The Castle (here’s a snippet) is the greatest film ever made. It was brilliantly parodied this week at the Moore College Revue 2010. Check out The Castle on King:
My highlight is Keith Condie ‘just passing on a message’…
Refugee Mythbusting Animation
I disagree with both major political parties regarding refugees and asylum seekers. Many Australians probably selfishly agree. Here is a short animation from GetUp Australia attempting to discard with popular myths surrounding asylum seekers.
What do you think? What would you do?
Australia: The Selfish Country
Australia is about to vote for a new Prime Minister. When it comes to campaigning, both Captain Underpants and The Ranga (and their respective parties) pander to the selfish vote. We want more stuff, less tax, more money, less inconvenient boat people, more comfort, less travel time. It’s all about me. Show me that you’ll maximize good stuff for me and minimize bad stuff for me… And you’ve got my vote!
Maybe it’s time to stop and think about someone other than me! I need to.
Hey politician, tell me what you’re going to do to:
- make the world a better place
- help alleviate world hunger & poverty
- fight for the rights of the unborn
- put an end to the trafficking of girls as sex slaves
- give Indigenous Aussies the same opportunities as Anglo Aussies
- stop the state government preying on the weak & vulnerable addicted to poker machines
I was really glad to see the way that the Micah Challenge crew have been asking politicians (from both sides) to “ask the poverty question”. Good stuff. Looks like it has been effective too.
Arguing About Politics – Tim Keller Sermon
Check out this great sermon on Mark 12:13-17 from Tim Keller. Here’s the description: The Pharisees pose a controversial question to Jesus when they ask him if they should pay taxes. Jesus responds with a revolutionary answer: He refuses political complacency, political simplicity, and political primacy. Jesus then models a revolutionary idea, showing his followers that the way to gain power is to give it away. Get your politics on!
It’s from a whole bunch of free sermons at the Redeemer Presbyterian website. You can also subscribe to all of these sermons via iTunes podcast.
Arguing About Politics MP3 – Tim Keller (right-click to download)
Do Christians need a Christian prime minister?
Some Christians say some dumb stuff when it comes to politics. In this article Greg Clarke (from Centre for Public Christianity) shows that he is NOT one of them! There has been a very small kerfuffle regarding whether Julia Gillard’s atheism means that she’s unsuitable to be Australia’s Prime Minister. Clarke’s article is worth reading.
Here’s a snippet:
Nowhere in the New Testament is there any concept that a Christian ‘prophet’ might be given word from God on who should govern the land. The arrival of Jesus changes all of that theocratic language, and the role of ‘prophecy’ changes: it becomes a call to recognise the authority of Jesus, and to follow his teachings and his call to turn back to God.
The New Testament famously calls on Christians to “be subject to the governing authorities” (in Romans 13:1) but it certainly does not say, “go and appoint the governing authorities yourself”. In fact, it says quite the opposite. The very next verse suggests that if you resist an authority, you are in fact resisting God, because God is in control ultimately of who leads and who doesn’t.
FIFA World Cup Review Show with Jeff Vuvuzela
I said here that I’d do a FIFA World Cup 2010 wrap. Here it is. Will Ferrell plays the role of Jeff Vuvuzela, the inventor of the Vuvuzela. No violence. No language. No nudity. But part of it is slightly crude. If you’re under 15, check with your parents.
When we went to the Sydney FC vs Everton match the other night they were confiscating Vuvuzelas from people on their way in. I’ve also heard they are being banned at lots of English Premier League clubs. Good decision!
See you in four years time World Cup!!
Maradona is not God
Argentina struggled to qualify for the World Cup, they’ve now been dominating each of their games. During qualification, the impression I got about Maradona (their coach and one of the greatest players, like ever!) was one of a has-been-crack-pot incapable of doing much with the team! But, so far so good. One of the fascinating things to observe is how much the people and players of Argentina treat him like god. Literally. Here’s a crazy throng of photographers snapping him singing the national anthem!
Check out a whole bunch of brilliant photos from boston.com.
If you don’t know the true and living God… check this out.