Australia has an Atheist P.M. once more!

“Bob Hawke is no longer alone.”

Don’t forget that Gough is an atheist.

I heard RJL Hawke was an agnostic. Although one may say there is little practical difference if both agnostics and atheists live their lives without religion – also known as “functionally atheist”.

Anyway, back to Gough. There’s a story I read about him, one of many, and I found a copy in the May 31, 2007 Junior School Edition of the Pembroke School “Thursday Times”. Thank you Google. The story goes as follows:

Gough Whitlam and Francis James, later to become nationally known as an eminent journalist who was imprisoned by the Chinese for three years for alleged espionage, were fellow students at Canberra Grammar in the 1920s and were competitors for a prize in Christian Doctrine. In 1934 Canon Edwards, principal of the school, called both of them into his office after the papers had been marked.

“Whitlam, James, I have the final results for the Christian Doctrine prize, but before I release them I thought I should tell you of a decision I’ve made.” Both students were attentive.

“Whitlam, you received 92 %. Your paper was a magnificent forensic effort, splendidly written. James, I gave you 87 %, also very well written but not as good as Whitlam’s. However, having regard for all the relevant circumstances, I have decided to award the prize to you James, and not you Whitlam. I thought that you, Whitlam, would like to know the reason why.”

Gough never one to take injustice lying down, said, “Yes, I would”

“The reason is,” replied Canon Edwards, “that James believes it and you, Whitlam, do not!”

From “Almost the complete Gough” by Barry Cohen.

Ref: http://www.pembroke.sa.edu.au/siteFiles/jstt31may.pdf

As for Bob Hawke, when interviewed by Andrew Denton he said:

“BOB HAWKE: It started when I went to India in 19 end of 52. I went as a delegate to World Christian Youth Conference there and there were all these poverty stricken kids at the gate of this palatial place where we were feeding our face and I just had this struck by this enormous sense of irrelevance of religion to the needs of people and it started to unwind from that point but I’ve not become an atheist, I am an agnostic. I mean I just don’t know and I don’t think one should spend too much time thinking about it m simply because there are so much to be done now in the here and now.”

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s2301431.htm

Also:

http://www.celebatheists.com/?title=Robert_(Bob)_James_Lee_Hawke

“Until I get some evidence one way or the other which is compelling to me, I’m going to have to remain an agnostic…”

I hope that more and more frequently the world’s religions will be asked to provide some evidence to justify their claims and doctrines.