knowing is not enough

i've posted at the hand mirror tonight, an excerpt from the speech by deborah mackenzie, as promised yesterday.

i found this press release regarding the "failure of the christian right" vote interesting reading, especially these bits:

My own view is that the elections in USA and NZ shows the death of the white, evangelical voter which have traditionally lined up on anti-abortion, pro-‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ and “global warming is bunkum” issues. People want a sense of hope not gloom as the message of Jesus to all, was one of hope; fitting the issues within the context of practical solutions rather than the simply “correct”.

Abortion needs to be lowered by persuasion and incentives and proper counseling that show the true impact on the mother and father of termination. Global warming is another issue but trying to get a better emission trading system that does not stifle economic activity must be balanced against trying to appeal to the NZ Pacific Island vote when many have experiences of rising sea levels...

With regard to the anti-smacking debate, the emphasis should have been on smacking as a last resort, the real issue being parental inability to control... There are lots of measures in the cupboard to influence children along the right lines.

i wonder how influential this person is within his party and his community, and how representative his views might be. but it seems to be a roundabout concession that strongly conservative policies don't necessarily fit well into the christian philosophy.