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Recent Comments

1. Our church hierarchy still doesn't seem to understand how the never ending stream of sexual scandals has damaged the value of any comment it has in this area, for Catholics let alone the wider society.

   Posted By: RobJ

2. Perhaps the church could threaten to withdraw services in these areas - just as Archbishop Mannix did years ago with the schools.
   The absence of the churches in areas such as aged care would cause a tremendous blowout in government spending if they had to take over following this withdrawal.

   Posted By: Pat

3. This is a political move by the current Labor government and Greens. Julia Gillard wants to gain votes and win the Greens over, before the election.
   The change in laws might also cause Tony Abbot to respond, which the Labor government will use to their own advantage.
   The possible change also indicates how the 'Truth' is being eroded by relativism.
   Unfortunately, the secular age will attack/erode anything that stands in its way.

   Posted By: Nathan

4. Getting the balance right, is obviously a difficult exercis in framing anti-discrimination, especially with respect to religious freedom.
   Take 2 examples.
   Firstly a catholic public hospital is asked by a patient to perform an abortion. The hospital, which is committed to the Catholic postion of defending the sanctity of life, declines to do so.
   Under the proposed legislation, the hospital could be sued. The Church should press for an exemption in this case.
   Secondly, a Catholic school will not employ a person because he/she is homosexual. Again, under the proposed legislation, the prospective employee could sue.
   In this case seeking an exemption might not be justified. A homosexual person is not inherently a danger to young students, and to refuse employment, on the basis that his/her very presence reduces religious freedom, is hard to justify.
   Someone recently quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu to the effect that apartheid was discriminatory based on the colour of one's skin , skin,which he called 'a given'.
   Tutu made similar remarks about sexual orientation being a given.
   There is a great deal of work to be done by the Church in this area of exemptions, before it can seek any form of a blank cheque in this regard

   Posted By: Garry

5. Garry makes a sensible comment below.
   There is a world of difference between being obliged by law to take part in 'terminating' ie killing an unborn child or a terminally sick person and being obliged by law to minister to or to consider employing a gay person.
   With goodwill on all sides, the question of 'rights' as opposed to 'conscience' ought to be able to be sorted out. The problem is that there is not good will on all sides..a few militant anti-faith secularists are determined to push religious faith to the margins and will use political differences to do so, exploiting the fears of minority groups if needs be. In turn, some faith groups are so fearful of the 'anti-' forces ( antisemitism, anti-Catholicism, anti-Islam) that they won't engage at all.
   Unfortunately the politicians, who don't care one way or another, are just waiting there ready to snap up a vote or two from either side of the debate. Roxon's bill will go down with the defeat of the Gillard government anyway so perhaps both 'sides' may be able to get back to a better frame of discussion. Oh for a truly bi-partisan approach..with a PM and an Opposition big enough to try!

   Posted By: Anne

6. Just by the way, how is freedom of religion safeguarded in Australian law?
   I doubt anyone, whatever their religion or lack of it, would like to contemplate an Australia where freedom of religion isn't guaranteed.
   The present exemptions to anti-discrimination laws may not be the place where freedom of religion is best made safe, but in that case, just repeating - where in the Constitution or the legislation is freedom of religion guaranteed?

   Posted By: Joan Seymour

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