Should Priests Talk Religion?

Let us be frank with each other, as I do not want to make a Blog issue out of what I have to say.

We have all come to expect nothing but the most profound wisdom from our politicians. Their speeches in the parliamentary chambers, of which, there are more than enough in Australia, are indicative of members who are erudite and thoughtful. However, yesterday, we were treated to an enlightened discussion, the dazzling glow of which would send a blind person into writhings.

The subject under discussion in the Australian House of Representatives was the setting of carbon dioxide emission targets and the cancellation of an enquiry into alternative policy directions related to such emissions.

During the discussion, the learned government accused the dim-witted opposition of turning global climate change into a political issue. What a dreadful thing!

What on earth does the government think is an appropriate issue to be discussed in parliament? They are our elected representatives. They are what we call, in not too technical a turn, politicians. They represent us, the polity. We put them there to discuss issues that affect us all and which are proper issues to be discussed by politicians. Politicians are paid by us to represent us in a political arena, and there to discuss political issues and only political issues in a political manner.

Imagine a householder having called in a plumber to fix a broken water pipe. The plumber explains that some digging will be necessary, and that pipes may have to be replaced. Imagine the cerebral spinning in the plumber’s head if the householder were to say,”I’m sorry, but you just seem to be turning this into a plumbing issue.”

Imagine a patient going to a doctor, and having described a whole host of signs and symptoms. The doctor then discusses the possible diagnoses, implications and treatments. Imagine then, the poor doctor’s haste in contemplating seeking an appointment with one of his colleagues specialising in the field of psychiatry, when the patient admonishes with, “What are you on about? You are trying your hardest to medicalise my problem.”

It may be a crazy, mixed-up world, but it is still a world in which plumbers give plumbing opinions, doctors give medical opinions, and politicians should give political opinions.