Kevin Rudd on religion, politics and Scott Morrison’s speech to the Pentecostal conference

On ABC 7.30 with Leigh Sales.
My 2006 essay on “Faith In Politics” is here: kevinrudd.com/...

[@cc227able]

"God's intervention to appear to him in the portrait of an eagle... that starts to get really wacky" Well said.

[@marsphoenix1359]

Morrison is starting sound like he has a messiah complex.

[@andybrockbank3027]

@@marsphoenix1359 He's not the messiah, he's just a nutty boy.

[@andrewthomas695]

It's also not Christianity.

[@andrewthomas695]

@@andybrockbank3027 Scotty from Marketing

[@daemonisedone4256]

@@marsphoenix1359 starting? i swear hes always had that complex.

[@davidberko9379]

another day, another Leigh Sales LNP safety blanket, well handled as always Kevin.

[@mikosdaysend1890]

Leigh the rat!

[@BlakisBA]

Well said!

[@l.a.williams7388]

God I hate Leigh Sales

[@MrExplodeable]

My guy Kevin 💯

[@discount8508]

morrisons creator lives high up in the clouds ........overlooking Manhattan from his luxurious apartment with his wife jerry

[@Anita-md9ze]

😆👌

[@frankm4349]

😄

[@simonrankin9177]

Incorrect. ..

[@alfrede.neuman9082]

As an atheist, it’s not often I agree with a devout Christian! Good on K-Rudd for having the decency and respect for our secular country to remove his personal faith from governance. It’s a shame others can’t...

[@benwilson6145]

I find Morrison's "Chosen by God" deeply disturbing, when you hear voices telling you that you are the chosen one then you should not be in any office with power at all.

[@Layla12251]

yes it's called psychosis

[@lorrainewest7408]

Only people with high opinion of themselves have such words or thinking. Little Emperor under Murdoch might be more apt.

[@BJ-eb3lt]

The whole LNP religious nutters need to be locked up for life, for their psychotic religious beliefs, disguised as freedom of speech and their politics.

[@romanbrandle319]

But it would make him qualified to give sermons in a mental health institute , providing everyone remains locked up .

[@wendyschulz7362]

Thankyou for going on 7.30 Kevin...love your insights and the fact that Lee let you answer in full on every question. Well said all round on these topics tonight.

[@garlee15]

Why doesn't he appear on Sky news? he has been asked on occasion

[@TheOrganicOverdose]

@@garlee15 Because he holds himself to a standard and he has obviously chosen not to support their network in any way. You likely have heard about his opinion of Sky News...

[@wendyschulz7362]

Sky news is owned and run by Murdoch...there’s no way he’ll go on there....he has integrity...

[@iwantpig]

I'm not a fan of religion, but I think you have a more reasonable view that I can happily live alongside AND allow to operate in the political sphere.

[@dogshitballs]

Ruddy is really starting to cement, what I believe to be, the legacy he will be remembered for. I hope his determination will inspire many other Australians to get off their backside and make a difference. Not just in politics, either

[@hairyscary8511]

What still everyone else's home work I'm surprised he remembers to put his name on it, I guess being Josh and Gladys little Muppet they remind to put his name on it 😅

[@nicgordic8077]

Are you out of your mind?

[@whoveniledelinquent]

This bloke should still be prime minister! Super smart and very savvy.

[@garlee15]

He was and he was a fuck up

[@michaelrossi4904]

I know it's a lot to ask but even Churchill came back to office when the public was in dire need. We need someone with your vision and moral fibre Mr Rudd.

[@tobeannounced520]

U can see why the corrupt outted him of the Party.

[@antinous87]

@@tobeannounced520 He was never outed from the Party. He resigned. Labor is quite uncorrupted compared to what we see in LNP. It's just they don't have the media compliance and blackout covering up for them. Rather, if anybody outed Rudd from politics, it was the craven media who run a protection racket for the LNP.

[@WilliamJasonSherwood]

K-Rudd lobbing truth bombs!

[@Glitch_in_the_Matrix]

Morrison is going full Joesph Smith

[@__shaun__]

getting desperate for votes

[@94Harrymitchell]

Wish you were still our PM Kev!

[@ABDuck88]

Great handling of Leigh Sales and her disingenuous questions to try and trip you up.

[@allewellallewell1088]

Wha??

[@asankawlk]

And she never misses a opportunity to give a tongue bath to Scotty and the LNP. ABC doesn't need enemies when they have Leigh Sales.

[@OsidiustheEmphatic]

@@allewellallewell1088 I know it wasn't the focal point of the interview, but she doesn't ask Rudd to discuss the relationship between religion and politics. He does that, and deftly. Instead, her questions are about Rudd's religious practices, and are framed as if trying to set a precedent for Morrisson's delusional bullshit. Right now, it doesn't matter if Rudd held doorstops in front of his church. He's not the PM. Morrison is, and his faith is a threat to our country. People were surprised to see him in Hawaii during the bushfires, but never forget that his church would tell you the fires are a sign that we're one step closer to the end of days. Of course he wasn't going to take a hardline approach to dealing with them, or the pandemic, or coal production etc. He welcomes them.

[@kenitcimm3467]

Not a huge fan at all. I wish that weren't the case.

[@kenitcimm3467]

@@OsidiustheEmphatic COMPLETELY CORRECT!

[@jangobaby6812]

Religion and politics are two always dangerous subjects. A politician's religious beliefs should never reflect how decisions are made in the public's interest.

[@wizard7314]

It always will, how can it not affect it? Only solution is to not allow religious people in office.

[@jangobaby6812]

@@wizard7314 I don't support that idea.

[@Marty72]

Who needs an election. God will choose Australia’s PM. LOL

[@watchman835]

God works in mysterious ways.

[@klyvemurray]

@@watchman835 Fake News!! .

[@hairyscary8511]

@@watchman835 🤣👍🏻

[@hairyscary8511]

And the good Lord said let there be Scott 🤣

[@chaomingli6428]

Should the Pope make Morrison the King of Australia?

[@patobrien8547]

Wow Kevin Rudd is a genius compared to Scotty from marketing

[@kenitcimm3467]

Uber genius!!!

[@sootheoperator4545]

So are you and I, though. 🤓

[@ivanolsen8596]

@@sootheoperator4545 And the rest of the world.

[@sylviac9087]

Mr Rudd is on fire! Can we have him back please??

[@Stikibits]

“History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." ~Thomas Jefferson, Letters of Thomas Jefferson, Letter to celebrated scientist Alexander von Humboldt, 6 December, 1813

[@gasparocelloman9852]

The fact that Morrison is PM is for me both profoundly upsetting and immensely disturbing. His whole administration is peopled by dishonest, self serving fundamentalists, all of whom seem determined to harm as many people as they can.

[@garlee15]

Take your medication and potter off to bed son

[@sootheoperator4545]

@@garlee15 why? They're completely correct. You, on the other hand... Well you've said nothing but some baseless ad hominem. Take your useless childish insults somewhere else. It's so typical that a few LNP worms will slink out of the wood work just to hurl personal attacks at people since they didn't bother to learn even 1 fact. This is no different and I, for one, am getting tired of your sort appearing everywhere, wasting everyone's time with whining and misguided opinions then presumably blacking out drunk. Go away and let the grown ups talk, Gareth.

[@ivanolsen8596]

@@sootheoperator4545 These types of comments come from LNP/Murdoch stooges paid to lurk in basements and occasionally come up with a "bombshell" to disrupt sensible converse. Much like the rantings of the Jones, Credlin, price, Bolt cadre. As all of their diatribe is recognised by all thinking people as shit , a bit of their shit sticks as it is meant to.

[@LordandGodofYouTube]

We have a religious extremist as PM 😢

[@athereal3418]

Fair questions. Reasonable responses. That interview was a breath of fresh air.

[@pandabang9419]

Good to be with you too Kevin

[@radams2403]

How does torture fit in with the Christian belief? Julian Assange is an Australian journalist being tortured in the UK and there is no mention of him? That's not very Christian or very Australian.

[@nondhimmi1]

Assange is a hacker who hid from sexual assault charges in England for years. Let's see all of assange's private information, emails.

[@johnthumble5154]

@@nondhimmi1 that doesn't change what he found....

[@nondhimmi1]

@@johnthumble5154 and gave to Russia? He is no hero he's a thief

[@johnthumble5154]

@@nondhimmi1 that doesn't change what I said.

[@radams2403]

@@nondhimmi1 Your ignorance of the facts is astounding. What he is being persecuted for is exposing war crimes. Press freedom is about holding Governments to account. The Australian government is deeply imbedded with the secret services in the US and the UK. After the last twenty years what has developed is a subculture or a parallel universe where those intelligence services are keeping very important information secret and suppress evidence and ill treatment and other international crimes that prevents democratic societies from exercising their democratic control. This is how the official secrets act is being abused and what it is being abused for. So it prevents holding those in power to account. They do not want to prosecute misconduct so they persecute the person that exposes them. It is important that the population is aware so they can start demanding accountability from their governments. Parliamentarians are key because they are the ones passing the laws that ensures our governments remain transparent and accountable. It's important that parliamentarians engage the population.

[@wendymorris9669]

Totally agree with Kevin!!

[@Mike-ww9ei]

Please bring Kevin back😩

[@oldskeptic1513]

... by an accident, I was dismayed to see members of the parliament stand up and ask "god to give them strength and wisdom to govern justly"... and I thought we elected them on the bases of their knowledge, standing in the community and the promises they made to us... how foolish of me...

[@outofoblivionproductions4015]

yes foolish of you.

[@oldskeptic1513]

@@outofoblivionproductions4015 ...I better correct that...

[@wonderllama4368]

Well said!!!!

[@LucDevine]

The Kev renaissance is so en pointe.

[@youarnb]

YES YES YES to this!!!!!

[@davidbradley3227]

Mate, I wish you’d come back and lead this nation.

[@holdonwaitaminute7285]

Scomo: Mandated by God Taliban: Hold my Kalashnikov!

[@augustinepan7991]

In Chinese history during Qing dynasty, a guy dreamed he met Jesus and told him you were my young brother and told over me to rule China. He founded the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace instead of peace just rioted to overthrow the government and almost succeeded. When it’s a false mandate from heaven it will go to hell.

[@liaosanke]

@@augustinepan7991 洪秀全？哈哈哈

[@augustinepan7991]

@@liaosanke 🤣，I dreamed I could fly without wings, l know it’s fantasy not mandate from heaven.

[@holdonwaitaminute7285]

@Shane Dorange I know right! If I told you that an omnipresent being inhabits my body and makes me do involuntary things, you would have me committed. However, here in Oz we exempt them from taxes and let them occupy the highest offices in the land, extreme indeed.

[@NWmariani]

I can only dream for what our country could have been with concurrent ALP governments with Rudd at the helm.

[@danialmurdoch7587]

It would have been like the Whitlam era. A man who isn't afraid to do the right thing for the majority. An admirable and rare quality.

[@sootheoperator4545]

We wouldn't currently be living in the world's biggest island dumspter fire, at least. We could have put 30 Guinea pigs in parliament for the last 5 years and fared better than under the LNP.

[@gregorysavage7527]

Well said Kev.

[@MrBibi86]

*if SloMo is doing gods will god help us!*

[@allaboutstupid2228]

Yer the Taliban have the same idea lol.

[@malkelly7253]

Can't help but love this guy

[@danburke4935]

Come on Kevin...have another go for us mate... We need you

[@goldendragonrider5237]

Such statements would be a new low from Scott Morrison, but it was only a short time ago he was saying women were lucky to not be shot.

[@jono4370]

More disconcerting is the way his faith is used as a political tool. In Matt 6:5 Christ instructs that people pray in secret and earnestly so that the prayers are heard by God alone. Seems a bit contrary to the new age pentecostal rituals, where repeated public babbling indicates spiritual maturity.

[@peterg4832]

I really admire this guy

[@shawnmancey1543]

Love Kevin Rudd .

[@seffundoos]

Oh Kevin how we need you in Canberra now more then ever...

[@MrChristerj]

Exactly!

[@passdasalt]

How Kevin views Morrison's religion as wacky, I view Christians and all religion as wacky. Let's move on from these ancient superstitions once and for all.

[@danialmurdoch7587]

Christians- lets go to church and pretend to eat flesh and drink blood

[@sketcheswithjakefreeman7083]

Ladies, find a man that loves you like Kevin Rudd loves Kevin Rudd

[@YouDaMANRAJ]

Well said

[@Tester-sh1mn]

HAHA Pentecostals Ammirite?

[@joereed7326]

What an incredibly logical and balanced man,,,a true realist,,,a genuine soul,,,☘

[@jo-annvarley5668]

Lest we forget Frank Houston and his son Brian, who by the way, Morrison wanted invited to the white house to meet Trump. Seperation of powers🤔hhhmmm

[@jo-annvarley5668]

Oh and Morrison writing an essay bahahahahahahaha

[@nathand7560]

Nailed it Mr Rudd 👌

[@kenitcimm3467]

Thanks Kevin Rudd! Scott Morrison....is a very strange, deeply disturbing and a worrying phenomenon!

[@monk4258]

Keep fairy tales out of politics

[@janethalford1597]

Kevin Rudd speaks as representing Evangelical Christian views. Not as much as Scott Morrison's, from my experience. Social justice and responsibility for our world for the benefit of all are common values of most Christians, yes, but there is a whole lot more than that, and what Scott Morrison believes is a caring position and very Evangelical. I don't find anything obnoxious about endeavouring to care and value every individual as best possible, and praying silently is fine by me. If you don't believe in God, then it shouldn't matter to you at all as it is just words that you don't even necessarily hear, and it is, after all, good-will words. But for those who believe, prayer is an uplifting call to God that can help a person and is in keeping with God's desire to reach out and help people. As for Scott Morrison believing in a sign, what a blessing that he actually cares enough to listen for God, because Jesus showed us by his own life principles that God's character is admirable and desirable and his opinion worth seeking. If we are encouraged by what a person says, then how much more by what God says to us personally! Thanks for your thoughts and comments Mr Rudd; thanks for your bold faith Mr Morrison.

[@mikee101]

Kev is a beast.. he always comes correct

[@debbarker8152]

Keep religion out of politics, trying to run a country on whose fictional sky messiah is best throughout human history is a very good lesson on a bloody ,ugly past. Cheers Deb💜

[@gerryhdr702]

ScoMo probably wanted our government to follow that of the UK.

[@XEN-ZOMBIE]

Keep religion out of politics. If you don't want someone else's religion forced on you then you cannot force it yourself. Apart from that, believe whatever fairy tale keeps your fear of death at bay. I'll stick with reality.

[@johnmoorhouse1455]

The Australian public just don't understand. If it's the Will of God to roast us like a turkey, who are are we to intervene. Bring on the rapture!

[@XEN-ZOMBIE]

@@johnmoorhouse1455 Yeah, if there was a god and it has a plan its monumentally arrogant to assume you can have the slightest effect on it. And if the deity described in the bible or the quran (or any other holy book that I have seen) actually exists, then I certainly would not worship it. And any god worth its salt would never demand that I do. (Side note: Notice google corrects quran to Quran. But bible is not autocorrected to Bible. Interesting, is it because one side has the risk of bodily harm or death? Which by the way is specifically commanded in that book( as it is in the bible))

[@justadam1917]

Very clear and well spoken it could have been worse it could have been Dutton

[@edwardfletcher7790]

More of this line of thought please Mr Rudd. Scitt Morrisons dangerous views about his role as "Gods Prime Minister" is truly frightening ! PS: Leigh Sales couldn't end the conversation fast enough, no doubt she'll be reprimanded for not interrupting you.

[@zacpackman9186]

one of the best prime minsters we have had and we fucked it up for tony abbot

[@tobeannounced520]

Julia Gillard. But I thought Rudd won the election and then his own party plotted against him!

[@zacpackman9186]

@@tobeannounced520 yep that happend then k rudd got her kicked out just before the 2nd election and somewhow we voted for tony abbot insted. i guess we were all sick of the backstabbings. shame we wont remeber at the next election how scummo got in

[@scobiesview5137]

Kevin not a god bother myself but like your humble view on the influence that it should take as someone representing all people while in office. Also the short sharpe nature of this allows me to see your content in the few moments that I have.

[@windwaker0rules]

its one thing to be religious, but it is another to be a man basically saying "God is acting through me"

[@AussieNaturalist]

Well said, Mr Rudd. Personally, I don’t care is someone is religious, all I ask is that they don’t try and push their personal beliefs into me or others, and as for religion in politics, history has clearly shown that there MUST be a separation of church and state, or civil liberties and rights will be infringed upon.

[@debbie5128]

I don't vote for God - I vote for a human being. With respect, religion should not be a part of politics. But to say God chose you to be PM - that's a huge alarm bell ringing in my ears!

[@thestreetrat3660]

I know it wasn't the focal point of the interview, but she doesn't ask Rudd to discuss the relationship between religion and politics. He does that, and deftly. Instead, her questions are about Rudd's religious practices, and are framed as if trying to set a precedent for Morrisson's delusional bullshit. Right now, it doesn't matter if Rudd held doorstops in front of his church. He's not the PM. Morrison is, and his faith is a threat to our country. People were surprised to see him in Hawaii during the bushfires, but never forget that his church would tell you the fires are a sign that we're one step closer to the end of days. Of course he wasn't going to take a hardline approach to dealing with them, or the pandemic, or coal production etc. He welcomes them.

[@dennisheape971]

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT - SECT 116 Commonwealth not to legislate in respect of religion The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

[@tobeannounced520]

Section 100 also states The Commonwealth by any law or regulation of trade or commerce, abridge the right of state or residents there into the reasonable use of water and rivers for conservation or irrigation. We have our Gov discussing water sales, water rights. Our Government hasnt followed the constition since Gough Witlam.

[@suportm782]

How the heck did Australia manage to go from Kevin Rudd to Scott Morrison?

[@Murrangurk2]

Most people have no idea just how whacky Morrison's religion really is. When I found out, having worked with people from his exact Pentecostal sect, I was absolutely horrified. People have no idea just how bad it is.

[@patrickdavis8974]

Let's not misunderstand Mr. Rudd. It's not necessarily bad to allow your religiously belief to inform your political choices. Christian belief forms a fundamental aspect of your psyche by its nature. What is bad is to not be totally transparent with your constituents about specifically how you allow it to inform your choices, especially before being elected. If you are a Christian seeking to hold political office, you should be open about your belief and how it affects your politics, and let the public decide whether you are to be trusted or not.

[@kevinknott7920]

EXCELLENT Kevin

[@appppppppeeee]

Scomo has to gomo

[@MICHAELPONZIO1961]

Who is Leigh Sales batting for, really?

[@stephbent4897]

And if I recall the first speach when Federal Parliament was in Mandarin not English why is that

[@Nerdificationing]

Kevin 4 PM 2022

[@JoeViveiros]

Loon Morrison

[@Threaldaveoss]

Couldn't agree more about the mainstream Christian comment

[@namelesswarrior4760]

What happened to the separation of religion and politics? Leigh Sales will do very well at Fox and Friends or CNN or Sky News or any fake News outlets

[@deno-qk3xs]

king. King. KING.

[@ZootZinBootZ]

Morrison confused god with some bloke in Yass. ordained by the sun king

[@hughprattis7494]

Christians believe that God knows everything, is powerful, and lovingly involved in the world. So given these assumptions, it’s reasonable for Christians to believe God is involved in picking PM’s. But they must apply the same divine election principle to all leaders, including those who have had no faith.

[@cumoreview442]

When I saw Morrison being abused by locals during his bushfire tour, he looked detached and smug, but I thought he might be holding his true emotions inside. But it is what it is. These people wanted to talk to him about what they had experienced and what they needed done, Morrison was thinking 'this is God's work, they deserve this, I'm sent by God to heal.' On top of that, all the work the Australian people did during the bushfire and covid, all we've sacrificed against the odds to help each other, the work of doctors, scientists, economist and essential workers- he doesn't see it as our work, he thinks god did it for him.

[@shoti66]

Supply side Jesus.

[@josephwallis8965]

What Scott Morrison believes in or practise in the religious domain is entirely his own business, same for Kevin Rudd, the host tries to portray & target Scott Morrison's religious belief, why didn't she raise issues about the lack of God or even anti God or religious beliefs of Australian Labour MPs.That's what I like to hear.

[@hustler-music]

this made me laugh so hard

[@michaelstreeter3125]

Can you switch on subtitles (auto-generated)? 👂❌

[@messilee4862]

Scott Morrison is talking like Donal Trump talking whatever comes in his mind without a thought process. He is leading the country into very dangerous path with china without substantial fact and diplomacy mechanism. It will be good for Australia business, security, economy and harmony that he leave his office once and for all.

[@wizard7314]

Well said

[@roadtoad1216]

He made sure his hillsong rev mate came with him to the White House , got him in , despite US not wanting that bloke there for the PM visit .....

[@DarthVella]

The Bible says to lead by example, that words without actions are wasted. Gotta say there's more retired pollies fitting that description better than Hawaii 5co-Mo and his ilk up there.

[@omfgishBenneh]

Bro when are you coming back to office? For real for real, this shits a joke.

[@jeanturnbull5]

Doesn't Mr. Rudd know that God loves all babies, babies in their mothers womb on a safe journey to be born into a safe world.

[@hairyscary8511]

Australia is a Anglo Gaelic Christian country and yes there is shift away from religion (globally) but it's not the 1800s where church & state is the same thing

[@jazmirah04]

Australia is no such thing. The Constitution prohibits a state religion. Forty percent of Australians adhere to no religion (according to the last census) and many are of various other religions.

[@hairyscary8511]

@@jazmirah04 what Australia does not exist then what's the constitution you refer too 😅 & I think you find it's the Australia act of 1967 & if people say they are not religious they still practice Christian culture eg:Christmas, Easter .Simple Simon!

[@mykehog6646]

@@hairyscary8511 xmas and easter are NOT xtian culture..they are pagan appropriations..sorry champ..facts matter

[@hairyscary8511]

@@mykehog6646 the 2 biggest days of the Christian calendar😅, the father the son the holy spirit I bless you of your ignorance for thou know nothing of religion 🤣🤣🤣

[@hairyscary8511]

Must be Passover and Chinese new year 🥳🤣

[@joanneklimoski3832]

God has no place in politics. History has proven how dangerous it is. Scotty has to go!

[@andrewwhite6586]

I think that it might be the will of the people of Australia that somehow SFM got to be Prime Minister. If it's God's will, can he please leave us alone.

[@gerryhdr702]

People voted for his predeccor, not him.

[@ommanipadmehum8146]

is leigh sales a member of the liberal party?

[@beesplaining1882]

Wow! God must love coal!

[@gerryhdr702]

God likes you to suck up to America too.

[@ivanolsen8596]

Why not? he made it, didnt he?

[@antoniusreay790]

I'm a catholic, leave religion out of politics.

[@gainafunction1538]

it seem to me kevin is after the EITI position. so sad i thought he had principals

[@jakegillies9498]

I remember thinking Leigh Sales had some real gumption but goddamn if she isn't just a suck-up to the powers that be.

[@zympf]

the Rudd/Turnball ABC .. stop squandering my taxes

[@Whosetheworst]

Scomo is the most detestable PM ever. Tony Abbott was a clown but at least you get a laugh out of him.

[@sootheoperator4545]

Yeah, Scott seems to actively hate Australia and Australians. Tony was at least... idk... not Scott...