excellent article thanx very much. nice to see Immanuel get a mention, and good to see the blatant, two faced lies of wingnut, brandrudd, icehockey and god botherers of all kinds called out for what they are.

Amen.

I had the misfortune to be tuned to Radio National when Joe's rambling personal apologia was broadcast. Joe is right up there with the mad priest, and goody - goody Rudd.
The only skill necessary to the advancement of professed religious politicians such as this sad trio is that of coping with cognitive dissonance - a skill possessed pretty well across the board in Australian parliaments as well as all church hierarchies
An avowed christian work associate of mine once told me, when I asked him how his christian convictions allowed him to act in a certain way, that 'I hang my convictions on the hook with my hat in the morning'.
Says it all.

Things changed greatly for the better when Western society separated the State and Religion. Lets keep it that way.

Unfortunately Daviy, the separation of religion and state has always been muddy. In recent times the god bothering pollies are selling out Australian values of decency and pluralism in search of the swinging voter who will return them to power.

For how long has it been politically mandatory to attend church? Worse, they are pandering to the likes of Hillsong whose fundamentalist teachings inspire hatred and intolerance. How? A liberal sampling of my interpretation of Hillsong's thinking:

Homosexuals are evil and to be cured. They should never be allowed to marry.
Muslims should be left to sink in rotting boats in international waters, palmed off to other countries or detained indefinitely (while the vast majority who fly in and overstay their visas never become political cannon fodder).
Just say 'no'.

Humanitarianism is common to all beliefs. There's something awful and wrong about losing this by interpreting the tenets of faith as weapons of discrimination.

I cannot honestly believe that our Government is truly secular when I witness the weekly pilgrimage of our politicians to confess their sins and sing the praises before submitting to a sermon.
Then at the commencement of a parliamentary sittings,recite the Christian, Lords Prayer; Hypocritically I might add as they proceed to abuse and denigrate each other in an unchristian way as they heap scorn on vulnerable refugees and Asylum Seekers and continue to enact laws inflicting more pain and suffering on Indigenous people.