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Opinion
Home / Gisborne Herald / Opinion

Folau 'sermon' shows power of indoctrination

Opinion by
Gisborne Herald
18 Mar, 2023 10:52 AMQuick Read

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A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The most vocal opposition to the right of the terminally ill to a peaceful death has come from religious groups, so when Israel Folau claimed in a recent “sermon” that bushfires and drought are part of “God’s plan” to punish Australia for same-sex marriage and abortion, supporters of David Seymour’s bill should be grateful to Folau.

Why? In his attempt to push his nonsense down our throats, his remarks illustrate the power of childhood indoctrination to eliminate the brain’s capacity for rational thought before its intellectual defences have matured. Worst of all, fundamentalist religion subordinates compassion to the brutal dogma of ancient texts.

Some people suffer dreadfully in their final days, but the religious lobby continues to argue, with straight faces, that they believe in compassion — just so long as it doesn’t involve action to relieve it.

Three cheers for Folau!

Martin Hanson, Nelson

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