Ivan Folghera
New member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2010
- Messages
- 33
Whilst perusing the internet for laws in Australia about religious
discrimination, I stumbled across the following article written by a
frightened xian in government here about laws being presented to prevent
the preaching of anti-homosexuality both in public and in the xian church
arena. The concept of this new law derives from anti-discrimination laws
already in existence in Sweden. It is funny to note the way that this lady
describes her fears of 'losing religious freedom' and asks the question
'Are we heading for a state of fear, under "thought police"?', clearly the
end result of xianity, not the law.
I have posted this here today to show you all that progress IS being made
in places outside the US (as far as I know, alot of this group is from
there) and as usual, the xians are frightened out of their minds. Read on:
18 July 2002
Dear Friends,
Yesterday Festival of Light held a briefin g for pastors about the SA
government proposal to introduce a law against religious discrimination
and vilification. Such a law could later have a devastating impact on our
religious freedom, and the time allowed for submissions is very short -
they must be in by 31 July.
Keynote speaker Bishop John Hepworth explained that Australia is following
a trend in Western nations to limit religious freedom by such laws. The
Swedish parliament, for example, recently passed an amendment to their
constitution which, if passed again after the next election, would
prohibit any public preaching that homosexual behaviour is wrong. Bishop
Hepworth said it is likely that this ban could extend to the Bible itself
- that Sweden could make it illegal to publish or sell Bibles containing
passages such as those in Romans and Leviticus which condemn homosexual
acts.
Dr David Phillips showed how anti-discrimination laws, which follow ed
Australia's adoption of United Nations conventions in the early 1980s,
have persuaded people to think of discrimination as a bad thing. However
the Bible teaches that discrimination (or discernment) can be a good
thing. Solomon for example desired wisdom - the gift of discernment or
discrimination - above all others. He wanted the ability to choose what is
good and to reject what is bad.
Yet this is precisely what laws against religious discrimination say we
must not do. Under such laws, a Christian man who runs a small business
may not choose employees who share his faith and values. Another speaker,
Dr Philip Burcham, pointed out how unfair such a law would be. Can you
imagine SA Premier Mike Rann employing a strong Liberal supporter as his
personal assistant? Of course not! He will, naturally, only feel
comfortable with a Labor supporter in such a position of trust. So why
does he want to ban discrimination b ased on religious belief - which in
many ways is similar to political belief? A law against religious
discrimination would take away the freedom of association of Christians -
but not that of politicians.
I explained what has happened in Victoria recently, under their new Racial
and Religious Tolerance Act which bans racial and religious vilification.
This law, like the one proposed for SA, uses the tribunal rather than the
court system. Under the court system, a complaint to police results in
prosecution only if there is clear first-hand evidence that a crime has
been committed. The person against whom the complaint is made is
considered innocent unless proved guilty in court.
However in the "Equal Opportunity" tribunal system, anyone can make a
complaint - which can be based on hearsay or feelings - and the Equal
Opportunity Commissioner must pursue it unless it is trivial. The accused
must then pr ove himself innocent of the complaint. Even if the complaint
is later dismissed as baseless, the accused receives no compensation.
The effect of this new law in Victoria - proclaimed in January this year -
quickly became apparent. In March, a Christian group held a seminar on
Islam in a Melbourne church. A Christian from Pakistan with expert
knowledge of Islam, explained the meaning of Islam's holy books - the
Qur'an and the Hadith. Three Muslims attended parts of the seminar and
took notes. Their distorted and inaccurate account formed the basis of a
formal complaint under the new law by the Islamic Council of Victoria. An
article by Andrew Bolt in the Herald Sun (30/5/02, p 19) covers some of
the unfair claims against the seminar.
The two men against whom the complaint was made have since spent many
hours attempting to prove themselves innocent. If they fail, they risk
serious fines. If they succeed, they receiv e no compensation for their
time, effort or legal expenses. In contrast, the Islamic Council of
Victoria has nothing to lose - it simply had to make a complaint.
Peter and Jenny Stokes of Salt Shakers in Melbourne say Victorian pastors
are now reporting that some people are attending services - not to worship
- but to monitor what is said. Are we heading for a state of fear, under
"thought police"?
Festival of Light field officer David d'Lima urged pastors to inform their
people of what is happening, and to take the opportunity to write to
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson and to talk to the head of their church
and their local Member of Parliament.
Pastors who attended the briefing received action kits including the 17
page government discussion paper on the proposed new law; a draft response
to the discussion paper; the Herald Sun article by Andrew Bolt; a resource
paper on religious freedom; an order form for an audiotape of the briefing
and an action sheet (see attachment below).
This matter is urgent - the closing date for submissions is 31 July.
Please feel free to send this email to others.
God bless!
ROS
Mrs Roslyn Phillips, B Sc Dip Ed Research Officer, Festival of Light 4th
Floor, 68 Grenfell Street, Adelaide South Australia 5000 Email
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1345.htm
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discrimination, I stumbled across the following article written by a
frightened xian in government here about laws being presented to prevent
the preaching of anti-homosexuality both in public and in the xian church
arena. The concept of this new law derives from anti-discrimination laws
already in existence in Sweden. It is funny to note the way that this lady
describes her fears of 'losing religious freedom' and asks the question
'Are we heading for a state of fear, under "thought police"?', clearly the
end result of xianity, not the law.
I have posted this here today to show you all that progress IS being made
in places outside the US (as far as I know, alot of this group is from
there) and as usual, the xians are frightened out of their minds. Read on:
18 July 2002
Dear Friends,
Yesterday Festival of Light held a briefin g for pastors about the SA
government proposal to introduce a law against religious discrimination
and vilification. Such a law could later have a devastating impact on our
religious freedom, and the time allowed for submissions is very short -
they must be in by 31 July.
Keynote speaker Bishop John Hepworth explained that Australia is following
a trend in Western nations to limit religious freedom by such laws. The
Swedish parliament, for example, recently passed an amendment to their
constitution which, if passed again after the next election, would
prohibit any public preaching that homosexual behaviour is wrong. Bishop
Hepworth said it is likely that this ban could extend to the Bible itself
- that Sweden could make it illegal to publish or sell Bibles containing
passages such as those in Romans and Leviticus which condemn homosexual
acts.
Dr David Phillips showed how anti-discrimination laws, which follow ed
Australia's adoption of United Nations conventions in the early 1980s,
have persuaded people to think of discrimination as a bad thing. However
the Bible teaches that discrimination (or discernment) can be a good
thing. Solomon for example desired wisdom - the gift of discernment or
discrimination - above all others. He wanted the ability to choose what is
good and to reject what is bad.
Yet this is precisely what laws against religious discrimination say we
must not do. Under such laws, a Christian man who runs a small business
may not choose employees who share his faith and values. Another speaker,
Dr Philip Burcham, pointed out how unfair such a law would be. Can you
imagine SA Premier Mike Rann employing a strong Liberal supporter as his
personal assistant? Of course not! He will, naturally, only feel
comfortable with a Labor supporter in such a position of trust. So why
does he want to ban discrimination b ased on religious belief - which in
many ways is similar to political belief? A law against religious
discrimination would take away the freedom of association of Christians -
but not that of politicians.
I explained what has happened in Victoria recently, under their new Racial
and Religious Tolerance Act which bans racial and religious vilification.
This law, like the one proposed for SA, uses the tribunal rather than the
court system. Under the court system, a complaint to police results in
prosecution only if there is clear first-hand evidence that a crime has
been committed. The person against whom the complaint is made is
considered innocent unless proved guilty in court.
However in the "Equal Opportunity" tribunal system, anyone can make a
complaint - which can be based on hearsay or feelings - and the Equal
Opportunity Commissioner must pursue it unless it is trivial. The accused
must then pr ove himself innocent of the complaint. Even if the complaint
is later dismissed as baseless, the accused receives no compensation.
The effect of this new law in Victoria - proclaimed in January this year -
quickly became apparent. In March, a Christian group held a seminar on
Islam in a Melbourne church. A Christian from Pakistan with expert
knowledge of Islam, explained the meaning of Islam's holy books - the
Qur'an and the Hadith. Three Muslims attended parts of the seminar and
took notes. Their distorted and inaccurate account formed the basis of a
formal complaint under the new law by the Islamic Council of Victoria. An
article by Andrew Bolt in the Herald Sun (30/5/02, p 19) covers some of
the unfair claims against the seminar.
The two men against whom the complaint was made have since spent many
hours attempting to prove themselves innocent. If they fail, they risk
serious fines. If they succeed, they receiv e no compensation for their
time, effort or legal expenses. In contrast, the Islamic Council of
Victoria has nothing to lose - it simply had to make a complaint.
Peter and Jenny Stokes of Salt Shakers in Melbourne say Victorian pastors
are now reporting that some people are attending services - not to worship
- but to monitor what is said. Are we heading for a state of fear, under
"thought police"?
Festival of Light field officer David d'Lima urged pastors to inform their
people of what is happening, and to take the opportunity to write to
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson and to talk to the head of their church
and their local Member of Parliament.
Pastors who attended the briefing received action kits including the 17
page government discussion paper on the proposed new law; a draft response
to the discussion paper; the Herald Sun article by Andrew Bolt; a resource
paper on religious freedom; an order form for an audiotape of the briefing
and an action sheet (see attachment below).
This matter is urgent - the closing date for submissions is 31 July.
Please feel free to send this email to others.
God bless!
ROS
Mrs Roslyn Phillips, B Sc Dip Ed Research Officer, Festival of Light 4th
Floor, 68 Grenfell Street, Adelaide South Australia 5000 Email
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1345.htm
.. . .. . .. . .. .. ... .... . . . ... . .. ... .
type_D
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