Just finishing off watching Rudd after Howard, as they addressed some of Australia’s key Christian leaders and hundreds of thousands of other believers on line…like me!
I found it quite useful to hear these guys in a lengthy window/opportunity for the two of them to address us a s a group of Christ – followers.
Have to say, i think I warm to Rudd…
By the way Hamo (thanks for hooking me in last night mate) has a very extensive summary of the broadcast…some people geshhhh!!
Click here for his summary.
No Guarantees 
I dont trust Rudd…I think he is just saying what he thinks we want to hear. (im sure howard is to)
theres just something I dont trust about him…he seems shifty to me 🙂
I know just what you mean. Something about the way he holds his mouth. I can’t put my finger on it.
I think I am just bored with Howard and his government.
Maybe I am sounding like a snob, but I feel like Rudd is more intellectual, like he actually knows what he is talking about not just been told what to say. Maybe that is where the apparent arrogance comes from.
i would stick with Howard. politics is like a business if Rudd gets in i dont think he or his party has what it takes to keep this country on track. i mean you cant just hand a business over to someone else and expect it to run the same? History shows that labour dont run the business of Australia very well?
“On track” – what means “on track”?
If you remove any discussion of finance and GDP and our constant obsession with higher pays and working more (We work the longest hours in the industrial world) what is “On track”.
Suicide rates, divorce rates, more ‘home grown’ local industry, both parents not needing…or even wanting, to work, greater connection with spirituality, all these these things are “on track” to me. Not sure if Rudd with deliver these, but Howard sure has had a long shot at it and as far as I can see, it’s all gone up the creek with him.
I think there is something in what Bek says….there is something that is quite annoying about him.
Scott, I reckon people will vote on what is best for them…and that may mean Howards financial record gets him over the line…despite what the polls say.
I think it will go even further up the creek with Rudd.
greens then democrats for me, well before i get to labour, then liberal and bringing up the tail end – christian democrats and family first. I know this actually means I am giving my vote to Labour as none of these smaller parties have the support to win at this time in history, but that’s ok with me – i think there is a ground swell for the minor parties and I think people are getting tired of the two options that we have as our “choice”.
As i read the policies of the Australian Greens and the Democrats I am reminded of the life and teachings of Christ and the proclamation of the coming Kingdom of God.
i’m not saying this is the intention of these parties, but my job is to recognise where the Truth of God is being proclaimed (overtly or inadvertantly) and join in celebrating that whenever and wherever i can.
i am actually looking forward to particpating in this year’s election – probably for the first time in my voting life. This has to do with a change in my vorld view and an enmeshing of my spirituality with my everyday living.
Since i have left the more traditional forum of church and paid pastoral work, I am now enjoying discovering where God is already at work in the comings and goings of each day. This has helped create a “sacred-ness” to previously viewed “secular” activities – like politics (my previously held dualistic world view).
anyway – each to their own…
I tend to agree with your words ‘Udda’ and I think I would go that way if it was not for some voice in my past calling me back to conservatism.
I know some would say that the Greens are ‘anti-family and anti-christian, but I wonder if a refusal to sign the Kyoto protocol and so on is less ‘Christian’.
The only think I don’t like about Rudd is that he is too similar to Howard! The way Labour is now too much like the Libs/Nats.
Fortunately, there are enough differences to get my vote. Differences that go to core values for me, despite the disappointments that accompany party politics of all stripes. I agree with udderendup (may I call you udder?). The greens and dems get my support first.
I also agree with Vawz that it really makes me uncomfortable to hear the words ‘on track’ applied to our paranoid nationalism (Ghassan Hage) and our selfish consumerism.
I like Abe Lincoln’s quote that it is the task of public figures to ‘call forth the better angels in out nature’, rather than just appealing to the lowest common denominators in all of us (myself included).
doh! ‘think’ should be ‘thing’
🙂
In reference to alistar’s comments about “not handing over the business to someone else” I agree we should return to a monarchy and have the Howard Distiny set up in Australia. Make him our supreme chanclor and then may be the emperor. Ten years isn’t enough lets just have the contiunity of a thousand years of Howard rule with endless economic growth inspite of the environment and ignoring all issues of global responsibility. LONG LIVE THE HOWARD SUPREME LEADER HE WILL MAKE CHRISTENDOM GREAT AGAIN IN AUSTRALIA!