Click the thumbnail above for the bigger picture. From http://thepaincomics.com/weekly050504a.htm
This artist hits the nail on the head.... the differences between the real Jesus (that of the Bible) and he so-called Jeezus (As spelt as it is said with a southern American drawl) is evident, no matter what you believe!! Certainly I believe in the Jesus who taught us to Love each other and not this "All-American Super Jeezus" which has captured the minds of the Conservative Right in the states... God Bless America - because no one else will!
From the Mail and Guardian Online
Sports minister says 'quotas are out'
Cape Town, South Africa
07 November 2007 09:48
South Africa's sports minister ruled out racial quotas for national teams on Tuesday after the mainly white Springboks' recent victory in the Rugby World Cup reignited the debate over transformation.
"Quotas are out," Makhenkesi Stofile told a parliamentary sports committee.
"Let us put our resources into the development of talent."
[More]
I got this in an email and I'm upset... Please read the following:
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The free world needs a leader like this!!
Prime Minister John Howard - Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. 'If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you', he said on National Television
'I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia : one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option', Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should clear off. 'Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off', he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.'
'However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia . However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand. This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.
This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!
Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.
We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.
If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like 'A Fair Go', then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.
This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom,
'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.
If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU chose.'
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves and send it to our leaders, the free world will find the backbone to start voicing the same truths.
If you agree, please SEND THIS ON.
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While on the sound of things this may sound correct... but I believe differently... Bollocks! is what i think...
The problem with AUS is that there is no written Bill of Rights, but this issue is not limited to countries with a bill of rights. With no bill of rights there is no guarantee that you may have freedom of thought or expression or religion.
(REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Australia#Criticism and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_constitutional_law#Protection_of_rights)
If your thoughts/expressions (whether spoken or cultural or beliefs/thoughts) do not contradict the law of the land, then you should have the right to do so and the protection of the state... In other words, as long as you do not break the law, then you should be allowed to do what you please. That is of course assuming that the law of the land is right - but that is why we have international law to fall back on...
When a state can or wants to dictate HOW you should live according to a notion like "its the Australian way" or "Australian Values" which is based on some airy fairy concept like national pride or majority culture, then it is a sad day for the rights of our fellow human beings - esspecially minority groups.... Saying something like - "Don't force your culture on me" but then asking them to take on your culture is a bit hypocritcal don't you think? I'm sure the southern cross or the union jack are not problems for these people either... have the people who have written this talked to any of them? I doubt it! It is excatly this attitude which makes people hate - because people who wrote this email hate the people they are writing about and they make every effort to "other" them in society!
History is full of examples of what this email is telling us. By the same reasoning, Germans who where not Nazis during the Nazi regime, who disagreed with the government, were told that they where "un-German" etc...
You get my point...
That's why it is important for a society to recognise that in order to protect the rights of the majority of people, we must protect the rights of EVERYONE, no matter what they think, do or say! and that means NO MATTER WHAT! Rights cannot be given or taken away on any criteria. Just because you do not believe something, does not make it wrong or give you the right to say this sort of thing...
As a Christian, I would like to say that this is one of the most awful piece of writing that claims to be Christian that I have read in a long time... It is not at all what Jesus teaches us and it is certainly not Loving in any way shape or form! It is bigoted, racist, discriminatory and down right awful! But then again, what can you expect from a nation such as Australia! Look what they have done to the Aboriginal people and they have the gall to write something like this! It makes me sick!
Sydney: from spectacular to uninhabitable
Doomsday reports are flooding Australia. They could be correct, says Nicholas Shakespeare.
Within less than the span of a lifetime, Sydney could resemble a desert town like Alice Springs, or even the apocalyptic landscape from Cormac McCarthy's new novel, The Road.
Read the rest of the article at The First Post
This is what I like to think about in my spare time... It's fantastic...!
How many charismatics does it take to change a light bulb? One, since his/her hands are in the air anyway.
How many Calvinists does it take to change a lightbulb? None. God has predestined when the lights will be on.
How many Brethren does it take to change a light bulb? CHANGE?!!!
How many Pentecostals does it take to change a light bulb? 10, one to change it and 9 others to pray against the spirit of darkness.
How many tv evangelists does it take to change a lightbulb? One. But for the message of hope to continue to go forth, send in your donation today.
How many Roman Catholics does it take to change a lightbulb? None: Candles only.
How many Amish does it take to change a lightbulb? What's a light bulb?
How many Polygamous Mormons does it take to change a lightbulb? Five. One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.
How many Jehovah's Witnesses does it take to change a light bulb? Three. One to screw in the bulb, and two to knock on your door and ask you if you've seen the light!
How many Unitarians does it take to change a lightbulb? We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.
The story is told of the Atheist who accosted a preacher. "Do you believe in eternal life?" The preacher has no time to reply. "Well its a load of rubbish!" shouted the Atheist. "I believe in science, evolution, survival of the fittest, and when we die, that's it! No eternal life, no great judgement, and no God!" The Atheist continues his assault against the preacher repetitiously and tirelessly. "Eternal life! Eternal life! Ha! "Its all pie in the sky when you die." When I die that's it, the end, no eternal life, no nothing. He continues, until he reaches his climax, "I will be buried six feet under when I die and that's it! Nothing! Caput! When I die I am utterly convinced that that will be the end of me!" "Well thank God for that" replies the preacher!
Source
The Legend tells it like it is again!
http://www.mg.co.za/zapiro/imageToday.aspx?YearId=2007|MonthId=9|DayId=4
“We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ''Blessed are they that mourn."
- The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis
"A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises,' as Herbert says, 'fine nets and stratagems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous."
- Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis
"Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free-wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself."
- The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis
MORE at C.S. Lewis Quote Page
Jake Brown, from Australia, was in first place at the 13th X-Games competition, going into the final round. Jake started down the ramp, did and landed the first 720 in competition and then bailed big time on the opposite vert ramp (a fall of about 40ft). He got up and walked away!!! And I think he still won... AMAZING!
On Saturday James (Emma's "True Blue" boyfriend) took Emma and I up one of his favourite mountains, Mount Beerwah (Beer-waaaaa). Mount Beerwah stands at 556m above sea level and is the tallest of the Glass House Mountains. (See the Wikipedia Article, or visit the Glass House Mountain National Park Website) Below is a picture of Mount Beerwah and I have indicated the route in red. You start from the car park and take a gentle stroll up to the base of a rock slab with goes the front of mountain, until the base of some cliffs. To get some idea, the next picture is of Emma and James climbing the rock slab below where I was. All i could think off during this hike was "Nick would love this!!!" and "Shannon would hate it....". Emma struggled up, helped along by James, who did an excellent job!
Hello again everyone...
Here's the news from sunny Brisbane! For the last week I have been running around with family and friends on this side of the pond doing the various tourist things that there is to do in the part of the world... Click the hyperlinks (highlighted for those who are tech challenged) to find out more about these places and to save me boring those you don't care:
It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.
- Oscar Wilde
No opera plot can be sensible, for people do not sing when they are feeling sensible.
- WH Auden
This is the slide show I did for Emma's 21st.... Enjoy... It's quiet large, so ADSL/Broadband only....
Well, its been 4 day so far in the land of Oz and I have much news to tell you. Firstly, the reason for coming to Oz for holiday was for my sister’s 21st birthday party, which was last night and went down swell! I met all the Aussie friends and we had a lekker jol, complete with dancing, speeches, a bar and cake... So all in all a good night had by everyone. Pictures are between each paragraph!
Arriving at Brisbane Airport
The Birthday GirlWednesday was spent lazing around and taking a short trip to a shopping mall in the next suburb. That evening we when to see my uncle and aunt and family, who are funnily enough left for
Mom and Dad Dancing at the PartyAt this point it might interest you to know what happens when you order a drink in Oz... Besides having a selection of bottled beer and ready mix rum and coke etc... most Ozzie pubs/clubs have a huge selection of beers on tap (usually around 10 - 15 on average). This not only perplexes the South African, who is used to a choice of
The Men!
The Boys!
This is a great thing! You know when you have a dirty car and some smart ass writes "Clean Me" or "Honk if you're horny" in the dirt.... Well this guy takes it to the next level!
http://www.dirtycarart.com/gallery/index.htm
Enjoy!
From SABMiller Website... www.sabreweries.com
Message to the SAB Community
Amstel Lager
The south African Breweries Limited (SAB) will no longer be brewing, marketing or distributing Amstel Lager in South Africa. the licence, held by Heineken, has been terminated by them with immediate effect. Heineken have invoked a term of the agreement which refers to a change in the shareholding of SABMiller, and is based on our purchase of Bavaria in South America last year. An arbitration process found that SABMiller’s transaction in South America in 2005 constituted a change in control of the group and consequently could be regarded, in the reasonable opinion of Heineken, to be contrary to the interests of the Heineken Group, which provided it with the right to termination.
SAB has been brewing and distributing this brand under licence in South Africa for 40 years and has built the brand up from its mainstream positioning worldwide to becoming a premium product in South Africa. As one of our country’s most notable success stories, SAB has grown into sABMiller plc, now the second largest brewer in the world. Clearly, our global strategy has worked rather too well and Heineken did not expect that a brewer from a small country could expand and succeed the way we have. Heineken has said that their objective was to restrict our south African and international success, but we find it really difficult to believe that SABMiller’s having a new 15% shareholder as a result of the Bavaria transaction in south America - on the other side of the world – poses any threat whatsoever to Heineken’s interests in south Africa.
We certainly did not want to give up this brand. we have built it from scratch in south Africa and have put more than 40 years of product development behind its success. we have put together a brief communication to all in the SAB family, to answer some of the questions you may have. SAB employees will receive a full briefing from the company, while all our customers will receive additional information from our trade representatives. while we deeply regret any inconvenience or stockouts of this brand, we can assure all customers and consumers that SAB will continue to provide a full and broad portfolio of brands across the premium spectrum.
Our consumers and customers are our first priority and we will draw upon our significant global premium portfolio to make sure that we continue to provide consumers with a comprehensive choice of differentiated and superior products. SAB has a capacity and capability that is much admired throughout the world and looking ahead, our challenge is to rise to the task and show that we’re more than up to it.
Tony van Kralingen
Managing Director
This is the latest Afrikaans song to hit it big time. It was an old Anglo-Boer war song about Genreal DeLaRey, who was a Boer hero. This song come on in the office the other day and all the Afrikaans guys had a go at us with British heritage. Its still a lekker afrikaans song!!!
The Bat Run Crew, from Left to Right, TOP: Andrew, Ryan, Dan, Riaan. Bottom: Jade and Perrie. Still At It: Stephen (Talk about Commitment!)
Dr. Bax coming down Devil's, still going strong
Dan Slater and Riaan Fourie at the Bottom of Platterkip Gorge
Stephen Hector at the bottom of Platterkip
I might be smiling, but I'm feeling the pain that the bottom of Platterkip
Perrie van der Spuy looking strong after coming down off Platterkip
Jade getting a drink after coming down off Platterkip
