tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post112040282575748094..comments2024-03-01T10:11:31.939+11:00Comments on The Palimpsest: My Interview on National TelevisionNathan Zamprognohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292757767183001630noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-51842227663329527002007-05-23T13:02:00.000+10:002007-05-23T13:02:00.000+10:00Nathan,This, it seems, is quite a few years too la...Nathan,<BR/><BR/>This, it seems, is quite a few years too late...and yet. Thought I would let you know that I had read your comments on signpost (and found my way here) and was surprised by the 'revelations'. Further more, I never watched your interview either for what ever reason at the time. Anyway, not sure what I would have done but I wish you had told me - I would have stood with you. It seems many things go largely beyond my notice at church, perhaps that should change. Perhaps now it will. Hope you are well. <BR/><BR/>BenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-38247715186403449612007-04-26T19:41:00.000+10:002007-04-26T19:41:00.000+10:00Emma Whale Says:October 13th, 2004 at 10:09 amThou...Emma Whale Says:<BR/>October 13th, 2004 at 10:09 am<BR/><BR/>Thought this may be of interest: A letter of complaint I wrote to NSW FF state office.<BR/><BR/>I am writing as a member of the AOG church to express my disappointment over Family First.<BR/><BR/>I am a committed member and leader in Hawkesbury Church Windsor (Ps Joan Woods’ church) and until this election, have been proud of my denomination and my church. However, in the attempt of Family First to jump into Federal politics I have become ashamed to say I am a Pentacostal Christian.<BR/><BR/>There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I feel as though Family First has been less than honest with the Australian people, or extremely naive (I hope it’s the latter). Repeatedly, Family First has denied they are a church party and that there are strong links between the party and the church. As a member of an AOG church I know for a fact this is simply not true. Eight members of my church are running for seats in the lower and upper houses. Practically everyone else who is standing for a seat is AOG or at least a Christian. If Family First is serious about proving they are not an AOG party then perhaps they should find some candidates elsewhere. For several weeks the fact our senior pastor is running for the Senate has been mentioned from the pulpit as well as exhortations to help her in her campaign. Private email addresses and phone numbers given to the church for church use have been used to call people asking for their help in the election campaign and also used to distribute political material to church members. I believe this is actually illegal, as well as crossing the very fine line between church and state. I also know the AOG sees Family First as its “platform to influence the nation”. Yet, when any of these issues and inconsistencies have been broadcasted in the media, the party has claimed the media is hounding them. This may be true. But if the issues were not there in the first place then there would be no publicity of them. As a journalist, I thoroughly believe the media has an important role in this area as people deserve to know the truth.<BR/><BR/>Secondly, it has been extremely divisive. I saw Peter Harris interviewed in regard to comments made by senate candidate Danny Naillah about Islam and those made by a Queensland volunteer about burning lesbiams at the stake. He could not deny the comments, but tried to pass off Mr Naillah’s as “personal opinion” and said he would not disendorse the candidate. I could not believe such divisive, racist comments could be made by people claiming to be Christians. The fact the party did not take a stand on this issue simply divided me further from it, and as a consequence, my church, which saddens me. Also, the fact the party has almost unanimously given preferences to the Liberal Party is, for me, untenable. Now any Christian who usually votes Labor (and there are plenty of them) cannot vote Family First. And again, those of us who are not necessarily conservative feel alienated from the party and the church.<BR/><BR/>I actually agree with several of the policies of Family First. I also disagree with some of them. What I, and a lot of other people in the church, are upset about is an attempt to politicise the pulpit and then deny that it’s happening. I also dislike the fact the party claims its policies are “Christian based”. If you claim a certain stance is the “Christian” stance, then anyone who doesn’t agree is alienated not only from the political opinion, but Christianity. Many of the stances that are claimed to be “Christian” I don’t agree with, and yet I am absolutely a committed Bible-believing Christian.<BR/><BR/>I hope you have taken the time to read this email. I can only hope after the election we can all get back to what Jesus asked us to do - love God, love people and get them saved. I also hope I can keep on in the AOG church when I am, quite frankly, quite disillusioned.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your time,<BR/><BR/>Emma WhaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123544013393593022005-08-09T09:33:00.000+10:002005-08-09T09:33:00.000+10:00Once again it's the christians who give christians...Once again it's the christians who give christians a bad name. Perched up with their self righteous 'I know better' attitudes looking down on anyone that dare offers a differing opinion. That's what I call tripe.<BR/><BR/>And what on earth do the Woods' have to do with this anyway? There is no mention of them in this interview nor do I believe have they any further connections with FF.<BR/><BR/>Nathan congratulations on being invited for for this interview in the first place. To be asked your opinion by Jana Wendt along side notable politicians and pastors is quite an achievement.<BR/><BR/>How sad other people live with such narrow minds. God bless you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123424829703428402005-08-08T00:27:00.000+10:002005-08-08T00:27:00.000+10:00To my mysterious visitor (who left the comment on ...To my mysterious visitor (who left the comment on Friday afternoon): You keep coming back here! Later the same night before midnight and again on Saturday morning before lunch. You have a class B private IP address (172.20.170.243) and at least a rudimentary knowledge of HTML tags (which you used in your post). Rather narrows it down, yes? Cat got your tongue? Waiting to see what response you might prompt? Stirrer. By now you might realise the vanishing minority you find yourself in. Why claim what the people you mention by name will not? Of course: you know better. Will you come out and tell us who you are? Of course not.Nathan Zamprognohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18292757767183001630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123424644932228582005-08-08T00:24:00.000+10:002005-08-08T00:24:00.000+10:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Nathan Zamprognohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18292757767183001630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123416618010900012005-08-07T22:10:00.000+10:002005-08-07T22:10:00.000+10:00I forgot my whole reason for coming here - it was ...I forgot my whole reason for coming here - it was to post this comment which I feel pertains to your position:<BR/><BR/>A union of government and religion tends to destroy government and degrade religion. – Hugo Black<BR/><BR/>Similarly, I know you subscribe to 'A Word a Day', as do I, so you must have felt a bit of inner glow when you read the 1 Aug 05 post:<BR/><BR/>"In the 1920s, while barring the teaching of foreign languages, Texas governor Miriam "Ma" Ferguson picked up a Bible and famously declared, "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for Texas."<BR/><BR/>The governor could be excused for not knowing that what she held in her hand was a translation, but not for mixing state and religion. But here we'll focus on the former."<BR/><BR/>I had a good laugh at this one and immediately thought of your plight!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123415967610631522005-08-07T21:59:00.000+10:002005-08-07T21:59:00.000+10:00You don't seem to be blogging very much. Could you...You don't seem to be blogging very much. Could you move on to some of the other articles you've previously advised were coming. I'm looking for something to read. Great to see that you're annoying the type of idiots that the Church could do without but needs to tolerate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123232588135578182005-08-05T19:03:00.000+10:002005-08-05T19:03:00.000+10:00Regarding the above comment: Gosh, welcome to my b...Regarding the above comment: Gosh, welcome to my blog. I can't complain of course if people choose to disagree with me. Putting one's point of view in the public domain means I'm inviting you to form an opinion, for or against. What disappoints of course is when people feel that their <I>ad-hominem</I> attacks can be made from the coward's refuge of anonymity. I'd make a couple of points. One is that if that's the way you feel, put your name to it. Second is that you're dead wrong. When legitimate debate cannot be seen except as disobedience or disaffection then, sorry to say, you make my point far more conclusively than I would have dared to hope. Thank you for so obviously supporting my position! I've been attending the same Church in the Hawkesbury for seventeen years. I haven't left, I'm still actively involved in it's mission and it's ministry, I respect it's leadership (whom I did not mention in my interview, although I see you have) and I still care and love for my friends there, as I always have. If I was bitter then woudn't I have moved on? The question really boils down to is, who the hell are you? What agenda do <I>you</I> serve? Who is <I>your</I> master? Your ignorance is palpable, but I can't expect you have the decency to show your face so you can be educated.Nathan Zamprognohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18292757767183001630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1123228349736277792005-08-05T17:52:00.000+10:002005-08-05T17:52:00.000+10:00I suspect this tripe is a result of Nathan's conti...I suspect this <I>tripe</I> is a result of Nathan's continued ambivalence and disaffection towards the AOG movement. <BR/><BR/>I also suspect it is also a significant derivative of his personal dislike of the Woods clan. <BR/><BR/>Why don't you disclose this, Nathan, as opposed to pretending to be a dispassionate bystander "concerned" about what is going on? You're not concerned, you're disaffected and bitter and you have a vendetta agains the Woods.<BR/><BR/>Admit it and stop lying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1121054238694337122005-07-11T13:57:00.000+10:002005-07-11T13:57:00.000+10:00"Because people that go to those churches and hold..."Because people that go to those churches and hold a different political flavour end up feeling uncomfortable. If they vote left of centre for example there's a danger that people will think less of their Christianity."<BR/><BR/>This is a startling truth of many AOG churches and it is something I personally have had to deal with. This however does not stop me from attending my church nor does it make me want to vote for FF because it is not the only area within ANY church that people have problems with. I have learnt that people have "Holier then thou" attitudes on a many things in Christian churches and on the left and the right of Christian politics. As long as my faith in Christ comes above this I have no reason to feel 'less Christian' based on another humans point of view.<BR/><BR/>I think you have done a great thing in speaking out.Brigitta Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06450605051753256194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1121020980572756382005-07-11T04:43:00.000+10:002005-07-11T04:43:00.000+10:00Glad that you found something encouraging in what ...Glad that you found something encouraging in what I wrote Nathan.<BR/>I didn't see the interview but from the transcript you seemed to have handled it well.<BR/><BR/>saintAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1120711023786848672005-07-07T14:37:00.000+10:002005-07-07T14:37:00.000+10:00"Because people that go to those churches and hold..."Because people that go to those churches and hold a different political flavour end up feeling uncomfortable. If they vote left of centre for example there's a danger that people will think less of their Christianity."<BR/><BR/>So true Nathan, so true.<BR/><BR/>I applaud you for your guts - and hope that those that are hurt by your comments will try and ask why they're hurt, and why you're commenting, and why you feel the way you do, rather than just reacting.Rebeccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02456121582722875862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1120630848335158282005-07-06T16:20:00.000+10:002005-07-06T16:20:00.000+10:00I'm a Christian and a perennial Greens candidate. ...I'm a Christian and a perennial Greens candidate. I agree with much of what you said in your interview, and I feel very hurt by my spiritual brothers and sisters for vilifying the Greens.<BR/><BR/>I'm sure we would disagree on a lot of things Nathan, but congratulations on making a stand. I believe that Family First, like the churches they come from, is undemocratic, power-hungry, and blasphemously using the name of Jesus to further their own right-wing agendae.zzymurgyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04230445897498582576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1120533163597905832005-07-05T13:12:00.000+10:002005-07-05T13:12:00.000+10:00Well done Nathan. As Grant has said, you presented...Well done Nathan. As Grant has said, you presented your oppinions well. I'm just hoping that the next election will see some change as a result of all the fallout from the last.Justin Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14995847102962013980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776184.post-1120531647592047652005-07-05T12:47:00.000+10:002005-07-05T12:47:00.000+10:00Very good Nathan, you managed to discuss a sensiti...Very good Nathan, you managed to discuss a sensitive topic without treading on the toes of those who could be offended - as far as I can see anyhow. Don't worry about backlash, God is the final judge and considering this is what you believe then not speaking out about it would have been the immoral thing to do.<BR/><BR/>GrantAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com