Virginity: "The greatest gift" a woman can give her husband!

What is it with left wing fanatics? You rave on about religious people who cannot escaper from their dogma and then go on to demonstrate how you are just as much stuck in your own hate of anything, or anyone, that does not coincide with your welded on left wing ideology.
Tony Abbott did not say anything like your interpretation. All he said was how he would advise his own daughters on matters of sexual behaviour. Advice that most fathers, even if they had played around, would like to give to their own daughters with a vain hope that they might follow such advice. No doubt if Kevin Rudd had made such a statement you would be full of praise for his wisdom.
Abbott comes across as one of the most honest and up front politicians this country has produced in a long time and with a bit of luck he will replace the glitzy self-serving automaton we have at present.

Peter, I am no fan of Kevin Rudd. Your description of him matches my own view.
However the statement re virginity before marriage is not advice I would give (and did not give) to my own children.
I don't think it is good advice.

Now days marriage for women and men is likely to be deferred until the late 20's.

If a couple choose to have sex as part of a relationship, I see no reason why they shouldn't do so.

If there are one or more changes of partners before marriage, that may also be to the good.
If you find out you don't want to spend the rest of your life with that person it is better to change before the situation gets locked in and children are involved.

The hypocrisy, the subterfuge and the shotgun wedding ideas of the 1950's should be left in the past.

Midst all the ranker about what Tony Abbott said about how he would advise his daughters - and in no way justifying the fanaticism of the Islamists (honour killings etc) on sexual purity - can anyone answer why god, or evolution, gave girls a hymen to denote sexual intercourse at all?

Surely there is nothing wrong in telling inexperienced and vulnerable young girls to beware of letchers, who will not only break your heart, but will ruin your self esteem and blight your search for happiness for many years to come after the event.

Abbott is very much the man. He speaks his mind. It is a shame that it is pathetic.

What is it with right-wing prigs that they interpret any discussion of their proto-fascist, nanny-state views as left-wing fanaticism?

Tony Abbott should keep his personal opinions, heavily influenced as they are by Christian dogma, out of his so-called politics.

I thought he had been asked a direct question. Is he not allowed to answer it?

Peter, the fact that he answered a question is not the problem. The problem is the answer he gave.

Another thing. Why don't you think before you engage in an attack on someone for what you describe as "your welded on left wing ideology."

It looks as though the real problem here is the ideology you have welded yourself on to.

I suppose it is always possible for us to inadvertently have biased points of view, I'm not sure which category I fit into. For instance I don't think I would be considered right wing when I absolutely believe in universal health care and I am absolutely opposed to speculation in real estate, because of the desolation it causes to (especially young) people trying to secure a roof over their heads when property prices are constantly ramped by speculators.

But maybe you should question just what delusion you are welded to that made you say of Abbott "The problem is the answer he gave".

Here is every last word that Abbott, himself the father of three girls, said: "It (sex before marriage) happens ... I think I would say to my daughters if they were to ask me this question ... it is the greatest gift that you can give someone, the ultimate gift of giving, and don't give it to someone lightly, that is what I would say."

Full stop just what is there to object to?

OK Peter, you're not right wing.
Maybe the Editor isn't as left wing as you think.

I hadn't seen Abbott's exact words until now but according to the ABC, (I hope they're not too left wing for you) the quote follows a statement about virginity.

"Mr Abbott replied that he would advise them not to give away their virginity lightly.

"I think I would say to my daughters if they were to ask me this question ... it is the greatest gift that you can give someone, the ultimate gift of giving, and don't give it to someone lightly," he said."

Is the virginity itself the big deal?
Why is virginity such a gift?
This looks a bit like the sort of thing we criticize the Muslims for.

Tony Abbott is one of the few politicians who is not afraid to stand up for old fashioned morals.
He is an example of what a father should be.
He is entitled to advise his own daughters and if he is asked about it why shouldn't he answer.
As for you siliboi, you named yourself well, your flexible morals are the reason we have unwanted children in the first place and it is the same with the Editor of this shabby little website.

Now come on siliboi9 the discussion was not about whether virginity was a big deal or not, it was your statement that what Abbott said was justification for your painting him as some kind fanatic, when there was no such justification. Your now trying to turn the argument to whether virginity is worth anything is just a nasty red herring so be honest and admit it. What Abbot had to say was neither fanatical nor offensive at all.

By the way my acusation that the Editor was left wing was because he had, like so many, chosen to attack Abbott not for what he had said, but becasue he happened to be the leader of the Liberal party.
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"Another thing. Why don't you think before you engage in an attack on someone" "I hadn't seen Abbott's exact words until now"

My my how our words can come back to bite us. You can't hide forever.

Peter those "exact words" fitted within a context.
The discussion was about virginity.
You are a bit careless with words yourself.
How do you know the Editor is a "left wing fanatic"?
I have re read the opening statement and he makes no mention of Abbott being the leader of the Liberal Party.
He only referred to what Abbott had said.
The one who dragged politics into this was you. No one else.
I don't need to hide. You can if you want to.

Neither you nor the Editor need to say specifically that the purposeful misconstruing of the inoffensive words by Abbot were for any other reason than that he was the leader of the Liberal party, but nonetheless you know it to be true. Why else would you have done it?
I stand by my perception and every word I have said and do not backflip, or set up red herrings, to win arguments.

Peter says that he is no bigot while fitting the profile: criminals have been known to lie.