Senator Eric Abetz argues that the media unfairly criticise Christian politicians.
The teachings ‘love thine enemy’ and helping the poor, contradict with the harsh scriptures that justified persecution of non-believers in the past.
A wide range of contradictory teachings within the one book, allow politicians who have ‘the courage to follow their convictions’ to justify and act on any set of beliefs they choose.
Critics will see the lack of logic and unpredictability of such politicians.
It is politically difficult indeed to reconcile the more compassionate end of the Christian spectrum with the ethics of capitalism.
It’s ‘survival of the fittest’ and hypothetical ‘free market’ principles are ultimately answerable only to the bottom line. This implies the demise of the less fit. That is, our current version of capitalism is ethically bankrupt and incapable of compassion.
Our political parties answer primarily to corporate interests. So in my opinion it is impossible to be a ‘good’ Christian within those parties.
Perhaps some in the media can see the joke.
However, people of goodwill must work towards the ethic of inclusiveness from inside and outside of all our institutions, including capitalism and the religions.
Hayo van der Woude, Mullumbimby
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
