Hi all

Philo (posted 8:09:12 PM 26/1/06)
Hear, hear! Nor do I wish to live in a theocracy. A secular democracy based on Christian principles is fine. Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims & any of the 9000 worldwide religious views - which includes Atheism & Agnostism - are free to practice their religion alongside mine.
As suggested, it's sad when politicians can't distinguish the semantics & connotations of our English language. Thus the populace is confused. The media add to it interfusing "racial", "religious", "cultural". No one can change their racial or ethnic heritage. If I'm black then I'm black. We can change our beliefs - they are voluntary. Racial intolerance is unacceptible. However, I don't have to accept alternative beliefs. Nor should I enforce others into silence - unless they threaten societal welfare. The law handles treason or assault. There ought not to be any for vilification - I have been insulted many times in my life; I just ignored the other person.
The Racial & Religious Tolerance Act (Vic.) 2001 sets individual against individual with a presumption of guilt. The outcomes would be humourous if they weren't so serious. Why is a judge still practicing after some 106-plus errors at law? He misquotes & attributes comments to wrong persons, et ali.
I must correct your comment (posted 10:42:43 PM) though. It is not the High Court to which the ICV vs CTFM case next goes - it is the Supreme Court. However, the High Court would probably overturn the original decision - even if the Supreme Court doesn't ( & there's high likelihood that it will).

Sapper_K9 (posting 9:41:42 PM & 11:50:38 PM 26/1/06)
Your comment that the Constitution is "irreligious" is abjectly wrong. You need to investigate the writings of its founders & the comments of Quick & Garran, & to embrace the Preamble.
Your comment "the King or Queen of England's god?"? That shows ignorance of the makeup of Christianity - there are far more non-Anglo-Saxon Christians than your appraisal suggests. You also show an ignorance of the content of Christian Scripture.

Cheers all

Aha, "Christian." What is one of them? Bit like a "Muslim" eh? Of which type of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Pty Ltd do you speak?

You see, should you look at the stats for the apostles in thirty-something CE as they relate to the population of Judea, you arrive at the same ratio as that of Avon Ladies to the population of Australia today. And this marketing exercise is conducted by umpteen different "brands" of this Judaic sect of HS BN BRBB (Hesu Ben Barabba) the bastard son of a Bethlehem woman and a Roman soldier.

A knowledge of it eh? All I do know is that a group of Iparu tribespeople cut the front from the Sumerian Creation Epic, I guess because the earth descended goddess Lilith scorned Adam as she refused to submit to him in intercourse.

A misoginistic society such as the Iparu could not have any female being seen to be attributed any power or sexuality, so the Pentateuch disposed of her, and thereafter three distinct polities of Iparu fiddle with the remainder of the epic, the Jehovists, the Elohists, and the Priests. "Christians" (spinoff Romanised Helenic Jews?) some millennia later claim this remnant Sumerian text as their own! Plagiarism, theological theft from the Sumer civilisation and society.

Its all of no consequence, our constitution says so.

Hi all

Abe Ata asks: "Can the grievances of Anglo Australian and Australian Muslim communities be reconciled?" Statistics affirm the predominance of "Anglo Australian" is non-Christian. Reconciliation? That is unlikely. Islam requires a philosophical shift.

Many Muslims living in Australia are peace-loving - my hairdresser is one. Many might be called "nominal". They can often recite portions of the Qur'an. Some recite it all. Invariably they don't understand it - Islam is about obedience & conformity; not analysis & comprehension. The imam interprets. Therein may be the 'problem'.

Like it or not, once the Qur'an & the Ahadith (plural of 'hadith') are studied, the politico-religious intent of Islam is affirmed. Islam is an isolated religion - & I have studied many.

According to Dr Ergan Caner (former Turkish Sunni Muslim) Islam is ".. more than an academic abstract; it is a way of life.". However, whilst there are some 126 gods in Hinduism, there is no god in Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism or Jainism etc, there is only one god in Judaism, Christianity & Islam - the Jews & Christians call Him, Jehovah, Yahweh or Elohim etc; the Muslims call him Allah (plus 99 other names). But that is where the similarity stops. The differences begin.

I recommend studying the Qur'an for yourself. It is smaller than the New Testament. It can be read & studied within 6-months (with application). A 'free' Qur'an, & lots of other material, is available on: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/
But in studying the Qur'an, be aware that it constantly corrects itself in line with Mohammad's pre- & post-flights - the later text contradicts the earlier.

For the impatient, or busy individuals, the next site might suffice: http://www.americanthinker.com/articles_print.php?article_id=5158

Notwithstanding, Australia now has a 'problem' which is recently acknowledged world-wide, but written in history since 624AD - approx 124 wars waged by Muslims between 624AD & 720AD alone. How we confront the 'problem' of hostility will test our resolve & will indicate our maturity. The 'problem' won't go away. Our children's children will inherit what we leave them.

Cheers all

LittleAgreeableBuddy,
A good post.
The problems with Islam lies in the fact are Muslims in the West happy to participate in Western society or are they isolationist in their attitudes? That is they do not have to participate in the booze and sexual decadence of the typical western person; but can be even as genuine Christians are not involved in such cultural decadence.

While we have Immams preaching hatred of Western culture and the installation of shari'ah rather than positive messages on personal character and living hospitibably in a foreign culture the cultural isolation will become even more evident. Christians are taught to live in the culture but not adopt the moral decadence of the local culture.

Christianity has its own culture that encourages the individual to be a preserving and enlightening influence in his / her sphere of community.

Spot on!

and un christian Aussies are comfortable also with christians for this very reason.

Friedich -
Everywhere has a culture, ours may not be as old as others but it exists nontheless

Kay -
Thankyou for your encouragement :)

Little Birdy - thankyou also for your comments... On a tangent (yet again) I wonder if the 'minority' you speak of feels in any way part of the community? If they have remained on the outside of the majority they may not see a need to partake in what is deemed to be the norm?? Has there ever been any real attempts (from either side)to build a bridge between the two? Just out of curiosity how exactly do 'they' spoil things for the majority? If people in 'your' community had made an attempt to understand the minority's ideology sooner would that have made a difference?