"Most Australians live in the cities on the east
coast, where contact between black and white
occurred as much as 200 years earlier than on the
West Coast - and where 95 per cent of Australians
are able to live 95 per cent of their lives
without ever seeing an Aboriginal face."
(Phillip Noyce).

Paul,

By the same foggy green logic you use, I can only assume that you are a gay aboriginal refugee.

While I have been scathing in the past with respect to the "celibacy' requirements and the secrecy that I believe enabled much of the child abuse, I also recognize that the Catholic Church contributed more than everyone else together in providing schooling and community support, and thus were more exposed to these outcomes, which leaves me puzzles as to the causes of your over the top hatred of all things Catholic.

Foxy,

You just said "You see things one
way, others see them differently. Kindly do not
read into my posts what isn't there or make assumptions
about me what you think I am saying.
Read what I actually have said.
Anything else - is not relevant."

What you had previously said was ""Of course there's also the fact that some Australians believe that they are not responsible for the past...."

No one can in any way be responsible for something that was done before they were born; they may be sorry that it happened, they may even, in their ignorance, believe that they are responsible but they are not and cannot be.

"responsible
adjective
1.
having an obligation to do something, or having control over or care for someone, as part of one's job or role.
"the cabinet minister responsible for Education"
....
2.
being the primary cause of something and so able to be blamed or credited for it...." (from Google).

Hope that this eases your confusion.

Dear Shadow Minister,

Catholicism has remarkable staying power,
an ability to survive unmatched by any
contemporary institution. It's been around
for a very long time and it has survived I
suspect because it is adaptable and able to
change. This doesn't mean of course that
parts of it won't wither and die, or that it
won't make mistakes. However, if it wants
to survive it requires genuine local leadership and
a willing ness to confront both the difficulties and
the opportunities that it now faces.

You're right about Catholicism in action. The work
that Vinnie's does is commendable, as is the work
of Father Chris Riley who founded and developed -
YOTS (Youth Off The Streets) in Sydney. They
represent Catholicism at its best.

Paul can speak for himself of course, however, I
don't think that Paul hates Catholicism. I think he's
critical of what some do in it's name. What some have
done in the name of religion, projecting their neuroses,
even perpetrating evil deserves criticism and a demand
for changes to be made.

Dear Is Mise,

I am not confused.
On the contrary, I am quite sure of my beliefs.

What I find puzzling is why are you so
hellbent on wanting to impose your
views onto me. I've made it clear that you're
entitled to your views, and I have no wish in
trying to change them.

I would appreciate it if you would return to me
the same courtesy.

I get the fact that you do not feel any guilt
about the past treatment of our Indigenous people.
That is your choice.

My views are different to yours.
They have changed since I began exploring the
past, and learned about the history of Indigenous-settler
relations.

Anyway, the past for me weighs heavily on the present
and I know that it will continue to perplex me
for many years to come.

Now back to the topic of this discussion...

Something that is very easy to observe is when people from varying backgrounds arrive in Australia are then forced to live in the regions for work opportunities. Many of them have been taught 'group think'on Indigeneous issues. Then they get some first hand experience and they can't believe what they see and the lies they have been told.

I remember one day a man doing the usual cultural beating of his woman. A concerned bystander called the cops. When the cops arrived the man and woman turn on the cops. Oh but it was the cops fault.