Foxy,

And similarly, where the practice of one's faith does not hurt anyone, then there is no reason for changing government policies in such a way as to affect the practice of one's faith.

Shadow Minister,

Governments have laws for a reason. The political
and cultural institutions that govern our country
are absolutely critical to maintain harmony and
tolerance. Within an institutional framework that
preserves tolerance and protects order we can
celebrate and enjoy diversity in religion and
culture. We have laws to ensure that standards are
maintained throughout the country. No school is
nor should be above our law. Nor should it be able to
do what it pleases. As stated previously their faith
has no bearing on government policies - nor should it.

Dear Foxy,

«Religion as we know exists all around us.»

I am so glad to hear this from you: religion is indeed all-pervading and the prime motivator of everything, whether we pursue it consciously or otherwise.

Therefore even government policies are ultimately directed by religion, even while the politicians are generally unaware of this and when in their case, the light of religion has to pass through so many layers of mental and emotional dirt that it comes out twisted and hardly recognisable.

Though religion is everywhere, we usually call "religious" those persons who are consciously trying to follow the path to God. For us who do, God comes first, ahead of all personal and selfish desires, but also ahead of society, its norms and standards. No harm can ever come by following the path to God and no disharmony could possibly ensue from looking up and following the perfect and greatest conductor of all things.

And so it is, I say, that if the laws were fashioned around the 'ten commandments' and not of human conception, we would be looking at a vastly different and more affable world, and not the torture and turmoil we are having to endure instead.

Foxy,

And governments have exemptions to laws for a reason too.

Is the government going to enforce gender equality in selecting Catholic priests, force boys schools to admit girls, force the Muslims to hire gay atheist female imams etc or should there be exemptions.

Similarly should catholic private schools be banned from accepting mostly catholic students, should they install muslim prayer rooms.

The list of stupid consequences is endless.

Shadow Minister,

We can discuss this endlessly. However, I
have neither the time nor the inclination to
continue at present.

Yuyutsu,

You should know my personal beliefs by now.
We've discussed religion many times on this forum.
However, what this discussion is about - is what
decisions the government will make regarding
religious schools - and that we don't yet know.

ALTRAV,

If we could learn to divert our energy and resources
to the real problems that face us, including poverty,
disease, overpopulation, injustice, oppression, and
the devastation of our natural environment we just
may enhance the life of this bright and lovely planet
on which billions of us share our adventure.