Australia

Apostolic Summit Afternoon Off

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John likes to say “We are a civilised people, and we believe in having a siesta.” So afternoons are generally free at the Summits.

Since we have the joy of being accompanied by a young child, we decided to visit the splendid Rockhampton Zoo.

No zoo is complete without a meerkat or 10.

Of course there are always the monkeys to delight the humans – or is it the other way around?

There is a sign that says humans share 99% of their DNA with chimps. This is out of date information that bolsters the evolution narrative. A recent study which compared the full human genome with that of chimpanzees put the figure at a much lower 85%

The zoo features a number of native Australian animals including koalas, kangaroos and emus.

To remind visitors that everything in Australia is out to kill you, there is a not so friendly saltwater crocodile, a native to this tropical region.

I highly recommend the Rockhampton Zoo as a place for a leisurely wander.

Fred Pawle: Why Conservatives Should Rejoice

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Australia just had a disastrous Federal election. The conservative Liberal Party ran a terrible campaign, allowing an incompetent and deceitful Government to be re-elected.

Why Conservatives Should Rejoice

Australia has dodged the bullet of fake conservatism. It is now incumbent on those who can survive Labor’s treacherous incompetence to ensure a decent alternative is offered in 2028.`

Phew. That was close! Had Peter Dutton’s Coalition won this election, we would be staring at three years of fake conservatives appeasing the environmental lobby, imposing new censorship laws, introducing a digital ID and central bank digital currency, ignoring the toxic National School Curriculum and locking us all up every time Anthony Fauci catches a cold.

The Coalition would have combined that with just enough sensible reform to keep both its base and its leftist focus groups onside come the next election. In other words, long-term, robust conservative policies would have been as likely as Albo’s newfound Catholicism preventing him from marching in the next Mardi Gras.

Thank goodness that instead we are staring down three years of unmitigated catastrophe at the hands of the most incompetent, nastiest bunch of politicians Australia has seen. Our contempt for them need not be moderated. Nor will we need to stifle our amusement as they impose arguably the worst agenda of any Australian government in history.

Conservatives who are lamenting that Labor’s divisive, illogical, unpatriotic and economy-destroying performance has been rewarded with another term are forgetting how much fun it is to be in opposition. We are the pirates, the rebels, the discerning minority who warned during this campaign that Labor would destroy the country. And now they will. It’s time to break out the popcorn and await vindication.

I say this with enormous sympathy for those who cannot avoid being victimised by this government. I’ve met farmers, for example, whose properties, which have been in the family for six generations and have provided Australia with both food and exports for more than a century, who will be driven to despair and in some cases bankruptcy and suicide, when Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s high-voltage wires are forcibly suspended above their crops. I won’t bore you with the details, but these wires, delivering electricity from remote windmills and solar operations to the cities, will make the farms unviable and impossible to sell, which is stage one of Bowen’s long-term plan. Stage two is to pick up the land for a song and carpet them with solar panels. Farming is so last century, don’t you know.

Similarly, small business operators who survive on narrow margins, and people with large mortgages and small children will, if they are smart enough to have seen through Labor’s counterproductive, inflation-driving promises of “free” handouts, will be trembling tonight. I feel for them.

Back in January, I compared Donald Trump, who was about to be inaugurated on a mandate of action and optimism, with Albo, who was preparing to embark on a campaign to be re-elected knowing that “most of his supporters hate the place, and think its history consists of nothing but theft and genocide. He knows his only chance in the forthcoming election is if enough voters share his dreary vision of multicultural dystopia, Net Zero deindustrialization, Soviet-style censorship and bloated bureaucracy.”

Nothing that happened during the campaign disabused me of this succinct observation. Albo knew his only chance was not to appeal to patriotism or a sense of mutual responsibility between state and citizen; rather, it was to give away as much money as he could in the key electorates and demographics. Great democratic victories are based on a broad vision that brings people together; Albo won it by promising to pay our doctors’ fees.

Some of Labor’s key demographics make astroturf look like the croquet garden at Windsor Castle. Labor has for decades been flooding the nation with low-skill workers who are dumb and nihilistic enough to vote for the party that obsequiously buys their affection, and Albo’s government has put the strategy on steroids.

The flip side of this arrangement for the MPs is that they need to wear strange costumes every time Ramadan, Diwali, Chinese New Year and the ancient Feast of the Non-Binary Mountain Goat rolls around. Let them. They know they look ridiculous.

We will retain our own culture, thanks very much, in which the only early-morning call to prayer is for the Dawn Service on April 25, and the only traditional greeting is a heartfelt “g’day” followed by “have a good one”.

Either deliberately or through its monumental incompetence, Labor is going to impose enormous suffering on Australians. Conservative commentators won’t be exempt. We’ve already seen in Britain and Germany what happens to people who upset the leftist agenda. Tommy Robinson and Lucy Connolly are the most famous, but in fact Pommy plods are arresting 30 people a day for wrongspeak. It will happen here too when the government reintroduces the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, which empowers apparatchiks to define the truth. Albo and his colleagues are authoritarian losers who know they can’t win an argument, so must resort to blunter methods to retain power.

Nigel Farrage has just proved that even this isn’t foolproof. His Reform Party, which evolved from the Brexit Party in 2021, is now the most popular party in Britain. In a by-election last week it destroyed the incumbent Labor while also taking out 10 local councils. Farrage has called it the death of two-party politics. British Labour backbenchers are already sharpening the knives for their evil leader, Keir Starmer.

Albo is taking us down the same road travelled by his hero Starmer, unaware that a humiliating Farrage-like backlash will ensue.

This term of federal government will inspire patriotic Australians in ways Peter Dutton, let alone Labor, never thought possible.

Wet wet wet

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How wet was it in Narrabri? Here in the West, we had exactly 100 mm for the 24 hours to 5 pm, a total of 125 for the last couple of days. Our average for the whole of March is 56 mm, so a bit damp.

There are lots of roads closed due to flash flooding and some houses have been inundated.

After clearing for a while this afternoon, the clouds are coming back over so we might yet get some more.

Cats And Dogs

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After relatively dry and warm weather in Narrabri the last two months, we are well and truly over our average rain for the month of March. Since 11 am yesterday morning we have received 74 mm as at 9.00. Our average for the month of March is 56 mm!

Time

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While I mostly like Daylight Saving Time, I think it goes a bit too long. It seems odd to me that we have the sun rising after 7 am and so many people are getting up in the dark while we are so far from winter. If you look at the start and finish dates of Summer Time, we end it about a month later than we should.

In times gone by, each town or village ran to their own time zone. There might be only one clock in a locality, probably on the church. The local time was 12 noon when the sun was at its highest point. The advent of trains and timetables meant that a standard time in a county or region had to be adopted, otherwise timetables could not be worked out.

The internet age accelerated things further so that we now synchronise time to millionths of a second to make possible these instantaneous transactions of data. When the natural world drifts too far from internet time, a “leap second” has to be inserted into the atomic clocks that govern it all.

As opposed to this chronological idea of time, the ancients has a concept of “appointed time.” This was the right time. We have all had those experiences when everything just came together at the right time; what was impossible a month ago suddenly comes to pass. In farming, sowing and harvest are appointed times, determined by seasons and weather. A baby’s birth is an appointed time that nobody can control.

The Bible tells us that “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement.” You and I don’t know when we will die, when that “appointed time” is. Wisdom suggests that we should prepare for death well in advance.

One thing that every person should do is to make sure that they are ready to stand before God. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners, but also that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself.” Those who are followers of Jesus have nothing to fear from death or from judgement, because He has paid the price.

It is one thing to gt the clocks right. Let’s make sure our relationship with God is also right.

Stop Digital ID – Demand the Coalition Repeal It!

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Stop Digital ID – Demand the Coalition Repeal It!

petition author imageGeorge Robert Christensen started this petition to Peter Dutton, and the Liberal National Coalition leadership team – 2024/07/16

Our Freedom is on the Line – Act NOW!

The Digital ID system is one of the most dangerous threats to our personal freedoms in modern Australian history. The Albanese Labor Government rushed this legislation through Parliament, silencing debate and ignoring widespread public opposition. If we don’t act now, Australians will be forced into a government-controlled digital identity regime that could restrict access to essential services, increase surveillance, and open the door to mass data breaches and abuse.

This is why we need the Liberal National Coalition to take a firm stand BEFORE the federal election.

The Digital ID Act Must Be Repealed – No Replacements, No Compromise!

Labor wants a permanent digital identity system that will track and control Australians’ access to daily life. This cannot be allowed to happen. We are demanding that the Liberal National Coalition leadership and marginal MPs publicly commit to:

✅ Repealing the Digital ID Act 2024 and its associated legislation if elected.

✅ Rejecting ANY future Digital ID system – no rebranded replacements, no second attempts.

✅ Making this an ironclad pre-election commitment, not just vague political rhetoric.

Why This Fight Matters

🔴 Erosion of Privacy & Freedom – The Digital ID system gives the government and corporations sweeping control over your data, your access to services, and even your daily activities.

🔴 Government Surveillance & Overreach – Once this system is in place, it will be expanded to monitor and control more aspects of our lives, just as we’ve seen with authoritarian regimes worldwide.

🔴 Security Risks & Data Breaches – The government cannot even secure its own sensitive data. Centralizing every Australian’s identity information creates a massive target for cyberattacks and identity fraud.

Time is Running Out – We Must Act NOW!

The next federal election is our chance to force the Opposition to take a real stand. If we allow weak, half-hearted commitments, the door remains open for a future government to expand and entrench Digital ID.

The Liberal National Coalition MUST publicly commit before the election to repealing Digital ID and ensuring no replacement system is ever introduced.

We need to make this issue politically unavoidable for every Liberal and National MP in a marginal seat. Their election chances depend on voters like us – and we must make it clear that failing to act will have consequences at the ballot box.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW – Demand the LNP Pledge to Repeal Digital ID!

https://citizengo.org/en-au/node/13531?dr=4177717::de7c0340d9371123da20362cd5fb2528&utm_source=em&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_content=em_btn&utm_campaign=EN_AU-2024-07-15-Local-NA-GCH-13531-Repeal_Digital_ID.03_AAB_Relaunch_1&mkt_tok=OTA3LU9EWS0wNTEAAAGZEhBQmT_ckQ1VoHGqRWCO3VWsN421SmBQk4CYda2Oa8ox9yGCLwlpsY9FEvFGEYB1sCriLZ2icA4dwClyo1AfG6frMfX7eOzQ–HFw1iP0tCaoZnucEY

Let Jesus Calm Your Storm

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As I write this, Tropical Cyclone Alfred is heading for Brisbane and is expected to wreak havoc though the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast areas as well as into the North Coast of New South Wales.

Tropical cyclones, called hurricanes or typhoons in other parts of the world, are very intense low pressure systems that generate huge winds and heavy rainfall, sometimes over very big areas. They can cause destruction and flooding and people rightly get nervous when a cyclone approaches. Readers of a certain age will recall Cyclone Tracey which on Christmas Eve 1974 flattened most of Darwin and killed 66 people.

Cyclones are very important in regulating the earth’s temperature. They are like conveyor belts for energy taking heat energy from the tropics and transporting it to more temperate regions. That is great for the planet, but not so good when people get in the way.

We often speak of storms as descriptions for what is happening in our lives. Relationships can be stormy. Angry individuals act like cyclones, destroying everyone they encounter. Sometimes we might go through a “perfect storm” where everything seems to be coming against us and it all threatens to overwhelm us.

On one occasion some followers of Jesus were caught out on the sea at night time in a tiny boat when a huge storm blew up. The waves threatened to sink the boat. They were already terrified when a ghostly figure approached them, walking on the water. One of them, Peter, called out, “Lord if it’s really you command me to walk on the water.” With that, Peter stepped out of the boat and strode across the waves that had a short time before scared him. (See Matthew 14:22-33)

You might be going through a “perfect storm” right now. Cyclone Alfred is nothing compared to the personal devastation you are fearing or feeling. Hand over all your cares to the Lord and put your trust in Him. He still calms the storms and gives us the grace to stride across them confidently.

Welcome To Country

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Meaning of “Welcome To Country


“Welcome To Country” or “Acknowledgement of Country” rituals have become pervasive throughout Australia in recent years. They range from a rushed acknowledgement of elders “past, present and emerging” through to long speeches by paid indigenous performers.

    People generally tolerate them as another tedious fact of life, like searching for somewhere to charge your phone, while others bristle at being “welcomed” to a place they have lived all their lives.

    On the web site of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) there is a whole page dedicated to “Welcome to Country”, https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/welcome-country .

    On the AIATSIS page we read this:
    Country is the term often used by Aboriginal peoples to describe the lands, waterways and seas to which they are connected. The term contains complex ideas about law, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, cultural practice, material sustenance, family and identity.

    Aboriginal people believe that there are spirits dwelling in the rocks, rivers, trees and so on, which must be respected by all people, but especially by visitors.

    Welcome To Country means telling the local spirits that a visitor has the support of the people:
    ‘Being welcomed to Country means that you are talking to your spiritual ancestors and you’re saying just let this person come through. We trust that they’re not going to do any harm on this Country and so do not harm them.’ — Jude Barlow, Ngunnawal Elder.

    An Acknowledgement of Country is described like this:
    Acknowledging when you’re on the land of Traditional Owners is a sign of respect which acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ownership and custodianship of the land, their ancestors and traditions. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples can show this form of respect.

    What is described as “a form of respect” seems to carry political and social weight if it is acknowledging aboriginal ownership and custodianship of the land, especially when it is not restricted to land that has been ceded to Native Title.

    Worse still, from a christian point of view, is that a “Welcome To Country” is actually a religious ritual appeasing spirits. Christians rightly reject such occultic practices as tarot cards, ouija boards and the like, for the very reason that these are means of communicating with spirits. How can a “Welcome To Country” be any different?

    Use in Christian Gatherings

    In September 2023, the NSW Presbyterian Church passed a resolution forbidding the use of Welcome to Country/ Acknowledgement of Country in worship services.i It should be noted, though, that this did not necessarily apply to all meetings held on property owned by the Presbyterian Church.

      A the other extreme is the Uniting Church in Australia web site (uniting.church) which ha a banner that says


      The Uniting Church in Australia Assembly acknowledges the sovereign First Peoples of the lands and waters where we work in locations across the country. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and to all their descendants who have cared for this place since creation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware this website may contain images, voices, and videos of deceased persons.

      No explicitly christian gathering should use these rituals in any form. After all, they are an appeal to the spirits governing the land, where Christians recognise only one spirit in the land, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a part of creation but a member of the Trinity, the three-in-one creator of all things. This is what Paul called “another gospel” in which entities other than the Lord Jesus Christ are asked to bring protection.

      The spiritism (belief that spirits inhabit the landscape and interact with the human inhabitants) that underlies Aboriginal beliefs is at odds with the gospel. There is no way to bring the two world views together coherently. Unbelievers will probably say that it is a good thing to recognise indigenous people and their beliefs. For christians there can be no compromise.

      Given the all-pervasive nature of these rituals, it is hard to escape them. Every meeting run by a Government sponsored or funded organisation starts with the Welcome to Country. Every email or letter from a Government Department has an Acknowledgement of Country. You can’t even travel in a domestic airline now without being “Welcomed to Country” at the destination.

      How then should christians respond? I think that we are in the a similar situation here to Paul’s teaching about meat sacrificed to idols. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul tackles what was then a thorny question: Should christians eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols? At that time some of the meat that was available at the market may have been sacrificed to the local “gods”. Paul argues that as christians we know that the so-called gods are not real, and even if they are, they are inferior to the one God, the Father who created all things. Therefore is is not an issue, except if we are eating with a believer who is accustomed to thinking that these “gods” are real, in which case we should abstain in order to help this weaker brother’s conscience.

      Later in 1 Corinthians, Paul speaking on the same subject of meat offered to idols makes this statement:

      What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods?  No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.ii

      Making a fuss doesn’t help in these situations, and may harden people against the Good News. If we must endure these pagan rituals in modern Australia, then we should do so with grace. We should pray and bind the spirits in silent prayer and quietly declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.

      Alternatives to “Welcome to Country”

      A number of people have suggested christian alternatives to Welcome/ Acknowledgement words.

        One such suggestion is Psalm 24, which opens with the words:


        The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 
        For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 

        A group called Revival Ministries Australia has produced this Acknowledgement of the Lord Jesus Christ, which they recommend be read at the beginning of meetings

        Acknowledgement of the Lord Jesus Christ

        Today I acknowledge the Lordship and Godhood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We acknowledge You, Jesus, as the Owner and Possessor of all things, including the land that we are meeting on today, in accordance with Your word from Psalm 24:1 which says, “The earth is Yahweh’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all those who dwell therein”.

        We acknowledge that the nations are Your inheritance and that the ends of the earth are the possession of Jesus, the Son of God according to Your word in Psalm 2:8.

        We acknowledge that the name of Jesus is the name above every name, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and of those beneath the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father – Philippians 2:9-11

        We acknowledge You Jesus as the Only Way to know the Father, the One who is Truth Himself and the One who is Eternal Life. No-one compares to You! – John 14:6

        We acknowledge You as the Great I AM, the Lord of the Harvest, the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, the Blessed and Only Potentate and Sovereign, and we thank You for this most awesome opportunity and privilege to meet together, on this land, in Your name where You are Present in the midst of us.

        Amen.

        Conclusion

        We are surrounded these days by aspects of animist aboriginal practices. We can become complacent about them and think they do not do any harm.

          Generic Acknowledgement of Country statements are probably quite harmless. When a person is on specific aboriginal land and is welcomed by the local elders, this may carry more weight, and open the person up to demonic oppression. Smoking Ceremonies specifically appeal to the spirits to protect a person from “bad spirits”, and as such should be avoided by christians.

          Western Australia elder Rodney Rivers has detailed some of these cases and the effects that have hounded people for a long time after participating in these cultural rituals.iii

          Christians must put the lordship of Jesus Christ at the forefront of their thinking at all times. This is especially true when being forced to participate in pagan practices. Let us maintain good grace and take the opportunity to pray in the name of Jesus.


          Notes

          i. See this and numerous news reports from the time. https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/presbyterian-church-of-australia-rules-indigenous-acknowledgement-of-country-not-appropriate-for-service/news-story/6d80e4cc84e4591b914bb9e39cbe1948

          ii. 1 Cor. 10:19-20

          iii. https://dailydeclaration.org.au/2019/11/25/australia-my-country-the-smoking-ceremony-and-its-effects-rodney-rivers/