Pelican,

The reading of the Lord's prayer is a symbolic ritual based on tradition, and trying to link it to the separation of powers is specious. I personally care little for the pomp and ceremony, and would care less if they scrapped it all as it makes not a jot of difference to the governance of the country, however, that is entirely besides the point of my post.

The point I was making is that this is yet another example of the tokenism that exemplifies Green politics. Forget the budget, the boats, the Davos talks, etc, simply focus on a tiny change in parliamentary ritual, and address it publicly. And yes I have read the greens' policies, and it is a wishlist of tokenistic aspirations, with the costings hidden, and devoid of any depth of thought.

I wonder if the falling education standards has anything to do with the rise of the green vote? Someone has to represent the donkey vote.

Can we please forget who proposed this idea.
Green blue pink it does not matter.
The Lord's prayer is a waste of time.
It could also be regarded as discriminatory, what about Islam are you going to get the members recite the Quran.
Then the Hindu's, Calathumpians will all want a prayer for their God.
By the time we have said all these prayers a complete day would be wasted.

It is quite understandable that the Greens decided to add a second policy to their agenda, just in case their first (Gay-marriage; marriage-equality; sexual-orientation-non-discrimination; and the same under several dozen different other names and descriptions) happens to pass, leaving them without a platform.

As for the Lord's prayer in parliament, while I praise all those who pray in earnest, when I pray it's carved out of my own free time and nobody pays me for that time - why should others then be paid from my tax-money for time they don't actually work? Prayer is supposed to be a form of sacrifice: what then do those who get paid sacrifice there?

Jay
I suspect that the Greens would have to temper some of their policies if they ever form government or form a Coalition. However, I doubt they would be predisposed to succumb to pressure from big business in approving ventures or rules that have an adverse effect on the majority of others. It is not just about environment, while that is important, but about treatment of human beings and at worst about corruption (think the Obeid example).

SM
It may surprise you to learn that I really don't put the subject of the Lord's Prayer high on the agenda of important policies, but that does not mean it should not be considered, as indeed you thought enough of it to raise the topic. However, we will have to respectfully disagree on your statement that this issue does not have anything to do with separation of powers. It has everything to do with it.

The attitude towards this is one that comes up a lot when people disagree. Just because an issue does not have a high priority does not mean it should be ignored forever. The republic debate gets the same response.

Yuyutsu
Same sex marriage is but one of the Greens policies and is shared by many in both the ALP and the Coalition. They do have a platform if you would care to read it on their website. That would be like me arguing that the Liberals don't have a platform other than 'stopping the boats' just because it is receiving most attention at the moment.

ponde,

"It could also be regarded as discriminatory, what about Islam ....
Then the Hindu's, Calathumpians will all want a prayer for their God."

Where on earth did you and your friend get the laughable idea that the Lord's Prayer is exclusively Christian?

It is acceptable to Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and other non-Christian faiths and Mahatma Gandhi thought that it was fine.

This current attempt at headline grabbing is par for the Greens compounded of no substance plus ignorance.

Dear Is Mise,

<<It is acceptable to Jews>>

It is not acceptable to Jews, only grudgingly tolerated:

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/848875/jewish/Is-the-Lords-Prayer-Non-denominational.htm