Sancho, is there a mosque in every suburb of every city in Australia? And are all mosques built and maintained using petro-dollars? Please provide facts and figures.

The wonderful thing about this discussion is that generally the only people prepared to defend Costello;s position are religious fruitcakes who would like to see Australia become a Christian Iran. Dream on.

Sancho

Let's stick to the facts. Included also in the early settlement of the collective "Afghans" were people from Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey.

There was also a mosque in the small town of Coolgardie Western Ausralia.

Though, I agree, the above information has little to do with the fear Australians have of Islamic terrorism infiltrating their way of life!

Let's face it, terrorism is the essence of the current debate, exacerbated by the reluctance of moderate Muslims residing in democratic nations, to vehemently denounce the terrorist actions of Islamic states.

The intellectuals can debate all they like, the fact is the "masses" greatest fear in today's political climate is Islamic terrorism.

Many of us also deplore some of the rotten actions of western governments, however, we can at least feel reasonably safe living in a democratic nation, despite the shifty motives of our right-wing religious leaders.

As previously declared, I continue to believe that "Religion is the root of all evil!"

As a convert to anti-Islamism, I'm not concerned about facts and figures. I am happy to support (or make) any statement which increases suspicion or hostility toward muslims, regardless of veracity.

Until a few years ago I was a classic liberal leftist. I believed that the majority of muslims were peace-loving people who were willing to live amenably within western societies.

Moving into a suburb with a large population of muslim refugees changed all that. My experience of violence, intolerance and aggression with muslims in the street and in the media has convinced me that Islam is, as another OLO poster put it, "a monster from the dark ages" that has no right to exist in a sophisticated civilisation like ours.

Christianity isn't much better - just a variety of Islam with its balls cut off by the Enlightenment - but at least Christians don't advocate and enact their small-minded religious beliefs through violence and crime.

If there is another face to islam, I'd like to see it, because my disillusionment is profound. I'm sure muslim people have the capacity to be civilised, but it seems the religion needs a few more centuries of development before it can co-exist with the first world.

Peter Costello went on about “Australia Way of life” but then on 6 July 2006 I published;

INSPECTOR-RIKATI® & What is the -Australian way of life- really?
A book on CD on Australians political, religious & other rights
ISBN 0-9751760-2-1 (prior to 1-1-2007) ISBN 978-0-9751760-2-3

And, in subsequent legal proceedings on 19 July 2006 had this filed as “evidence” and I succeeded on all constitutional grounds, after a 5-year legal battle involving Federal government lawyers.

So, since this publication Peter Costello switched to “Australian values”, I just wonder if he has any clue what this stands for?

The Framers of the Constitution made clear they didn’t want any religious troubles in the Commonwealth of Australia and hence inserted Section 116 in the Constitution to make this clear, just that they did count on religious freaks as politicians who, so to say, would sell their soul to try to get electors to vote for them.

Sure, I have friends who happen to be Muslims, Jews, Catholics, or whatever and so what, they are all part of the Human race!
I do not practice religion, albeit born with Jewish blood (and proud of it) but baptised Lutheran, because too much evil has been going about using religion.
Religion is the right of any person within his own domain to practice provided it doesn’t offence any relevant State law. Hence, I could not care less what religion or non religion a person has, as they are entitled too it as much as I am on what I do provided we all observe relevant legislative provisions. That is what “Australian values” really is about, to accept anyone for the right to choose their own lifestyle within the realm of the law!
I would like to see every politician playing the "religion" card to be ousted from Parliament!

Dear Sancho
I rejoice that someone has experienced life on the rougher end of the "Islamic" cultural_stick to the point where he has seen it for what it is.

I smiled at your rather 'castrated' understanding of "Christianity" :)

If I may offer a perspective on that.... 'Christendom' as in the historic expression of ChristianITY.. has not always matched the founder_or_foundation... Jesus .. and his teaching.

I encourage you, to discover the real 'Him' and the true Church on the pages of the Gospels and the book of Acts. The early church was not without its own problems. Such is life when 'people' are involved. They had factions, immorality, false teaching.. the whole nine yards. Most, if not all of Pauls letters were addressing those very things. I can't imagine a church as whacky as the Corinthians. His letter to them has a section "Now..regarding those things you wrote to me about" Chapter 7 verse 1 but the Catholics would love the 2nd verse. "It is good for a man not to marry" :) but he does explain more... now.. I hope those who claim that all religions are the inventions of men are looking closely at this. Most 'men' I know, want to marry.

In order to provide an opportunity for you to participate in something more than just a written forum, why not have a look at this web site, and see what possibilities come out of that.
http://www.islammonitor.org
I've become involved in the Melbourne branch and we had a little protest at the directions hearing over the 2 Dannies religious vilification case last friday. Even though we were few (around 7) and hardly displayed our signs.. it made the news in the Age. (Barney Zwartz)

Other actions are in the planning stages, and please realize that it includes Atheists, Christians and Jews.

One point on the article which claims the 'Judao' part of Judao/Christian means 'Jewish'... well..I don't understand it that way, I simply see it as Christian heritage which has the Old Testament as its foundation. I see no pandering to Jews in that terminology.

BOAZ dont you get the irony of not tolerating a religion that does not tolerate other religion in the same way your religion does not tolerate other religion?

Personally I am not surprised. In my antitheist ontology Christianity and hypocracy are interchangeable. Because Christianity literally means hypocracy your sectarian protests mean nothing. Sectarian because you and your mob are Christians which imply you are monotheists which is the same as Muslims. I dont care what you wear and what book you use to excuse you of your responsibilities in life, the Koran or Bible or LOTR but one thing religionists dont get is you have to keep it on your side of the fence.

The fact that people are people discredits the bible 100%. Thank nature people are people. The vatican supported fascism during WW2 and many Catholics fought against their faith and fought against Mussolini, Franco, the Vatican and Hitler. Many Christians go against the OT and refrain from beating their wives and children, killing atheists and marrying widowed sister in laws, raping slaves, killing slaves and keeping slaves. Many Christians go against the teaching of Jesus and earn money , get married and keep non-believers as friends.

There is no difference in my mind if a politician curries favour with a church or a mosque. It is un-Australian, belligerent, disrespectful to the Australian people and callous to Australians who are the victims of religion, those who sacrificed themselves for freedom , disrespectful to democracy as orginised religion is fascism - self indulgent love based on patriarchy and only encourages GBND God Belief Neurosis Disorder.