try to isolate their members from others.
Some seem to be mad and have beliefs that are not good for their members.
However, we should not try too hard to dissuade them.
However when a religion gets to the point where they offer you the
choice of joining them, being a 2nd class citizen and paying a tax or
being put to death, then that is beyond any acceptance by anybody.
You know who I mean by that.
So far it does not seem to have reached that point here.
History shows that sooner or later it will be a factor.
Those that leave some of these radical religions are cut off from their
families & friends.
Those types of religions are marked by intolerance of other religions.
That seems to be a key marker of the worst religions.
A key to the best religions would be to accept the sinner as a flawed
person and through the offer of frendship guide him to peace.

mhaze (the first I'll reply to),

<<Did anyone read the actual article about the incident?>>

Well yes, I wouldn't post an article I didn't read.

<<The women suffered depression and anxiety prior to joining the church. Clearly the meds she was getting weren't of much help otherwise she wouldn't have been seeking other solutions.>>

There are several key aspects that need to be addressed. While it's true that the mother in question had pre-existing health issues, the fact remains that her decision to follow the church's teachings — was a significant factor here.

The crux of the issue lies in the fact that the church's doctrine prohibited medical intervention and with the treatment she was seeking at one stage she dropped out of and later took her own life. She actively avoided the medical care that might have alleviated her symptoms.

You also need to understand that medical care is not something that is addressed overnight. I have a medical condition that took seven years to address to the state I was sound health wise. It's not something you can afford to have affected by outside individuals. It needs to be between you and your specialist, not others with no medical expertise.

<<And now we have a daughter who, for many years, abandoned her mother and now seeks to assuage survivor's guilt by moving the guilt elsewhere without any evidence.>>

You are placing the blame on the victim. Any suggestion that the daughter is merely seeking to place guilt elsewhere is unfair. Plus, she was involved with the church for a long time. I think she knows what she's talking about.

There are real consequences of religious/cult dogma when it intersects with life and death decisions and the church/cult here must be responsible for their actions in this case.

As pointed out by me previously, you would get in more trouble for stealing something like a loaf of bread, milk or a can of coke. The responsibility level is not level and some people get away with too much!

There isn't the slightest suggestion that the women was forced to join or stay in the church. We're not talking Scientology here. The daughter, it appears, was able to walk away without any problems and the mother had the same option.

She decided to stay. She decided to abide by the tenets of the church to which she was devoted. Doing that may have contributed to deepening depression but there is no evidence for that other than the daughter's assertions.

Equally the death of the son and the abandonment by the daughter may have contributed to the depression and suicide. No one knows and no one will know. The daughter's mere assertion that it was the withdrawl of the meds isn't evidence although you and the ABC have decided otherwise.

BTW you say I'm victim blaming here. Apparently you think the daughter is the victim!! You should note that claiming victimhood isn't the same as being the victim. The victim is the mother. But a victim of what we'll never know.

Again, the women decided to stay in the church of her own volition. No force. No coercion. She had free will and used it. She;s allowed to do that in a free society.

" mhaze, which character do you most identify with?"

Well I'm certainly not the messiah but I am "a very naughty boy!".

But if I had to identify with one character it'd be Naughtius Maximus.

Lead me not into temptation ...

Oh hell, just follow me,
I know a shortcut!
(smile).

mhaze,

<<There isn't the slightest suggestion that the women was forced to join or stay in the church....>>

If someone is guided into a church or cult by an outside influence, it’s not voluntary. Without that external force, the woman and her daughter wouldn’t have joined.

The daughter was only 11 when her mother "took" her there. At that age, children follow their parents, especially mothers. Most don’t live independently until adulthood, and without other options, you aren’t going to just leave.

<<She decided to stay. She decided to.... and equally the death of the son..... may have....>>

Exactly. As someone who spent over seven years resolving a medical issue, I can’t stress enough how dangerous it is to rely on those who oppose medical care in favor of spiritual healing. It creates many uncertainties that could have been avoided here if the mother wasn't involved in a church/cult that rejects medicine.

<<BTW you say I'm victim blaming here. Apparently you think the daughter is the victim!! You should note that claiming victimhood isn't the same as being the victim. The victim is the mother....>>

The daughter lost her mother. She is sad. She may have left at 17, the circumstances would make anyone want to eventually leave when able to do so. "Love gifts" (money) and constant indoctrination will see someone eventually want to leave when they can, but it doesn't mean they don't care about a mother.

<<Again, the women decided to stay in the church of her own volition. No force. No coercion......>>

The mother was not in a position to make sound decisions and cults/churches/mosques with extreme views don’t provide a space for no force etc.

<<She had free will and used it. She's allowed to do that in a free society.>>

However, freedom isn’t there with a medical condition. I know having one. In Australia, we aren’t living in a free society dominated by controlling entities, like big pharma and chemists that dominate and overcharge. I know taking seven medications a day!

Maybe mhaze sees "spiritual healing" as the panacea for all the ills that befalls mankind, after all he is a member (Trumpster) of the Dangerous Doctor Donald Cult. I can only assume when DDD said; "Drink disinfectant it will cure your Covid." The Trumpster rushed out to got himself a bottle of 'Pine-O-Clean', but having a child proof cap, his life was saved!

These are the type of nut jobs a cultist like mhaze would support;

"Members of a Toowoomba religious group are due to go on trial over the death of an eight-year-old with diabetes who was allegedly denied insulin for days.
Elizabeth Struhs died on 7 January 2022 after a religious group known as the Saints allegedly prayed to God to cure her type 1 diabetes, rather than giving her insulin.
Her parents, Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs and Jason Richard Struhs, are among 14 people who will stand trial at the Queensland supreme court."

Paul wrote: DDD said; "Drink disinfectant it will cure your Covid."

Well you put that in quotes but he didn't say that or anything like it, You just fabricated it out of think air. But I guess if the real world doesn't match your fantasies then making sh!t up is your only option. And Paul certainly doesn't live in the real world.

Just to clarify... I wasn't supporting the church, just supporting the rights of the women to choose her own path, make her own decisions. Personal freedom... something else that poor old Paul doesn't understand, and, given his Marxist background, most certainly doesn't support.

Lord knows what Nathan's daily tablet tally has to do with a madwoman joining a cult instead of taking 7 tablets a day like Nathan does, and then dying. There are some truly weird people hanging around OLO.

There are people here who accuse the other side of
exactly what they are doing. They do so
because they think the accusations
created benefits the
advancement of their cause. We see this tactic
especially with certain political groups
that are working hard behind the scenes.

Accusations abound on this forum from certain
contributors over and over again - singing
from the same song-book and using the same old outmoded
tactics.

Will this change in the New Year?

Lets wait and see.

Hardly likely with an election just around the corner.

All rather cryptic, Foxy.

What I find most disconcerting is that some think that merely asserting that evidence for their views exists if only someone else will go and find it, and then pretend that that is the same as actual evidence. Its a type of thinking I've not really come across in all my years here and many other discussion groups.

But it makes life simple. No need to actual look for the data or even worse look AT the data. Simply exclaim that the data must exist somewhere to prove a point and then proceed as though the point is proven.

I hope that type of moronic thinking disappears this year since its a road to nowhere.

mhaze,

And yet despite the look on my face,
you're still posting.

On Cults: read the Wikipedia item on Jonestown to get an idea of how it affected different followers. Some pleaded with Leo Ryan to help them get out,others were delegated to follow him back to the plane and murder him. Jones was feted by President and Mre Carter - not their fault. Now look at footage of young people screaming in fear at the return of Trump. Then there's the ABC. The mind boggles.( Whatever I read and write here gets constantly covered with full page ad's )

Hi festus,

Our young grand niece become involved with a very well known mob in Sydney, who exploit religion as a profit making business in the quasi American evangelical style (its a fundo cult), you may recall Morrison involves himself in such shenanigan's (sometimes referred to as the "Happy Clappers"). The niece was given over to an older male "confidant", when the opportunity arose the "confidant" tried to have it off with her. Complaint to the "Church" seen niece on the outer, and the "confidant" forgiven for any slight transgression. Well that ended that!

Some are predicting April for the election. Make sure you organise to take leave at this time (or prior) to hand out election materials for your favorite Traditionalist cause.

I notice that the Family First Party does quite well in certain places- not sure of what their policies and history are, but a brief look indicates I wouldn't agree with them. However they like to attack the Greens, which is creditable. A bit of a dark horse.

Paul wrote: DDD said; "Drink disinfectant it will cure your Covid."

There are those that want to discredit others as cults in order to stop the public listening to them... I read as widely as possible in order to get a good cross section of information. I actively seek out discredited information because someone doesn't want it to be heard....

Sometimes I agree that it should be discredited, usually not... in either case I want to be the one to make the decision to censor the information or not.

Trump never promoted drinking disinfectant, as I understand, despite what Woke/ Marxist's would have us believe. Trump said that if simple common disinfectant is able to kill Covid external to the body (in vitro) then there must be some simple common way to kill it in the body (in vivo).

http://www.cnbctv18.com/healthcare/covid-19-treatment-update-here-is-a-list-of-all-drugs-used-in-india-their-pros-and-cons-6322301.htm

Ivermectin-

http://www.nature.com/articles/s41429-021-00491-6

With a New Year and an election ahead of us it is
about time that we should recognise that today
Australia is a diverse and multicultural nation
with a rich heritage. Many Australians feel a
sense of pride in the country's achievements and
its unique itdntity.

It's important to recognise that Australia's history
is a complex tapestry of different experiences and
perspectives.

Before we choose to vote we need to make sure that
who we choose to vote for is a registered political
party. For example the Family First party in Victoria
is deregistered after a review by the Victorian
Electoral Commission. It failed to meet the statutory
requirement to prove that it has at least 500 eligible
members on the Victorian register of electors.

It cannot register as a political party until after the
next state election in 2026.

Kudos Kid,

The Family First Party seems to be made up of bigots, zealots and racists, so what have you got against them? Around here in the Qld State election recently the FFP ran last of 6 with 1.5% of first preferences.

"It [Family First party in Victoria] cannot register as a political party until after the next state election in 2026."

They were re-registered on 25 November 2024.

Sigh!

This is their party platform.... Not exactly 'Mein Kampf'.

http://www.familyfirstparty.org.au/policies

Trumpster,

Those Family Firsty mob seems you kinda guys, they're all about sex, drugs and rock n' roll. Funny one, the FFP candidate around our way was all for the family, married himself, but caught out chasing a local chick. Maybe that's why he scored 1.5% of the popular vote, not too popular being such a hypo as we discovered.

Paul and ttbn,

As you put some comments down that were similar/had links I'll comment here.

Firstly, if one joins or becomes part of anything it should (in principle) be done on the grounds of full consent and knowledge of what you are getting yourself into.

So, for example if someone crosses a street or road, in most cases a person will know the risks, like being hit by a car for example. Please note, not all will know the risks, but in principle most will and being hit by a car is accepted by most as part of life, unfortunate but it will happen.

Where someone is not in a position to fully consent, then the situation is different. So, ttbn when I refer to people on medication (like me) or say someone with a mental health issue, we are not always in a position to make a decision based on voluntary action and full consent and as a result, other parties involved must take some of the responsibility, not all of it, but certainly some as they have the power and control and we don't.

So, for example if I don't take my medication I face dying and loss of life and the entities providing the alternative have some sort of obligation to ensure what they offer is to a reasonable level safe.

That is the same with a church/cult and the women in this case who had a mental illness. They can't just preach what they want and then when things don't turn out right, just walk away like it is all nothing.

For those though who sign up, no issues, no previous things with their life etc. and they have a reasonable understanding of the issues involved with the church/cult, that's part of life, free choice, a life decision of their own. No real issues from me there as a supporter of religious freedoms.

Posted by mhaze-

"It [Family First party in Victoria] cannot register as a political party until after the next state election in 2026."
They were re-registered on 25 November 2024.
Sigh! This is their party platform.... Not exactly 'Mein Kampf'.
http://www.familyfirstparty.org.au/policies

A- Thanks mhaze for the link and for the updated information on their party status, at least in Victoria. The smaller parties fall in and out of party status all the time. All it means is the candidate stands as an independent. It makes it a bit harder to get the votes because independents don't appear above the line, and the public usually just votes for a party. We get the politician's we deserve.

Most of Family First's platform is pretty reasonable, but I was concerned at their position on reducing immigration not being strong enough.

For me this is the number one issue.

If we can give control of Australia back to the Australian's, rather than telling them what they should want, then our future can't help but look great.

Rather than taking other cultures stuff, you create your own stuff, is a better way to be happy.

Hi Nathan,

Religion, and religious cults offer a very appealing and easy way to solve ones complex problems of life. For many they offer security through "family", a sense of belonging, trust, companionship etc. These groups tend to draw others in over time with a very appealing message, its not until a person is deeper into the group that their life is taken over and can become totally under the direction of the cult leader(s). One thing they will do is cut a follower off from other (bad) influences, family, friends etc, pushing a belief that purity of life can only be achieved through them, and anything else is the work of "Satin".

Our grand niece who I spoke of earlier, joined this large religious mob at a time when her life was unravelling through a broken personal relationship, her life was in turmoil, these people offered an alternative that was most appealing. She broke away from family and become possessed by this group. It was not until she reached out to Aunty (my wife) for help that she was able to realign her life, and get back on track. We were convinced that if she had gone on that she would have been a candidate for suicide, or at the least self harm in some way. GN is no dummy, she runs her own business now, she's always been bright and has tremendous abilities. I don't think she way gullible, or failed in anyway, her circumstance at the time was what drove her in that direction, and I can understand that.

Multiculturalism is a central characteristic of a
shared Australian identity alongside Australia's
First Nations traditions and its British institutions.

Our national identity continues to grow from
pre-settlement today and into the future. Migration is
fundamental to the Australian story. It supports our
economic success and drives the increasing diversity of
our society.

Successive waves of migration have shaped and influenced
the development of a rich and multicultural society.

Dear Nathan,

I replied to your opening post last Friday.

You decided to reply to Mhaze first «mhaze (the first I'll reply to)"» and so I waited patiently for your response.

Meanwhile the rest of the stuff that flies here on this thread is of no interest for me, yet I am forced to follow it and be alerted when people post, in case your response is coming.

You don't need to respond to me, but I do not need to continue wasting my time here either, so if you do not write back to me today then I will assume that you are not interested and quit this thread as I do have better things to do in life. Thanks.

My previous post was taken from the following link:

http://homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/multicultural-framework-review/about-the-multicultural-framework-review#:

It's worth a read.

It's the most authoritarian of impulses.... everyone has freedom of religion, so long as they chose a religion I approve of.

Talking about impulses?

I smile because I'm a poster on this forum.
I laugh because there's nothing you can do about it!

mhaze,

Now to be serious.

I can tell by your sarcasm and at times by your rude
comments - that we really should be best friends.

"I laugh because there's nothing you can do about it!"

Why would I want to do anything about it? After all, anyone who can write with such authority and surety about things like Family First's electoral status, while being, at the same time, utterly wrong, is a valued member of the group... not least for their comedic value.

mhaze,

You certainly appear to have a quirky sense of humour.
As we can see by your support of a US President-Elect.
A practical joke who got out of hand.

'Nuff said.

Kudos mhaze. It's hard to be polite, when people take liberties as Foxy seems to do.

As Hawke apparently said in his memoirs, the uni-party conspired so that no one debated immigration with the Australian people, they just forced high immigration through. The ancestors of the people after the White Australia policy was closed by force, never accepted the massive immigration policy, and still don't today.

The Commonwealth was built on the principle of mutual benefit of ethnic cultures, this doesn't work if one of the ethnic cultures is destroyed.

Kudos Kid,

Like so many from the extreme right, you have a thing about ethnicity, as well as Marxism. Question, are all ethnics Marxists, or are all Marxists ethnics? Just in round figures how many of each are in this world, 8 billion? BTW, what neck of the woods do you hang out in? I don't think it's Australia! Oh dear, a folk hero of yours kicked the bucket, the French Nazi Jean-Marie Le Pen.

"A practical joke who got out of hand."

Foxy, just because you don't understand MAGA, doesn't make it a joke. It just means you need to do more research to try to understand why its changing the world.

Foxy doing more research....now that's funny.

Paul1405 seems to be implying that I am a racist. Strange because I think he is the racist. Most people just want to live in peace in their culture- if that's what Paul1405 wants to call racist, then too bad.

Marxist's on the other hand want to destroy all cultures and ethnicities world wide- and replace it in an act of genocidal engineering- this is hyper-racism in my view.

Paul1405 has to be looking forward to one of his favorite genocidal Marxist's such as mass murderer of 60 million "Mao" or "Trotsky" who was more Marxist than Stalin.

Maybe Paul1405 is one of the Chinese security risks that ASIO Chief Mike Burgess is so concerned about. Maybe Paul1405's mate is one of the guys that is taking pot shots at our assets visiting Japan in the Pacific. It must be hard for Burgess to do his job in the environment of 'Maoist Ambiguity' seemingly typical in the Labor Party

Dear Paul,

Imagine how boring this forum would be without us?

mhaze,

You provoke me until I react and then you get kudos.
I'm so jealous.

Hi Yuyutsu,

I haven’t responded to yourself or Armchair Critic yet, but I will do so with both as soon as possible, yourself first. As for your comment, I do empathise if you feel others' comments were prioritised over yours - it was random, not intentional.

There is reason though for this being the case and my approach being different to others here. I'll probably go over my word limit, so please be patient in that regard.

Regarding myself, I’ve volunteered with a volunteer run social support organisation for over 10 years, helping people in various life and challenging situations. My time is limited to certain things, and I have to decide what is more meaningful - to assist people in real life or engage on this site, which in recent times is seeing subject content put out by the same few.

Being directly involved in social support I care deeply for other people and have a responsibility in my volunteer work to providing help without being invasive or overstepping the mark. Some may not fully grasp or understand this, as they lack experience in social support and where to draw the line.

So a story like this one, where those setting the agenda follow a strict dogma, don't always or won't take these things and other principles into account. Responsibility is key, and it applies to both those offering help and those receiving it, even if they don’t always admit fault, which is often the case.

In terms of my contributions here, they often don’t fully reflect my views due to word limitations and the need to simplify my language to provide broader understanding to others. It's not the best approach and somewhat anti-intellectual (which I oppose), but I feel there needs to be a balance. I see this site as more for general discussion more than anything else.

Yuyutsu (continued),

My perspective on responsibility is shaped by attending a strict, conservative religious school and having conservative parents. As a result I try to encourage younger and other people to be independent, free from dogmatic systems, which still persist in many religious and other institutions today, with my opinion piece here one that could be easily applied to institutions across the board in terms of responsibility.

As pointed out by me to others here, to those who don't have as much power as others (like the person in the article) and people like myself on seven medications a day, we have to make tough choices and work around things we don't want or like and are pushed into corners and have to make tough decisions every day. Our freedoms are limited. We do though push on and try to be good examples to others.

It's not always easy and we need people at the other end to see things from the perspective of the individual. They shouldn't lump us into one mass or basket or think a one size fits all approach works. It won't resonate with institutions, including government, schools or religious ones, but we need some people to speak out against the continued damage from these controlling bodies.

I will continue my social work as a volunteer when so many others don't, only think about themselves or a what do I get from it approach.

So, a story like this one resonates deeply with me. I spoke to one woman one day who said no-one ever talks to her and I was the first. I certainly do not worry about those I assist though as my system won't allow it, it would also be detrimental to my personal health and I feel people at the other end I assist wouldn't like it either.

Dear Nathan,

No doubt, assisting people in real life is by far superior to engaging on the internet.

Thank you for your response, I will be patient.