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18 July 2008
Hello to everyone,
No matter where you are you could not escape the news this week of the
pope's presence in Sydney, Australia for Catholic "World Youth Day". There
is no doubt that quite a few tens of thousands of overseas "youth" has
descended on Sydney this week, many wearing the distinctive red (papal)
clothing and paraphernalia. It does seem that thousands of Sydney drivers
have done as asked and left their cars at home, or simply left, because
driving around even the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney this week was almost
surreal with a the lack of traffic. Quite pleasant really.
There also seemed to be attendant miracles on the heals of the pope's visit
and WYD. It was reported that Sydney trains were running on time. Indeed
shades of the 2000 Olympics were reported in the City where significant road
closures allowed pedestrians to fill usually car clogged streets in what
appears to be a an atmosphere of bonhomie and good will all round. I say
appears because I resisted the temptation to join the throng so cannot
report first hand.
On Thursday the pope participated in a "boatacade". That is, he got on very
large cruise boat and motored up the Harbour looked upon by the adoring and
curious masses from the shore. It was reported that when he disembarked at "Bangaroo"
(the unfortunate name given the former container wharf area of north Darling
Harbour earmarked for redevelopment) he was greeted like a rock star by the
even more adoring throng of young Catholics. Today the big thing was the
"stations of the cross" played out around the City's landmarks and watched
by 500 million worldwide (it was claimed).
Tomorrow, the Sabbath, the Sydney Harbor Bridge will be closed to allow the
"pilgrims" to walk across on their way to Randwick racecourse for a big
sleep out Saturday night before the climactic mass led by the pope on
Sunday. They hope to get 500,000 to the event. Whether they do or not it is
likely to be reported they did. That's the nature of these things.
The pope’s visit has almost overshadowed all other news but not quite. The
Rudd government this week announced the detail of it’s “carbon trading”
scheme to address the unproven problem of human caused “climate change”. One
interesting, and dishonest, point of the report containing the plan was it’s
title which re badged the alleged problem as “carbon dioxide pollution”.
Since carbon dioxide exists naturally and is essential for plant growth and
known as the “carbon cycle” we all learned about in high school science
classes, it is a strange label. Stranger still was the announcement that
petrol will be included in the carbon tax regime but that for every cent
fuel rises the government will decrease the excise tax on fuel. That scheme
will effectively negative the carbon tax on fuel and the intended effect to
reduce fuel consumption through price. Where this will end though could be
major damage to Australia’s dwindling industry.
The GTA program last Sunday offered the booklet “Heaven on Earth?”
and the GTA audio sermon “The Third Day in Heaven”. By week’s
end we had 48 requests for program material with 10 of
those new contacts.
The program this Sunday looks at how the Sabbath was substituted with Sunday
by a paganized Catholic Church and how most, if not all of the daughter
churches of Rome today continue to profess Sunday as the Lord’s Day relying
on nothing more than the authority of the Catholic Church and the pope in
defiance of God’s Fourth Commandment. Given the presence of our esteemed
visitor it seems a good topic to raise.
All the best for your Sabbath observance.
Murray Allatt
Sydney
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