Abbott says Rudd uses religion politically

[gemini_liberal]

Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott has accused Labor leader Kevin Rudd of using religion for political purposes.

He was speaking to the Young Liberal Federal Convention in Melbourne this morning.

Mr Abbott says Mr Rudd will need policies, not rhetoric, to show he is more interested in Christians' values than their votes.

He says Kevin Rudd's backbone as a Christian in politics is yet to be tested...

More here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1834710.htm

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Talk about projection! I do feel sorry for Tony a bit though. It must be horrible to be such a devout Catholic, yet know you're going straight to hell for being an evil hypocritical pig!

[PinkUnicorn]

1. Pot calling kettle....

Mr Abbott says Mr Rudd will need policies, not rhetoric, to show he is more interested in Christians' values than their votes.

And this coming from the party which sucks up to Freaky First. It seems every day our political process is becoming more and more Americianised....

* Large unchecked 'donations' from private bodies - check
* Bible thumping and religious wanking - check
* Sucking up to cults to get votes - check
* Privatisation of public assets - check
* Massive spending on TV commercials to 'vote me' - check
* Chicken-hawk syndrome running rampart - check

When did the wheels fall off?

It wasn't perfect before but at least it worked after a fashion - whereas now it's a choice between tweedledum and tweedledee, with a smattering of circus clowns to add some flavour.

[Esra Star]

3. I think Mr Rudd is just not going to give the god-lobby any

ammunition at all.
If the fascists try and paint him as a satanist they will lose ground.
Abbott will eventually STFU

[PinkUnicorn]

4. I would hope so...

But given the last few years I have become increasingly cynical about it.

Since the NT Euthanasia law was overturned, politicians have 'seen the light' that book bangers (regardless of denomination or cult status) are a fertile ground for votes, only emphasised by a completely unknown party (Freaky first) getting in on the bible 'morals' vote and the the religious right in the US.

I'm not worried about Abbot smearing him as a satanist or whatever, but more that they will try to 'out-god' each other in order to squeeze a few more votes out of an increasingly apathetic electorate. Howard would do it in a heartbeat if he could get away with it (notice how quickly he's changed tune on Global warming and water).

Not that long ago, religion pushers in politics were laughed at openly (Fred Nile, etc). And now we have them creeping out from under their rocks as seen in the fairly recent RU-486 debate, stem cell research legislation, pushing chaplains (at taxpayer expense) into schools for 'guidance', etc.

[Esra Star]

5. I would be very surprised if Kevin Rudd tries to "out-god"

anybody. He will keep it temperate.
Not alienating any blocks is the name of the game.
Ultimately the electorate will have to vote intelligently to get
the regressives out, and therefore the progressives in.
I realise that these two terms are only relative to each other btw.

[Matilda]

2. The Young Liberals - Values to Warm the Heart

Their policies, announced during the Convention include such wonderful
Christian values as rejection of multiculturism, a halt to government
action to address global warming and a return to tobacco advertising.
Seems that whatever makes a buck is good in their view. And when you've
made your buck, a flat tax for all is also on the table - straight out
of the Pauline Hansen Wacko's Handbook.

[oscarmitre]

6. Tony Abbott is doing Rudd a service

the Mad Monk is bursting out all over and in good old secular Australia we're very wary of that kind of rubbish. By all means be religious but don't parade it and in particular don't parade it in a political manner.

[hot_ice72]

7. promote values, not religions

It's just annoying that Kevin Rudd keeps claiming that he's going to bring back 'Christian values' to Australian politics. If there's a certain value you wish to promote, promote it. Don't bring in values under the guise of Christianity, because once you connect that with politics, moronic fundamentalist ideas such as the hatred of homosexuals, banning of abortion/euthanasia and a general decline of individual rights could occur.

[gemini_liberal]

8. The point I was making wasn't whether or not Rudd is doing the right thing

It was just to highlight how hypocritical Abbott is to complain about such a thing...

[hot_ice72]

9. certainly

Yeah, of course he is. Despite how we crucially maintain a gap between church and state, politicians will always profess religious beliefs...