O brethren!

What a spiritual time we are all having this Christmas! - first it's Brother Kevin's call to arms for the disabled (his government will help those who help themselves, or else.), And now, the Brethren are back.

Who'dda thought it? Back in the 60's when DH was a schoolgirl, the Exclusive Brethren were regularly denounced in screaming headlines in Brisbane's Sunday Tabloid for the evil sect that they were, for their bizarre practises primarily the isolation and destruction of dissenting families.

Extraordinary to think how much more progressive the tabloids were in those days. DH looked in vain today for the Daily Telegraph to cash in on the hot story of the Brethren pedophile coverup reported in today's SMH.

Nor do we hear John Howard, that champion of women's liberation from un-Australian practises denouncing his campaign contributors for their anti-family, un-Australian behaviour.

DH thought the Brethren had gone. But it seems they merely went underground to clone and breed silently and amass fortunes for manipulating our democracy for their own sick ends.

And Howard allows this bizarre cult to feed from his private school education funding slush!