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Mixed blessings on Anglican road to Rome  
Andrew McGowan 23-Oct-2009
Liberal Roman Catholics have particular reason to be perturbed at the influx of ex-Anglicans driven not by ecumenical zeal, but by dogged adherence to positions on women's ordination or human sexuality which bespeak a broader conservatism.

John Safran the holy fool  
Peter Kirkwood 23-Oct-2009

Safran's stunts — such as hoodwinking a Palestinian sperm bank into donating Palestinian sperm to the Israelis, and vice versa — are cringe-making. But they are in the context of a cogent and pithy argument that has serious intent.

Boobs, booze and Muslim feminists  
Ellena Savage 03-Nov-2009

She'd rather be wearing jeans, but is compelled to dress like a Christmas tree for the Spring Racing Carnival. Her desire to be desired for the depth of her cleavage is nominated by the designs of men in her society. No wonder some Muslim women feel the hijab subverts patriarchy.

When Hitchens met Brennan  
Peter Kirkwood 09-Oct-2009
Christopher Hitchens appeared on Q+A last week with Frank Brennan and others to debate questions of belief. Hitchens was a sharp debater, relentless in pointing out the flaws in fellow panelists' arguments. But Brennan was a worthy opponent.

Breastfeeding is not obscene  
Catherine Marshall 19-Oct-2009
Whether grotesquely augmented, stricken with cancer or tumbling unbidden from the frocks of soccer wives, breasts guarantee rapt attention. But never are these appendages more hotly debated than when they are being used according to their very purpose and design.

Christopher Hitchens and ethics without God  
Andrew Hamilton 09-Oct-2009
It has been argued that if people do not believe in a God who will condemn them for bad actions, they will feel free to act outrageously. The claims of Christopher Hitchens give pause to reflect upon whether ethical thinking needs to include God.

Why Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize  
Tony Kevin 14-Oct-2009
The Republican Right's claim that Obama has yet to achieve anything is a smokescreen for their rage, for Obama got this award precisely because he is 'not Bush'. To speak a credible language of moral inspiration and hope to the world is an achievement in itself.

Stop Sri Lanka, not its refugees  
Michael Mullins 19-Oct-2009

The Rudd Government is pursuing the same unprincipled border protection strategy for which it criticised the Howard Government. It could better assist these refugees by asking the Sri Lankan Government why so many Tamils are fleeing the country, especially if the war is over.

Sex, schools and students  
Fatima Measham 20-Oct-2009
A Queensland father removed his children from a Catholic primary school in protest against the graphic sexual education given to his children. Schools are best placed to cover sexual health because students can be supported in developing a mature sexual ethic.

Hey hey it's a human rights violation  
Michael Mullins 12-Oct-2009

A majority of Australians seem to view the Black Faces segment on Hey Hey as benign, at worst. A Human Rights Charter might amplify the voice of the Koori woman who called a talkback radio station to say the segment had undermined her sense of equality.

Most Commented

Stop Sri Lanka, not its refugees  
Michael Mullins 19-Oct-2009

The Rudd Government is pursuing the same unprincipled border protection strategy for which it criticised the Howard Government. It could better assist these refugees by asking the Sri Lankan Government why so many Tamils are fleeing the country, especially if the war is over.

44 Comments.

Mixed blessings on Anglican road to Rome  
Andrew McGowan 23-Oct-2009
Liberal Roman Catholics have particular reason to be perturbed at the influx of ex-Anglicans driven not by ecumenical zeal, but by dogged adherence to positions on women's ordination or human sexuality which bespeak a broader conservatism. 21 Comments.

Boobs, booze and Muslim feminists  
Ellena Savage 03-Nov-2009

She'd rather be wearing jeans, but is compelled to dress like a Christmas tree for the Spring Racing Carnival. Her desire to be desired for the depth of her cleavage is nominated by the designs of men in her society. No wonder some Muslim women feel the hijab subverts patriarchy.

20 Comments.

Hey hey it's a human rights violation  
Michael Mullins 12-Oct-2009

A majority of Australians seem to view the Black Faces segment on Hey Hey as benign, at worst. A Human Rights Charter might amplify the voice of the Koori woman who called a talkback radio station to say the segment had undermined her sense of equality.

20 Comments.

Breastfeeding is not obscene  
Catherine Marshall 19-Oct-2009
Whether grotesquely augmented, stricken with cancer or tumbling unbidden from the frocks of soccer wives, breasts guarantee rapt attention. But never are these appendages more hotly debated than when they are being used according to their very purpose and design. 19 Comments.

Christopher Hitchens and ethics without God  
Andrew Hamilton 09-Oct-2009
It has been argued that if people do not believe in a God who will condemn them for bad actions, they will feel free to act outrageously. The claims of Christopher Hitchens give pause to reflect upon whether ethical thinking needs to include God. 19 Comments.

Refugee hysteria breeding Pacific Solution 2.0  
Kerry Murphy 15-Oct-2009
A hysterical response to the arrival of boats in Australia could undo the progress we have made away from unjust policy. Most asylum seekers have already experienced serious trauma. To return to a temporary visa regime will separate families for years and cause anxiety. 17 Comments.

Why Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize  
Tony Kevin 14-Oct-2009
The Republican Right's claim that Obama has yet to achieve anything is a smokescreen for their rage, for Obama got this award precisely because he is 'not Bush'. To speak a credible language of moral inspiration and hope to the world is an achievement in itself. 16 Comments.

When Hitchens met Brennan  
Peter Kirkwood 09-Oct-2009
Christopher Hitchens appeared on Q+A last week with Frank Brennan and others to debate questions of belief. Hitchens was a sharp debater, relentless in pointing out the flaws in fellow panelists' arguments. But Brennan was a worthy opponent. 15 Comments.

Catholic dogs and the new sectarianism  
Tim Kroenert 08-Oct-2009
Marrying Out recalls the vicious sectarian divide between Catholics and Protestants in Australia during much of the 20th century. Blame is allocated to neither Protestants nor Catholics, but to the human propensity for distrust and hatred. 13 Comments.

Retrospective

Bud Tingwell and I  
Andrew Hamilton 20-May-2009
I only met Bud Tingwell once. Like so many others, I went away the better for the brief encounter. But the meeting also led me to ask questions about what matters, and how we should nurture it in Australian society.

East Timor's digger friend  
Paul Cleary 09-Mar-2009

When East Timor was struggling to get a fair deal in negotiations over Timor Sea oil, Kenneally rallied his mates to fight. Appearing on national television, he told Prime Minister Howard: 'I'd rather you did not come to my ANZAC Day parade.'

Obama's challenge to the Church  
Andrew Hamilton 26-Feb-2009
The standard by which the most vocal Catholic Bishops judged Obama was his position on abortion, same sex marriages, and on the use of embryos for research. Obama has done the churches a favour by stealing their clothing.

Who cares about students  
Fatima Measham 10-Feb-2009

Many of the things that impact upon a teacher's efficacy are beyond their control - the quality of a child's homelife, the politicisation of the curriculum. One thing they can control is much they care, though this may bring new teachers little comfort in the months ahead.

Humanity endures in bushfire tragedy  
Andrew Hamilton 09-Feb-2009
During the financial turmoil this summer, images of fire have abounded. The economy is 'going into meltdown'. Shareholdings 'turn to ashes'. This weekend's bushfires make us ask instinctively what really matters.

My friend Justice Kirby  
Frank Brennan 03-Feb-2009

Prior to convening his own farewell ceremony yesterday, Kirby published his last dissenting judgment, stating Aborigines should have their day in court over the Intervention. Though respecting tradition, Kirby has long thrived on conflict and change.

Glamour returns to post-war Australia  
Madeleine Hamilton 09-Jan-2009
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first showing of Christian Dior's New Look fashion designs in Sydney. After years of wartime material restraints the New Look offered Australian women a fresh way of expressing their individuality and sensuality through fashion. (March 2008)

Life as a game show  
Tim Kroenert 18-Dec-2008
Having grown up an orphan in a Mumbai slum, Jamal is an unlikely candidate for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. A sense of the divine pervades the film, but while Jamal seems destined for good fortune, his brother Salim diverges towards corruption.

Zimbabwe's disappeared  
Oskar Wermter 17-Dec-2008
Jestina Mukoko was a television presenter, but left to become director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, which has documented many atrocities and crimes of Mugabe's regime. Last week she was abducted by a group of armed agents.

The nun and the burqa  
Bronwyn Lay 02-Dec-2008
When Germaine Greer savaged Michelle Obama's dress, I sighed. The 'beauty' market is a challenge to feminism. In France, two extremes of fashion ideology — burqas and plastic-surgery 'mannequins' — line up to buy bread.