I agree with John Stone on all the points he made. It is ridiculous to simply maintain this facade that ideologically different people can and should live together in peace and harmony with a few rare exceptions. History speaks for itself; in 2000 years of recorded history there has been exactly two weeks of peace!
Before I am derided as 'intolerant' and 'racist', just answer a very simple multiple choice answer question. Were those responsible for the the Twin Towers and Bali (a) blonde Norwegian tourists (b) Members of the Girl Guides, (c) Stormtroopers of the Salvation Army or (d) Muslims?
Think about it you overeducated birdbrains . . .

yaaaaaaay codyyyyy thats dam cool

Well, I've been studying this sort of stuff so...

1)In relation to assimilation, I consider someone an Australian citizen if they obey our laws and pay our taxes. Anything else is up to them, including their religion and culture. No one should be forced to drink beer and play rugby, not that there is anything wrong with beer or rugby. Rugby is a fine sport.
2)It is true that Islam has some very severe problems, and some things in the Koran aren't very tolerant or peaceful. But remember, the Christian bible (particularly the old testament) also had some very nasty things in it. And there IS a phrase in the Bible (new testament) which says that women should obey men otherwise men can beat them. It's towards the back, but it's there. But we've learned to ignore it! You see, Christianity has been modified and modernized. I have no problems with Islam, but they have to go down the same pathway that Christianity did. After all, it was written over 1000 years ago. Times have changed, both for Christianity and Islam. Religion must adapt.

I hope I haven't offended anyone.

Unconquered Sun

Meredith, please don't get me wrong, I have nothing but the greatest respect for the the work and some of the people of the salvation army and many other people of religion. I agree that christianity has come a long way, and Islam has to become more evolved to become acceptable for us in this country. After all the christian church has finally thrown of most of its religious clothing in public. But they still go against the bible, and worship graven images (money and power)and people of the flesh

But the relgious must understand the amount of damage they have done and are stil doing to the world with very little benefit except for their selfrighteous ego's.

As one from a very deep religious background, I enjoy watching the relgious squim, they have nothing but fallacy to back them up. Their history and the effects they have had on the peoples of the world, is irrefutable and there for all to see.

So giggle along with me, it is a pity that more muslims dodn't get involved so the we could have a real go at each other and really see where they stand. But I can tell you, islam is very vunerable to reality and thats whay they want to destroy it. At least the christians realise that their evangelism is not acceptable to the majority of intelegent people. Thats why their churches are emptying and their influence diminishing, except for the radical ones.

However my choice would always be, to be in a christian secular country rather than an islamic country of any sort.

Go to dateline to read transcript Geroge Negus' interview with one of the muslims who didn't get invited to the summit:

http://news.sbs.com.au/dateline/index.php?page=archive&artmon=08&fyear=2005#

Those posters who keep carrying on about the threat Muslims are to Australian culture need to recognise and accept that Australia is a multi cultural, multi faith, multi coloured, multi racial society and is all the better for being so. All the anti-Muslim (or is it pro-Christian) rhetoric is not going to change that reality. There is no possibilty of us ever being a white, Christian society no matter how much some people would like that.
Judge people as individuals for what they say and do, but don't condemn a whole class of people for the actions of a few. We know that many Catholic priests have sexually abused children but I don't hear condemnation of all priests, let alone all Catholics as a consequence. Why condemn all Muslims for the behaviour of a very small minority. Get over the bigotry!