Blue Cross. Thank you. We all thank you for your research. It is not often we get a really good belly laugh on this forum but you have provided one. I would note however that arm waving born-agains have a habit of overstating their previous litany of sins. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the same story of the atheistic, boozing, gambling, dope smoking, morally vacant and aimless sinner suddenly finding god. It's all part of trying to relate their own life to scripture. Just another aspect of the same 'ol fantasy.

Further on the “Shine” proselytisation scandal. The girls in the class were asked if they knew a song called “Mirror”, and were told that they soon would as it was taking off in Europe (Alleluia!). And then the song was played and they all rocked along to it (as you do). They got the expurgated version (for now), but check out what I found on utube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpVRgye2ihk
Charming stuff, hey; here are the song lyrics: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/barlowgirl/mirror.html

See how it ties into the theme of beautification? These girls are being groomed (literally and spiritually): come in girls, we’ll make you beautiful; and later, “but hey, that ain’t what it’s all about, man! God sees through all that ...”
And to reiterate, when that innocent looking form came home for me to sign there was nothing in there about the slavering zealots I was authorising to brainwash “my” child. And this in a State School!
This is beyond the pale. Even the spineless apologists for these parasites, like Sells, should blanch with embarrassment at this kind of paedophilia!

Priscillian, I take your point, and I agree that even comparative religion has no place in “primary school”; but I was in a mind to compromise as discretion is the better part of valour. No more! These hounds have no scruples—and no place in our public education system!

Amazing Squeers, I wonder what Tim Mander would say to all that?

Just a blip in the Shine program? This is not what we support? Oh no, this has nothing to do with religion? I am sure that is not what really happened, your daughter must be making it all up?

Or would he be true to his Father of the Year status with the honesty-baton he carries from there and say,

'Oh well, we've had a good run but you're quite right, it is a pernicious program designed to snare vulnerable kiddies and unwitting parents while their children are open to suggestion and shows of authority from adults, it's a fair cop and we will stop using anything from Hillsong Church'.

It's always good to have a look into the history of these debates.

How come Lyn Allison from the Democrats knew all about this program, but Gillard did not?

http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=6595

How come the Commonwealth agreed to examine Shine, but Bligh and Welford, the then Ed Qld minister, and now Geoff Wilson, could totally ignore it all?

Should we be wondering if there is any sort of brown-bag 'under the counter' stuff going on in Qld on this very cosy and supportive relationship between the Church and the State?

We've just seen one Qld ex-Minister go to jail for corrupt dealings after all.

It is hard to imagine an article that more adequately portrays the problem in its own presentation.
An outrageous hodge-podge of straw man arguments, non-sequiturs, paternalistic pseudo-morality, and unfounded assumptions far too numerous to receive individual attention. I would simply assert that the fundamental purpose of an adequate education is to teach children to THINK, and to provide accurate factual information - ie in line with modern day scientifically validated knowledge - so that the thus developed thinking process finds ample scope. The various religious representatives who infest the various state school systems would soon be out of work and public funds presently misdirected to so called 'faith based' schools would soon dry up if children were taught to think and thus question the outrageous rubbish thrust down their throats in the guise of revealed truth.
The author of this article would undoubtably benefit even at this late stage from some open-minded reading of elementary philosophy, biology, archeology etc - if of course he develops the guts to open his mind in the first place and let go the security blanket of medieval superstition and arrant nonsense collectively known as religion.
Failing that, he should simply stick to football.
Fat chance.

Well said GYM-FISH. Now try to imagine..

A. That the author of this article was the CEO of the Queensland branch of an international organisation that exists for the sole (soul?) purpose of evangelising to children—particularly in the Third World.

B. That the then Howard government provided the same Queensland organisation with a pre-election bribe of over $50,000,000 (and the State government a further $10,000,000) along with a platinum access-all-areas pass to the State schools of Queensland.

No need to imagine..

A. He is
B. They did

Pericles is dangerous in his dreamed-up linkages of Mander & Qld Father of the Year awards. He is correct in saying Mander was Qld Father of the Year in 2005. But it wasn't until earlier this year - 4 years later - that Mander's SU Qld began hosting the awards. The Courier Mail ran a story on this over a month ago. So Pericles, please use this forum for more intelligent discussion and less imagination.