Overseas

[gkearney]

Greeting from Australia, the land that the recession forgot. I signed up for these forums to answer questions about Freemasonry, I am FAIR's Freemasonry expert, but got to thinking about how Members overseas might view these forums.

It is worth sometimes to note that most Mormons are not Republicans for the simple reason that most Mormons do not live in the United States. Many nations, such as Australia, do not have political parties arranged on ideology as is found in the United States.

Here in Australia one NEVER hears of politics at church. The mixing of politics and religion is a serious social taboo in all sectors of public and religious life. So outside of a very limited set of issues, such as abortion, which is largely illegal in most of Australia, one never encounters politics at church. We don't even talk about same sex marriage much in church. To an Australian LDS Member all the talk of politics in church circles seem alien indeed and frankly rather vulgar.

Here in Australia political parties are more likely representative of who you are rather than your political thinking. We have four major parties here. If you own a business or are management in a company you will likely vote for the Liberal Party, if your a farmer or involved in agriculture your likely a National voter. If you work for a company as an employee or are member of a trade union (trade unions are strong here) then your likely a Labor Party voter. Finally if you live need heavy industries or have a particular interest in the environment your likely voting for the Greens. All the parties, well perhaps not the Greens, have what you would call conservative and liberal wings with in them. You can not in Australia make any kind of prediction as to which party a Church member might be voting for.

Voting in Australia is compulsory, you get fined for not voting, and here we rate the candidates 1, 2, 3... in our order of preference. Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a Westminster form of government. Our constitution outlines how the government, courts and so on are run but does not enumerate "rights" which Australians generally feel are God given and that no man or men can "grant" rights to you. Australia looks to English Common Law for most of what Americans would refer to as rights.

So I just thought I would share this with you folks to remind you perhaps that there is a world out there beyond the United States and that world of Latter-day Saints often sees things in a very different light and through a different lens indeed.

Greg Kearney

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

political parties are more likely representative of who you are rather than your political thinking.

You could no sooner separate my political thinking from who I am than my religious thinking or my brain stem for that matter. I would be a cur if the truths I learn and know weren't who I am. What else would comprise who I am? Eternal truths constitute my religion and politics, what more natural forum than church to discuss eternal truths about the rights and responsibilities of men to each other?

[AussieOi]

nice to hear from you

i think they might get as good a view on australia from reading wiki tho, maybe oprah. i saw her all this week enough to make me puke. the cult of oprah for people without a life or opinion of their own. oh, hang on, thats apple products i just described

also, you forgot to mention that the USA has 37 military bases across australia, our PM is a closet, and abortion is not illegal in most states

in fact in victoria it is legal up to birth.

you must be up in brisbane?

true tho- aussies arent rusted onto any political party and politics is never mentioned at church nor would i know who my closest friends in or out of church voted for

cheers

[gkearney]

It's true Australia and the u.s. have a longstanding military alliance. And many Ausralian bases are used by the U.S.

Abortion is legal in some states an not in others.

[ChemtrailWatcher]

there is a world out there beyond the United States and that world of Latter-day Saints often sees things in a very different light and through a different lens indeed.

Hear hear!! Welcome to the forum. I'm interested to know what your views are on freemasonry.