ybgirp,

It is all about votes, but just not quite in the simplistic way you suggest. This proposed funding of the clergy by the taxpayer has very little to do with the exercise of Christian influence or the promotion of Christian values. It has a lot to do with consolidating the power and influence of one particular denomination of organized religion, the one with nominally the largest number of 'adherents', the Roman Catholic Church. Its is an influence over both major political parties already gained with votes, but not necessarily the votes of nominal Christians, and most certainly not intendedly the votes of a majority of committed Christians. There are (as there have been throughout all history) relatively few of the latter.

Yes, the Catholic Church as a worldly organized religious power structure would like very much to believe that it can instruct its adherents to vote as it 'suggests', as a 'block vote'. And undoubtedly it has its lay zealots who are prepared to resort to every trick in the political book to advance this cause. But dispose of a 'block vote' of all its nominal adherents voting in accordance with law it does not! Maybe amongst the most recently migrated it does, but the longer catholics live in a British society, the more personally independent they generally tend to become. They, in a secular sense, (notwithstanding the nonsenses that have gone on in Ireland) become 'Protestantised'. Look at the statements of disaffection of many posters in this and other discussion threads, if you doubt this claim. From the opposite direction, look at the size (or lack of it), and composition, of catholic church congregations.

The great skill of this organized religious power structure (one not all that different to that of Islam) has been in its ability to persuade OTHERS that it can and does dispose of a block vote, and thereby get its way in matters political by a form of standover tactic. If you doubt that, just look at the conduct of the Federal government in this present matter, and the silence of the 'opposition'.

The Australian Pastafarian community welcomes the government's announcement that it is helping fund religious instruction in our schools.

To those who are unsure just what these chaplains will be doing, I point you to the Prime Minister's words when he announced the program. He said the program would involve funding chaplains to undertake work including "assisting students in exploring their spirituality; (and) providing guidance on religious, values and ethical matters".

We Pastafarians believe the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. In the past year we have seen enormous growth in the number of Australians professing our faith, and greater interest yet in our beliefs and Holy writings. But there is still a serious gap in awareness about our faith among the general community.

Even while increasing numbers of school students are being taught about the Christian God in their science classrooms, we note they have yet to be taught about the other main explanation for the creation of the universe: the intervention of the FSM, and the beneficent nudges of His Noodly Appendages.

We have written to Minister Bishop, whose department is administering the program, to welcome the announcement and humbly offer the services of Pastafarian chaplains to serve in Australian schools. We have also expressed our hope that, in the event that a school community applies for funding for appointment of an FSM chaplain, the government’s new Reference Group will not attempt to prevent the appointment. See: http://noodlynation.blogspot.com/2006/10/congratulations-chaplains-in-schools.html.

When it comes to our schools, and indeed the Australian community as a whole, we humbly pledge to put the 'pasta' back into 'pastoral care'.

And might I recommend the marinara?

Pastor Len Guini
FSM Australia - Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Pastor Len

Your explanation of creation actually makes nearly as many assumptions as evolution.

Runner, I grant you that understanding 3 billion plus years of
evolution, the evidence for which is all around us, is far too
complex for some and goes clean over their heads.

Much easier to just focus on the snap*crackle*pop*god did it*
story, as simple to understand as what is written on a packet
of rice bubbles.

Just like the Santa or the tooth fairy stories, it keeps some
people content with the world and their understanding of it.

As nobody can prove a negative, just like you cannot prove
that Santa or the tooth fairy don't exist, you are safe
with your god story. If thats what keeps you happy, fair
enough, I have no problem with that. Just don't teach it
to my kids, thats all.

Rainier,
“… employing someone to talk to their kids about enviromentalism, ... is and would be - is fine by me.”

They did say that the chaplains won’t necessarily be clerics but if they used the average Catholic priest it would be fine with you.

Spider,

If your teachers hated you because your parents were divorced they needed medication. Why do you think that was the reason?

Ybgirp,

Your generally misinformed comments raise some issues. For example Christians do need to do some housekeeping to expect credibility in the face of a generally anti-Christian media who likes to exagerate any faults. Spider gave an example of declining standards in the Catholic school context.

You suggest that “the expansion of religious indoctrination in all schools” is causing increased depression and suicide. What expansion? Go back a few decades and kids in public schools were singing Christian hymns every morning and religious education was weekly. Introducing the chaplaincy won’t make schools as Christian as they used to be. If the suicide rate is going up it doesn’t support your pet theory. Maybe reducing suicide is the motive. Religion gives people hope and normally scares them off suicide. Suebdootwo got it right.

‘In 1921–1925 suicides accounted for approximately 1% of all deaths, however by 1996–1998 this proportion had increased to 2%. For males in 1921–1925 suicides accounted for 1.7% of all deaths, and for females 0.5%. By 1996–1998 more than 3% of all male deaths were due to suicide, and for females the proportion increased to 1% (see
tables 2 and 4).’

http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/B677BAE5E1AC97E5CA2568BD0012ECBC/$File/33090_1921%20to%201998.pdf

Don’t forget that the freedom, justice, honesty and compassion that you advocate are core values of Christianity.

C J Morgan
“Further - as we're often painfully aware in this forum - a VOCAL minority thinks this is a VERY GOOD THING.”
Value us. It will help give you a taste of the outside world where we aren’t a minority (in numbers).

Robert,

What will you do if your boy becomes a fundy?

Pastor Len,

Scarily, given conversions to scientology and atheism, people might start believing that.

Yabby

I suspect your kids will be smart enough to see design whan they see it. Many have had to put up with being taught the many different and changing evolution theories over the years. I admire thier faith. I take it you don't mind your kids or other kids being taught this pseudo science.