You might think religion and public life don’t mix. Recent events show that to be a God delusion.
A junk anti-Islam film from the US has sparked worldwide protests — people have died. More violence is expected after a French magazine published cartoons of Muhammad.
Julia Gillard was supposed to speak at an Australian Christian Lobby conference (although she cancelled over comments on homos-xuality). The ACL meanwhile thanked federal MPs for voting down gay marriage.
Church attendance in Australia may be down, but religion still has a significant impact on public life. Religious leaders are influencing the debate on everything from gay marriage to euthanasia, while many of us will spend time in a religious-backed hospital, aged care home or school.
The Power Index has this month been delving into who’s putting religion into our lives. Look for the story on Jewish leader Peter Wertheim in today’s edition, who’s working with pollies behind the scenes to drive reform of discrimination laws.
It’s not clear who has God on their side. But the people who think they do affect the lives of everyone.
Sorry, but to me, religious people a just ever so slightly creepy
And the creepy ones mostly claim God or Jesus has spoken to them personally to justify their actions. However we all know the RC part of the entertainment industry seem to have a liking for little or adolescent children. All ye parents beware.
Abbott and many of his front bench members seem to fall into the RC just ever so creepy category.
The myth of separation of State, Judiciary and Church is just that. If I had any say in it, all religious organisations and associated private schools and hospitals would be set free from the public purse. Then lets see the national books balance!
All religion is a blight, the sole purpose of which is to keep the easily lead and the willfully ignorant in abeyance, and free from the burden of much of their income and free-will.
The clout wielded by “Elusive Brethren”? “Hillsong”?
[“Religion”, and the way it is administered, here on earth, seems more
fixated with reward – here on earth.]