I often watch Q&A although I find myself becoming very
frustrated with the views that some people cling to so firmly. I am particularly irritated by people who
display ignorance or intolerance of minorities and I am usually appalled by
religious leaders who find it so hard to justify their views in front of an
intelligent, critical audience rather than the ‘faithful’ who accept their
every word.
Angry Anderson, last week, epitomised the ignorant loudmouth
who will tell anyone who will listen that his point of view is as good as anyone
else’s. It’s not. At least, he had the grace to say that he had
changed his mind about refugees when he actually met some. The trouble is that he shoots off his mouth
before he finds out the facts, and we have enough of that sort in Australia
already. Mr Anderson is trying to launch
a political career based, perhaps, on his rock ‘n’ roll credentials. We’ve already got one ex-rocker in
parliament; we certainly don’t want another one.
I still remember Archbishop Pell in his debate with
arch-atheist Richard Dawkins, who made mine-meat of him. Tonight was Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen’s
turn. At first, I thought he radiated a
rather intelligent and kindly façade but, when the questions became a bit more
pointed, he floundered. Trying to
justify asking women ‘to submit to their husbands’ was certainly beyond him,
and his spin on homosexuality showed his true colours. As the program unfolded, Archbishop Jensen
showed more and more how isolated he is from the real world outside the walls
of his cathedral.
Having taken a swipe at only some of the panel shouldn’t be
taken to mean that I agreed with everything said by everyone else. Sometimes it has been known for me to
disagree with everyone.
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