It used to be that, ‘history was written by the victors’ not the losers… but that’s where we are right now. ‘Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.’
Today will soon be the past. Fortunately, the record of what we think matters will be rich at least in volume, if not so much in the determination to right the obvious wrongs. Where are the leaders who will champion the causes that matter. Are we too much worried about the consequences of stepping out of line?
Thank you Chris. Fortunate to see "Eternity" many times, also to study Slessor at Uni as a very mature age student. Both are national treasures and must be celebrated -remembered and taught.
I think some of you are disrespecting of the intention of Chris’s work.
You are peering too deep into history when Australia has, in particular, a federated history of merely 125 years.
Currently, as is my experience, we are leaderless at National level. We have an individual that focuses on trying to become as famous as his parties legends, Whitlam and Keating. One of whom I believe set us on the path to economic ruin, the other of whom I don’t know enough about, but it seems that is idolised for the mere fact his government was dissolved by a drunk.
My reading of what Chris is trying to provoke here is memories of a Nation that was on the path to become something so much greater than the sum of its parts.
My recollection of Australia is of the 70s and 80s of building highways, power stations, ship building and steel works. And that is on top of the earlier successes of engineering like the Snowy Mountains Hydro, Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Yet Albanese knows nothing of these things,and seeks to appease minority groups at the neglect of the majority.
Our Nation’s direction could have been so much grander and wealth more prosperous and even. Yet Keating and others, eroded the foundations of a nation with a direction that has demonstrated that a massive nation, so far from the rest of the world, with a small population and very limited water through a economic plan that doesn’t fit or work.
At 55 years old I see this nation as the little yellow duck in the bathtub after the plug has been pulled. We are rapidly encroaching on the grips of a vortice from which we will not escape.
Think about it.
The biggest Australian company is a bank, once owned by the people. It produces nothing tangible or physical, just profit. And money is fast becoming just clicks of ons and off of a computer chip.
What has this nation lost?
Dockyards and ship building, National shipping lines, massive engineering capabilities and an automotive industry. We were at the front, with others, in rocket development, we had a domestic oil and gas industry supplying our own demand. We sold our energy dependence to large corporations that count success based on numbers on a financial statement, and nothing to do with increasing prosperity of a nation’s people.
We had a lifestyle of work hard and enjoy the weekends to an alternative of grind and suffering of ever increasing home prices, family debt and economy of ever decreasing productivity and increasing inflation.
We have decades of career politicians where the two parties are just different sides of the same patined coin.
We have psyops of social media tearing the community apart, even resulting in an Australian of the year shouting slogans that of division and hate.
Fundamentally we are as a nation FUCKED.
Have a look at our politicians. Career politicians with degrees in law or economics. All hanging around arguing like children in a kindergarten sandpit. Mostly for a cushy corporate gig in retirement with super scheme that is like a river of gold to the regular Aussie.
Hardly a tradesman or a mechanical or electrical engineer that has actual career based experience.
Our only hope, and hope is not a plan, is for term limits of two in any level of government at any combination.
Then we might get back to a country where we can Advance Australia Fair.
Dashingly insightful. You exhibit a noble and deft touch in an artistic application of prose in this piece. Emboldened so in honour of your ode to Slessor perhaps, but a flourish your audience would be richer for enjoying more of.
The nation needs journalism of your calibre and integrity more so than ever before in our brief history. Keep the flame Chris and pass it to as many bright young things that can carry its burden.
“ It is the tolerance of the Western tradition we inherit, with its deep roots in Judeo-Christian beliefs, that allows all faiths, and none, to flourish here.” Is our tolerance really routed in Judeo-Christian beliefs? I don’t think so. For the last 16 centuries Christians have been intolerant of Jews. It has been one pogrom or massacre after another. Christians blamed Jews for killing Jesus and later for the Black Death and it is only in modern times that Western society has become more tolerant of Jews. The Spanish Inquisition, the Strasbourg Massacre, the Crusaders massacring Jews, the Eastern European pogroms and of course the holocaust. The grand Cathedrals of Europe often have Jews depicted on their gargoyles linking them to the devil. While it was not all sweetness and light in the Muslim world, generally Jewish communities were much better treated there. Thriving Jewish minorities existed in unmolested Muslim cities like Damascus, Bagdad, Jerusalem, Tehran and Istanbul. It is truer to say the recent tolerance of Western Societies came from rejecting religious intolerance, which was their tradition.
Blemishes, such as pogroms holocausts and caliphates, are the product of flawed people. As did Pontius Pilate find cyphers in the Sanhedrin so do those who deny freedom of religion and speech in our time. The behaviour towards Jews? I understand its origin and promotion. Australia is a little more circumspect but the hate is present. Tapping into political parties, social groupings, denial of Israel nationhood is a continuim. Too many in the West and very many in the Middle East actively seek to denigrate and annihilate Jews. To hate and conspire to implement that hate is a flaw in man in whatever righteousness it is cloaked.
My argument is with the description of Judeo Christian tolerance. This did not exist historically, Christian societies tended to be intolerant of different religions and they were certainly highly intolerant towards Jews. Jews do not have a history of intolerance, but then as they were a minority community in most countries they were not in a position to be intolerant. The Jewish settler movement on the West Bank is certainly intolerant towards their indigenous Palestinian neighbours however.
I agree with you intolerance is a human failing not a religious one, but religion gave humans, including Christians, one more thing to be intolerant about. Capitalism encourages tolerance, because it is hard to be intolerant of your customers whatever their religion. The Western world became much more tolerant as it became more secular, capitalist and democratic. Like Capitalism, Democracy encourages tolerance.
It’s interesting that you mention the ubiquitous “Eternity” signage Chris as recently when my wife and I drove from Tanunda, SA to Brisbane via the back route, I saw the words attached to signs on several trees. We discussed the many years we had seen these signs and wondered who had written them all. You’ve answered that question for us.
A truly excellent piece Chris. You write with clarity, wisdom and knowledge, weaving Australia’s Judaeo- Christian foundations, values and personal stories in so unapologetically.
Thank you
Arthur Stace’s story is inspiring,demonstrating that no one is beyond redemption. He remained humble and anonymous as he scribed ‘Eternity’
Let’s all remember what Christ alone has done for humanity in His death on that cross and His resurrection power given to mankind. However, our illustrious pm would fare well if he really believed in the power of the cross and not acting pompously, pretending to be a Christian. Failing to follow Christ is what has gotten Australia into the mess we have landed in today.
Brilliant piece Chris.
It used to be that, ‘history was written by the victors’ not the losers… but that’s where we are right now. ‘Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.’
Nothing new under the sun!
So beautifully written, I'm glad you are helping us remember what matters...
Today will soon be the past. Fortunately, the record of what we think matters will be rich at least in volume, if not so much in the determination to right the obvious wrongs. Where are the leaders who will champion the causes that matter. Are we too much worried about the consequences of stepping out of line?
Excellent piece Chris, thank you
Thank you Chris. Fortunate to see "Eternity" many times, also to study Slessor at Uni as a very mature age student. Both are national treasures and must be celebrated -remembered and taught.
I think some of you are disrespecting of the intention of Chris’s work.
You are peering too deep into history when Australia has, in particular, a federated history of merely 125 years.
Currently, as is my experience, we are leaderless at National level. We have an individual that focuses on trying to become as famous as his parties legends, Whitlam and Keating. One of whom I believe set us on the path to economic ruin, the other of whom I don’t know enough about, but it seems that is idolised for the mere fact his government was dissolved by a drunk.
My reading of what Chris is trying to provoke here is memories of a Nation that was on the path to become something so much greater than the sum of its parts.
My recollection of Australia is of the 70s and 80s of building highways, power stations, ship building and steel works. And that is on top of the earlier successes of engineering like the Snowy Mountains Hydro, Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Yet Albanese knows nothing of these things,and seeks to appease minority groups at the neglect of the majority.
Our Nation’s direction could have been so much grander and wealth more prosperous and even. Yet Keating and others, eroded the foundations of a nation with a direction that has demonstrated that a massive nation, so far from the rest of the world, with a small population and very limited water through a economic plan that doesn’t fit or work.
At 55 years old I see this nation as the little yellow duck in the bathtub after the plug has been pulled. We are rapidly encroaching on the grips of a vortice from which we will not escape.
Think about it.
The biggest Australian company is a bank, once owned by the people. It produces nothing tangible or physical, just profit. And money is fast becoming just clicks of ons and off of a computer chip.
What has this nation lost?
Dockyards and ship building, National shipping lines, massive engineering capabilities and an automotive industry. We were at the front, with others, in rocket development, we had a domestic oil and gas industry supplying our own demand. We sold our energy dependence to large corporations that count success based on numbers on a financial statement, and nothing to do with increasing prosperity of a nation’s people.
We had a lifestyle of work hard and enjoy the weekends to an alternative of grind and suffering of ever increasing home prices, family debt and economy of ever decreasing productivity and increasing inflation.
We have decades of career politicians where the two parties are just different sides of the same patined coin.
We have psyops of social media tearing the community apart, even resulting in an Australian of the year shouting slogans that of division and hate.
Fundamentally we are as a nation FUCKED.
Have a look at our politicians. Career politicians with degrees in law or economics. All hanging around arguing like children in a kindergarten sandpit. Mostly for a cushy corporate gig in retirement with super scheme that is like a river of gold to the regular Aussie.
Hardly a tradesman or a mechanical or electrical engineer that has actual career based experience.
Our only hope, and hope is not a plan, is for term limits of two in any level of government at any combination.
Then we might get back to a country where we can Advance Australia Fair.
Superb. Thanks Chris.
Dashingly insightful. You exhibit a noble and deft touch in an artistic application of prose in this piece. Emboldened so in honour of your ode to Slessor perhaps, but a flourish your audience would be richer for enjoying more of.
The nation needs journalism of your calibre and integrity more so than ever before in our brief history. Keep the flame Chris and pass it to as many bright young things that can carry its burden.
“ It is the tolerance of the Western tradition we inherit, with its deep roots in Judeo-Christian beliefs, that allows all faiths, and none, to flourish here.” Is our tolerance really routed in Judeo-Christian beliefs? I don’t think so. For the last 16 centuries Christians have been intolerant of Jews. It has been one pogrom or massacre after another. Christians blamed Jews for killing Jesus and later for the Black Death and it is only in modern times that Western society has become more tolerant of Jews. The Spanish Inquisition, the Strasbourg Massacre, the Crusaders massacring Jews, the Eastern European pogroms and of course the holocaust. The grand Cathedrals of Europe often have Jews depicted on their gargoyles linking them to the devil. While it was not all sweetness and light in the Muslim world, generally Jewish communities were much better treated there. Thriving Jewish minorities existed in unmolested Muslim cities like Damascus, Bagdad, Jerusalem, Tehran and Istanbul. It is truer to say the recent tolerance of Western Societies came from rejecting religious intolerance, which was their tradition.
Blemishes, such as pogroms holocausts and caliphates, are the product of flawed people. As did Pontius Pilate find cyphers in the Sanhedrin so do those who deny freedom of religion and speech in our time. The behaviour towards Jews? I understand its origin and promotion. Australia is a little more circumspect but the hate is present. Tapping into political parties, social groupings, denial of Israel nationhood is a continuim. Too many in the West and very many in the Middle East actively seek to denigrate and annihilate Jews. To hate and conspire to implement that hate is a flaw in man in whatever righteousness it is cloaked.
My argument is with the description of Judeo Christian tolerance. This did not exist historically, Christian societies tended to be intolerant of different religions and they were certainly highly intolerant towards Jews. Jews do not have a history of intolerance, but then as they were a minority community in most countries they were not in a position to be intolerant. The Jewish settler movement on the West Bank is certainly intolerant towards their indigenous Palestinian neighbours however.
I agree with you intolerance is a human failing not a religious one, but religion gave humans, including Christians, one more thing to be intolerant about. Capitalism encourages tolerance, because it is hard to be intolerant of your customers whatever their religion. The Western world became much more tolerant as it became more secular, capitalist and democratic. Like Capitalism, Democracy encourages tolerance.
I recognise the comments you have made.
It’s interesting that you mention the ubiquitous “Eternity” signage Chris as recently when my wife and I drove from Tanunda, SA to Brisbane via the back route, I saw the words attached to signs on several trees. We discussed the many years we had seen these signs and wondered who had written them all. You’ve answered that question for us.
A truly excellent piece Chris. You write with clarity, wisdom and knowledge, weaving Australia’s Judaeo- Christian foundations, values and personal stories in so unapologetically.
Thank you
Arthur Stace’s story is inspiring,demonstrating that no one is beyond redemption. He remained humble and anonymous as he scribed ‘Eternity’
Let’s all remember what Christ alone has done for humanity in His death on that cross and His resurrection power given to mankind. However, our illustrious pm would fare well if he really believed in the power of the cross and not acting pompously, pretending to be a Christian. Failing to follow Christ is what has gotten Australia into the mess we have landed in today.