Dear BD,

The mission of Jesus was to announce that the Kingdom of God was coming, and that it had begun to arrive even as He announced it. He did this both in words and in actions, by His miracles and His teaching.

By the "Kingdom of God," Jesus meant a new state of affairs on earth, which God would bring about. In it all people would live as God's children.

If Jesus was to cast a vote today He would very definitely vote for a government that had moral standards of equality, responsibility, and care for the weak...

If I've stepped on your toes with my views - well, our convictions are just that - ours. You may not agree with them, but I'm entitled to express them - just as you feel entitled to express yours.

As I've stated once before - I've been given a conscience for a reason.

Foxy

You said 'If Jesus was to cast a vote today He would very definitely vote for a government that had moral standards of equality, responsibility, and care for the weak..."

Whose standards do you think the elected government should base its policies on? The Greens, the Democrates? Do you think Jesus would vote for a secular government which He knows will legislate policies against His standards which He has set out for people to follow? Do you think He will vote for a government which He knows will try to eliminate His name and influence from the country?

God has given us the system of being governed by a government, as to what kind of a government we choose to elect is up to us. That's why we need to use our brain to discern what's really behind the political parties slogan.

David thankyou for clarifying who we should vote for, re the U Tube message. Your inspiration comes from someone yelling adjectives at you in a bombardment that rises with a crescendo of even more superlatives. My inspiration is a lot quieter and thoughtful. I'm inspired by the beauty of learning all one can about how this beautiful world works. I have watched a small hornet take spiders into its nest to feed its evolving young. It was an epiphany for me to observe this wonder. When I vote I will vote for a person, not a 'Captain of Conquerers', or the 'Head of Heroes', or the 'Prince of Princes', but a person who can hopefully influence a new way of life and respect for Australian people. One day I hope I will be voting for a woman! Regards D

Foxy,

The Concept of The Kingdom of God breaks done to the limitations familialism and extends it the all Humankind on Earth. He also seems to breaks with Rites. Religion side, I would see him a secular humanist with penchant for small government. A left-wing libertarian?
I suspect if he was not an Essene, he broke with the Pharisees on there focus on the Law. Herein, the Law could relate most narrowly to Jewish rites. The broader concept of sin for all wrongdoing a later embellishment of the Church.

To bridge what could have been local Jewish [Faith] based rites to gloal jurisprudence is a tough call. He would have been more concerned about community than economic rationalism, I suspect. Maybe, something the Amish?

I firmly believe that people of diverse nations and faiths ought to be able to live in harmony. However,the gap between what ought to be and what actually is has been a recurring source of drama throughout human existence. The pursuit of peace will always be uphill.

And yet, I cannot accept the view that because our characters are flawed there is nothing we can do to improve the human condition.
Our inherent shortcomings notwithstanding, we can still hope to create a better future. And we know that the right kind of leadership
can do much to prevent wars, rebuild devastated societies, expand freedom, and assist the poor.

According to the poem by Yeats, it is when the best lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity that things fall apart, the center cannot hold, and anarchy is loosed upon the world.

We live in a time when the worst are indeed full of passionate intensity. The question is whether the rest of us have the courage of our convictions and the wisdom to make the right choices.

Wisdom comes from learning, which comes from education. The heart of education is the search for truth. But there are many kinds of truth.

If Jesus was to vote ... He would do so according to his gospel that demands "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." He would ensure that the strong did not oppress the weak. He would ensure that the government he chose would do good to man.

Who we chose - is up to us. But we have been given a conscience for a reason.

Jesus would love - The Greens.