Tony Abbott's Gorilla Gait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilDn9BWsFnI

The Simian Peter Jensen

https://www.abc.net.au/am/archive/articles/2006/10/24/s1772283.htm

The Attention-Seeking Peter Jensen

Archbishop Peter Jensen was the Anglican Primate of Sydney. Among other things, he was opposed to the ordination of female priests and the consecration of female bishops. He also opposed equal rights for gay and lesbian citizens. He was consistently outspoken in expressing his venomous opinions.

https://www.abc.net.au/am/archive/articles/2006/10/24/s1772283.htm

Alan Jones Revealed

"Jonestown: The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones" is the unauthorised biography of Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones, written by highly respected Australian author and investigative journalist Chris Masters. To quote Alan Jones' Wikipedia page: "Extracts of the book published in The Sydney Morning Herald concentrated largely on Jones' sexuality, questionable behaviour while Senior English Master at The King's School and the 'cottaging' incident in a London public toilet. The book claims that Jones is a homosexual and that his denial of this is 'a defining feature of the Jones persona'." Not that Jones' sexuality should be anyone's business but his own. The operative word here, however, is "denial". His choice to remain in the closet, I guess. That is, of course, presuming that Masters' claims are correct. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown:_The_Power_and_the_Myth_of_Alan_Jones

It's an abomination!

And it’s not only the keeping of slaves that’s endorsed by the Bible. Here are some other teachings of the Bible that you may not have been aware of:

* Children who swear at their parents should be put to death. (Leviticus 20:9)

* If a couple have sex while the woman is having her period, they should be deported. (Leviticus 20:18)

* It’s OK to keep slaves and make them your property. (Leviticus 25:44-45)

* Men are forbidden to have haircuts and trim their beards. (Leviticus 19:27)

* It is forbidden to eat pork. (Leviticus 11:7)

* You’re not allowed to plant two crops in one field and cannot wear combined fabric blends. (Leviticus 19:19)

* It is an abomination to eat prawns (shrimp), lobsters, oysters and other shellfish (Leviticus 11:10-12)

* It is an abomination (same as eating prawns) for two men to have sex together (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13)

And we haven't even touched on the circumcision thing. I trust you’ve all been circumcised.

Why have we selectively discarded most of this and only retained the homophobic references?

Certainly, all of the above quotations are from the Old Testament. But Saint Paul also condemns homosexuality in the New Testament in his writings at 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Romans 1:26-27. It must be remembered that Paul was not one of  the original twelve disciples chosen by Jesus. He never knew Jesus. Paul converted to Christianity after Jesus had been crucified. Up until then, he'd been actively engaged in the persecution of Christians. It would appear that his default personality type was discriminatory and persecutory. If he had known Jesus personally, perhaps he may not have been quite so quick to judge and condemn.

The four Gospels are the true jewel in the crown of Christianity. It’s in the Gospels that we read the authentic message and very words of Jesus Himself. And let us not forget that Jesus NEVER once mentioned homosexuality. If it is such an abomination, as claimed in Leviticus and by Saint Paul, why did Jesus never mention it?

Venomous

At the time, Sydney's Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen had been making yet more of his venomous homophobic pronouncements. I wonder what Jesus would make of him.

https://www.abc.net.au/am/archive/articles/2006/10/24/s1772283.htm

Proud Ego

Jonestown

I drew a couple of satirical cartoons about Sydney radio shock-jock, Alan Jones, after reading Chris Masters' highly acclaimed exposé, "Jonestown - The Power and the Myth of Alan Jones".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown:_The_Power_and_the_Myth_of_Alan_Jones

Applause for Tony Abbott

I acknowledge Phillip Coorey's column in the Sydney Morning Herald on 16 May 2011 for giving me the idea for this cartoon. In the same column, Phillip Coorey also observed that if Julia Gillard got married, Tony Abbott would call it a stunt. 

Anglican Primate Peter Jensen

The then Anglican Primate of Sydney, Archbishop Peter Jensen, often voiced his opposition to the ordination of women priests and the consecration of women bishops. And what he had to say about gays and lesbians probably doesn't bear mentioning in a polite blog such as this. I wonder what Jesus would make of him?

Tony Abbott's Statesmanship

Julia Gillard rests her case.

Julia Gillard's Pet Poodle

Before Julia Gillard became Prime Minister of Australia, when she was still the Deputy Prime Minister, she famously referred to Christopher Pyne, the Manager of Opposition Business in Australia's House of Representatives, in somewhat less than glowing terms. Under the banner headline "Gillard Labels Pyne 'Mincing Poodle'", here's how Australia's ABC News reported the event: 

The Federal Government has spent question time taunting the Opposition over its recent infighting. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard mocked the Coalition for choosing Christopher Pyne as the manager of opposition business, rather than Tony Abbott, who did the job in Government. "In a choice between macho and mincing I would have gone for macho myself," she said. "The leader of the Opposition faced with the choice of a doberman or the poodle has gone for the poodle." 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/23/2499270.htm

Persona Non Grata Peter Akinola

Peter Akinola was the Anglican Archbishop of Nigeria. Another one who had clearly never heard of the separation of Church and State.

To quote from Wikipedia: In September 2006, the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria, headed by Akinola, issued a Message to the Nation, taking up ten political controversies in Nigeria, among them a bill regarding same-sex relationships: "The Church commends the law-makers for their prompt reaction to outlaw same-sex relationships in Nigeria and calls for the bill to be passed since the idea expressed in the bill is the moral position of Nigerians regarding human sexuality." The bill in question, as well as criminalising same-sex marriage, also proposed to criminalise "Registration of Gay Clubs, Societies and organizations" and "Publicity, procession and public show of same-sex amorous relationship through the electronic or print media physically, directly, indirectly or otherwise", on penalty of up to 5 years of imprisonment. The proposed legislation was formally challenged by the United States State Department as a breach of Nigeria's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Some western supporters justify the legislation on the basis that it does not support the stoning to death of homosexuals under the Sharia code.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Akinola

That which we call a rose . . .

Fred Nile's Camouflage

The Reverend Fred Nile was a clergyman and also a Member of Parliament in the New South Wales Legislative Council. He had clearly never heard of the separation of powers. He was an outspoken homophobe, who attended Sydney's Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade for many years, in order to pray for rain. Oh, and yes, Fred Nile does have very big, bushy eyebrows.

What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo & Juliet (Act II, Scene II)

William Shakespeare

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Ah, "Celebrity Chef", my favourite oxymoron.

Gay Adoption

Elton John in Tobago

https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/tobago-christian-leaders-want-elton-john-banned-idUSN26406779/

What a Dump!

Meanwhile, overheard at a somewhat lackluster Roman orgy near you, the man is exclaiming in Latin "Quid gurgustium" ("What a dump"), to which the woman appears to be concurring by responding "Me transmitte sursum Caledoni" ("Beam me up, Scotty"). 

Papal Platitudes

Tony Abbott Under Threat

At the time, Tony Abbott was the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives. He was known for his homophobic sentiments. In 2009, he infamously stated that he felt threatened by gay people. 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-03-09/abbott-still-threatened-by-homosexuality/356168

Consul Sarah Palin

From the time of the 2008 US Presidential election.

Desalination

In God We Trust

From the time of the 2008 US Presidential election.

Recycled Sewage

At the time, Sydney's desalination plant had recently opened. Before construction commenced, the debate raged in  Parliament and within the community as to whether the best way to solve Sydney's then  water shortage problems was via desalination or recycled sewage. I was always in favour of the former option myself. Australia is an island, surrounded by great oceans on all sides. The city of Sydney sits upon the very shores of the vastness of the South Pacific Ocean. It seemed logical to me that we should go down the desalination route. And besides, the prospect of drinking recycled sewage never did much appeal to me. Yetch!

Cops are Tops!

I found myself behind a police car at traffic lights the other day, when I noticed a "Cops are Tops" sticker adhered to the back bumper. "Hmm," I thought to myself, "Self praise is definitely no recommendation."

Damien Hirst's New Clothes

 

' "But he hasn't got anything on", a little child said.'

 From "The Emperor's New Clothes"

by Hans Christian Andersen

Homophobic Peter Jensen

At the time this cartoon was created, the outspoken Peter Jensen was the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.

https://theconversation.com/attention-peter-jensen-homosexuality-doesnt-kill-but-homophobia-can-9589

Jesus Never Mentioned It

Peter Jensen was the outspoken Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.

https://theconversation.com/attention-peter-jensen-homosexuality-doesnt-kill-but-homophobia-can-9589

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

Julia Gillard's Coiffure

Julia Gillard was the first female Prime Minister of Australia. She faced much unjust criticism regarding personal matters that would never be leveled at a man. 

Kevin Rudd's je ne sais quoi

This cartoon is from 2007, at the height of Kevin Rudd's popularity, when he was elected Prime Minister of Australia. As it turned out, I must have had a premonition, because he rapidly became just about as popular as a bad case of herpes with the Electorate and was ousted from office by his own Party. His removal ultimately made way for the election of Australia's first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in 2010.

Sapphic Dilemma

Perfection

Why Is It So?

Abstract Fundamentalists

Unjust Picket

R.I.P. Heath Ledger

My tribute to Australian actor, Heath Ledger, following his tragic death at the age of 28, on 22 January 2008. I knew little of him up until the time I first saw "Brokeback Mountain" with my friend George Chamberlain at Broadway cinema in Sydney, on the day of its Australian release, the Australia Day public holiday - 26 January 2006. It was to be a life-changing experience for me. I left the cinema in tears and found myself in tears, on and off, for weeks afterwards, something I later found also happened to many other people worldwide. I think it had such a profound impact on me because I could relate so intensely to the characters of both Ennis and Jack in the film. I saw myself as being very much like Jack in the "It'd be some sweet life" sense, and like Ennis following Jack's death, locking himself away from reality. I subsequently saw the film many more times at the cinema. I also bought the book, DVD, movie poster and music CD. And I joined an American-based, worldwide "Brokeback Mountain" on-line chat forum of like-minded "Brokies" called "Bettermost", where I was to become a moderator. I've lost count of the number of times I've read the original short story by Annie Proulx. No other film has ever had such an enormous impact on me.

Collective Celebrity Chefs

I propose making "Baloney" the new collective noun  for celebrity chefs. Yep, "A baloney of celebrity chefs"! Sounds good to me!

The Sin of Presumption

And speaking of Fred Nile, Peter Jensen and Peter Akinola . . .

Pitiful Fred Nile

The Reverend Fred Nile was a clergyman and also a Member of Parliament in the New South Wales Legislative Council. He had clearly never heard of the separation of powers. He was an outspoken homophobe, who had been attending the Sydney's Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade for many years, in order to pray for rain.

Don't Ask Don't Tell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_ask,_don%27t_tell

Happy Gays!

Sex in the City

Tony Abbott's Budgie Smugglers

Tony Abbott is an ex-Prime Minister of Australia who was known to strut about in public dressed solely in a tiny pair of budgie smugglers, barely concealing his modesty. So unbecoming a man of his illustrious status. Sometimes it's preferable to retain a sense of mystery, Mr Abbott.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-08/budgie-smugglers-officially-added-to-oxford-english-dictionary/7580368

Spain's Transsexuals

Paris Hilton's Credibility

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Archbishop Peter Jensen was the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney in Australia. His theology is of a particularly virulent, fundamentalist strain and he has spoken out with some considerable venom and spite against such issues as the consecration of female bishops and gay rights. It would appear to be a case of "do as I say, not as I do" for Archbishop Jenson, however, because not long after his consecration in 2001, he "was accused of nepotism after appointing both his wife (Christine) and his brother (Phillip Jensen) to official positions in the Sydney diocese" (Wikipedia). So much for Archbishop Jensen's exemplary moral virtue! 

https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-more-the-holier-another-jensen-leads-flock-20021118-gdftzc.html

Nepotism Defined