IGNORANCE AND ARROGANCE

I have long been aware of the influence wielded by all forms of media in so many arenas of debate.
There is little doubt about the power of the press when it comes to the political arena but most of their power is attained by the ignorance of their audience.
Now I'm not throwing stones here but far too many people are prepared to accept the written or broadcast word as accurate, educated and truthful.----maybe that is because it is easier to accept these stories than do your own research.
Of course it is not hard to recognise the internet as the greatest source of information but must it also be said to be the greatest source of misinformation---crap---lies.

But a lot of power is wieled by large organisations who chose to desiminate their own versions of the truth through their own opinionated channels---no more powerful, organised and opinionated than the large religious orders.

Currently the debate on same sex marriages is a very live issue in the federal parliament of Australia.
Luckily the party holding power at the moment has said that they will not have a unified party policy and that all of their members will have a conscience vote---they can make up their own mind.
Unfortunately the political opposition party has said that their members will follow the party line and they will vote against any legislation to allow the lawful union of any loving same sex couples.
But I am sure that when this debate gets to the floor of the parliament that some opposition members will see the humanity in this argument and cross the floor to vote with the government but convesely there will be government members who in all good conscience, cannot vote fo the legislation.
Logically this will lead to a very close vote and that is how it should be---oh, except for the constraints placed on the entire opposition party.

But enter the arrogance of the external powers.

The Catholic Church has started a national campaign to convince its millions of parishioners to speak out against gay marriage. There are more than five million Catholics in Australia and the hierachy is not just preaching their spitefully arrogant rhetoric from the pulpit but are sending out hundreds of thousands of letters asking parishioners to take a stand against this abomination.
Their stance revolves around the sexual difference between men and women and the "potential for new life". and the letter says "Without this there would be no human beings and no future."

How ill informed and ignorant is this stance.
The legislation before parliament is to allow same sex marriage, not to make it compulsary.
Even if ten marriages in one hundred are same sex, there is no guarantee that the other ninety will be producing any offspring or even want to.
And the percentage of same sex partneships who are producing children or adopting children into a loving environment seem to dispell any fears of the human race disappearing.
And on percentages, how many of these same sex couples are Catholic.
Is the Catholic Church only against gay Catholics having a legally recognised union.
Or does the Catholic Church think that there are no gays in their congregations---even denying the existance of the bum fucking priests who are spreading their word.
How does a religion that does not allow their officials to marry and have a fulfilling hetrosexual relationship have any credence with their opinions on relationships.

I have written before of my disgust with the spreading scaremongering leveled at the Muslim faith by so many uninformed venues or venues with an opposing or scurrilous agenda.-----maybe we should be looking at the Catholic Church.
No wonder the congregations of some of the newly formed religions are littered with many who were raised under the oppression of catholicism.

So much has been written about the spread of other faiths and the dangers of them gaining a foothold in our communities. Maybe the community needs to look at the edicts of the established faiths---how dangerous are they.
Maybe they should stick to preaching religion and peace and goodwill.

Maybe this is something we should all have a conscience vote on---but vote with your heart.