Ms Campbell Rate's article is, I think, another indication of Religious Fundamentalism by stealth.

Fair enough, some of the points she raises are valid. But at no point does she disclose her religious affiliation or the religious foundation - and purpose - of the so-called "Open Doors Counselling" service to which she defers/belongs.

A quick surf in its website shows that it is conspiquously silent on its religious agenda and identity; betrayed only by its predictable psycho-babble on homosexuality (it's a dangerous "lifestyle" and boys are "vulnerable"), and it's dismissal of condoms as good controceptive measures (they are fallible, break, spread disease and get girls pregnant). This is classic, fundo, church-based misinformation.

Just as the "Family First Party" hides behind it's Assembley's of God foundation, and just as the Koorong "cafes and bookstores" springing up around the outer suburbs try to disguise their fire and brimstone behind latte facades, so too does Ms Campbell Rate.

Laundering religious ideology into secular arguments is an increasing trend of the religious Right as it tries to slip under the radar of a society that doesn't like bible bashers. Particularly as the Howard Government looks more and more to Church groups/charities to administer welfare and employment services

We should all be alert to it.

Kelpie
PERTH

Well, what a closed minded little bigot you are Kelpie.

Did you bother to read the article at all? What did you think? Any comment on the substance? Any thoughts on the issues raised? No nothing. Only a silly little tirade because YOU think it might, maybe, could, probably, possibly, come from a Christian organisation!

The idea that you could suggest that religious people's views should be ignored for that reason, is the very definition of religious discrimination.

Alison Campbell Rates' words show us a person concerned with helping solve a large problem in society. Yours just show us another large problem in society that needs solving.

Alison's article raises many important questions and society needs to respond with some urgency.

Any education could be described as an abuse if its imparted without various regard as to whom it's directed at, especially in terms of age and mental, physical, sexual and emotional development. No reasonable person would educate a child in the use of machine guns (except given warlords in some parts of Africa, such as Uganda) but there would be no wrong...indeed there would be an obligation..in providing such information to an adult who needs to protect family/society.

In reality, no sex education is child abuse.Let's be positive about that.

Alison also needs to define her labels. What's "better" sex education? Surely it's comprehensive biological information;information on reproductive rights and responsibilities; disease; and, critically, human relationships.

Far from giggling over fitting condoms to bananas,why not take students down to the nearest VD clinics.Not simply more knowledge, but more care, more understanding, more realisation.Reality rather than imagination.

Why not more support for the "baby" programs in which girls take programmed baby dolls home that shriek for attention at all hours of the day and night, bringing the outcomes of pregnancy into real focus. But, make sure the boys do it too.

And, Alison, please let's abandon that absurd phrase "safe sex"..there's no such animal. "Safer", maybe.

In time, it won't be the matter of abortion that holds the spotlight but rather the tidal wave of infertility that's being threatened by soaring STD rates.

There's no overall "best choice"..this will always be governed by a host of individual considerations that generally get scant attention in the heat of the moment.

We'd like to see HIV messages in the mainstream media rather than being confined to darkened gay saunas.

How many Australians know they're HIV infected? Increasingly..dangerously..such infections are being downplayed in terms of it being a chronic but manageable disease...It's a life destroying disease, and, eventually, it will steal your life.

Please visit our HIV information website at http://www.aids.net.au

Regards,

Brian Haill,
President,
The Australian AIDS Fund inc.,
Melbourne.
Email: bhaill@bigpond.net.au

My Dear Bozzie (Oscar Wilde readers will enjoy that reference), I did read the article and no, I don't think I'm a narrow minded bigot despite your apoplectic outburst to the contrary.

I have no concern with "Christians expressing opinions" or with "religious organisations doing good in the community" - to paraphrase your allegations.

What I resent is unacademic, unobjective, often dangerous, blind religious prejudice masquarding as objective, secular concern. I find it dishonest. Much like the religious anti-abortion centres calling themselves "Pregnancy Advice Centres" and offering "counselling." It's a lie designed to hide the truth.

It's not "Christian Organisations" to which I object, but religious organisations which pretend they are not. Because behind their false secular shopfront is a fervent ideology that drives a harsh social and political agenda which can harm people and communities.

If religious people and groups cannot gain popular support by being open and honest about thier agenda, then we must question their motivation in going into denial and camoflage to pursue it.

Kelpie
PERTH

I, too am sick and tired of what I call, "fundamental infiltration by stealth". These types of organisations should be up front in everything they do - ie Alison Campbell Rate should have made it clear that the organisation she represents employs Judeo-Christian "values" and then the reader could transparently see where her views stem on sex education stem from. It's dishonest for fundamentalists to "hide" behind non-secular veils.

Kelpie,

Although I disagree with many of the policies espoused by Christian groups, I think they have as much right as anyone to say what they believe and say it in any way they believe will gain the most acceptance. It's disappointing that in many left wing circles Christian views are seen as somehow illegitimate. I'm sure Christian views are in many ways closer to mainstream Australia then some of the loony left ideas bandied around as legitimate (eg menstrual leave for women!).

For the record, I'm much more liberal than most people on this issue. A comparison of the US and The Netherlands is a good example. The US has one of the highest teenage pregnancy/AIDS/STDs rates in the world, while The Netherlands has around the lowest. The difference: in The Netherlands sex isn't a dirty word. It's simply a natural part of life; often used to strengthen relationships, more often used for fun and sometimes even used to procreate.

In that context, I think Campbell's assertion that sex education for 10yos is somehow abuse is disgusting. Sex is thrust upon us in almost every aspect of our lives. I've seen advertisements for women’s stockings, bras, and underwear on STA buses! I'm sure children have too! What about TV? We're force fed sex every time we turn on the TV, it sells everything from ..... well, just everything!! Even sitcoms are called things like "Sex in the City" Why should children be able to see sex everywhere they look but then not be properly informed about it?

To me it seems crazy. It would be better if we were less sex obsessed AND better informed.