“I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe…” (Rom 1:16)

There was once a society very similar to our own.

Children were seen as a burden. They were routinely left to die in the hours after their birth, for the convenience of their parents, in a primitive abortion-like practice.

Just because a law exists in a statute or precedent does not make it right.

Psalm 94:20 speaks of “wicked rulers… who frame injustice by statute,” making a clear distinction between what is right, and what is law.

Most people resonate with that idea.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6:33)

It’s budget night. The election is about to be called.

The government couldn’t be happier about the timing, because many people vote with their hip-pocket.

Some weeks back, James Boyce penned an opinion piece for The Monthly titled, “the Devil and Scott Morrison.”

Boyce “outed” the Prime Minister’s beliefs in a personal Devil, the return of Christ, the fall of man, and the depravity of the unregenerate soul, to name a few.

To which I say this: if that’s what it takes to be “outed” as a fruitcake, then put me on the fruitcake menu.

These are nothing more than timeless, mainstream Christian beliefs.

The issue comes with what Boyce claims to be the implication of these beliefs.

"I’ve had the privilege of being able to operate on little babies that were 25, 26, 27, 28 weeks’ gestation, and I can guarantee you they can feel. They can react. You have to give them anesthesia if you’re going to cut them, believe me. But they can also respond to comfort and to warmth. And for somebody to say that’s a meaningless bunch of cells, honestly, is just totally ignorant.” - Dr Ben Carson

It took me a while to realise that people mostly assume your actions are all about you.

The assumption is that a person’s motives are basically self-interested.

I recall dining in a small town called Lititz, in rural Pennsylvania. After a particularly good meal and great service, I left a very large tip on the table for our waitress to find after we’d left.

I walked away hoping it would make her day.

But when my travel companion saw it, I was loudly accused of trying to boost my own ego.

“Professor Peterson has really helped me rediscover meaning. He’s been like pastor Peterson to me.”

Marcus is a young man in his mid-30s, sitting next to me at Dr Jordan Peterson’s sold out Sydney lecture. Like the scores of others present – many of them young men – he has paid a handsome fee and battled Sydney’s congestion to be here.

And he’s keen. Really keen.

I wonder what Pilate’s tone of voice was as he asked Jesus that famous question.

Sarcastic? Pensive? Scoffing?

Let me be the first to engage in some bigoted quackery and talk conversion.

That is to quote Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, who has announced plans to ban so-called ‘LGBT conversion therapy.’

Late in 2017 I travelled through Germany. It was the 500^th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

The occasion made the sadness of what I observed more poignant.