I'm not a huge fan of Woden, though I do like Tuggeranong. Still, nothing beats Lyneham.

Peter Costello can take is religious views and put them where the sun doesn't shine.

So can Irfan Yusuf.

People who lived in those countries who have a Secular Background, have one thing in common respect for another person religious beliefs.

Politicans forget that religious intolerance has been the primary cause of most wars.

To my Islamic Brothers and Sisters be proud to tell us about your religious beliefs. The BBC has a weekly show, where people of the Islamic Faith can debate the issues which lead pepole to judge them unfairly.

To the Peter Costellos of this world treat others as you would have them treat you.

Fine posts there from Leigh and Pegasus. Nice to know you're carefully considering your responses and phrasing them with due consideration and an appraisal of the issues... fair enough you don't like it, but a little more detail on the 'why' side of things might be nice. As it stands, I can only conclude you'd made up your mind well before reading the article.

The great judeo-christian tradition... interesting. I sometimes wonder how far the christian brotherhood extends. Most christians seem to agree there's not all that much separating groups such as the Anglicans, Lutherans and so forth... but I wonder if the Seventh Day Adventists, Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses have copped similar abuse when they attempted to make a presence in Australia.

Tuggeranong, Irfan? Who's he the god of then? On second thought, I probably don't want to know.

Like it or not our traditions are based more on the Old and New Testament than they are on the Koran or any other religious teaching. That does not make any traditions right or wrong but, given the way fundamental Islamic culture treats women and those of a different faith (coming case in Malaysia will be interesting) I think that the values which have arisen out of thoe traditions are possibly just a little less violent and unreasonable. It could change - especially if we get a PM who wears his or her cross on his or her sleeve and tries to change the country with it.
What I do know without a doubt is that there are many people who do not attend church or the mosque or the synagogue and they are still honest, decent, law abiding citizens who care about other people and tolerate different points of view...more than can be said for the author of the article or some of commentators so far.