Dogmatic bigot

Part of tertiary education involves developing critical thinking skills, and learning to engage with ideologies and beliefs differing from your own. The library collection of any tertiary institution represents a spectrum of scholarly opinion. In plain English, just because an item is held in the library, it does not mean that the institution, its faculty, or library staff endorse the viewpoints of its author, authors, or contributors.

It is unprofessional for librarians to refuse to hold resources just because they disagree with the opinions expressed in them. I write this wordy disclaimer because my library holds literature both supportive of, and hostile to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishnas. 

Some of this literature was written by ISKCON's founder,  (1896-1977). I noticed that he went by the title of "His Divine Grace." It strikes me as blasphemous that the late Swami, a mere man, would consider himself to be divine in any sense. He was an ordinary man, just like I am, and in need of salvation from Jesus Christ, just like I am (Romans 3:10, 23, 7:18).

The Bible consistently attests that Jesus is the only sinless man who ever lived. (2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:9, Hebrews 4:15, 9:14, 1 Peter 1:19, 2:22, I John 3:5). I wouldn't want to entrust my eternal destiny to another fallen, sinful human being such as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, or indeed any other spiritual leader of his ilk. It would be pure folly.

http://www.ibtimes.com/swami-prabhupada-founder-hare-krishna-movement-virulent-racist-anti-semite-1412102

Soap and water

It wasn't all that long ago that swearing was considered highly offensive. Now it seems this is changing. Some words that a few years back were considered to be expletives have now come into common usage.

It's fitting that Amanda Dunn observes that some newspapers have a more liberal attitude to swearing than others. Without naming names, The Age, in which this article was printed, clearly has a liberal policy towards printing profanity.

If this reflects changing societal attitudes, then I would suggest that it is also reflected in the lack of courtesy and respect that some people show to others these days.

Think of people who don't even apologise when they accidentally bump someone in public, or don't wait for passengers to alight from a train carriage before they get on it, don't bother to reply to invitations to events or turn up to them late, and using text messages to communicate with someone rather than talking with them directly if the subject matter is difficult.

Either these problems are becoming worse, or I'm becoming more aware of them as I get older. Whatever the case, it's something to ponder.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/why-theres-more-fing-profanity-these-days-20150515-gh1mgu

The kid from Kogarah

Australian writer and broadcaster Clive James received a special award in recognition of his 50 year career at the BAFTA television awards, held on May 10.

For several years in the 1990's I religiously watched his programmes Saturday Night Clive and The Clive James Show. As he humorously explored the world of bad and bizarre television, it made having next to no social life at the time slightly more bearable. Even though I disagree with his atheism, I liked his writing talent and sense of humour.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/clive-james-honoured-at-bafta-awards/story-fnb64oi6-1227349965771

Lest we forget to proof read

Gregory Wakeman, film reviewer for Cinemablend, needs to lift his game a bit. In his review of Russell Crowe's directorial debut, The Water Diviner, he writes that Crowe's character, Joshua Connor, goes to Turkey in 1919 to search for the bodies of his three sons who were missing in action and presumed killed in the Battle of Tripoli four years earlier.

Mr Wakeman or one of Cinemablend's editorial staff failed to proof read the review before it was published. Studios usually give press kits to film critics when they review a film. Presumably this kit contained a synopsis of the film, which would have helpfully explained that Connor's sons fought at Gallipoli in Turkey, and not Tripoli, which is the capital city of Libya.

http://www.cinemablend.com/reviews/Water-Diviner-66556.html

Well and truly

In an opinion piece in today's Age, Neil McMahon asks the question, has Q&A jumped the shark? For those of you who don't know, a television show that has "Jumped the shark" is one that has run its course, and isn't as good as it used to be.

I would definitely agree that it has. When Q&A first started it seemed fresh and novel. t gave everyday citizens the chance to engage and interact with political and business leaders, and other influential figures from various fields.

I stopped watching it after I began to realize that it had degenerated into a lefty love in, and I grew tired of going to bed feeling angry and wound up, or shouting at the television. More often than not, the panels are stacked with left leaning progressives, with one or two token conservatives. In this hostile setting, the conservative spokespeople are made to look ridiculous and offensive. And that's if they are able to get a word in.

Peter Hitchens, Rowan Dean, Janet Albrechtsen are among those conservative guests who find that there is no room for a respectful exchange of dissenting viewpoints on this program. Conflict might make for entertaining television, but it doesn't do much for having a constructive debate.