Now, I’m a General Practitioner, not a Specialist like the Australian Christian Lobby’s Jim Wallace, but the ACL’s kind of campaigning is what I call a Top Shelf, Mahogany Room type of Christianity.

It verges on Christendom rather than Christianity. We are so bloody precious about telling the difference between Islamic and Islamists, but when it comes to Christianity and its many permutations we’re reluctant to do that.

But these guys, and groups such as Hillsong, are preaching to the citizens, and the wannabe citizens, of Richistan.

They’re preaching for those at the top end of town, it’s not about the little guy. I’m all about social activism, and last night Jim Wallace did talk about overseas aid, about Make Poverty History, but it’s not really your traditional Jesus of Nazareth going about his humble business giving the voiceless a voice.

This kind of aspirational stuff – it’s understandable that it’s attractive to ordinary human beings. Everyone wants the house on the hill. It appeals to all those heightened expectations of Australian men, women and children for a more satisfying model of religion.

Hillsong calls it Prosperity Theology. It’s a kind of KPI type theology, the key performance indicators.

I’d like the Christian lobby to be converted to Jesus of Nazareth. If you don’t start with the founder of the bloody firm then you’ve got no hope. Any good corporation knows you can’t ignore the founder of the company. Jesus of Nazareth was all about self sacrifice, and it’s not about self sacrifice anymore.

I’m not disowning the good folks of ACL, they’re still my people, but I think the idea of lobbying the politicians and vise versa is uncomfortable.

Jim Wallace made it clear last night that he wasn’t trying to Americanise the relationship between religion and politics and I took heart from that, but it’s not the Australian way to have this kind of intersection.

Politicians should go and research facts and issues as Citizen Kane, not as a Buddhist or a Roman Catholic. You’re in Parliament as an Australian. They don’t want to hear you spouting Roman Catholic they want you to spout Commonwealth of Australia, as representatives of we the people.

Politicians are making their living out of the trust that people have put in them, to act on behalf of the Commonwealth, not God, or the church, or anyone else.

Remember thou art but a man comrade, that should be the Australian contribution to politics.