Australia's New Atheist Prime Minister

Dave!

FYI, Australia's new ranga (ginger ) Proiime Ministah is an open athiest !

"I am not going to pretend a faith I don't feel," she said.

"I am what I am and people will judge that.

"For people of faith, I think the greatest compliment I could pay to them is to respect their genuinely held beliefs and not to engage in some pretence about mine."

"I grew up in the Christian church, a Christian background. I won prizes for catechism, for being able to remember Bible verses. I am steeped in that tradition, but I've made decisions in my adult life about my own views.

"I'm worried about the national interest. About doing the right thing by Australians. And I'll allow people to form their own views about whatever is going to drive their views.

"What I can say to Australians broadly of course is I believe you can be a person of strong principle and values from a variety of perspectives."

Dades

Dave! wrote: »

FYI, Australia's new ranga (ginger ) Proiime Ministah is an open athiest !

That sure makes a very refreshing change from the last chap they had in.

MOD NOTE:

Moved Dave!'s post from the Famous Atheist thread (following a sekret - non-OP - request) since it is probably more newsworthy than a post in a looong thread.

(Hope that's cool, Dave!)

Galvasean

Now that I think of it, that could explain countmeout's recent activity in Australia. Striking while the iro is hot eh?

PS:

Thanks Dades

Dades

Was she voted in, or did she inherit the job?

(Yes, I could Google this but then where's the human contact? )

plonk

She inherited it. The labour party supported her to take over from Kevin Rudd. Rudd knew he was going to lose so he stepped down, but one of the first things she did as PM was to call an election for august sometime.

rccaulfield

How do u know? Vague political nonsense above?

plonk

rccaulfield wrote: »

How do u know? Vague political nonsense above?

Is this aimed at me, if so

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-23/gillard-takes-australia-leadership-after-rudd-resigns.html

Dave!

Indeed, she's running against Tony Abbott, this guy:



She's also apparantly single and childless (at her age!), which some religious groups aren't keen on.

Since we're making a thread out of this, maybe the following j00t00b videos will be of interest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXgtjwOBdM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZsbBWVubYA

DeBunny

Was that a bit of a Freudian slip from the Christian lobbyist when he says "God's not dead yet" at 4:15?

In typical Ozy style, he was one of the most laid back Christian lobbyists I've seen as a guest on a news peice. Can you imagine the reaction from Christian lobbyists if this happened in America, or even Ireland.

strobe

I give it a month before she changes the Australian flag to
and starts a mass genocide. Will you people never learn?

ColmDawson

The amount of times I've heard reporters talk about people admitting to being atheists...

=/

Mickeroo

It just me..........or is she kinda sexy?

DeBunny

hum, just you. She reminds me of the monster from Pan's Labyrinth. The one with it's eyes on the palms of its hands.

[edit] This one

Dades

rccaulfield wrote: »

How do u know? Vague political nonsense above?

That was uncalled for.

robby^5

Mickeroo wrote: »

It just me..........or is she kinda sexy?

It isnt just you

She reminds of me of Admiral Cain from Battlestar Galactica.

Galvasean

DeBunny wrote: »

In typical Ozy style, he was one of the most laid back Christian lobbyists I've seen as a guest on a news peice. Can you imagine the reaction from Christian lobbyists if this happened in America, or even Ireland.

It was quite refreshing. In America you'd have an angry O' Reilly type guy yelling down the opposition, while here you'd have some old fossil complaining about pornography.

magicbastarder

Mickeroo wrote: »

It just me..........or is she kinda sexy?

she reminds me of kay burley.

Dades

robby^5 wrote: »

She reminds of me of Admiral Cain from Battlestar Galactica.

Dear Jebus I hated her and every episode she ruined for me.

Moley moley moley...

sonicthebadger*

Mickeroo wrote: »

It just me..........or is she kinda sexy?

It's not just you, I think it might be power related... that and she's ginger. :pac:

strobe

She actually came in second in a Ralph magazine's Australia's sexiest women poll (like thier version of the FHM 100 sexiest women thing they do here) a couple of years ago. She was, ehhhh.... sandwiched between Jennifer Hawkins and Rihanna.

Kooli

Remind me again why we're discussing how sexy she is or isn't? :rolleyes:

Kepti

Kooli wrote: »

Remind me again why we're discussing how sexy she is or isn't? :rolleyes:

Feel free to steer the discussion in another more intellectual direction when the nausea passes.

Kooli

Kepti wrote: »

Feel free to steer the discussion in another more intellectual direction when the nausea passes.

Do you mean the nausea at the fact that it's impossible to discuss a female politician without some inevitable reference to her score on the 'sexiness scale', even in this case when there is something MUCH more interesting about her, particularly for those who frequent this particular forum?

I'll let you know when that nausea passes...

mohawk

ColmDawson wrote: »

The amount of times I've heard reporters talk about people admitting to being atheists...

=/

That really bugs me too. Its like equating an atheist with being an alcoholic or drug addict

bnt

I went looking for more pictures of Ms. Gillard, and found it interesting that Google Image Search has her as the first Julia, ahead of Ms. Roberts or Ms. Stiles. I think she is rather pretty in a Jodie Foster style when her hair's done decently, and don't mind that she has a nose like Concorde's.

If anything's going to scupper her politically, IMHO, it won't be the atheism, it'll be the fact that she wasn't born in Australia. They don't have a "born in Australia" rule, but it's still a political issue.

sonicthebadger*

Kooli wrote: »

Remind me again why we're discussing how sexy she is or isn't? :rolleyes:

Eh, cause I'm thinking with my penis?

Kooli wrote: »

Do you mean the nausea at the fact that it's impossible to discuss a female politician without some inevitable reference to her score on the 'sexiness scale', even in this case when there is something MUCH more interesting about her, particularly for those who frequent this particular forum?

I'll let you know when that nausea passes...

I just edited your post for you there so it makes more sense, no need to thank me. :pac:

Turtwig

Figures, a nation built by convicts.

rockmongrel

Excellent news! The last chap was a nutter.

stevejazzx

Mickeroo wrote: »

It just me..........or is she kinda sexy?

Yes it the non delusion, that's always sexy in a lady!

magicbastarder wrote: »

she reminds me of kay burley.

Kay burly is a bint.

magicbastarder

Kooli wrote: »

Do you mean the nausea at the fact that it's impossible to discuss a female politician without some inevitable reference to her score on the 'sexiness scale'

male politicians attract comments on their looks too.
it just so happens that ireland is led by men who look like a bag of potatoes that a washing machine has fallen on.

Doctor DooM

It's human nature to comment on the attractiveness of someone from the gender you find attractive.

Women do it too.

Big up Australia, even if they didn't vote her in.

rockmongrel

Now all they need to do is get rid of the bloody Attorney General :pac:

recedite

Dave! wrote: »

Indeed, she's running against Tony Abbott, this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXgtjwOBdM0

In the interests of gender balance while discussing politicians bodies, would anyone like to suggest what that sheila behind his shoulder is saying?
Also, somewhere in the sunrise video clip someone says "at least Tony Abbott has morals" Surely the wearing of that attire in public is morally offensive?

condra

recedite wrote: »

In the interests of gender balance while discussing politicians bodies, would anyone like to suggest what that sheila behind his shoulder is saying?

Probably something about a barbecue, a shark in the water.. Sorry couldn't resist.

Seriously though, this is great news. I hope she does a good job.

Popinjay

Sorry... Sorry... Sorry!

Almost a Necro by the speed this forum works at but I'm living over in the Prison Country now and only decided to reactivate my account after the great crash Januray crash tonight and couldn't help but point out the ginger-living-in-sin-with-her-partner's stance ongay marriage.

Which is thanks but no thanks.

I've always wondered what objection someone can have to this if not a religious one. She didn't explain herself too well so... Are there any other atheists here who disagree with gay marriage, and, why?

(Please note: It's 11:30pm here so I'm a little tipsy. Excuse the spelling).

iBumblebeetuna

Popinjay wrote: »

Are there any other atheists here who disagree with gay marriage, and, why?

I've only once come across an atheist that was against gay marriage, it was on a different forum though. His argument pretty much boiled down to... I think it's icky and I don't want them to have the same rights my wife and I enjoy.

sonicthebadger*

Popinjay wrote: »

I've always wondered what objection someone can have to this if not a religious one. She didn't explain herself too well so... Are there any other atheists here who disagree with gay marriage, and, why?

I certainly wouldn't have any problem with it, can't see why anyone would!

Popinjay

sonicthebadger* wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't have any problem with it, can't see why anyone would!

That's the thing. The usual objections are that marriage is between a man and a woman and god and god thinks anything else is as iBumblebeetuna put it 'icky'.

I'd be interested to hear any justifications people might have for not wanting two people they've never met to be officially recognised as a couple that aren't related to 'god says...'

Popinjay

Popinjay wrote: »

I'd be interested to hear any justifications people might have for not wanting two people they've never met to be officially recognised as a couple that aren't related to 'god says...'

Careful or jakkass will start up with "please think of the children" again...

achtungbarry

bluewolf wrote: »

Careful or jakkass will start up with "please think of the children" again...

Well Jesus had 2 dads and he turned out fine.

robindch

achtungbarry wrote: »

Well Jesus had 2 dads

Both of which were himself. Not a bad trick if you can pull it off, so to speak.

Popinjay

bluewolf wrote: »

Careful or jakkass will start up with "please think of the children" again...

Yeah! Apparently my partner's folks are atheist or at the very least, strongly agnostic and think it's wrong to raise a kid without a mother and a father.

That said they've made some pretty off colour comments about other races and similar in the past... Maybe their objection isn't as benign as all that after all.

amacachi

I'm somewhat against gay marriage because I'm against state-recognised marriage in general so I don't want it being extended and strengthened further. Somehow I doubt many people would be as anti-statism as I am though. :pac:

FrostyJack

amacachi wrote: »

I'm somewhat against gay marriage because I'm against state-recognised marriage in general so I don't want it being extended and strengthened further. Somehow I doubt many people would be as anti-statism as I am though. :pac:

I am too and so is this guy ( warning contains profanity) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXpsT3e8UsM

recedite

robindch wrote: »

Both of which were himself. Not a bad trick if you can pull it off, so to speak.

LOL, but actually the real one Joseph was a fairly normal, well, Joe.