I strongly suggest that, when and if the government presents a bill in relation to religious protection, any religions named will include all branches of Judaism, Christianity (in all its multiple sects) Islam (also with many sects), possibly Buddhism(?), and Hinduism.
These are probably regarded as the world’s major religions.
I have put a question mark against Buddhism, as it does not involve a ‘faith’, to believe in one or more gods, and is essentially promoting a way of life and a road to Nirvana, after multiple reincarnations. It has much to recommend it but, as with most, if not all, ethical teachings, it is ignored when convenient to do so!
The other four, named above, all have their holy books on which their followers rely for guidance in life.
I suggest that this almost certainly dictates that those who most closely follow the teachings, recorded in the religious writings peculiar to their faith, will be conservative.
After all – in a world filled with technological inventions and medical revelations, mankind clearly has access nowadays to knowledge unavailable when these various religions were developed.
Those who follow progressive policies, while building on the past, take care to include information more recently developed. Those who believe that all they need to guide their lives was already known millennia ago, are necessarily less open to being influenced by new knowledge.
It has become apparent in recent times that those of ‘faith’ turn a blind eye to modern knowledge when it suits them, and in the process, they harm others – which is completely contrary to the leader they claim to follow. Why should they be protected?
Not all Islamic sects require their followers to accept Sharia Law – which a quick search of the Bible will reveal was essentially followed by the Jews at the time that Jesus Christ (who was, of course, a Jew) is recorded as preaching to his followers. The processes of divorce are different for several other faiths and do not necessarily accord with Australian legal proceedings.
Apart from opening a can of worms, likely to increase rather than eliminate discrimination, this attempt by the government to protect prejudiced bigots is totally inappropriate.
The message attributed to Christ, in simplifying the Ten Commandments to two, was: ‘Love thy neighbour’ which was then eloquently exemplified in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Many of our politicians claim to belong to one of the Christian sects. Few of them appear to be following the directions indicated by Christ.
What we need is a basic and universal set of ethics, which can be taught in all schools, an acceptance that the laws of Australia take precedence over any other cultural rules and regulations and a recommendation that all religious practises will be tolerated, providing they do not promote behaviour which is directly or indirectly harmful to others or against our laws.
Australia is a secular country, but there are some in power who seem hellbent on ignoring that fact.
Why are so many Parliamentary sessions opened with the Lord’s Prayer? Recognition of the Peoples on whose Country the Parliament sits would be much more appropriate.
Why are so many of our public holidays associated with Christianity, with all other religions’ festivals ignored?
I do not recall anyone, other than those who lay claim to being Christian, who is asking for religious protection. In which case the Government is running very close to breaching s116 in pushing for this legislation.
The Colonies may have been founded by a nation which recognised Christianity as its established religion, but those who wrote the Constitution (which, incidentally, is well overdue for a total re-write to bring it into the modern world) fell over backwards to ensure that the Commonwealth of Australia could never adopt a national religion!
Rational thinking, of course, is not universally applied. After all, as we now celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing, conspiracy theories abound, claiming that we have been duped about an event which never happened! And ‘faith’ necessarily excludes rational thought, since it so often depends on proof, which is unattainable!
I think we now all realise that the Coalition did not expect to be elected, had no policy platform apart from tax cuts, and had prepared itself to be in opposition, enabling them to follow Tony Abbott’s example of attacking Labor.
Time for Scott Morrison to put his mind to the issues important to the people of Australia – 60% or more of whom have made it very clear that they want action on the climate emergency – now!
And – as urgent – the government must immediately sort out the future of the desperate refugees on Manus and Nauru! Now that would be a very ethical (not to mention Christian) thing to do!
[textblock style=”7″]
Like what we do at The AIMN?
You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.
Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!
[/textblock]
These two proposed religious freedom Bills have not been revealed, although the talk is that one will be a version of Section 116 of the Constitution, whilst the other is being spruiked as some sort of legislation to defend the so called christians and to allow them to discriminate against others, e.g. on the basis of what people do in bed.
Meanwhile,
the country is heading for another recession possibly a depression,
the world teeters on a war with Iran and even China,
the climate change debate rages on and on,
the poor happless souls in detention, commit suicide and or go mentally ill,
the poor and poorest in the country struggle on with inhuman welfare measures
the aged are treated like dogs in substandard aged nursing homes,
the health system struggles,
But let’s not forget,
the polies get an $11000 plus raise,
the rich get an estimated $12000 tax cut,
the business world gets a tax cut,
the 700 plus businesses who pay no tax at all keep making obscene profits,
the defence department wins huge increases in funds and high tech equipment, and
obscure organisations win half billion contracts.
🎶What wonderfull world🎶
We are mugs and they know it. Half the population couldn’t find their own arse hole with both hands, the other half are either pissed, drugged up or, just don’t give a flying fluck. And those of us who do care get called Communists and the dupes of the Russians or the Chinese. Or the new one ‘ Snowflakes ‘
In my Doctors surgery they play music and video clips from the Hillside Church on a TV the size of a bus. They have about six hundred young people crammed in their church all jumping around like they all have a red hot poker up their arse, chanting in tongues. The planet is on the road to Armageddon and there aint no stopping it.
Indonesia, a Muslim country, has public holidays for all major religions including Balinese Hinduism and Christianity. Why can we not do the same?
It has been suggested that certain religious fetishes and practices should be banned under the new proposed legislation. One of which, along with female genital mutilation, is that of male genital mutilation when done for purely religious purposes : now, that could open a can of worms [no pun intended].
For those of you who have not read “Jesus & Mo”:
Just pop the link on to every politician’s facebook
This idea that there is a whole population waiting with baited breath for some god-like revelation that will fix the economy, solve climate change, steer the nation to a more moral and ethical path (That’s the end of religion then!) and make the Liberal Party look like a reincarnation of the “Church of The Sacred Heart Chapel Choir” all singing in tune…well..: It just aint gonna happen, so put away the banners, the prayer-books and the excuses, there never has been and there never will be divine intervention in Australian things……ask the indigenous people!……..except in one’s own mind and private dreams…… best wishes and good luck to you on that!
But now we have these “fanaticised” young men sacrificing their sweet youth and future potential to the dubious reward of a heavenly after-life…Yes, the Mormon Church has a lot to answer for..as, of course do the other Abrahamic religions. I am forced to recall the dangers these impetuous youths place themselves in with the tale from one of my mates in days gone by, when he was having a face to face brawl with his wife in their housing-unit….a screaming, plate-thrower of a brawl!…He, typical male, was strategically stationed by the most convenient escape route, she ‘cunning woman’, by the ‘ammunition’, when the door-bell rang…being just there he FLUNG the door open just as the last dulcet tones of ; “Avon Calling!” faded away, to see two wide-eyed, smartly dressed young men (one with finger still attached to bell-button) standing there…you know them…: sharp-pressed white shirt, slim tie, black suit trousers, patent leather shoes so polished you could see your soul or women’s underwear..perhaps both, in the reflection!…and high summer….one studied look up, then down and to the satchel was enough…
“GE-HET FUUCKED!!” was the most insalubrious greeting for these men of god. The door slammed and the young men turned away, but not before being heard to mutter in that distinctive American drawl..:”Well…mahey the lawwd have mershee on HIS soul!”..dangerous work = the work of god.
However, it is an American thing, surely, this religious-ising of politics in the West…; the vacant ecclesiastical stare, the glib reference to god….it’s certainly un-Australian..for all those childhood years of catholic indoctrination has taught me only two things ; a) to never take religion seriously, b) to always leave the Melbourne Cup sweep kitty in the hands of a nun!..
How can I have control? I know, make up some bullshit about an all loving all guiding and malevolent fairy in the sky that only I can interpret the meaning of and you just except.
We know that there are a huge amount of gullible people who definitely need a nose ring and whatever you do DONT think just believe! Why are a huge amount of sheeple so DUMB!!!!? So scared to make a decision on they’re own without so-called Devine guidance.
freedom of religion is
“hey, that’s against my religion so I can’t do that”
NOT
“hey that’s against my religion so YOU can’t do that”
easy really
freedom of religion is
“hey, that is against my religion so I can’t do that”
NOT
“hey, that is against my religion so YOU can’t do that”
easy really
They used to have hotels and restaurants in the U.S. that were allowed to operate as a ‘Restricted Premises’. That meant no Jews. This happened up until the ’60s.
There were certain golf courses on Sydney’s North Shore that were also ‘restricted’.
This is what the ‘ReligiousFreedom’ freaks want.