Foxy chortles that it is a PR agent's marketing stunt - for a fading celebrity - and he will gain $$ from it.

Tacky.

In that case a smarter PR move might have been to line up 'Thorpie' up for a claimed affair with that other fading wannba-be celeb, the "Where the bloody hell are you" woman. She was already taken? OK there is always that Brit slapper, now that the also-faded celeb bowler has upped his stumps.

Amazing how Thorpe's sad life-long depression, well covered in the interview, has gained such sparse attention. Gay is PC and has set off the usual headline hunters, but chronic depression is forever on the outer unfortunately.

Thank you all for your contributions.

Dear Poirot,

I had read it thank you and one of the most telling concessions for me was this;

“Never before have we had such an open access, such as open to door. Christians from other countries envy our opportunities, they can't believe we have this situation.”

Dear Josephus,

My obvious point is that school yard homophobia being confirmation, reinforced and made more acceptable by religious dogma and prejudice from a so called 'authority' within the school should be utterly unacceptable in our state schools.

Dear Suseonline,

Special Religious Instructors are volunteers with very little training and should be regarded in a different light to the chaplaincy program. That is not to say I don't have issues with both especially after Abbott has taken away funding for secular counselors.

Dear Foxy,

I too hope for that day but it will not come without struggle and vigilance. Hopefully the dramatic drop in numbers taking SRI classes is a sign that assaults on our secularism are being diffused.

The conversation with my SRI instructor relations was interesting. The 'we are being persecuted' line was trotted out as was 'the gays are everywhere now'. But it was in touting 'while we regard gays as sinners we still love them' that things got interesting.

The discussion turned to the story of Jesus and the woman about to be stoned for adultery. This was raised as a call from Jesus to be merciful and to attempt to save the sinner. I said they were entirely missing the message. To me Jesus stared down a bigoted mob, pricked their righteousness, had them drop their stones and sent them home. The cartoon book from Access Ministries at the Torquay State School was one such stone, hopefully now to never threaten our state school children again.

I would like to think higher of Thorpe, that after hounding by the 'outers' of celebrities' private lives, (particularly assumed gay lives and gay activists have been cruel and relentless in that), that Thorpe has tried to clear the decks to get on with his recovery and life.

I would much rather the truth was told: the story of this young man's courageous fight against the Black Dog, which is so misunderstood and even negatively stereotyped (largely thanks to the tabloid media) that sufferers do not know who to turn to for help and when they do, they find so little there to help.

I would not say that the pursuit of Thorpe's 'outing' by gay activists would have helped his depression and it could have ended dreadfully.

Onya, Thorpie and I hope there is some ambassadorial work you might do on behalf of depression sufferers. That is if only the gay activists and headline hunting politicians can stay out of your face and not convert it all into their secondary gain.

REDXT~UBSURDUMB..<<..But it was in touting 'while we regard gays as sinners we still love them' that things got interesting.
..The discussion turned to the story of Jesus and the woman about to be stoned for adultery. This was raised as a call from Jesus to be merciful and to attempt to save the sinner.>>

OH DEAR ANOTHER GODLESS HEATHEN SAYINGWHAT JESUS SAID
BUT PLEASE INFORM THE IGNORANT HE SAID [HE SPAKE]..NOT ONE WORD[HE DREW IN THE DIRST

THIS IS WHAT HE WROTE
'THOU..SHALT..NOT/Murder*

he didnt need say a thing
just wROTE THE LAW IN THE DIRT

HEATHEN
DONT TELL JUNK YA GOT WRTOng[ya nong]

IF ITS OF GOPD ITS GOOD GRACE MERCY
ANYTHing else is of his creation/BUT I FORGET/THIS WAS THE ATHEOST THOrPIES TORPEDO in his speedo thread

<<>

<<. I said they were entirely missing the message. To me Jesus stared down a bigoted mob, pricked their righteousness, had them drop their stones and sent them home.>>

LOLADMITTEDLY HE DOTH QUOTE A SOURCE ..YOUR HUM0UR*

<<...The cartoon book from Access Ministries at the Torquay State School was one such stone, hopefully now to never threaten our state school children again.*>>

YES HE FILLED THYNE MIND WITH CCCCC RAP.
[pap with a crrr...and a sharp fairy-slap~]

take that back

Lester1,>>"come out" on TV in a big interview, then collect the $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $. He knows how to work the system well. <<

With that envy driven comment you infer that Thorpies lifestyle is a lottery win of some description Lester old bean.

He spent two decades of his life getting up before the sun rose and then trained for hours and hours and hours.....he also payed for his status by forfeiting his opportunity “be a teen.”

If he had not won and gained a “status” no one would pay him a cracker for his efforts.....yeah your a bit tough on him Lester.

Re you faggoty bible quotes....it is not a lifestyle choice...it’s a gift from your god who has given the faggots a montain thrice as steep as ours to climb. Could anyone image the point in maturity where you realise you are homosexual...immediately you have become a member of a minority group persecuted as extensively as the Jews have been.

You got no clue sport...no offense.

Lift the sights guys. The elephant in the room is Ian Thorpe's struggle with depression.

"Ian Thorpe
November 22, 2012 ·
Depression is a strange and confusing thing. You may think you have it you may think you don’t. The truth is we are all susceptible to the hormonal imbalances that cause it; just on differing scales and in differing severity. I took the painful leap to open up in my book and tell some of my most difficult secrets. Why? Because I want to show that this condition is commonplace and quite often hidden from friends and family. Don’t hide it. Communicate with others, whether that is a doctor, a friend or a family member; ideally all three. Believe it is ok. You are completely normal, don’t think you are not. The whole world is waiting out there for you to have a great and fulfilling life, don’t let this manageable and beatable “thing” hold you back. Reach out and you will be a stronger and better person for it."
https://www.facebook.com/IanThorpeOfficial/posts/389255164487795

It is shameful that Ian Thorpe's interview is being converted into publicity and secondary gain for headline-hunting gay pride activists and shabby political point scoring.

I thought I had a handle on what depression was until it evidenced in someone close to me.

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/depression/signs-and-symptoms