In which the pond isn't surprised to discover the hate for its Sunday meditation ...

Actually the pond is rarely surprised when the preachers of hate help spread the hate a little further ... this sign thanks to the Taree Presbyterian church ... which also helped out with another sign, not so much masochistic self-reflexive hate as group hate, and so earning the attention of the ABC here ...

Tragic really, the way Taree always wanted to be Tamworth, but lacked the letters ...

Contrarywise the pond was surprised to see that there are a few Christians remaining in the Anglican church.

Not in Sydney of course, that would be too much, but the Melbourne mob, who fronted up just days after the Quakers reminded the pond that they were actual Christians too...

Perhaps that's why there's so few of them ...

Yes, Australian Quakers call for PM to legislate on same-sex marriage, ditch plebiscite ...

"We are concerned the amount of money that is going to be spent on the plebiscite could be put to better use and we thought it won't necessarily mean Parliament is going to vote in accordance with the result," Ms Jordan said. 
"We have been supportive of same-sex relationships and commitments and hope that the time has come to recognise loving relationships as marriage."

Good on 'em ... and these were the opening pars in the story ...

Officially known as the Religious Society of Friends, the Quakers have about 2000 members and regular worshippers in Australia and have recognised same-sex couples since 1994, including in formal commitment ceremonies. 

The church is one of the few Christian organisations to advocate for same-sex marriage, along with some individual Jewish, Uniting and Baptist congregations and celebrants.

Presiding clerk Jo Jordan said Quaker leaders wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month, asking the government to ditch a plebiscite, which would be expensive and non-binding.

A woman in charge, and tolerance and love as offerings? No wonder the pond was startled.

Then came Religious shift on same-sex marriage: Anglicans should vote 'according to conscience'.

Christians should vote "according to their conscience" in a same-sex marriage plebiscite and the Church "must accept" the result, Australia's most senior Anglican has told followers. 

In what gay marriage advocates have welcomed as a significant blessing, Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier told the nation's Anglicans they could support same-sex marriage "in good faith". 

"If the plebiscite does happen it will be important that Christians – and others – vote according to their conscience and their view of what is best for society," he wrote in a letter to Anglican bishops. "Should the vote be in favour of same-sex marriage as suggested by the opinion polls, the Church must accept that this is now part of the landscape."

And so on ... 

Archbishop Freier echoed the concerns of LGBTI advocates, Labor and the Greens in declaring himself "very concerned" that the plebiscite campaign would involve vilification and hate. 

"The Church also understands the desire of two people to express their commitment of love and self-sacrifice to each other, and that Christians have not always shown the respect or perspective they should," he wrote.

The pond was naturally alarmed by this outbreak of Christian compassion ... it simply didn't leave any room for the pond to be curmudgeonish ...

Well there were a few chances to curmudgeon on reading the fine print in the letter, headed Conscience rules on marriage...

The Archbishop couldn't go the full Quaker and so stayed stuck in the plebiscite rut, "though with strong reservations that we must guard the tenor of the debate, and keep it positive."

There's not much chance of that happening with the Sydney Anglicans in the ruck, as was recently shown when one broke free and mauled and shirt-fronted Bill Shorten in front of the mike, and so earned the cheers of the angries around the land ...

Should the vote be in favour of same-sex marriage as suggested by the opinion polls, the Church must accept that this is now part of the landscape. We can still stand for and offer holy matrimony between a man and a woman as a sacred ordinance given by God, while accepting that the state has endorsed a wider view of marriage – as, indeed, the state has endorsed de facto relationships by legislating similar protections to those offered by marriage for people in such relationships. 
The doctrine of the Book of Common Prayer remains unchanged, that marriage is between a man and a woman, under God, forsaking all others until death parts them. I do not believe that the Anglican Church in Australia is likely to revise its doctrine of marriage. 
But that said, the Church also understands the desire of two people to express their commitment of love and self-sacrifice to each other, and that Christians have not always shown the respect or perspective they should. I am very concerned that the discussion does not become harsh or vilifying – on either side, for it is not only Christians who have sometimes failed on this score.
We understand that this is not a theoretical issue for many people, but one that directly impinges on their lives. We understand that sometimes gays, lesbians and others have felt judged and rejected, even ostracised, inside the Church and that we have to be much more pastorally sensitive in future.

Naturally the pond had to race off to the angry Sydney Anglicans for reassurance.

There was of course nothing to be found. Ever since the angry Jensenists have left, the official site has declined into a furious torpor, though there was a link to the way the British church sees homosexuality as being a problem and an issue ...

That was in the Daily Mail, 10th September 2016, and it raises the question as to why it would be in any way irresponsible or shameful for anyone to be identified as homosexual in this day and age ... unless one happened to belong to an un-Xian body who wanted to keep it as a mark of shame and still actively worked to ostracise people they don't like ... that being the eternal work of righteous, fundamentalist bigots ...

Christ, if he'd ever bothered to mention the topic, would surely have been as generous as he was to other alleged outcasts, including but not limited to prostitutes and tax collectors, and reminded religious fundamentalists that we're all supposed to have been created in god's image ...

But there you go, the pond goes all Christian again for its Sunday meditation.

Fortunately, there's always the least Christian church, the Roman Catholic, to provide as many insurmountable obstacles as possible, and the angry Sydney Anglicans to join them ...

Over at the Anglican League, the chief concern was that they wouldn't be given enough public moola to maintain the hate and the rage ...

A cool ten million dollar shakedown... you get paid to spread the hate and you use the taxpayers' money to do it ...

Well at least it reminded the pond of a story worth re-reading, though the title needs adjusting for inflation ...

The Anglican League also proudly linked to GAFCON, which now has a website in the UK, which in turn proudly linked to its fundamentalist doctrine of hate.

Just as Daesh represents all that's worst about fundamentalism and bigotry, so GAFCON can be replied on to peddle the hate ...

The one word that sits oddly in that list of 'facts' - 'fact', burning bushes speak, water turns to wine, and complimentary women are there to serve you - is that 'sadly' that sits at the start of the last par ...

For all the ostentatious hand-wringing, they're not sad at all. 'Sadly' has got nothing to do with it.

They live to hate, and just like Daesh, when they wake up in the morning, the hate gives them something to do and to keep idle hands and idle minds busy explaining just how wicked and evil some people are ... and never mind any talk of god having made them in Her image ...

Never mind, while in Sunday meditation mood, there was some mixed news about the Scientology cult.

The good news is that numbers are falling, the bad news is that they're setting up a bunker in the down under region (won't someone do a Downfall parody?). 

In the usual way, they've organised some useful idiots to help them in the task ...

Ah Sydney, Sydney, what a heart-breaking, delusional town it is ... almost as delusional as the reasons offered by the fellow travellers for their fellow travelling with the notorious Miscavige ...

And doesn't the bunker look full Bauhaus? It's full on concrete monolith, even more fortified looking than the NSW police's Surry Hills bunker.

News.com. au covered the launch here ... compare and contrast bunkers ...

  

By golly, it makes the cops look positively harmonious. And so on to the fellow travellers ...

Pathetic really, but if that's the best they could drum up to speak alongside them, then Steve Cannane's talk of a fourth division team is so apt even the football-shy pond can understand it and agree ...

Cannane once did a story about Paulette Cooper, so here's hoping his book just the job on these Xenu delusionals ... and then, Steve, there's always the angry Sydney Anglicans and their gay hate and their complimentary women ...

Now in anticipation and to wrap up this Sunday meditation, please allow the pond to help with publicity for the 19th September release ...

As astonishing as it is compelling - Steve Cannane's extraordinary insight into Scientology in Australia is investigative journalism at its very best. From Rugby League players trying to improve their game, to Hollywood superstars and the depressed sons of media moguls, Scientology has recruited its share of famous Australians. Less known is that Australia was the first place to ban Scientology, or that Scientology spies helped expose the Chelmsford Deep Sleep Scandal. Numerous Australians have held senior posts in the organisation only to fall foul of the top brass and lose their families as a result. Based on years of interviews and research, Walkley Award-winning journalist Steve Cannane tells for the first time the fascinating story of Australia's vital involvement with this powerful, secretive and punitive cult.

Secretive and punitive cult ... that's talking pond talk ... and then there's the angry Sydney Anglicans ...