Education is not simply a means of data transfer. It is not reducible to state-certified techniques. Education, when it succeeds, is the result of a child wanting to be like someone else. If you take away the drive train, can you really be surprised that the car won’t go? Fathers are essential to any successful school system, and no system of education can successfully compensate for the abdication of fathers.
Douglas Wilson in Father Hunger
Pastoral Care Should Be an Essential Service
Sign this petition and pass it on!
What’s Happening in Australia
COVID has shown how fragile our rights are as citizens. We’ve been locked in our houses. We’ve been told where we can go and for what reason. We’re forced to wear dirty rags that hinder our breathing if we want to enter shops or public buildings. Some of us have been told we’ll lose our jobs unless we get vaccinated and to hell with ‘my body my choice.’ And if you have the temerity to protest these totalitarian developments, you get to see the not so kind face of this new totalitarianism. Thankfully there are some media organisations who are showing truthfully what is happening.
Wilberforce and Modern Christians
When Christopher Luxon gave his maiden speech, I was astounded by how many Christians were excited by what he had to say. I was disappointed. Yes, he pointed out the difference his faith has made to his life. He pointed out that it was helpful having something bigger than oneself.
Yet he then went to show how ill-thought-out his theology of politics was – a shameful thing in a Christian seeking to lead in civil government, but unsurprising given the weak state of the church in New Zealand. In his maiden speech, Luxon praised and highlighted the work of Christians like William Wilberforce who worked tirelessly for the abolition of the slave trade. Yet in a contradictory fashion, he continued by explaining his faith was personal to him and that he didn’t think religion should dictate to the state, and that politicians shouldn’t use their political platform to force beliefs on others.
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Theology of Government and COVID – Part 2
Welcome to part two of this series looking at a Biblical theology of government and certain applications to our current cultural moment. For links to the other installments, see the list below.
- Principle #1 – Civil Governments have a Legitimate Authority
- Principle #2 – Civil Governments have a Limited Authority
- Principle #3 – Theocracy is Inescapable
- Principles Applied
In today’s episode, we are looking at the second principle regarding the limited authority of civil governments.
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Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2-3
Last week we began to work our way through the Westminster Confession of Faith. The first section is entitled Of Holy Scripture, and today we continue our journey through this section.
1. Of Holy Scripture
II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testament, which are these:
Read MoreLockdown and Death Prevention
Professor John Gibson of the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at Waikato University has released a couple of interesting posts on NZCPR (here and here) highlighting his research into the NZ lockdowns.
Below I’ve reproduced the three figures from his data, which can be found here.
COVID Stats in Australia
Hey Look At That
The Spectator Australia has a great piece detailing the COVID stats there. I recommend you read it.
A couple of stats to whet your appetite.
- As at 7 September 2021 the CFR for Covid in Australians aged under 50 is <0.034% (16 out of 47,897). This can also be expressed as approximately 4 out of every 12,000 cases.
- The average life expectancy in Australia is 82.8. As at October 2020 the average age of death from Covid in Australia was approximately 85 and the median age at death approximately 86.
- Out of 894 cases of people aged over 90 who have tested positive to Covid, 557 have survived (as at 7 September 2021). This means that even those aged over 90 have a statistical chance of over 60% of overcoming Covid.
Read the whole article. It is a fascinating read, and there is only commentary at the end. Most of the piece is just plain statistics.
Read MoreThree Waters
Some of you may be unaware of the nefarious attempts to destroy New Zealand democracy through a model of 50:50 cogovernance based on race. If you are unaware, you really need to check out Hobson’s Pledge, a group that has been maligned by the usual suspects as being racist for…..not being racist and wanting a true democracy where power is not based on one’s ethnic lineage.
Below I am republishing their latest email in full. I suggest getting on their newsletter list and supporting them.
The Three Waters $120B grab – what you’re not being told
The three waters are drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. The Three Waters Plan (that you may have seen advertisements for) is a tricky co-governance plan for central government to get control of our assets which are managed by our local councils. After more than 60 iwi-only meetings, the Government and tribal leaders have divided New Zealand into four massive, unwieldy zones. Each zone will take ownership and control of our water and water-related infrastructure.
Who will be in control?
Each zone will have a mega agency, managed 50:50 by tribal and council appointees on a 12-member board. For instance, the 20 local authorities in the South Island entity will have only six seats in total, despite contributing all infrastructure. One tribe there will have the other six seats. Those tribal representatives will, in effect, have a veto over what your community gets and pays as 75% of the board must agree on all decisions.
Is co-governance a fair structure?
Based on the performance of existing co-governance entities, no they’re not. The public representatives have nothing at stake, so choose an easy life, taking their pay while agreeing to whatever the tribal appointees demand. And demand they do, often in an intimidating way.
How does this affect you?
Each water agency will decide what services you get or not, how well pipes are maintained or not, how quickly repairs are done or not, and where new infrastructure will be built or not. Most importantly, they will decide how much you pay, whether you receive any benefit or not. Private landowners, businesses and farms will be vulnerable to tribal agendas and conflicts of interest.
Will the board be answerable to you?
No. Board members are not elected. There is no way to challenge them, to make them accountable, to avoid conflicts of interest, or to remedy poor decision-making or damage done.
Will councils be paid for assets we ratepayers funded?
No. The Government will borrow money to settle any Council debt on existing water infrastructure, but they won’t buy the asset. They’ll simply confiscate billions of dollars of value, paid for by generations of ratepayers. Councils will no longer have water infrastructure as an asset to use as security for borrowing. This will undermine council viability.
The Government claims improved water services. Is this credible?
No it’s not. Independent experts have reviewed government’s estimates of cost reductions and say the figures are “founded on unsound evidence and faulty analysis” (Castalia) and “should not be relied on to project actual expenditure, revenue and pricing outcomes” (Farrier).
Are councils in favour of Three Waters?
Councils have less than two weeks to decide. Many are saying “NO” to Three Waters, many are so far sitting on the fence, some are in favour. Cash-strapped councils are being pressured by financial inducements from central government to support the confiscation.
Do councils have to consult with their communities?
Councils are legally bound to consult ratepayers over major decisions on water. Unfortunately, the Government’s determination suggests they may pass special legislation to nullify this democratic requirement.
Why do some call this a silent ‘revolution’?
It fits. The Government’s Three Waters proposal involves the dismantling of our democracy, the denial of access by individuals to decision-makers, and the loss of accountability to affected communities.
YOU CAN HELP –
- Demand a referendum. Please contact your councillor today or tomorrow and demand a right to vote on whether or not your community wants to give your three waters infrastructure to central government, to be managed by just six council representatives (from all the councils in your water zone) and six iwi appointees.
- Copy this page and deliver into letter boxes in your neighbourhood or email to others.
NOTE: Three Waters is part of the He Puapua plan to set up two governments for New Zealand, one by Maori for Maori, and the other, a fully bicultural government for everyone else. This system would be subject to a tribal monitoring committee.
From the Archives #4
On Sundays we have been highlighting old posts from the archives for the new readers who have recently joined us. Today we suggest you take a look at Whose Responsibility where we muse on the penchant governments have for controlling education.