Dear Ena,

There is not just one, but numerous contemporary Christians churches that pose no hindrances to women in leadership. They are those that value Scripture highly, as the Scripture properly interpreted is liberating force for women. For one example, the leading officer in the Salvation Army here in Australia for quite some time was a woman.

As for your kids learning ethics, philosophy, or comparative religion or something in schools, speaking as a former teacher I suspect that these subjects will never be treated properly in schools as most teachers don’t study them in university, and so they don’t have a proper grasp of them.

These days, to give your kids a well rounded education in the deeper things of life, or possibly the spiritual aspect, it may require actually stepping inside of a church. This is something that many Australians, especially some that are quick to criticise on these forum pages, have seldom attempted. But the motto of the University I attended (Latrobe) was “Seek and you will find”, a quote taken straight from the mouth of Jesus. You are welcome at our local church, which is part of the Assemblies of God movement. We have a great pastor and I would be happy to introduce you to her.

Michael Viljoen.

No one is suggesting that individual christians are evil or bad. What religious adherents fail to understand is that they are mere ciphers. Mainstream religion is not a democratic institution; it is big business dictatorship. Nice guys' can rant as much as they like, they will not change one syllable of the dogma that enchains them. Archbishops, cardinals, moderators, imams know their faithful will do as they're told for fear of the afterlife... for which there's as much evidence as there is for a big JuJu in the sky who knows all sees all hears all and does ---- all.
Religious leaders have opposed all the social changes that made Australia a fine place to live and they are still opposing them. They hold the balance of power but most of the rights that made Australian workers the envy of the world have been lost. Why? Because church leaders agree not to oppose changes in return for financial rewards and more power. The Catholic church made 18 billion dollars tax-free profit last year. More taxpayer money is spent on religious schools than state schools; that's why there's an exodus from state schools. Homophobia, sexism and elitism are rife in religious schools.
As for marriage, why’s the divorce rate of fundamentalist christians higher than atheists?
With religious teaching in rundown state schools, why keep your child there?
Religion is the death of thinking, justice and fairness, because each religion insists their god is perfect. Therefore, if they do not persecute those who disagree, they are denying their god's perfection.
Every theist society in human history has become a terrorist state of persecutions, fear and misery.
Why do you want that for Australia? Why can't you learn from history? Why can't you practice your religion among consenting adults in private? Why do you want to indoctrinate children with these irrational myths?
Morality is about the ‘good’ and happiness. If you are unable to distinguish between good and bad, and do not understand what happiness is, then you have only your religion to blame.

To Ybgirp,

I'm not sure who you are aiming your comments at, but as a 'religious adherent' I'll respond.

I am not a cipher. I am not even a number. I am a conscient person, and God knows be by name, from even before the foundation of the world.

I am not sure what is the basis of all of these rather extreme ideas you have put forward, but can I put forward a thought to contemplate? Just what is the basis for any of our thoughts or observations? Are we just chemical accidents of evolution? If so, are all our thoughts just the results of chemical combinations in our brain? If so, how can you trust them? Can we trust the brain epiphenomena of a monkey that got lucky? Do you believe in this?

I can trust that our thoughts are reasonable. because we are made in the image of a reasonable Deity. He spoke the world into existance, and made us to be rational beings, made in His image.

Michael.