G'day all.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my original posting, so here goes attempt number two...

I wrote:
**BTW, Richard, I do object to your use of the word "we" here. The things which you accuse Australia of (correctly) were probably not perpetrated by any of the participants of this newsgroup.

[...]

paul* (remove the star to email me) (Paul Gioia) writes:

Hey, I thought this was a Christian news group or have you forgotten the notion of national responsibility that God applied to Israel for their sins. As often as not God condemned the nation as a whole.

National responsibility is not the same thing as individual guilt. Yes, Australia has a responsibility for what happened to the Aboriginal people. Yes, the Australian government and people should attempt to repair the damage done by the policies of the past. I believe I said as much in my posting.

The point I was attempting to make is that assuming the responsibility does not have as a prerequisite assuming the guilt, and nor should it.

Of course we are guilty, if we call ourselves Australians.

We are not guilty, we are responsible. Australia corporately may be guilty of many crimes against Aboriginal people, but most of its individial members are not.

Of course we should 'fess up. And of course God will forgive us if we do.

On behalf of the corporation which is Australia, we should indeed, and he will. And we should make it a high priority to attempt to reconcile with those who were wronged and their descendants.

That is not the same as assuming guilt. It is admitting responsibility. What silly, ignorant twaddle many Christians are pouring out in defense of Pauline and this inherently racist nation.

I agree with you, but I hope you weren't referring to me. :-)

Cheers,
Andrew Bromage