While it is true that people of many faiths, and of no-faith, have contributed to Australia's development, there is no doubt that Christians have made very significant contributions to that development.

The website, "A tribute to Influential Australian Christians", http://atributetoaustralianchristians.wordpress.com/
currently lists 251 notable Australian Christians who have been involved in all forms of endeavor to create this nation, in which we are so privileged to live.

Christianity - not for the humble and modest.

whatever spirit or beliefs founded australia
they were immutably alterd when john how-hard adopted the business cycle called 24/7...[thus forever sepperating the sabbath from the man]

sabbat if you recall was the time
that man accorded back..to his creater
[sabbat rests the god in us]

this might seem a simple thing to many athiests
but working 7 days a week...kills the good..[god].. in us all
and you can name howard as its creator

[talk about works [faith]..by the lips]
even xtians only honour god[good]..with their talk
by their hate they reveal they are far from him..[and delight in taking others away from him too...work you serfs]

the rise of athism only confirms..
the scam of liberal [24/7]..big business has worked

every small business now has become a collecter of tax..ever more taxes for what?

oz values is a joke
now we got a ju-liar baptist..[athiest]
with her beer bum..on the throne

[who calls a koala..a koala bear]..
while working on good friday..[and eating beef]

there is no end to it...
we got a brit pope..and an italian pope
yet still live in a common-wealth..without health and hope

the poor..let them work for their rent
and if your a big miner..make the serfs live in a tent

yes i know im raving..but collectivly
were living in a world gone nuts...and then we get a dumb question

''Are Christians really the source of Oz values?''
i say what values[give credit where cedit is jew?]
or cast blame where blame is over due?

values
what values?

a half days pay
for a fair days work?

hit a man when he is down..tax him to death
fill his spare time with guilt blame and shame

thats ozzie value
xtiand...lord give me a beak
they cant even get it together..with other xtians
let alone be a guiding light in this..[satans world]

Happy Easter Peoples!

El Maseeh Qam.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204569

LEGO, absolutely correct. Furthermore if you look back into our history, in Britain, Europe, North America, our forefathers were not struggling for freedom of religion at all, but freedom of Christianity. That is what the "Protestant Christian" movement was all about, being free of corruption in the Anglican, Catholic churches & UN democratic government.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204574

Kenny, "the enlightenment" was indeed 100% "Protestant Christianity". Left wing politics was invented later by the Pope as a Counter Revolutionary" strategy to "divide & conquer" it, into a standstill.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204575

morganzola, perhaps you prefer Communism, "religion is the opiate of the masses", have faith in the gospel according to Karl Marx & idolise the "dear leader".

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204580

Ammonite, & while the RED/green, getup, GAYLP, Socialist Alliance tries to take credit for modern, western, christian, democracy are they going to take credit for the millions killed by left wing politics. 6 million Jews in WW2 alone.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204602

Jim, you are mostly correct but under playing it, Moderate, Protestant, Christianity is the source of everything we hold dear.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=11924#204604

The Blue Cross, are you a Catholic?

Yes some European countries are predominantly Catholic, but the fact remains "the enlightenment" was a "Protestant Christian" movement against corruption in both the Anglican & Catholic churches as they were then.

BTW, i am not Catholic, but i would be first in line to suggest that continuing attacks on the Catholic church about past problems, are unwarranted & just part of the continuing Communist Jihad against all religions other than Communism.

Western Christianity has largely adapted to the liberal democratic context.Even conservative incarnations can be more liberal than conservative movements of other religions.

And yet there are elements of Christian, Judaic and Islamic teaching that remain illiberal. Sometimes this is resolved through reform of doctrine; at other times conservative elements argue that scripture should not be radically reinterpreted to adapt to modern secular liberalism.

But what are secular liberal democracies based on? Freedom of association and pluralism means churches, social movements, political movements - should be able to maintain and profess their own tenets and doctrines, and govern their own communities. So long as members are not placed under duress; are free to come and go as they please; are supported by a broader social structure which EMPOWERS them as individuals to move between any of the many religious, cultural and political communities in a pluralist liberal democracy. (perhaps with socialist elements; lest material deprivation act as duress)

But again: assuming this voluntary associations should be able to maintain their own doctrines, culture, structures. Even as a liberal and a socialist I appreciate the dilemma faced by liberal Christians, Jews and Muslims when faced with scripture at odds with modern liberal/secular values; often at odds with my own secular convictions. But to FORCE what is perceived as liberalism upon *voluntary* associations, and where appropritate measures are taken by the state to alleviate cultural or material duress - That is - ironically - an abrogation of the tenets of liberal pluralism itself.

What I'm suggesting is fine so long as there remains clear separation between church and state: so as a citizen I can enjoy my full rights and participate fully in society; and only VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS are able to discriminate where it is a matter of doctrine fundamental to identity, tradition, faith...

If some voluntary religious associations wish to discriminate against women, and others choose to discriminate against men - liberal pluralism holds this is a choice for those voluntary associations to make for themselves - so long as the state provides an underlying regime that minimises economic and cultural duress....