The Polls suggest that Labor will win the Australian federal election on August 21.

Which goes to show that — whatever you may have heard to the contrary — Australians do NOT believe in a fair go for everyone.

And they do NOT stick up for the underdog.

Anything but.

Perhaps they did once.

Not now.

The backstabbing of Prime Minister Mr Rudd the other day made Julius Caesar’s knifing by his mates seem like a Sunday School picnic.

* * *

Since becoming a suburb of the USA, Australia has based its political methods on those of our American friends who live in perpetual cut-throat election mode.

The patron saint of Australia’s political parties – all of them – seems now to be Saint Richard “Tricky Dick” Nixon.

We should be trying to get away from that.

* * *

A better saint to emulate might be Saint Francis de Sales — bishop of Geneva around the year 1600AD – famous for his simplicity.

The opposite of “tricky” is “simple”.

Simplicity is a Christian virtue.

Saint Francis de Sales wrote, “When a simple soul is to act, he considers only what is right to say or do, and then immediately goes into action without losing time thinking what others might say about it. And after doing what seems right, he dismisses the subject from his mind . . . He has no other aim than to please God.”

On one occasion when something Saint F had done was criticised, he said, “That is not to be wondered at, for not even the works of Christ our Lord were approved of by all.”

An understatement if ever there was one.

* * *

So those who love God can take no great interest in opinion polls — or in elections.

They have a one track mind — the track of showing God that we love him by simply doing his will.

Live that way, and you will be a great failure in the eyes of the world. Everybody will feel free to take advantage of your simpleness.

However you will die happy, for you will die in God.

After your death you will live in God and with him, forever, in heaven.