General Discussions

[Mav]

So they’ve wasted all of the effort that the whites put into preparing the blacks to take over the running of the country.

[ElwoodBlues1]

So they’ve wasted all of the effort that the whites put into preparing the blacks to take over the running of the country.

Point is that political power is always used the same way, whoever has it regardless of colour, ideology etc.....

[DJC]

Mav here's where I'm coming from, make of it what you will. Sometimes I think my wording and how I articulate my point fails me miserably.
- I can't tolerate general stupidity, as a society I think we are generally dumber these days (e.g. see my post about the level crossing removal).
- I care about sustainability, the land, the environment and the people that rely on all three (e.g First Nations peoples, our famers etc). I'm convinced that all the governments/political parties in this country are incapable of caring and properly managing any of those items.
- I like to use the outdoors ie 4wd, camp, hunt and fish. I do this following all the rules and sustainably. I'm convinced all governments/political parties in this country are incapable of managing these activities properly (there's pattern forming).
- I can't tolerate double standards, treat everyone equally and fairly and the world will be a better and more peaceful place.
For example, I can't stand the use of the N word, ever under any circumstances, it's abhorrent. But I also can't stand it when African Americans use it jokingly or as part of their vernacular. Educate, lead and set the example, if you don't want people to use that word, dont you use it, ever. I remember a lesson my father taught when I used the word "wog" once  as part of my vernicular. He absolutely roasted me and said "son, if you dont like being called a wog, dont use the word ever, set the example and call it out when its used". Similarly, First Nations peoples often use the word "black fella". I was always taught its a derogatory term and should never be used. So I say to our First Nations peoples, educate by setting the example, dont use the term and call it out when it is. If not, its hypocritical in my book.
What I found interesting about the comments on The Project was along similar lines as above. The LBGTI community is fighting the good fight for equality. So again I say stay classy, educate, be consistent in your messaging  and the fight will be won (the right way). Don't fuel the fire by making the divide between groups bigger, its unnecessary and unproductive.

My interests and ideals are wide ranging and diverse (sometime they appear conflicting), but generally, I live a really simple, peaceful life and I think the key to it is being respectful towards people, property, land, country and environment at all times. It's not that hard, or is it?

We have a lot in common G2C, and not just our love of the mighty Blues 

I coached an under 14 boys' basketall team that had one African boy, one Melanesian boy, one Polynesian boy (whose younger brother was stabbed to death the following year) and three white kids.  They were a handful, but they could play and we ended up narrowly losing the A grade grand final against what was essentially a first division rep team.  The three boys of colour would often use the 'n' word, but not when their parents were around.  Hopefully, they are a little smarter and more respectful now.

Anyway, the point that I really wanted to make is that "black fella" or blekpela is not a derogatory term and has been used by Indigenous Australians to denote themselves since "white fellas" arrived on the scene.  I used to be reluctant to use it but I learned that it is often the preferred term, particularly when the subjects don't have a name that's easily rendered in English or when members of several groups are referred to collectively. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_DHwp5vYBI

[Thryleon]

I was thinking of the Ukraine war when I referenced Christian Nationalists. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, is a huge supporter of Putin’s war. And the fact that Putin heads a Christian Nationalist government is what makes it hard for right-wingers in the US to regard Putin as an enemy. They love that he’s turned his government into a dictatorship and would love Trump to emulate him. It’ll be interesting to see if the Trumpists now in control of the House will be able to cut off the financial support offered to Ukraine.

What I know is that people are deluded if they expect the right wingers will accept a rule where no person should be joked about or oppressed. You acknowledge that it’s not moderate Christians who are behind the backlash - it’s the Bolts and Murrays. They’re quite happy to defend the rights of right wingers to their freedom of speech or more accurately their right to harass and humiliate those they wish to other. They condemn the Politically Correct or the Woke who stand in their way. But whenever they can act like snowflakes and claim their constituencies are being offended, they play the victim. Returning to an earlier point, it makes my blood boil when the political correctness card is played because, as we’ve seen, it only applies to left wingers not right whingers. I for one won’t fall for the nonsense about needing to stand against anything that might offend as I know there will be no reciprocation from the right. If the right wing wants to carve out sacred institutions that are beyond the reach of satire or humour, they’ll do it without me.

You do know that Ukraine are effectively Christian too right?

[northernblue]

We have a lot in common G2C, and not just our love of the mighty Blues 

I coached an under 14 boys' basketall team that had one African boy, one Melanesian boy, one Polynesian boy (whose younger brother was stabbed to death the following year) and three white kids.  They were a handful, but they could play and we ended up narrowly losing the A grade grand final against what was essentially a first division rep team.  The three boys of colour would often use the 'n' word, but not when their parents were around.  Hopefully, they are a little smarter and more respectful now.

Anyway, the point that I really wanted to make is that "black fella" or blekpela is not a derogatory term and has been used by Indigenous Australians to denote themselves since "white fellas" arrived on the scene.  I used to be reluctant to use it but I learned that it is often the preferred term, particularly when the subjects don't have a name that's easily rendered in English or when members of several groups are referred to collectively. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_DHwp5vYBI

I’m one who has on here who has often referred to Aboriginals as “Black fellas”
However some Blackfellas prefer to be called “Countrymen” I’m ok with that.

As a rule I’m politically incorrect, but I try to be respectful to individuals depending on how they present.
But I don’t do welcome to country…  tokenism at its worst.

[Mav]

Of course I do, Thryleon. But I suspect you’re reading Christian Nationalism as a simple conjunction of an adjective and a noun. It’s actually a political descriptor. Here’s the Wikipedia entry (and of course insofar as it relates to Russia we have to remember that partisans can modify text):

Christian nationalism is Christianity-affiliated religious nationalism.[1] Christian nationalists primarily focus on internal politics, such as passing laws that reflect their view of Christianity and its role in political and social life. In countries with a state Church, Christian nationalists, in seeking to preserve the status of a Christian state, uphold an antidisestablishmentarian position.[2][3][4]

Christian nationalists support the presence of Christian symbols and statuary in the public square, as well as state patronage for the display of religion, such as school prayer and the exhibition of nativity scenes during Christmastide or the Christian Cross on Good Friday.[5][6]

Christian nationalists draw support from the broader Christian right.[7]
…

Russia[edit]
President of Russia Vladimir Putin has been described as a global leader of the Christian nationalist and Christian right movements.[26][27] As President, Putin has increased the power of the Russian Orthodox Church and proclaimed his staunch belief in Eastern Orthodoxy,[28] as well as maintaining close contacts with Patriarchs of Moscow and all Rus' Alexy II and Kirill.

The Russian Imperial Movement is a prominent neo-Nazi Christian nationalist group that trains militants all over Europe and has recruited thousands of fighters for its paramilitary group, the Imperial Legion, which is participating in the war on Ukraine. The group also works with the Atomwaffen Division in order to network with and recruit extremists from the United States.[29][30]

France is a very Christian country (with a much smaller Muslim population drawn predominantly from Algeria. But the French also practice staunch separation of Church and State and react swiftly to any display of religious iconography in public spaces. That extended to banning the burquini from beaches which created a bit of a furore.

[Lods]

The Project declares jokes about Jesus are off limits. Are we okay with that? The Age.

Interesting that the project would go with that course of action.

There are 'Jesus jokes' and there are 'Jesus jokes'.
Back in the 70's (so the story goes), when Peter Hudson was at the peak of his powers a local minister put on his sign at the front of the church.

"What would you do if Christ came to Hawthorn?"
Someone had written underneath...
"Move Hudson to Centre Half Forward."
I guess back in the day that still would have upset a few folks but...
The implication was that Christ was greater than Hudson....even at football.

On the other hand we have this project joke (told by a guy in drag make up...important only because of some questions I'll put later) that seeks to link the suffering in arguably the most painful and drawn out method of execution with sexual gratification.

It triggers a lot of people.
One joke glorifies Jesus, the other not so much.... but it appears the ban is an all encompassing one. (I can't see the article).

Lot's of layers in this.
Would a joke like this have gone differently with prominent figures in other religions?
(I think we can safely guess there would have been outrage in Islam).
Had the teller of the joke been more famous, like a Ru Paul, would the outrage have been greater or less?
What if the teller wasn't dressed in drag make-up?
Where did the main anger and outrage come from...churches, shock jocks the general public?
Is the response something of a case of an opportunity to hit back at what some see as the "woke" culture? ( a push back against the push)?

[Mav]

I guess the joke means different things to different people. I never regarded it as an allusion to S&M sex or torture. To me, it played with “nailed” having the literal meaning and a secondary meaning of being f*cked. He was saying he loves a guy he can nail for 3 days solid who will come back for more. And he was marrying that up with Jesus being nailed on the cross for 3 days. I didn’t take that as suggesting Jesus was gay or had been “nailed” in the secondary sense. It was just an absurd play on words which worked by subverting expectations. I’m sure he enjoyed tweaking the tail of his homophobic critics but I don’t see the joke as attacking Christianity or Christians. On the other hand, Jimmy Carr’s jokes flat out say religion is just fantasy and magical thinking. You’d think they’d be seen as a far more serious insult.

[Lods]

I guess the joke means different things to different people. I never regarded it as an allusion to S&M sex or torture. To me, it played with “nailed” having the literal meaning and a secondary meaning of being f*cked. He was saying he loves a guy he can nail for 3 days solid who will come back for more. And he was marrying that up with Jesus being nailed on the cross for 3 days. I didn’t take that as suggesting Jesus was gay or had been “nailed” in the secondary sense. It was just an absurd play on words which worked by subverting expectations. I’m sure he enjoyed tweaking the tail of his homophobic critics but I don’t see the joke as attacking Christianity or Christians. On the other hand, Jimmy Carr’s jokes flat out say religion is just fantasy and magical thinking. You’d think they’d be seen as a far more serious insult.

I probably didn't phrase part of that well.
'Link' was probably not the right word.
There's no suggestion of S&M
I saw it exactly as you suggested, a play on the word 'nailed'.

[madbluboy]

I guess the joke means different things to different people. I never regarded it as an allusion to S&M sex or torture. To me, it played with “nailed” having the literal meaning and a secondary meaning of being f*cked. He was saying he loves a guy he can nail for 3 days solid who will come back for more. And he was marrying that up with Jesus being nailed on the cross for 3 days. I didn’t take that as suggesting Jesus was gay or had been “nailed” in the secondary sense. It was just an absurd play on words which worked by subverting expectations. I’m sure he enjoyed tweaking the tail of his homophobic critics but I don’t see the joke as attacking Christianity or Christians. On the other hand, Jimmy Carr’s jokes flat out say religion is just fantasy and magical thinking. You’d think they’d be seen as a far more serious insult.

The Project is on about 6:30 right?