'Australia' Day.

Hi all.

Sombre post.

First of all, I'm not trying to be a keyboard hero, I fully understand that typing up a blog does not constitute social activism.

I was walking around today regarding all the celebrations of this day in Australia's calendar- a day that many Australians call 'Australia Day'. The party goers- Australians and tourists alike- sporting all sorts of ridiculous costumes and face paint, and generally having a great time- on the surface.

We all know, deep down, however, an awkward truth about Australia day- The day that white settlers landed and called the land their own- stealing it from the Indigenous Australians.

I love Australia- it is a stunning landscape, with beautiful scenery, and wonderful people. It just makes me uneasy when I see people celebrating an invasion of one's home. The racism explodes in Australia on this day, and we see the racist products of it's dark past; underneath the images of the tall, mighty gum trees, and deserts covered in red sand- underneath the stories and stunning poetry of Henry Lawson and Banjo Patterson, and ancient stories of the Dreaming, is a far, far darker history.

Australia's landscape- stunning, right? 

White Australians stealing Indigenous children- a story that still haunts the country today. The disenfranchised  and dispossessed peoples from all around the world seeking refuge here- and being told in as many words '...if you don't like it, get the fuck out'. Convicts sentenced to transportation to the colonies, bound in chains for their crimes. Australian soldiers leaving for Gallipoli, like so many nations, under a masquerade of liberty and patriotism- only to return psychologically scarred forever; or, for the more common unlucky fit young men- never to return at all.

Though we posses a troubled past, I hope we can all acknowledge that past and we can all share in the journey forward in Australia's future. I also hope the 'fuck off we're full' types will see that here, while they think there is no room for anyone other than themselves- there is really no room for racism.

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Why can't we have at least one Christmas where something does not go wrong?

Salutation(s)!

Yallo again!

So I am here typing at 11 14 pm right now (I guessed it would be 11 13, I was one minute off haha) in the heat with loud neighbours. Cheering and screaming 'join us...'. Join your for what? I'm doing a wanky blog. Leave me!

So today was really good. Did some practice! It's getting easier to flip out of heavy feeling singing and sing properly. Still not perfect, though. Sang some Mussorgsky, Mozart, Handel, and A H Malotte's Lord's Prayer in there too. It has a Bb. I sang it with a certain ease I would not have had a year ago. I listened to a recording of myself singing a year ago and the change is crazy. FYI, I also thought about singing thou shalt break them from Messiah, but I decided against it. LOL.

The festive season soon! Woot! Pressies. The family will be somewhat better this year, I hope.

So Merry Christmas everyone! Not that anyone even reads this at all.

Peace of the Christ child,

J x

Video

Lol.

These singers rock.

Peace,

J x

Check- Bedtime!

Home!

Hi readers!

So I'm home. I moved back here to Melbourne fro Perth not so long ago.

The year in Perth has been great. I learnt a lot about myself, about my voice, about others, and life became more confusing. It was wonderful, and though I thought I'd cry like a baby when I left, I was fine. Just got all my boxes back from Perth, too! As far as I know, nothing I own at all is in that state (wrong, I left some food in the fridge, oops)!

In between now and my last post, I have moved my life interstate, and have done three auditions. I did one in Sydney (where I wish to move next year) and two in Melbourne. I'm still waiting to hear back from the Sydney one!!

(listened to stuff for ages here).

So I moved away from Melbourne to go to WAAPA, yes. Also, though, to get away from my family's drama. It seems it's getting all too much again. Grr.

I suppose I will have to stick it out until Sydney does, or does not, come around.

Peace of the Christ child,

J x

Faith disappearing...

http://www.alternet.org/comments/belief/what-if-religious-fanaticism-killed-someone-you-love#disqus_thread

This happened. I commented, and got shot down with, yet again, concepts I understand and agree with, and was insulted and made to feel incredibly guilty for even speaking- but what I think or feel is irrelevant, because this woman died a horrible death and it's tragic. What people think about the church and its 'prelates of wood' (Savanarola), of wood though a lot of them are, is irrelevant because this woman died a horrible and preventable death; had she not been denied an abortion, she would be alive today.
So the least of my issue right now is that people are using this woman's tragic death as a weapon to throw eggs at the prelates. Not to make abortion legal. To throw eggs at prelates and type in forums on the web stuff like 'I hate child raping priests' and using various miseries/tragedies ('the miseries of the churches' will become a term, soon enough, even if I have to make it one) like this death or the rape of children to justify their own bitterness.

My real issue, though, is something much more of a 'first world problem'.

If you read my last post (or view General Synod documents, punch in 'General Synod documents' into Google) you will see that the Anglican General Synod denied women the privilege to become bishops by voting 'no' on a draft legislation to do so. Then this whole shebang came last night, and even though I'm not Catholic, I lost even more faith in my religion.

Now of course I'm not actually that 'churchy'. The reason I'm not 'churchy' is not to make society comfortable, or to make my religion palatable to the modern world. I believe that when Jokanaan (John the baptist) said '...and his own received him not' he meant it, and was prophesying, among other things, many saints and believers to come in history. Being like the Christ is dangerous in the world, because it raises eyebrows and changes lives- even though when some exhibit Christ like behaviours they are shunned by secular society or their churches. Even when we exhibit 1% of the sort of thing Christ did, we are shunned.

Many might read this and think 'he's not a real Anglican Christian, he's got doubts'. I once heard a Rabbi say 'Most people define faith as certainty. I would define it as the courage to live without certainty.' Faith is not real, in my opinion, unless it encounters doubt.

For all their pitfalls, I agree with Rowan Williams and Justin Welby on this issue. I gained some respect for Justin Welby today when I saw that he campaigned for the houses to vote 'yes'. Rowan Williams is right when he says the church has 'got a lot of explaining to do'.

As yet, however, I still think my church can do better. It created the King James Bible, York Minster, and all that beautiful music- it surely knows better. Come on, CoE. You can do it.

--

Check- Regardless, God is beyond this. God is love and we have not treated each other like God's children. As MLK said 'One day, we will have to stand before the God of history, and we will talk in terms of things we've done... and it seems I can hear the God of history saying 'that was NOT ENOUGH!'... but I was hungry, and ye fed me not.'

Emotions (insert Mariah Carey whistle register)

Hi people!

Have had an emotional day today. Had my last show with WAAPA and said goodbye to one of the best friends I've ever had in my life. I hate goodbyes. I loathe them.

I also found out today that my dear Anglican church, after the General Synod of 2012, had decided to vote against the legislation on women bishops. This made me very sad and depressed, not a good day to do this, CoE.

I just don't understand how you do not see that it is time to move forward together. The days of a male dominated Bishop's mitre are gone- or at least past their prime.
Those who voted against the legislation clearly, I think, misunderstood it. It is not forcing a parish to have a woman as their priest (although some churches could do with a kick up the bum); it is, rather, a step in the direction CoE needs to go.

I know it's going to take a long time. It will take a long time to reach healthy compromises between both 'sides' (I wish Dr Williams invested more time into bringing the two together and minimise the divisiveness), but I wish I wasn't being realistic in saying it is probably going to take centuries to move on from ecclesiastical misogyny, and step into the light of Christ that some of those who voted 'no' clearly hide from.

I am not trying to convince you all that I am right, and they are wrong- because this is precisely on of the reasons my dear, dear Church is so divided:
"I am right, because Phillipians says..."
"No. I am right because Thessalonians says...", and the whole church spirals out of control.

What I am trying to say, though, is that this legislation was one that needed to be made, and it wasn't. The Anglican church has fallen short once again. I was hoping my church would not look stupid in the eyes of society, but this, like all the vicars said, will make it look stupid.

Please, Church of England, show us how beautiful you really are.

J x