God Hates Fags (and Victorians)

Update : Costello tries to hose down Catch the Fire connection, Bernard Keane, Crikey, February 11, 2009: “What an appalling hypocrite Peter Costello is… It was only a fortnight ago that Peter Costello was happily sharing his own deeply-held religious views (including that the Ten Commandments* forms the basis of Australian civic life) with this mob, with no apparent qualms about their views on Islam, homosexuality, the Holocaust, race war or raising people from the dead. But as soon they say something likely to offend regular voters, he turns on them in a moment, as if he would never have suspected they held such absurd beliefs. At least Nalliah is happy to display his fundamentalist lunacy for all to see.”

*”The Ten Commandments”: God gaves Moses nearly six hundred — not ten — commandments on Mt. Sinai. Thus God instructed Moses that no altar to God should have steps; people ascending steps might expose their genitals (Exodus 20:26). God also told Moses that a man who beats his servant or maid should be punished only if the victims dies. If the victim is only incapacitated for a day or two, no punishment is necessary. After all, God notes, it’s his money (Exodus 21:20–21).

Update : Pastor’s abortion dream inflames bushfire tragedy, Rick Feneley, The Sydney Morning Herald, February 11, 2009: Asked by the Herald if he did not believe most Australians would regard his remarks as being in appallingly bad taste, [Pastor Danny] said today: “I must tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.” He said it was no use “molly-coddling” Australians. Asked if he believed in a God who would take vengeance by killing so many people indiscriminately – even those who opposed abortion, Mr Nalliah referred to 2 Chronicles 7:14 to vouch for his assertion that God could withdraw his protection from a nation. “The Bible is very clear,” he said. “If you walk out of God’s protection and turn your back on Him, you are an open target for the devil to destroy.” 2 Chronicles Chapter 7: Fire from heaven consumes the sacrifices. The solemnity of the dedication of the temple. God signifies his having heard Solomon’s prayer: yet so if he continue to serve him.

The Bad News is that police now fear that as many as 300 people may have perished in Victoria’s bushfires.

The Good News is that those responsible for starting the fires have been found: the bushfires have come “as a result of the incendiary Victorian abortion laws which decimate life in the womb”.

The Abortion Law Reform Bill 2008 received its Royal Assent on 22 October 2008 and is now legislation. See Abortion reform clears last hurdle, Paul Austin and David Rood, The Age, October 11, 2008. The Bill passed 23 to 17.

Or at least, that’s what Pastor Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries believes. You may say he’s a dreamer, but God spoke to Danny in a dream he had last October:

Dear Friends and Family in Christ,

On Wednesday the 22nd of October 2008 at the Catch the Fire weekly fasting and prayer meeting in Melbourne, Pastor Danny shared with his core team of around 40 intercessory prayer warriors, a dream of serious warning that he received from the Lord the night before!

Pastor Danny stated, “I saw a man firing randomly with a weapon at people on the streets and many were falling dead. I was very disturbed and was crying. Then the scene changed and I saw fire everywhere with flames burning very high and uncontrollably. With this I awoke from my dream with the interpretation as the following words came to me in a flash from the Spirit of God, ‘My wrath is about to be released upon Australia, in particular Victoria, for approving the slaughter of the innocent children in the womb. Now, call on My people to repent and pray!’”

Quite.

In any event, after having condemned the dead for their sins, CTFM has bravely announced that they “will be collecting … relief items on Wednesday the 11th of February from 10am to 8pm at the church located at 23 Melverton Drive, Hallam (Melways ref. no.96 G2)”.

One of the more prominent supporters of CTFM is former Treasurer Peter Costello. In a very special Australia Day message to his very special friends at CTFM, Peter said:

There are many people today that are telling us that religion is all a lot of superstition, that the laws that have been laid down, of respect for individuals, property and for our creator are all a load of nonsense, that don’t respect life. If we fall for that trap, if Australia falls for that trap then the very basis of our society and its order will be threatened. That’s why we need Christian people to pray for our country, we will never understand the way in which God moves. But we know that if his people pray, He will hear that they will be a light to the nation and the nation will be covered and protected by Godly people who are giving direction and standing for it in prayer. And I thank you for what you are doing today and can I encourage you to continue in it.

Which kinda complicates matters. I mean: should the blame for the fires now be sheeted home to the Christians who simply haven’t prayed long and hard enough? Or perhaps even Peter must shoulder some of the blame for not imploring vigorously enough his fellow Christians assembled at the Australia Day United Prayer Celebration?

And how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

As for God Himself…

Cain killed Abel because God liked Abel more than Cain. Why? Cain was a farmer and all he could sacrifice to bloodthirsty God was plants. Abel was a herdsmen and he could slaughter animals ~ Genesis 4:2–5

God tells Noah that He intends to kill nearly every living creature on earth because the world has become too violent. ~ Genesis 6:13

God proclaims that none of the people of Israel can as much as touch Mount Sinai while He’s on it. “Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death”, God decrees. “They shall be stoned or shot with arrows; whether animal or human being, they shall not live”. ~ Exodus 19:12–14

“You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.” ~ Exodus 22:18 (also Leviticus 20:27)

“Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.” ~ Exodus 21:17 (also Leviticus 20:9)

“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.” ~ Exodus 22:19 (also Leviticus 20:15–16)

“Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death.” ~ Exodus 31:15 (also 35:2)

“One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death.” ~ Leviticus 24:16

God learns about the golden calf and is angry. Moses has to talk Him out of killing all the people of Israel. Instead, Moses suggests that those who didn’t worship the golden calf prove their loyalty by killing those closest to them — neighbours, friends, relatives, children — who did. Roughly three thousand are butchered. God still isn’t appeased; He unleashes a plague on the survivors. ~ Exodus 32:7–14, 25–35

“If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God…” ~ II Corinthians 5:13