Leader different from a nobodysilly_not_funnyNovember 26 2007, 04:08:40 UTC
Tim, I was certainly on board the Rudd-train when he first became Opposition leader. I read this article in my poli course early this year and it definitely got me to thinking that Liberal was not the only way to vote for a discerning Christian. However, this view was tempered by the stage managed performance of the party over the next few months. A leopard cannot change its spots and Labor will always have to pay someone on the left for some policy agreement in another area. My assessment (and I would love to be wrong) is that Rudd is not strong enough to hold off the anti moralising charge of the left. He may make the right sounds and I am sure he will put his foot down, but eventually his leadership will be weakened and he will concede ground on something that is important to Christians (because it is important to God) and this concession will never be over-turned. I don't live in fear. I will pray for Kevin Rudd often. He is certainly the best option that Christians can have if they have the Labor party in power and I certainly
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Re: Leader different from a nobodyinsanetimboNovember 26 2007, 04:42:15 UTC
I don't see it in quite the same way you do Josh. I'm stoked that he's an intelligent Christian political thinker and I'm also stoked that he's a competent and earnest (perhaps a bit too earnest) leader of the Labor party. But in my view the two aren't interconnected.
I've got a lot more to say in response.. but i just had a better thought (arguments get so samey after a while, don't you think?)
Tell me, (while i ponder the question as well) - what should/could a Christian Prime Minister be like?
Re: Leader different from a nobodymattyo_November 26 2007, 10:58:52 UTC
I guess there's two ways of looking at your question Timmy. I mean, in one sense, there's no difference in what a Christian should be like if he or she were Prime Minister or if he or she were a factory worker. Or a teacher. And so on. They should express their faith in creativity, inclusiveness and humility, bringing heaven to people and showing people a glimpse (or a more profound recognition) of Christ at work in their life. If we're sincere (however sinful) Christians, then our lives should manifest God's love or at the very least, manifest it more than yesterday
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Re: Leader different from a nobodysilly_not_funnyNovember 26 2007, 23:18:46 UTC
I started a response to this last night but thought a sleep first would be better. What I got around to thinking about last night was the word integrity. The specific meaning of which I think needs to be focussed on is the integrity between words and deeds. That the words you speak to any and every audience are reflected in your actions. A leader (Christian or not) should be able to have a transcript of any meeting at which they speak made public and not have to rationalise that with what they said the previous week or with their actions
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Re: Leader different from a nobodyinsanetimboNovember 27 2007, 06:57:35 UTC
'Integrity' is a great word. "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." I love that sentence in the bible - what a brilliant sentiment! Be a straight talker, be trustworthy, don't be slippery
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Re: Leader different from a nobodyinsanetimboNovember 27 2007, 07:02:17 UTC
You may argue that Christians ought to be the source of charity, and ought to catch the ones society forgets, but this simply doesn't happen. I don't believe it can. How can it be that despite a literal overabundance of Christian groups working with the homeless in Sydney, the size of the group only grows? It's all very well to consider the overall benefits of a Libertine system, but let's note that its much easier to do that when you were born fit, smart, and male. If I was born an ethnic Kurd in Turkey, I'd be much less likely to support capitalistic philosophies - and that's where this debate becomes a justice issue, rather than an efficiency one. I don't have a solution to this problem, by the way, but if you intend to argue that Christians/philanthropists could theoretically solve homelessness in Australia or America without government help, I'll want to read a VERY well researched reply
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Re: Leader different from a nobodyinsanetimboJanuary 7 2008, 06:52:39 UTC
This is a very belated reply to a couple of the points you make.
Obviously, there are the sick and dis-abled. These people must be cared for, but by whom? Is it not reasonable to expect family and friends to bear this burden? They have in other civilisations and societies.I'm not so sure i agree that the human race has been particularly good at this in the past. In many societies throughout history, people with disabilities have had a pretty rough trot. I think it would be more accurate to suggest that child mortality took care of the infirm and disabled a lot more effectively than families generally have. And where did the oft-referred motif of the village idiot come from but thousands of communities' inability to deal with mental health problems
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I've got a lot more to say in response.. but i just had a better thought (arguments get so samey after a while, don't you think?)
Tell me, (while i ponder the question as well) - what should/could a Christian Prime Minister be like?
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Obviously, there are the sick and dis-abled. These people must be cared for, but by whom? Is it not reasonable to expect family and friends to bear this burden? They have in other civilisations and societies.I'm not so sure i agree that the human race has been particularly good at this in the past. In many societies throughout history, people with disabilities have had a pretty rough trot. I think it would be more accurate to suggest that child mortality took care of the infirm and disabled a lot more effectively than families generally have. And where did the oft-referred motif of the village idiot come from but thousands of communities' inability to deal with mental health problems ( ... )
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