For a long time I have been saying that the only way to protect religious freedoms is to protect ALL freedoms.

There should be no discrimination - EVERYONE should be able to employ whoever (and only whoever) they like and accept as students into their private school whoever (and only whoever) they want, both for any reason whatsoever (or even for no reason at all).

I agree with both Progressive Pat and Neil of Ipswich: NOBODY should receive government funds for schooling - it would be most hypocritical for religious schools to depend on the devil for their operations.

I commend Rhys Jones's last reply: "Either everyone should be able to act on their conscience and discriminate against those peoples whose life styles or belief systems they disagree with, or no-one should. This hypocrisy must end.", but answer unequivocally that EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACT ON THEIR CONSCIENCE.

As people like David G. are seeking to "protect children from their parents", it is important that families are able to protect themselves and their children from the bad influences of secular society, but that is doomed if the government's divide-and-conquer tactics succeed, if people are split for example along petty denominational lines, such as Christianity against Islam and Islam against Christianity as we can see on this very thread; or over personal issues such as sexual orientation. Everyone should be united against the vicious onslaught of the state's humanism.

Finally, the author exposed his bias and intellectual dishonesty by inciting against innocent people, accusing them of "bullying" without proving or bringing a single example to fit that description.

GlenC says:

"you can rest assured that if Islam ever acquires, or even looks like acquiring, the control of the Australian political process that has long been enjoyed by Christian religions, those who maintain the good fight against religious domination will include Islam among their targets"

That is a lie; one only has to look at the infiltration of Islam into European nations to see that the left and those who take pot-shots at Christianity and indeed democracy, not only do not oppose Islam but actually side with it on the reprehensible and self-destructive basis that the enemy of enemy is my friend.

Further to that in none of the Islamist nations of the world where women are nothing more than chattels and portable wombs do Western feminists, who enjoy all the liberation a modern Western capitalist democracy can offer, raise a peep in protest for the plight of their 'sisters'; in fact when courageous souls like Ayaan Hirsi Ali come to Australia they are scorned by the feministas and the left; see:

http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/qed/2010/07/ayaan-hirsi-ali-and-left-loathing

So not only will I not withdraw my comment that people like the author of this piece and the left in general are "cowards and hypocrites", I will also call them gutless.

@cohenite: "That is a lie; one only has to look at the infiltration of Islam into European nations to see that the left and those who take pot-shots at Christianity and indeed democracy, not only do not oppose Islam but actually side with it on the reprehensible and self-destructive basis that the enemy of enemy is my friend."

Er... how many atheist blogs have you actually read? Because I can't think of one that takes 'pot-shots' at Christianity and does not oppose Islam. If you can, name it.

Citation needed, please.

@Progressive Pat: "Gay people are now viewed as heroes in pop culture, by academics, and by mainstream media, e.g. the lesbian contestant in Biggest Loser is presented as the woman all young girls should want to be when they grow up. Lady Gaga is very supoortive of gays, as is the show Glee and almost every popular TV show or movie includes gays that are portrayed as the 'ideal' person."

Makes a nice change from footballers and cricketers, then, doesn't it?

But the principle you are trying to dodge here is that the people who foot the bills should have a say in how the money is spent: and as long as faith schools accept government money -- and boy, do they ever! -- they should be obliged to follow the same government rules as everybody else.

All we really want is consistency. No special favours for anyone's Imaginary Friend, even if they close their eyes and imagine REALLY hard.

JonJ:

"Citation needed, please."

I gave an example; YOU provide a citation of what you claim.

And note I said the left not atheist.

This is a classic anti-christian argument - attributing intolerance to Christian schools without a single mention about the viciously vindictive intolerance displayed by gay rights activists. Who, incidentally are the greatest bullies in the modern public space. Why would you think less than 1.6% of the Australian population should dictate to the Christian population of Australia what they can or cannot believe. We are continually told that homosexuality is a state of birth when none of the recent twin or other studies have managed to prove the truth of that. If interviewing thousands of identical twins cannot prove this why on earth should we believe it. We are continually told that the gay lobbying is about equality when the reality that it is realistically about restricting the freedom of others to the extent that no-one is allowed to disapprove of their sexual habits without living in fear of the law. If you disagree with this then you need to look at the plight of people in USA where the lifestyle is forced on the population whether they like it or no. Primary school children are given sex education by transgendered, and gay people and parents are not allowed to have them opt out. Anyone who disagrees in any way lives under the hammer of the law. The right to have an opinion is removed - the right to disagree is removed - the right to educate your child in the way you choose is removed - the right to speak about your beliefs is removed. This is not hypothetical this is the way of life for majorities who find themselves dominated by minorities in these states.