dynamaso

Join Date 09/2004

+69

Bushfires 'Devil's Work'

By now, most of the world has probably heard about the bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria. These have been devasting and, by the looks of it, were deliberately lit. Don't get me started about what these arsonists deserve because you might not like what I have to say.

While bushfires are nothing new here, the ferocity of these particular incidences have stunned the nation and the world. The human death toll at the moment is at 181 and is expected to climb while there have been 1800 homes lost in the fires. And of course, the loss of livelihoods, farms, stock animals and native fauna, in particular, is also tragic.

So why is it that there are a few who use such tragedies as platforms to propel their skewed points of view. Even while the fires still raged, a Victorian Pentacostal pastor, of the Catch A Fire Ministry, blamed the tragedy on the recent introduction of laws decriminalising abortion in the state. Read more about it here:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/abortion-laws-allowed-devil-to-destroy-pastor-20090210-83i8.html

and here:

http://www.smh.com.au/national/pastors-abortion-dream-inflames-bushfire-tragedy-20090210-832f.html

Without going further into it, this whack job suggests the fires are the devil's way of punishing Victoria and, to a lesser extent, Australia as a whole. Of course, this piss-weak excuse for a man didn't lose anything in the fires. His home wasn't destroyed and he didn't lose family members. So yeah, why not take advantage of a dreadful situation to push his own petty little agenda.

The total lack of compassion and sensitivity is so shocking I don't know how the man could even call himself a caring Christian. I hope his parish or ministry or whatever kick him out on his pathetic arse. He doesn't deserve to be a spiritual leader of any sort. He should be ashamed of himself.

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Without going further into it, this whack job suggests the fires are the devil's way of punishing Victoria and, to a lesser extent, Australia as a whole.

Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with people like this? I thought we just had them in the US(or at least they're more visible here), but apparently they're universal.

~Zoo

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I thought we just had them in the US

Me too. Like the Westboro Baptist Church sickos. I guess religious wacko nutjobs have no boundaries (in more ways than one).

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He definitele is a nutcase! That's really sad.

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Zoo,

Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with people like this? I thought we just had them in the US(or at least they're more visible here), but apparently they're universal.

I ask myself the same thing often. But believe me, we have our fair share of such folk here too. But this particular one really took the cake.

Roy,

religious wacko nutjobs have no boundaries (in more ways than one).

Exactly! I suppose the real question is why the newspapers even bothered taking any notice of him. I believe if media ignored these idiots, they'd soon learn to shut their mouths. But then, here I am writing about it too, so I suppose I'm only spreading his poison further. GAH!

Serenity,

It is sad, particularly for the affectd families who might read of his callous insensitivity.

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I just saw a story about the bushfires on the news in Japan last night.

Those fires are really scary. When I found out how fast the fires were moving... really, no words. I'm just thankful more people weren't injured.

I might agree with what you have to say about the arsonists. Really anyone who would set fires like that in such dry places is really doing the devil's work. They must have a large part of the devil inside them.

As far as that religious fellow, maybe he's right about the devil, just not for the reasons he thinks. And I agree with you that that guy is really, really out of line to use tragedies like this for his own agenda.

When my grandfather died, he didn't go to any church, so a relative who was active in her Ukrainian Catholic church used her influence to get him a funeral at her church. I really appreciated her gesture. What I didn't appreciate was the priest who decided to go on and on about abortion at my grandfather's funeral service. I was really confused and wondered if this had something to do with my grandfather's life. Way inappropriate.

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Momijiki,

Those fires are really scary. When I found out how fast the fires were moving... really, no words. I'm just thankful more people weren't injured.

I was reading a piece about the fires where a farmer, having heard the fires were some distance away, decided to go take a look. By the time he got to the top of the hill near his house, the front was on him. It moved so quickly, he barely had time to get out alive. Unfortunately, others didn't.

I don't believe in the devil so I can't agree that the arsonists are doing the devil's work. I think they're sad, sorry, poor excuses for human beings who crave the weird attention doing something like this brings.

As for the pastor, I find it disturbing, to say the least, that some people see opportunity in other's tragedy. It makes me feel angry and sad. There is just no excuse for it. The same applies to the priest at your grandfather's funeral. There is a time and place for everything but this obviously wasn't one of them.

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cactoblasta

Join Date 04/2004

+48

Serenity,

It is sad, particularly for the affectd families who might read of his callous insensitivity.

The more he's heard the fewer followers he'll make. It probably all balances out in the end.

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets beaten up by the people he considers collateral damage when he does arrive in the bushfire areas.

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Cacto,

The more he's heard the fewer followers he'll make. It probably all balances out in the end

Do you really believe that? My wife (who is a journalist for AAP) thinks along much the same lines as this too. I still can't help feel that giving wackos like this copy space is only encouraging them. I guess I would rather not hear this kind of rubbish at all.

I think you're right about him coping it hard if he went into the bushfire-affected areas now. He probably doesn't have the guts, though.

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cactoblasta

Join Date 04/2004

+48

Do you really believe that? My wife (who is a journalist for AAP) thinks along much the same lines as this too.

Sure. Social normative forces are extremely strong. When someone like this is lambasted in the press and in public, two things happen.

Firstly, those who encounter the broad opposition to whatever is being decried see that the act is perceived as wrong by society. This reduces the likelihood of them being involved in that behaviour if they wish to live in society.

Secondly, those who do not wish to live in society, but agree with the act, are pushed even further to the fringes and are more likely to act, which continues the spiral of illegitimacy.

Basically, it's simultaneously a radicalising and a limiting process. So long as the radicals aren't praised at any stage, it's unlikely to cause any lasting harm to society, or at least no more than pretending these views don't exist. Better to bring it to the surface and lance it as soon as it appears.

I think you're right about him coping it hard if he went into the bushfire-affected areas now. He probably doesn't have the guts, though.

Last I heard he was on his way there. Perhaps he'll be unavoidably delayed en route though. For his own safety I hope he has another hit of LSD and a new vision telling him to go home and repent.

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Cacto,

You know, this is probably the most erudite reasoning I've read for the publishing of such wackos. And now I see how it makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to explain it as such.

I hope he has another hit of LSD and a new vision telling him to go home and repent.

Hahahah... Well put, mate, well put.

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cactoblasta

Join Date 04/2004

+48

You know, this is probably the most erudite reasoning I've read for the publishing of such wackos.

You don't have to say that, it was a pretty clumsy explanation. But I'm glad it was of some use.

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Just shows the quality of reasoning previously presented to me when I bring this up. I thought it was a damn fine explanation.

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