I have written often now on the deep decline of the UK, and now we may be safe to say it is just about officially dead. At the same time it is banning and detaining brave individuals who dare to speak out about the evils of sharia law and the war on freedom, UK officials are covering up and making excuses for diabolical rape gangs, most of them Muslim. As to the free speech bans, Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer have been banned from entering the country in the past, all for daring to warn about the dangers of political Islam. And more recently figures like Martin Sellner and Brittany Pettibone from the UK and Lauren Southern from Canada are getting similar treatment. While they are being excluded from the country or banned from speaking out, the UK continues to keep its doors wide open to Islamic immigration, giving Muslims privileged and preferential status.

“Political Posting Mumma”, Marijke, tells Dave about the International Sex Ed Sit Out Day scheduled for 23 April 2018. Click here to see more from Dave Pellowe at his website, Pellowe Talk. Because of the transgender activists successfully brainwashing children in public schools, parents are now getting their kids stripped from them!! This is so out of control! Join us for Sex Ed Sit Out on April 23rd. #SexEdSitOut

I think one of the issues with the recent revision of marriage is that many people found it hard to understand how the meaning of words can change change so quickly.

Words are seemingly increasingly fluid today - much like gender is regarded in certain circles. ‘Equality’ and ‘marriage’ were the two key words to undergo revision in 2017 in Australia, and it is no mistake that Yes groups connected these words in simple slogans with the overall aim of promoting ‘love’ to help stimulate revision.

Love is Love?

For example, take the University of Sydney advertising campaign in 2017 that was presumably linked in to the marriage debate: “Unlearn Love”.

The meaning could be taken several ways, but I am sure that the university was not saying that the love of two men is not love. I believe they were saying that married love is not what you always thought it was, and that now the new idea is to challenge the status quo and develop new ideas and ways of expression.

I always find it helpful in this new era of re-defining words to ask people when they say anyone can be married to ask them what marriage is and gently probe their response. Usually most people have a restriction on who can marry (not-with standing that most pro Yes Marriage voters would not have even been aware of the restrictions in Section 23 of the Marriage Act).

There is also a lack of definition when one probes the meaning of the word ‘love’ today. Perhaps defining ‘love’ is now too difficult or exclusionary? It is much easier to say, ‘Love is love’, and to sing about it than think about what it means. Perhaps those of us in the church could help the wider society learn more about the types of love mentioned in the bible? We need to be reminded of some of the hard sayings of Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5: 43-44)

Marriage and Gender

Newtown in inner-city Sydney was one of the few local areas that had a significant number of local businesses and groups involved in publicly supporting the Yes vote. Among hundreds of signs and slogans in Newtown, this sign about gender was the clearest in its revisionist context. The move away from the understanding of marriage as a natural biological union from which children are produced and nurtured centres marriage on a form of romantic love where individual fulfilment is the key to that love. Sameness is promoted rather than complementarity. It reminds me of the part in Seinfeld where Jerry in contemplating marriage realised what he was looking for all along – himself.

Ridicule of Belief

I am wondering if understanding of, or even basic awareness of the deepness of belief for people of faith could become increasingly rare in wider society? I know that Newtown is a rarefied context, but is the issue broader?

On the day of the marriage survey announcement a mural was proudly unveiled on the back of the Botany View Hotel in Newtown, Sydney.

Presumably the designer Scott Marsh had in mind an exemption from the Additional Safeguards Act that was in place during the marriage survey up until and including 15 November 2017, namely that part that mentioned “a communication communicated solely for genuine satirical, academic or artistic purposes; or” (Division 1, Subdivision A, Section 6, 4 (b) Marriage Law Survey Additional Safeguards Act 2017) as Marsh chose to celebrate the day by denigrating two prominent Catholic figures as well as the Catholic faith. Tony Abbot was illustrated wearing a bridal dress and tiara along with an allusion to performing a sexual act with the straw in the bottle of wine, as well as being depicted placing his hand down the pants of a buffed up Cardinal George Pell who was depicted as a lifeguard wearing a rainbow swimsuit. Not unexpectedly, this mural prompted considerable reaction. Within 24 hours the mural had been splashed with white paint and then later painted over with black paint, with some wording left (The Happy Ending). Groups representing differing viewpoints converged, including (mainly Maronite) Christians who wanted to pray and witness to their faith. This development led to a local police presence, albeit to ‘keep the peace’ between the different groups. In the days following people added to the black canvas with a wide range of insults, swearwords as well as blasphemous comments and praiseworthy comments about Jesus. This whole saga continued for several weeks, with regular blackening out, though by February 2018 the graffiti language decreased markedly as activists presumably have moved onto to other causes.

One intriguing aspect from some of my discussions around the area was that while people were very upset at the perceived ‘vandalism’ of the mural, some could not understand that the mural had been offensive in the first place.

True Rainbows

I have been able to capture some lovely images of natural rainbows in Newtown. One was in 2009, and one in February 2018. These rainbows always provide a measure of hope and help me to continue to reflect on a holy and living God, our creator and redeemer.

The 40th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was held in Sydney recently. Bill Muehlenberg looks at how Australia's public broadcaster, the ABC, is grooming children by introducing them to LGBTI ideology. Here are three truths you can take to the bank: -The radicals on the left have long known the value of targeting our children. -The ABC is a radical left outfit actively pushing the homosexual agenda. -Homosexuals have long been keen to recruit children into their militancy. All three of these truths I have been documenting for years now. For example, I have written numerous pieces now on the Australian broadcaster and how it pushes every leftist agenda item there is. And in my books I carefully document how children are being targeted by the homosexual activists. It is called recruitment. The militants know that if they can bypass parents and their unwanted values, and directly access children, they have a much better chance of winning them over to their various causes. This is standard operating procedure with the left.

The poor and the middle class in the western world are not as far apart as some might imagine. There are many folk who stand at the Tavern's bars who would be very hard done to find a few hundred bucks at short notice. Many seemingly 'middle class' could be wiped out overnight by an unexpected expense. How are you doing? Close to skint occasionally?

It is my pleasure to join a wonderful group to help Australians think about and hopefully challenge some of the trends in this seemingly modern society.

I thought I would start with some comments about marriage, given it was the dominant issue for public policy discussion in 2017 (even if most Australians did not realise the public policy implications).

It is sobering to reflect how quickly one of the fundamental aspects of marriage moved from ‘naturally assumed’ to incidental.

2017 was a landmark year for Australians, and for Victorians in particular. In fact, it was a triumph for the cultural revolution and its minions. Marriage was redefined and Christians endured an unprecedented attack on their faith, which is not openly scorned in the public square. the Catholic Church in particular was targeted, as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse became a witch hunt designed to humiliate Catholics, while failing to offer true healing to victims of abuse. Queensland and New South Wales managed to stave off the decriminalisation of abortion, while Victoria legalised assisted killing. The incidence of violent crime is rising, particularly among immigrants who refuse to assimilate. Our two major parties are almost indistinguishable in their policies and both incapable of leading our country into the future. But one great result has risen in response to this tidal wave of immorality and persecution: Christians are banding together, getting involved and becoming emboldened to fight evil head-on.

Throughout much of the West major cities have large concrete blocks placed around high-traffic pedestrian areas. So what is that all about? Works of modern art? Not quite – they are security bollards. Security from what? Well, sadly, from basically one thing: jihadists who wish to mow down innocents in the name of their political ideology. So the West is responding to this crisis – not by dealing with the root causes – but by running with band aid solutions. Instead of acknowledging that we have an Islam problem, as Tony Abbott recently pointed out, and taking appropriate steps to deal with this, we try rather useless harm minimisation approaches.

[This article was updated on 28/12/17 to include the latest violent-crime incidents - Kathy.] Victorians were outraged to hear of yet another act of senseless violence which occurred only a few days before Christmas in the CBD. A car deliberately ploughed into pedestrians, injuring 19 people, including children. Fortunately, no-one was killed this time - unlike a previous similar episode which saw 6 civilians murdered and 30 injured. This attack came hot on the heels of other violent acts around Melbourne: gangs roaming Werribee and St. Kilda, terrorising neighbourhoods, threatening police but with not a single arrest being made.

[Although the Swedish Prime Minister claimed earlier this year that his country will no longer accept mass immigration from terrorist nations, it may well be a case of too little, too late. Bill looks at the impact of Islamic immigration on Sweden: a dangerous social experiment that has had disastrous consequences. This article first appeared on Culture Watch as "Islam, Immigration and the Death of Sweden." 

[A topic as broad as the one suggested by my title is of course far too much to do justice to in a short article. But I can highlight a few brief themes here. And let me try to tie in a few recent specifics (such as the war on marriage) with the overall bigger picture I have written often about the death of the West, and about how civilisations die. As I have repeatedly noted, it takes a long time to build a culture or civilisation, but their collapse can happen relatively quickly. We are now seeing this being played out in the West. Much of the West is the direct result of the Judeo-Christian worldview. Of course other earlier influences would include ancient Greece and Rome, and more recently, things such as the Enlightenment.

This post is a part of a Feminine Genius series written by 4 different bloggers, and is the final post of the Marian Virtues Series. You can find the start of the series and the list of articles in the introduction post. If you're not a Catholic, or simply want to find out more about the Feminine Genius, please read the introduction post first. All quotes below are from the encyclical Mulieris Dignitatem, by Pope St. John Paul II.

[Photo credit: xT3ddotcom - still taken from video] I had the pleasure of hearing the wonderful Gabriele Kuby speak on her book,  The Global Sexual Revolution,  last weekend. This is the second time I've heard Dr. Kuby speak about her groundbreaking book, which is subtitled, 'The Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom.'  That phrase alone speaks volumes about the gender ideology and sexualised culture that is perverting our children, marriages and family life.

When Santayana told us to never ignore the lessons of history lest we repeat its mistakes, he could not have been more correct. And those who do study history see his advice being played out – that is, ignored – all the time: historical mistakes are being replicated constantly for the very reason that we do NOT study history and learn from it. One of the most frightening examples of this is our historical amnesia when it comes to communism. A century of communism should confirm to everyone that this has been one of the worst, bloodiest and most deplorable political ideologies ever. Yet plenty of folks who should know better (such as university students, etc) are utterly clueless. Certainly most Western young people seem totally unaware of recent history, and are therefore heading over the cliff in repeating its mistakes.

A Nation that dishonours its past does not deserve a future. One could see that as something of a judgement but in fact it is a simple consequence. At times in any Nation's history an extreme effort is called for and its success is honoured. It must be honoured. But we live in - as the Chinese say - 'interesting times', (read, 'difficult') and Britain's leaders, both political and 'media' are deliberately dishonouring Britain's extreme efforts. This will not end well. In the Tavern we take a minute of silence at 11am on November 11th. It is the day we remember those that fell in the First World War.  Many young people do not even know of that war because their 'educators' do not want it remembered.  Others, too, do not want it remembered, let alone honoured. It is scandalous. Simon Jenkins....the Guardian, of course.

One of the major differences between conservatives and progressives is that we demand protections for all citizens, whereas in general, progressives demand rights for their adherents exclusively. This difference has been particularly noticeable during the campaign for marriage equality, although it shows up across the board. Progressives have taken to openly criticising us for our desire to preserve our freedoms. Gay rights activist, Rodney Croome, goes so far as to say that for conservatives - whom Croome refers to as the radical right -  the fear of losing freedoms is actually an attempt to gain power:

How many articles must one pen to alert us to the fact that the West is now but a shadow of its former self? It is so far down the mental and moral sewer that one wonders if it is any longer redeemable. And leading the way here is the utterly bizarre freak show known as the transgender revolution. Everything it touches it destroys. Anyone foolish enough to run with this gender bender apocalypse will find their mind turning to mush. They will quickly find themselves with feet planted firmly in mid-air. The mind boggles just to witness this dark cloud of madness sweeping away everything in its path.

[Warning: this article contains graphic descriptions of gay sexual activity.]   Why on earth would a same-sex attracted man oppose the proposed SSM amendments to the Marriage Act and choose to suffer the wrath of others in the gay community, who have as a consequence shown themselves to be thoroughly vindictive and accusing? My awareness that I was different emerged at a very young age..  

My Early Years

I always had this feeling of purity and innocence that pervaded my life, something that instilled a very strong moral compass and an acute sense of justice. My mother left a violent and dysfunctional marriage when I was three years old and returned to her country town where I was raised for periods of time by my grandparents and mother's younger sister. I was an angelic child, faired haired, full of grace but hurting knowing that my father was missing, and the environment around me was unstable despite loving relatives stepping in to shelter me for periods of time. I particularly refer to the period when my mother disappeared for some months to conceal the birth of an assumed full blood sister. I enjoyed the doting attention of my grandfather who had sired five daughters, but never been given the gift of a son. I happened to be the first grandchild and a boy. Sadly he passed away at the early age of 49 when I was seven, and I lost the only male influence that I had felt protected by and in whose company I felt emotionally secure.  

He Wasn't My Daddy 

When I was five years old my mother re-connected with a childhood friend and they launched into a relationship that matured into a life-long defacto partnership and between them they gave life to four more children. This man was alien to me. I could not bring myself to call him Dad despite being prompted. I referred to him as Uncle Arthur for many years, and after that whenever I referred to him as dad, the words stuck in my throat. My mother later recounted that although she had many suitors after leaving my father none were prepared to accept the baggage. It had been suggested to her that if she was to adopt me then they could start fresh and raise a family. Fortunately for me and to her credit she was unwilling to barter the life of her first child, to gamble on her own future happiness. Be mindful that this was the 1960s. Women's rights were few, social security did not exist and young unmarried women were frowned upon as virtual contemporary trailer trash. My step father was prepared to start life with a four year old stepson in tow, although he never showed me that he regarded me as equal to his own children and I grew up feeling like a satellite orbiting around this newly constructed family unit. At age six I recall having strong feelings to be held and cuddled by a man. There were other sexual desires within me also that many adults would not attribute to a child so young, and as a result, all of my life it has left me pondering the question of the nature V nurture debate.  

First Homosexual Experiences

My first MM intimate experiences occurred in high school as children my age were negotiating puberty and experimenting somewhat with other friends who were also finding their way. The working class town I grew up in was extremely homophobic, jokes were common and derogatory remarks in reference to some men eg 'poofter' followed by some other offensive name normally attributed to female genitalia consistently heard. No boy growing up in that environment would dare to be honest, and in any event I was still focused upon miraculously being attracted to girls and securely  within marriage, raising a family of my own. At age twelve I was infatuated with a young male teacher after he showed what seemed to be a genuine concern for my welfare. That developed into nights spent sleeping in a bed made up in the back of his vehicle, and me while sustained by his affection, fearful of any further forays into sexual exploration. I would sew up my zipper with a needle and cotton to prevent access. It didn't work. At 18 having found a job and running away from home two years before I had one of the worst confrontations of my life. My mother and stepfather who had come to the city to stay in my small flat while conducting some business, became aware that I had been in a close relationship with another lad my age.  

Rejection

My mothers rage was cyclonic. Her first question being "are you poofters, or what?" Her wrath was extraordinary! Her anger was vicious, saturating the very words which sprang forth almost in an attempt to excuse her of any previous sin in her own life. She targeted my heart with acute precision and culminated the insults by  saying "Your grandfather would be ashamed of you" and "I would rather you be a murderer, anything would be better than that". At 2am in the morning she and my step father loaded the family car, including my three sisters and drove three hours in the middle of the night to my home town. I was abandoned, left in isolation from family for a year, during which time one despairing emotionally charged day I decided to change my name by deed poll. I wanted this to be a catalyst for change, an attempt to find a new foundation upon which to build a new life, a happier more fulfilling life. This period saw attempts to educate myself by re-enrolling in courses to complete my secondary education and open doors into a future professional career. I finally started a career in teaching aged 30 but interspersed with study and work was exposure to gay society in the city's gay pubs. In my heart I wanted to meet a lifelong companion, a best friend, partner, confidante, lover. The dream of the cat, the dog and white picket fence filled my reason for living and gave hope for a fulfilling future yet to be realised. What I found in gay society appalled me. The lack of commitment beyond the first few months, the acceptance of casual sex, the desire for 'beat' sex in public toilets and the promotion of open multi partner relationships.  

The Truth about the Gay Lifestyle

The community itself was destructive, even if you found a possible partner there was no real support. Always someone on the prowl trying to split you and your new partner, as if in conquest and a new notch in the belt, the self esteem of the victor would be enhanced. In Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, gay saunas - sex houses -  established and became venues where disease was spread, young men preyed upon, and married men seeking sex with other men concealed their true identities. In these places sexual appetites were catered for, group sex 'orgy' rooms were promoted in gay lifestyle publications, and sling rooms made available to cater for psychologically suspect individuals who wanted the insertion of successive penises. In the last week in a casual sex site (Craigs List) a male was advertising for men to attend the sauna where he would be waiting in the sling room.. legs apart and where prospective partners could freely abuse his anus with a fist and arm up to the elbow. Photographs of his gaping receptive hole accompanied the advertisement.  

Waving the Rainbow Flag

I fully realise that descriptions of this kind are unpalatable and to some repulsive, but to equip ourselves with accurate information is the best defence against highly organised claims for equality and justice which are in effect a licence to perpetuate the kinds of behaviour I have referred to in this article. Sadly the Rainbow coalition has stolen the agenda and misrepresented the values that perpetuate a very promiscuous and self serving community. I feel resentful that without consultation all same sex attracted people like myself have been lumped into a hotch potch band of misfits and Gay Pride invoked and intentionally labelled under the LGBTQI banner. Some choose to adopt the label with pride and wave the rainbow flag demanding even greater rights, the right for three-way polygamous marriage, the right for gender fluidity where drag becomes the daily norm. Fringe behaviour is pushed in the faces of the majority, cross-dressing becomes normal rather than being confined to incidental night time entertainment in the bars and clubs of seedy drug-promoting establishments.  

So Much To Lose

There is no doubt in my mind that young people need to be protected in schools and that the mental health of adolescents needs to be a focus of education authorities, but these goals can be achieved through anti bullying initiatives and inclusive school cultures. It is simply dangerous to dance with radical gay rights groups, including powerful academics, promoting the total acceptance of gender fluidity and the abandonment of traditional marriage. In the words of the five year old boy introduced to you in this article,  "Where is my daddy?  I need the love and fatherly embrace of my dad." We should never ever neglect the rights of children to have the love and nurturing of two opposite gender parents. The accusations and claims for adult rights from the gay community are simply stunning. Love is not Love when the rights of children are completely over-ruled by the selfish self absorbed demands of individuals who choose not to think about the consequences of their demands upon society. There is little to be gained by sanctioning same sex marriage and so much to lose including the hope of people young and old, to travel the road of life supported by constructive fulfilling, traditional, family structures. 

The lugubrious profile of Henry Lawson, with his gigantic handlebar moustache, graced Australian $10 notes for decades. Lawson was a 19^th Century writer who wrote about “the bush”, the rough life of the farming and mining settlements of early Australia. He’s not known much abroad, but a handful of his short stories are truly world class. He’s a kind of Down Under version of Mark Twain.

This letter was sent to me by a reader who felt that Christians are being misunderstood for their stance against redefining marriage. Please share this with gay friends or family members who may be having trouble understanding our point of view. 

While Dave Pellowe has written a very useful article intended to equip Protestant pastors, I thought I'd put together some resources specifically for Catholics or for those who want to understand the Church's stance on marriage. There has been a great deal of misinformation in Catholic circles regarding the marriage debate: while the Church's teaching is very clear, there are those who are content to deviate from this teaching and promote their own views - views which may in some circumstances be classified as formal heresy. [See Edward Peter's article linked below.] One example of this is a statement from Jesuit lecturer Fr. Frank Brennan, which suggests that it is appropriate for Catholics to support the  redefinition of marriage and that it may even be 'good for society.' [Click here to read his views.]

Brian Houston set an example to follow for many church leaders recently when he issued a media release outlining his teaching on Biblical marriage and encouragement for Christians to vote against its redefinition. He reiterated the literal interpretation of the Apostle Paul’s position on homosexuality, and called for respect from both sides for the other, clarifying that disagreement based in faith convictions is not bigotry. He encouraged Christians to participate in the voluntary vote, and to refuse to be the silent majority, in effect surrendering to aggressive voices seeking to dominate the future of our society. Christians are already being discomforted by cultural Marxism‘s advance in Australia. Just ask Tasmanian Archbishop Julian Porteous how free he feels to teach on marriage after being punished by the process of an anti-discrimination complaint against him for doing so. Ask Bernard Gaynor how free he feels to privately blog about the injustice and offense of Christian vilification and public indecency at the Homosexual Mardis Gras after the court ruled his employer could unjustly fire him for disagreeing with their workplace anti discrimination policies.

[One of the most disappointing developments of the last 150 years or so has been the education of people. Once was a time when barely 1% of the population could read or write. It can be true to say not much development went on back then. One century went by much as the last one. But clever folk there were who nevertheless managed to rise and dispel some of the ignorance they encountered.  They were 'Elite'. For most people life, the world, reality was what they could see from the bottom of a deep hole of ignorance. That old 'Elite' actually knew a thing or two. They had worked out the value of knowledge. They had discovered ethics, right from wrong, morality and even manners. They gave us Chivalry, not to mention the combined knowledge and technologies of the past few millenia. Pretty good for far less than universal writing facility.

The Australian ‘Safe Schools’ Curriculum has been exposed as an insidious platform for delivering gender theory to impressionable children. The programme has its roots in Marxist ideology, but also in research based on the experience of pedophiles, as well as that of pedophilic academics.  Even worse, the input from pedophiles into school curricula isn’t limited to Australia alone.