As a beloved rugby fan the last six weeks have disheartened me.
Firstly, in a World Cup year the Australian teams have been up and down like yo-yos when it comes to performance, but that is not what has frustrated me.
Of late it has been the Izzy sideshow that has taken up so many words and time in the media. The most sickening part is the focus many respondents have had on the ‘silent majority’ and the right to religious freedom as a justification.
I’m a Reds fan and love watching the way Samu Kerevi attacks the game. It’s obvious he is a religious man, as every time he scores he touches his heart then points to the sky, recognising the lord he loves.
What Izzy did was different, it doesn’t reflect the silent majority, and I would challenge that belief, especially with it being a basis of the defence his defenders are presenting.
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Most of the people arguing in the defence of Izzy stated the silent majority with its Christian beliefs have the right to express itself and its beliefs because that is what the Australian population reflects. Izzy was just doing that.
For those with that argument, I hate to break it to you, but empirical data argues the opposite.
Why do I say that?
Well, the silent Christian majority did exist. It was in there. The census numbers reflect that.
In 1986 it was 73 per cent of the population, in 1996 it was 71 per cent of the population, in 2006 it was 64 per cent of the population and in 2011 it was 61 per cent of the population.
Notice the trend?
Now let’s look at the 2016 census. The key facts numbers are:
- only 52.5 per cent of people identify as Christian;
- of those, 40 per cent identified as either Catholic, Uniting or Anglican, and though I can’t say for certain, I would guess a third of these would be lapsed and would not recognise the Christian beliefs he has promoted as being in their own belief system. – it’s more, ‘I grew up that way and tick the box’;
- of Izzy’s earlier religion (Mormon, no numbers on AOG), only 0.3 per cent of the population identified, which is clearly a very small percentage;
- other religions (Buddhism, Sikh, Islam et cetera) are presently 7.4 per cent of the population; and
- as a perspective, the religion of Jedi was 0.3 per cent in the 2011 census but was removed for 2016.
So, if we take these numbers, we are looking at a Christian minority of 40 per cent. We are no longer a Christian country; we are secular.
Put this into perspective: 61.6 per cent of the population said yes to gay marriage. That’s a big difference.
The fallacy of a Christian silent majority becomes obvious. It doesn’t exist.
The reality is we are a nation of sport lovers who as a society have a broad and varied belief around lifestyles. So let’s talk about sport. It is the great equaliser. It provides any person the capability with the right dedication and skill the potential to build a great life and to represent this great country that gives everyone the ability to live the life they want.
It also, due to its nature, raises people who would otherwise not have a public profile up into a space where they can build an amazing social media following. They can have a great impact on positively influencing a whole lot of lives. With that comes with responsibility, especially when some of their religious beliefs don’t reflect our societal norms.
Freedom of religion is to practice your religion – that’s a personal thing, not a public thing. If you want to thank your selective god on the sporting field, you can. If you want to state your religion on your profile, you can. If you want to actively promote a belief structure that doesn’t reflect our society, you have an issue.
Freedom of speech is different. It needs to reflect societal norms. If the argument is a bigoted statement coming from a delusional aspect of love based on a minority religious belief, it should not be accepted. If it’s promoted by an individual who has a significant following thanks to our passion for sport, then that’s not right.
So back to my earlier statement: I love the passion around thanking those spiritually for your success on the field and even after if in a humble and personal way.
For those of you who see the ability to use that platform to promote, even if misguided or misunderstood, bigotry and denigration of other people’s life choices based on them not being the ‘silent majority’s beliefs’, take a breath and realise the country has changed.
Rather than rallying against the change, tap your breast, point to the sky and reaffirm your beliefs; don’t push them on others.
The silent majority is now one of inclusion. Sport should be reflecting and promoting that. In the case of Izzy, it is.
Fox
Roar Guru
Waxhead in fairness the one's I have listed are interviews with very credible and respected scientists in the field - many of whom have contributed over the years scientific papers and studies but sure scientist disagree on the findings as is often the case in science
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
I have kind of lost your point here. La-Nino and El-Nino are 2 Halves of a 7 year thermal cycle that the earth goes through. If you do a temperature trend from the peak of one to the trough of the other you get a cooling, maybe, Do it the other way, you get heating. Climate change skeptics cherry pick 2 data points out of 1,000 and claim their point. Climate scientists have 998 data points to support their assertion with a statistical certainty, unlike the skeptics data . And that is why I insisted on looking at the long term trends. If you read my post clearly, you will see I mentioned 2 types of change, slow and fast. Fast requires a nasty event. We are in a fast one now, yet there are no super volcanoes or meteorites or solar flares. There are however 7.5 Billion humans releasing Carbon dioxide at alarming rates. Fact, Humans are responsible for releasing huge amounts of CO2 in to the atmosphere and deforesting the planet. The amounts have been calculated and the increases have been measured and match predictions. Fact, CO2 is a Greenhouse Gas that increases temperature Fact, CO2 Levels on the Planet are increasing Fact, The planet will survive, if humans do, it won't be much fun. I will concede that we may not be 100% responsible for it, but it is greater than 80% probably closer to 95%. If we are 10% responsible, it is still a problem.
clipper
Roar Rookie
That is incorrect - how could RA even know what people are thinking? This is an example of hyperbole, as is the North Korea jibe. All RA can do is ensure players don't tarnish their brand when they represent the said brand, especially when the brands uniform is visible.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
The Null hypothesis says that you can't default to something without evidence. Since there is zero evidence for an intelligent designer, it isn't even considered in scientific circles. The scientific method doesn't rule it out, but doesn't dignify it with any seriousness either.
clipper
Roar Rookie
I often post the reality of the situation - get tons of haters (especially on the league tab), but I don't know what 'hate' you're referring to with TWAS - he's just expressing a view, albeit a view you don't like.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Fox As I see you're interested in climate change please stop reading media reports and youtube videos. They are non science and usually factually incorrect unless they are published by the IPCC. Go direct to the REAL Scientists - read the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) summary reports. Here ... https://www.ipcc.ch/ IPCC has good summary reports for laypeople and policy makers. Australia's CSIRO also has good science reports for lay people in an Aust context. See https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Assessing-our-climate/State-of-the-Climate-2018/Report-at-a-glance These will blow out of the water many commonly heard misrepresentations and inaccuracies. For example , the IPCC and CSIRO have never made climate change predictions. They make scenarios - lots of them. Scenarios are very different in concept to predictions. All the assumptions and uncertainties built into these are fully discussed. The climate change modelling has always been a work in progress and has steadily improved over past 30 yrs. Again all of the modelling assumptions and uncertainties are objectively explained. It's only in the past 2 yrs that IPCC have been confident enough to state they believe there is a discernible human influence on world climate. Stop reading media reports on climate change - they are all wrong. Go direct to the scientist reports :)
Wallsy
Roar Rookie
Australia has 2.6 billion people?
Tander
Guest
I guess if you are happy to stand by totally incorrect numbers and really bad maths then thats your perogative. As a guest I am fully entitled to say your maths is rubbish and your article is a load of BS. In my world you dont exist other than on a sports blogging website. lets hope you arnt being paid as a %.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Where did I say it was ok? Actually just read the post you are replying to where I already provide the perfect response to your comment.
Tander
Guest
So its OK to throw eggs at our prime minister providing you dont actually hit him? I guess throwing bricks or shooting bullets etc is ok providing you dont hit him. Did you realise that shooting at someone is looked apon and charged as attempted murder dont you?
Tander
Guest
You really are loose. Why is it hypocracy to be against SSM yet accept that there are gay people in society and treat them as you would any one else? Do you really believe that those against SSM hate anyone who is gay!
Tander
Guest
MJ are you saying that RA is able to dictate to all contracted players what to think and when to think it? what to say and when to say it? I am 100% sure Australia is not part of North Korea yet you believe in dictatorial actions on thoughts and speech
Tander
Guest
So why is he being sacked? I am pretty sure it was for his post! That post upset the gay CEO who is dictating that RA sack Folau!
Tander
Guest
So go hide in a train tunnel then. You are the biggest hater on this site. You have written more hatred over this issue than all others. mind you there are 3 or 4 others who can almost meet the level of hatred you have
Tander
Guest
The SMH poll showed 78% saying he should not be sacked. In fact not 1 poll has supported Qantas's decision to have Folau sacked
Jack
Guest
@MarkFromCroyden - a very small minority are awake and the the majority are not going to wake up anytime soon. 1.300 people identified as transgender in the last Australian census. You wrote: “Rather than rallying against the change, tap your breast, point to the sky and reaffirm your beliefs; don’t push them on others. The silent majority is now one of inclusion. Sport should be reflecting and promoting that.” Why is it ok for 0.00005% of the Australian transgender population “pushing their beliefs” on the rest of us? Why is it ok for the 1-2% of people that identify as homosexual to “push their beliefs” on the majority? 39% of Australian’s voted against SSM - if you can’t identify that there is an agenda in play you need your head read.
Jack
Guest
In the last Australian census 1,300 people identified as transgender. That is 0.00005% of the Australian population.
Jack
Guest
You are a great example of someone that is driving an agenda that you do not understand the origins or implications of. Maurice Strong was a Standard Oil executive who went on to become to the first United Nations Director for the Environment. After completing his job at the UN he went back to work for the Rockefeller’s. The link below will take you to a George Hunt video where you will hear a recording of Maurice Strong (1st UN Director for the Environment introducing Baron Edmond de Rothschild to the podium. In his introduction Maurice Strong credits Edmond de Rothschild with being the creator of the environmental movement in the 1970's (49 years ago). Strong says - Rothschild created the 'environment' movement (thesis) and balances it with 'economics' (antithesis) to create Agenda 21 (synthesis). You will also hear Edmond de Rothschild's speech. It was recorded in 1992 (2 months before the 1992 Rio Earth Summit where Agenda 21 was passed). I strongly encourage everyone to watch the video below and to carry out further research into the work of George Hunt who sat at tables with Rothschild, Strong and Rockefeller in the 1980's. Hunt shares what he saw and heard and all seekers of truth need to see this video. https://youtu.be/RM--CB0zBrw
Jack
Guest
It doesn’t end well for natural selection either - the real question is which theory makes more scientific and rational sense and that most definitely swings the proposition in favour towards people that believe an “intelligent designer” created life. Science has an interesting concept – The Null hypothesis. If you can’t prove your hypothesis, the state of understanding defaults to unknown or not proven. This doesn’t end well when applied to religion.
Jack
Guest
“Why did the preachers of ”Global Warming” change their slogan to ”Climate Change”? Yep, because he climate wasn’t warming so let’s put out a new statement claiming that the “climate changes” - duh!