A court ruling in the UK prohibits councils from starting their meeting with a prayer. Perhaps it is ti9me we introduced this idea here. Not only do we have the spectacle of the politicians starting the parliamentary year by attending church together but every question time starts with the Lord's Prayer.
Do we really believe that all of our politicians are committed Christians? Would it not be more honest if we abolished this rather hypocritical display of religious belief?
Perhaps the public performance of ritual could be replaced with a minutes silence where politicians either pray to their invisible friend if that is their fantasy of choice or merely meditate in silence on the responsibility they have for good governance.

Probably very outdated and a ritual that could be dispensed with. Parliamentary time should be organized better.
The coalition is a big offender, asking questions that are out of the hands of parliamentarians. This sort of questions should be asked outside parliament. Time is to limited to be taken up with matters that do not effect the nation.
There is a country to run, and not one question was asked in 3 days as to the welfare of the country. A waste of time in its entirety.
All the opposition is interested in is scouring the floorboards, desperately trying to find some dirt to talk about.
The 3 stoogers of the opposition, are not in the least bit interested in the economics of this nation. Not one question to the treasurer.

the lords prayer has become a rite
thus has lost its intended reminder

heck half the time i hear the oath
'to the allmighty black rod''

nope..no right to rite
but dare to outlaw prayer
by what right?

a prayer done properly brings the highest spiritual guidence
[ie love fruits...if its all good...its from god]

but one perversion...of the rite
attracts demons..who blame/shame..yell etc

its not hard to see..what spirit
the black rod rite..has conjured up

better we go origonal
for the unborn...and the old elders..
here in spirit..of love grace and mercy..service and charity

serving the good's of gods good creation
as he serves us all our life

or something like that
the love light..illumes away the darkest blackhearted faceless/knight

if its not for love
then its for hate
no middle path

I totally agree with you Baygon.

It must be embarrassing for those non-Christian or non-believers who must mouth these words in order to join the others droning on in the chambers!

Religion and politics should not be mixed in a secular country like Australia, no matter how much some would pray that religion would rule our world.

Yep. Was listening to parliament just the other day & thought the same thing.

And another divisive thing they should do away with is the little speech that follows that pray, that says (to paraphrase), we hold up for special honor the X people who were the traditional custodians of this land.

Convincing the Abbotts and Bishops could be a problem. Even when they mean yes they say no.

Of course in truly secular politics there would be no room for abbots or bishops - it should be a cause of concern that there are no fewer than 3 Bishops in parliament. Whether or not that is an accurate guide could be doubtful - as there is only one Crook which does seem seem far fewer than one would expect.
As far as the comment is concerned that we should abolish the statement we acknowledge that we are on Aboriginal land is concerned I think that should be amended by adding the words 'but now it is ours so get used to it. That would be an accurate reflection of where politicians seem to stand on the issue of indigenous rights.

<< it should be a cause of concern that there are no fewer than 3 Bishops in parliament>>

Aye laddie but yee cannae go by named alone. A bishop by tuther name be still a bishop.They need not wear liturgical garments to believe themselves able to deliver infallible encyclicals. I be told that many are to be found wearin green –and in them colors their be not just bishops, but a good many aspiring cardinals & popes too.

well observed SPQR, - it seems there is no shortage of folk willing to issue the odd Papal bull - lets just send them all to Pamplona

I find the honourable somewhat offensive.

It does seem a bit shallow to have the Emily's list feminist dominators saying the Lord's prayer (actually it was the prayer taught to the disciples). It seems even hypocritical to have such haters and destructers of normal families to go through the motions. It just shows how far we have slid as a nation. Noticed however on 9/11 even some of the Democrats rushed back to God albeit for 2 minutes. Many of our pollies seem more comfortable with smoking cermonies and anything that would not challenge their morality and remind them that one day they will face their Maker. That way they can impose and legislate their godless dogmas with no conscience. I hope they find His mercy beforehand. Thankfully we still have a few pollies willing to show a little decency and acknowledge their Maker. Even the Labour party has a few although they are usually silenced by the hoard.

I feel a little disturbed at some of the utterances made by our political representatives when it comes to religion.

Should we entrust the well-being of our nation to people whose judgement may potentially be clouded by random irrational thoughts?

For example, when a Senator insists that the world is only 8,000 years old does he examine legislation critically or through some sort of personal sectarian filter? Does he act in the interests of his constituents or in a way that may get him personal "brownie points" toward his own eternal salvation?

When a US President says that God literally told him to attack another country is this a display of sound judgement? In other circumstances he would be a candidate for committal.

Now they have a candidate who believes that he will get his own planet to rule when he dies where he will live forever as some sort of demiGod.

I have no problem with following hollow ritual such as the Usher of the Black Rod and so on, but a line must be drawn somewhere to separate personal beliefs/prejudices from what is in the best interests of the entire country.

the result of politics without moral absolutes is mass murder via abortion, perversion promoted through pornography, far more children being fiddled with, kids totally in rebellion with authority, people topping themselves through guilt,std'd at record rates. Yeah lets keep going down the secular humanist path of self destruction and demonise anyone who dares speak against the mantra. At least it makes us comfortable in our self righteousness. Use the pseudo science fantasy of evolution to justify our 'intelligent ' moral relativsim just like we use pseudo science to justify an idiotic carbon tax. Really rational are our secular humanist who only have self interest at heart.

It always seems a bit out of place to me. Our nation is characterised by secularism, and its political system is ostensibly secular. It's certainly true that the bulk of our MPs come from somewhat Christian backgrounds (however far back), and I'd hazard a guess that a fair portion of them listed some Christian denomination or other in the latest census, and that's fine. As individuals, they can be religious; collectively, they are a secular institution. I'm not sure why they keep doing it - perhaps because they always have? Surely it can't be because they are servants of the Queen, the head of her own church and Defender of the Faith? That role is filled by the Governor-General.

As wobbles has already said, hollow ritual - parliamentary ritual at that - is fine. It's all part of the show, and I think a little tradition here and there is nice. Incorporating semi-religious ritual, however, may no longer be relevant or appropriate.

Hey SPQR,

If I were an infallible cyclist, I would rather be on the race-course than in parliament.

As for the Lord's Prayer, according to Jewish law it is forbidden to pray or read scripture in a toilet as it is considered a filthy place (that's the one place in the house where orthodox Jews keep their magazines and secular literature, which is also why they stay there that long, but I digress) - how much more for praying in parliament!

i like that bit re the toilet

speaking of which..anyone know what that vile spirit is
in the poolroom..of old parlement house

i saw spirit
but its a vile stench

our govt parlemt house..was for that parlement
the members numbers..havnt changed

but the beurocracy grew
and grew..and we built them..a new parlement

run by the beurocracy
for their mates...[must have planned it in the ol pool rooom]
smells like someone died there[holt][?]

Speaking of poolrooms when I was a little boy going into a poolroom or a bowling alley was something no respectable person did. Mr. Cantwell, a good teacher and a Puritanical Catholic, was one of my teachers. I remember him saying, "Boys and girls, do you know what a golf course is? That's a poolroom outdoors."

not quite as bad as Sharia in Lakemba, is it?

Dear runner,

Rebellion against authority? That is the best thing to rebel against. Authority has encouraged human beings to go off in senseless wars, believe in mumbojumbo and act in a beastly fashion. Part of democracy is the questioning of authority, and, if it should not be there, replace it. You are a Protestant judging from your posts. The Reformation of which your religion is a product was a rebellion against the authority of the Catolic Church. Thinking of that maybe I'm wrong. Judging from your posts maybe the Reformation wasn't such a good thing, and the authority of the church should not have been challenged.

However, I will continue to question authority.

well Davidf there is only one man ever born who had and has no corruption and it certainly isn't you or me. I suggest He is the One to be obeyed not some godless set of dogmas which normally are just an excuse for man to indulge in his sinful nature. This nature is often on display by environmentalist when they are told they are not god.

Dear runner,

You are a believer in a mythology - the myth of the existence of a perfect human. No such individual has ever existed as far as I know. Of course if such a person existed in the past she or he is long dead. You are free to have any superstition you like. Just don't expect others to share it.

david f

you are also free to believe in the myth that you and others don't have an adamic nature. Unfortunately the evidence is clear for all to see unless blinded by dogma.

Dear runner,

Adam and Eve are more creatures of myth as is an Adamic nature. If your mythology comforts you, you may be comforted. Dogma is a bitch.

I like this “Adamic Nature” theory of runner’s. To proffer it as evidence for God and Biblical creation is to assume that the only reason we’re capable of doing wrong, is because God exists. Without a God, we’d all be perfect beings and evil would not exist.

The irony is always lost on you there, isn’t it, runner.

In fairness to you, though, the Bible does state that God is responsible for evil:

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

But how can you prove that we’d all be perfect with no God to create evil?

AJ

You would not have air to breathe except for God. It is He that allows you to sprout your god denying and hating theories.

Dear runner,

Like other humans atheists can hate. However, their hate is limited to what exists. Atheists do not hate figments of other people's imagination. Atheists do not hate god because there is no god to hate.

That doesn’t answer my question, runner. But it’s a nice little set-up you’ve got going there.

<<You would not have air to breathe except for God. It is He that allows you to sprout your god denying and hating theories.>>

In other words, everything proves God’s existence. You can provide whatever evidence you like for the existence of God and if someone points to a flaw in it, the fact that they were there to spot the flaw in the first place is evidence of God’s existence anyway.

It’s perfect.

With logical like that, you never have to think again!

Politics I think is the only religion that has nothing with any section of the society whether it is religion or something else. I find it a kind of shame using or comparing politics with religion. A religion is the sole belief and faith of one with true means and complete dedication but politics and politicians just know and work on their religion which is fooling the countrymen. This is not just about our country but even in other countries similar things happen, and we too are very smart as soon we believe what they say though we know the results. Why not we have option, why can't we stand and straight protest against those who not even complete 1% of what has been promised.
The day we will start speaking for our country as home and everyone as own then only Australia could be called as 'The Australia' as the one and only. Hope for the best!

david/quote..;;''Like other humans atheists can hate.''
undeniable

''However,..their hate
is limited to what exists.''

that is a huge generalisation..[clever]..
first the use of hate...[extreem emotion]
then limiting..it to what they think egsists

when what they really hate..is religeous pomposity
boddies feaning goodness[more holy than thou type exclusivity]

doing the very things the mesiah said not to
[the religeous person..they 'hate'..may not be the general type..they judge them to be[as with athiests..relgios..come in all sorts..from hyprocrite to 'saint'

again this cleverness.>""Atheists do not hate
figments..of other people's imagination.""

no they hate the ball player..
not the play of the ball

[quote]
''Atheists do not hate god
because there is no god to hate.'''

hate..is still setting a tone
but i will let that go

aj/quote]
'''In other words, everything proves God’s existence.
You can provide whatever evidence you like..for the existence of God and if someone points..to a flaw in it,..the fact that they were there..to spot the flaw in the first place..is evidence of God’s existence anyway.

It’s perfect.""

yeah aint it

""With logical like that,
you never have to think again!""

its funny...never is a long time
we have forever to find good [god]

it takes far less though..to think nuthin
to try to comprehend god who does everything...cant be done
as mindlessly[ignorantly]..like athiests ignore the good of god

love sustaining light
into life via logic

claiming science
isnt the same as knowing

knowing nuthin
is just like knowing....*nothing
better to know something..than nuthin