Soon the government will introduce legislation to protect the rights of religion
I think it should pass, with no opersition
Yes this non-believer thinks those rights must be protected
Please be respectful, no matter what you think this subject needs that
What are we to do with other faiths rights? is there a border in this Christian country we, and no one should cross
FGM, Sharia law multiple wives,forced marriages, surely we have every right to say no to these practises?
We must walk gently and be very careful on this matter

While Morrison's Religious Discrimination Bill would make it unlawful for people to be discriminated against for their religious beliefs, what about people who have no religious beliefs, but who hold the same beliefs on, say, same sex marriage? What about the atheist, agnostic, or totally irreligious person who speaks against it, not because of any dogma, but because he or she is simply disgusted by it and regards it as completely unnatural and harmful to children dragged into such relationships? Will their consciousnesses and dissent be respected, or will they have to shut up because they don't have a religion? Will they have protection to object to having their children taught about homosexuality in schools, nonsense about choosing gender, and so on? Or will they have to remain silent?

We don't need laws to protect religious beliefs - we need a revision of the freedoms of ALL people to be able to say what they want to say.

Rule of thumb.

If they break the law, regardless of religion or lack of religion, then they should be held accountable. One way or another a religous faith should not be a sanctuary for criminals. After that rule of thumb, let religion go. Let them teach and practice their religion. Unless there is harm being done, or it is ongoing off and on from one group or another, unless that is the case let them go and only have your counter voice and counter views be heard. Nothing more as punishments for holding a religion.

On that note, freedom of religion is great, but should it go further and have protection for the religions as well? Should vandalism from an active protest be ignored? Or protesters mobbing a person or group of faith and doing harm, is that something to is let go?

I'm shocked to hear a growing trend of Muslims growing violent and no action is done to fight this. But then I'm also shocked to hear secular protesters make a statement by pummeling a person trying to share their faith in public. Should freedom of religion also mean equal protections and equal punishments?

We need to level the playing field, such things as penalty rates for Sunday work should be abolished as such rates are basically because of the sanctity of Sunday as a day of religious worship.

Likewise, all holidays that are based on religion,=; in a secular society such as Australia there is no place for Religious Holy Days; Christmas, Good Friday and Easter should have no more special meaning than Muslim and Jewish and other religions' special days.

By all means, let people observe their special days, be they holy or not, but they should not be paid for them if they take them off.

Rights conflict. Rights to express one's views are subordinate to the law, to the rights of individuals in law. One cannot break the law in the name of free speech.

As long as one expresses one's views without any incitement or threat of violence, or vilification, or humiliation - those rights should be protected. But rights to PRACTICE what one believes are subject to the law. So under-age marriage, FGM, differential treatment of women (where are the feminists these days ?) etc. should remain illegal: human rights trump rights to practise what one believes. Anybody can spout crap from the Bible or the Koran as much as they like, as long as nobody's human rights are infringed upon in the slightest.

There isn't a right not to be offended. Free speech presupposes the right to offend. Otherwise what the hell is it worth ? Anybody can offend me all they like, if it's possible. Anybody can criticise my behaviour if they think it's reprehensible in some way. No worries. Holding any idea up to the light of criticism is how social thought and philosophy have moved forward throughout history. We need more of it, not less.

Simple expression of different opinions is not vilification. To differ with someone is not to 'hate' them, despite what four-year-olds and snowflakes think.

Like you, Belly and Ttbn, I'm a non-believer, and probably my views and opinions might offend believers by denying their most fundamental beliefs. But both they and I have the right to express our conflicting views. I hope there never will be a world where those rights are banned.

Joe

Well never entered my head that muckraking was to be part of this thread
Ise Mise weekends, some thing we did not always have, anchors our culture
People have set days they,and their kids, can be together play sport just live
That is the reason to protect penalty rates not faith
Not-now-soon, ok agree
Law is law, let us not let some change that under the guise of freedom in faith any faith
Too my right to no longer believe in any God must be protected