Closing Islamic Schools: Responses from CVIP Readers
December 2007

On Thursday 8 November, Reverend the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes asked for feedback from CVIP subscribers on the issue of closing all Islamic schools. Many were very long and detailed. Thank you to all those who responded. It is obvious that our members do not think limiting immigration of Muslims and closing their schools is of good policy for a Christian party.

Reprogramming the Debate on Stem Cells
December 2007

Stem-cell research took a great leap forward last week, when two independent research groups, led by Dr. James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Dr. Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, Japan, reported success in the genetic reprogramming of human skin cells to create cells indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells. This new technique for deriving human stem cells may change the course of research in the field of regenerative medicine.

Umbilical Cord Blood
December 2007

Is the Minister aware that umbilical cord blood is a vital way in which stem cell research could be advanced and their use in research is less controversial and does not have any moral or ethical ramifications because it does not involve the destruction of embryos? Is the Minister aware that some of the State’s hospitals does not facilitate the opportunity for a mother to donate cord blood due to transportation and cost issues?

China & Human Rights
October 2007

From an early age I was deeply moved by the plight of persecuted Christians in China under the Communist regime, which came to power in 1948. As a teenager, I prayed for them and was not able to do much more than that until 1997 and 1998. Then, with help from the Bible League, my wife and I joined a group that smuggled thousands of Bibles into China for the underground Christian church.

Freedom of the Press Curtailed during APEC
September 2007

Democracy has taken a back step when freedom of the press was curtailed during the APEC leaders' meeting. Freedom of the press was violated during the APEC Final Declaration ceremony at Government House in an effort to avoid Chinese President Hu Jintao and other dignitaries to embarrassing questions. "These are sad days for democracy. Freedom of the press should be paramount. Free speech was censored in our soil due to pressure from Chinese government officials. The basic rights of journalists and reporters have been violated and dismissed," Dr Moyes said

Fred Nile
August 2007

When I arrived in Sydney to take up my task as Superintendent of Wesley Mission in the late 1970s there was one name I knew who had been associated with the Mission from another area of contact. It was the name of Rev. Fred Nile. I had known Fred Nile through a series of booklets that he had written while he was the national director of Christian Endeavour. I was running Christian Endeavour classes and had grown up within Christian Endeavour. I felt it was one of the best training programmes for young people in the Christian faith. Rev. Fred Nile had been the full-time director of the Christian Endeavour movement across Australia and had written a number of handbooks for leaders in the work. I was very impressed with these handbooks. They were extremely practical, methodical, well organised and quite clearly showed the mind of a man who knew what he was about when it came to planning and developing strategies.

Coping With Poverty
August 2007

In 1970, my wife and I had four small children and were desperately poor. My wife was fully occupied in caring for them and myself. I had a job as a minister of a church and we were paid eighty-four dollars per week. We had just purchased our first home after an immense struggle to save the deposit. It was fibro and weatherboard, but it was ours!

The building society repayments, legal fees and an all out effort to avoid a second mortgage, meant we had very little to live on. Our clothes were good - my wife sewed for all of us, and a friend in a store gave us all the returned goods that were faulty, and Beverley repaired them.

Finding God's Amazing Grace
August 2007

This year is the 200th anniversary of that British decision to abolish the slave trade. William Wilberforce was a Christian Member of Parliament who led the campaign to abolish the slave trade in 1807 and then campaigned for the outlawing of owning slaves in 1833 (just days before his death).

It was a tough campaign. Slavery was an important part of the British economy. People could not imagine how an economy would flourish without it. Since most British people had little direct knowledge of the suffering incurred by slavery Wilberforce and his campaign team had an uphill battle.

Factsheet on Homosexuality
July 2007

The Macquarie Dictionary defines homosexuality as "sexual feeling for a person (or persons) of the same sex."

The New British Prime Minister - Gordon Brown
July 2007

What do you know about Gordon Brown, Britain's new Prime Minister? While I was in Cambridge last month, I read about him.

My American friend, Jim Wallis, writes "I was speaking in Britain and got a call from the Office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer (his former position) saying that Brown wanted to get together that evening, if I was available. So I went over to his office at the Treasury, and he told me that he had read my books and had many questions for me. So we put our feet up and began talking, and have been doing so now for a number of years."

Fathers and Aboriginal child sexual abuse
June 2007

John Howard has taken on a big issue in a big, bold way. The plight of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory has been crying out for action and the PM has acted. Gradually, every state and territory has fallen into line and Kevin Rudd has joined with his support. The sweeping plan was inspired by a shocking report on child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory in indigenous communities.

The PM's measures are drastic but necessary: bans on takeaway alcohol and x-rated pornography in indigenous communities, a federal takeover of townships on Aboriginal land, quarantining family welfare payments so at least half is spent on food and other essentials rather than booze, making welfare payments conditional on children attending school, compulsory medical checks for Aboriginal children and a significant boost in police numbers.

I Could Never Go into Politics
June 2007

.... one potentially good candidate said to me, "I don't know how you stand it! I couldn't stand being in Parliament, all that mudslinging and abuse."

Many people have a similar view - they criticise Parliamentarians strongly, but would never want to be one personally. My experience is that almost uniformly politicians are well behaved, respectful people. Maybe that is because I treat them that way.

Most never become abusive, shout or act differently to any other well behaved citizen. A few play up in question time, but that is because the television cameras or on them and they are trying to impress the news editors who want action in news footage! A few have committed criminal behaviour, violence and abuse, and that percentage is about the same as in other occupations.

Re-Organising the Christian Democratic Party
June 2007

Over six months ago I was asked by my colleague Rev The Hon. Fred Nile, to bring to our Management Committee recommendations for the restructure of our CDP. I have reported to the Management Committee that I would present my report after the State election, so as not to divert our energies from the election of Rev Nile to the NSW Upper House or the successful election of Clr Paul Green to the Federal Senate.

However, for the good of the long-term future of the CDP, we must restructure.

Christian Values from a Surprising Source
May 2007

Recently I attended a one day seminar from one of the most seminal thinkers in business management in the world, Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School gave inspiring presentations "Winning Competitive Strategies in today's shifting Global Marketplace".

His books adorn the shelves of CEOs, heads of state, academics, and business school students alike. Countries and companies all over the world have embraced his theories on competition and strategy in the expanding global marketplace. His work has also been applied to a variety of important social issues, from the economic development of U.S. inner cities to environmental concerns.

The Crescent, The Star & The Cross
May 2007

Every day for the past week, the Sydney Morning Herald has run a special series on Islamic people in Australia. They have been as well researched as any.

I would hope you read the articles. Many whose minds are already closed do not read another point of view. These scholarly, well-researched articles, confirmed the viewpoint I expressed in this e-magazine two months ago, following the call for a moratorium on Muslim immigration for ten years and for a positive discrimination toward Christians who have suffered from Muslim persecution.

Gentle Rescuer
March 2007

It was an early crisp morning on January 17th this year. About three hundred people gathered on a railway bridge looking down on the railway tracks. A wave of 83 roses fell to the tracks. People in tears hugged each other. On the Bold Street Bridge, an attractive young mother hugged a large policeman, recently retired.

Thirty years earlier, we can all remember where we were when we heard that morning that a train from the Blue Mountains had crashed at Granville, in western Sydney. But this was no ordinary crash. It had crashed into the staunchions that held up the 170 tonne concrete road bridge which were brought down crushing three carriages packed with commuters on their way to work.

It was absolute devastation. Clouds of dust choked the air. Inside the carriages dozens were already dead. 83 dead bodies would be dragged out. 213 others were alive but crushed beneath the roof and seats of the train. The air was filled with shrieks of pain and cries for help.

Get Tough on Crime
March 2007

Every election the leaders of parties seek public support by declaring in the next Government they will get tough  on crime. Every four years, our nation gets tough on crime . This is always popular because most people can cite instances of judges giving lenient sentences, prisoners continuing to commit crimes upon release and our security and safety threatened.

The number of prisons in NSW is increasing with two more being built. There are 29 correctional centres and 1 privately operated centre at Junee (February 2006). A new large prison is due to be opened in Wellington. Currently we have 10,000 prisoners behind bars in NSW. Of these two out of every three were in prison previously, but have re-offended and sentenced again into prison. The total annual cost for adult inmates (2005) was Capital: $91 million, Recurrent expenditure: $726 million, a total of $817 million per year. (NSW Department of Corrective Services, Annual Report.) Each prisoner costs the State close to $190 each day that they are incarcerated.

Successors revealing More than they intend
March 2007

Morris Iemma launches his push to win the March election this weekend. But the main newspaper interest was in the fact that he and his organizers have said they do not want his predecessor Bob Carr to be present. It is usual to have all the luminaries present at such an occasion - Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, Barry Unsworth, Neville Wran, and so on. Bob Carr won three consecutive state elections and was the longest serving Premier in Labor history. Why then make it clear he isn't welcome?

In rejecting every mention of his predecessor, Morris Iemma is revealing more than he intended.

Give Fred A Go!
February 2007

The issue is clear. Do we want every Bill that comes before Parliament to be scrutinized and changed to make it more into line with Christian and family values, or do we want our nation to continue to slide into a secular and permissive society? The major parties will continue to produce such legislation in the Lower House in response to pressure groups.

A Lovable Rogue!
February 2007

This month the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed as a hundred thousand people walk over it to commemorate the 75th anniversary of it opening in 1932. Everybody remembers the sword wielding New Guard member who slashed the ribbon before the Premier, the controversial Premier Jack Lang. One of the main causes of the political controversy was a Churches of Christ minister.

1932 was probably the worst year in Australia's European history.

The country was divided against itself as never before or since. The depression hurt almost every family. Unemployment was high. Homelessness was increasing by the week. Eviction riots occurred in all the inner suburbs. Crime reached an all time high. Clashes between the strikers and the police left bloodied and dead on both sides especially after the Rothbury Riot when 45 men ended up in hospital. Jack Lang the "Big Fella" was calling for impossible loyalty and the New Guard, 20,000 strong, opposed the elected Government.

Australia Day - Proud to be Australian
January 2007

There seems to be a new pride in being Australian. In a way I could not have imagined fifteen years ago when we faced so much media pressure to change our flag, the Australian flag today is flown, waved and worn with pride as never in our history. The Aussie pride was noisily announced during the recent "Ashes" Test matches.

Nothing is more dead in our society than that minority that want to change our flag!