21 December 2012

Katy keeping the Assembly secular

| johnboy
Join the conversation
27

The Australian Christian Lobby is having a squawk after new speaker Vicki Dunne has been rebuffed in her efforts to have a church service kick off the Assembly year on 11 February.

The ACL has just become aware of a letter by ACT Chief Minister Ms Gallagher in which she declined the Speaker of the House Vicki Dunne’s invitation to a church service to mark the beginning of the Assembly’s 2013 year on 11th of February at St Paul’s church in Manuka.

Ms Gallagher said “Members have been able to maintain a secular approach to our practice and tradition” and at the end of the letter stated “Should the Assembly actually be presented with an opportunity to express its view on this matter I can confirm that the Labor MLA’s would not support it or any other attempt to alter the secular character of our Legislative Assembly.”

ACL’s Managing Director Jim Wallace said it was disappointing for those in the ACT who had a Christian faith that Ms Gallagher declined to attend a ceremony that would be important to those who believe that the our society stands out as a civil one because of its Christian fundamentals, and would want to see Christ continue to bless and preserve it.

One would hope those of a Christian faith would have the brains to realise they’re not well served by a Chief Minister paying them lip service, and would appreciate the honesty.

One does wonder how the ACL became aware of the letter. Get it from the Speaker’s Office did they?

Join the conversation

27
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
TwainAndHume3:18 pm 14 Feb 13

Long may the Assembly remain secular as well …. the ACT and Australia in general shouldn’t have any desire to head down the proverbial well that has been dug for itself by the American Tea Party ….

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Not one for science, huh?

Science in relation to what?

screaming banshee said :

….I wouldn’t say relies on but it clearly permeates through most of our lives and expressions we grow up with would be difficult to stop using on the basis of atheism. As for the terms referencing christ as above, I associate them no more with their religious reference that I would calling someone a ‘see you next tuesday’ because they resemble female genitalia. In fact if I were to call someone the former I would have no interest in exposing any of my five senses to them which is quite the opposite for the latter.

Cunvulvaluted.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd7:10 pm 22 Dec 12

2604 said :

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

Not one for science, huh?

screaming banshee7:00 pm 22 Dec 12

Masquara said :

Christmas is secular these days. And Christmas is Christmas. Everyone should say Merry Christmas to each other around this time. Along with Happy Hannukah. Christmas also serves to push the stultifying climate change conversation onto the back burner for a bit of blessed relief. Thank f*cking christ. (Amazing how an atheist relies on Christian culture, isn’t it? that’s two religious references made unawares, in two sentences. Hands up any atheists who never say “thank god!” None? Thought so!).

I wouldn’t say relies on but it clearly permeates through most of our lives and expressions we grow up with would be difficult to stop using on the basis of atheism. As for the terms referencing christ as above, I associate them no more with their religious reference that I would calling someone a ‘see you next tuesday’ because they resemble female genitalia. In fact if I were to call someone the former I would have no interest in exposing any of my five senses to them which is quite the opposite for the latter.

Having said that…top work Katy, religion has no place in politics.

I have to say that I actually agree with Katy on this one.

I kind of feel all dirty now……… 🙂

I don’t think religion belongs in the political arena. +1 for Katy. Ms Dunne? Nick off.

Primal said :

Looks like the ACL will be getting everything it deserves for Christmas.

Not everything. I suspect they’ll still be around after xmas.

Christmas is secular these days. And Christmas is Christmas. Everyone should say Merry Christmas to each other around this time. Along with Happy Hannukah. Christmas also serves to push the stultifying climate change conversation onto the back burner for a bit of blessed relief. Thank f*cking christ. (Amazing how an atheist relies on Christian culture, isn’t it? that’s two religious references made unawares, in two sentences. Hands up any atheists who never say “thank god!” None? Thought so!).

DrKoresh said :

2604 said :

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

Oh, go cry to your God about it you idiot. Climate Change, you are seriously going there? I don’t like smarmy atheist sentiments like the one you’re referring to, but you just had to go an prove him right, didn’t you?

No. Read my post again. I referred to “catastrophic climate change”. Climate change is one thing. It’s happening, albeit very slowly (cumulative 0.7 degree increase in average temperatures for the entire 20th century). The idea that average temperatures will increase by 4-5 degrees in the medium term due to human behaviour if we don’t all buy green energy or stop driving cars or pay more tax or elect Greens or shut down the coal industry is quite another.

This is not a discussion about climate change. Anyone who brings climate change into a non-climate change discussion shall hereafter be considered a nutter.

DrKoresh said :

2604 said :

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

Oh, go cry to your God about it you idiot. Climate Change, you are seriously going there? I don’t like smarmy atheist sentiments like the one you’re referring to, but you just had to go an prove him right, didn’t you?

It’s a good thing you didn’t refer to me as swami coz them is fighting words!

2604 said :

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

Oh, go cry to your God about it you idiot. Climate Change, you are seriously going there? I don’t like smarmy atheist sentiments like the one you’re referring to, but you just had to go an prove him right, didn’t you?

2604 said :

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

we have a winner it seems.

poetix said :

I would just like to make the point that not all Christians are represented by the ‘Australian Christian Lobby’. They certainly don’t reflect my view of Christianity.

Sometimes in Anglican services, in the general prayers, there is something along the lines of hoping that God gives politicians wisdom. But God may well have more important things to worry about, it seems (-:

I don’t agree that faith and logic are mutually exclusive. But for me the questions, based on this, are: who is doing more for the underprivileged? Who is helping to ensure that we leave a habitable planet to future generations?

Is anyone doing anything for refugees or the homeless, except for stigmatising them?

As to the service itself, there is nothing wrong with politicians who are Christians having such a service, and inviting those of all faiths, or no faith. But the manufactured outrage at an atheist not supporting an official opening is a bit sad.

The words ‘Christian fundamentals’ make me shudder.

I think there is such a service for Federal Parliament’s opening, incidentally.

As an agnostic athiest it would be contradictory for me to have faith or belief in a superior being.As i also understand it faith is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.

Good work Katy

I didn’t know that the ACT Legislative Assembly had a representative from rural Queensland – how does that work Vicki?

I would just like to make the point that not all Christians are represented by the ‘Australian Christian Lobby’. They certainly don’t reflect my view of Christianity.

Sometimes in Anglican services, in the general prayers, there is something along the lines of hoping that God gives politicians wisdom. But God may well have more important things to worry about, it seems (-:

I don’t agree that faith and logic are mutually exclusive. But for me the questions, based on this, are: who is doing more for the underprivileged? Who is helping to ensure that we leave a habitable planet to future generations? Is anyone doing anything for refugees or the homeless, except for stigmatising them?

As to the service itself, there is nothing wrong with politicians who are Christians having such a service, and inviting those of all faiths, or no faith. But the manufactured outrage at an atheist not supporting an official opening is a bit sad.

The words ‘Christian fundamentals’ make me shudder.

I think there is such a service for Federal Parliament’s opening, incidentally.

Gungahlin Al12:48 pm 22 Dec 12

Kudos to Katy for sending Vicki Dunne packing on this. Brickbats to Dunne for her presumption that her faith is everyone’s faith – her “Peter Slipper black robes” moment?

And the ACL? Thanks for drawing everyone’s attention to your increasing irrelevance Jim.

bundah said :

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

If you’re referring to faith in catastrophic climate change, faith in the effectiveness and justice of affirmative action, faith in higher taxes making the world a “fairer” place, and all the other nonsense that religion-hating, bed-wetting lefties believe in without a scrap of evidence or logic, I completely agree.

It would appear that faith and logical thought are mutually exclusive.

The first sensible policy Katy has come up with in years.

ScienceRules7:46 am 22 Dec 12

I’m absolutely certain that Big Jim Wallace would completely support the attendance of Legislative Assembly members at the new Gunghalin Mosque to ring in the new year with a few “Allah Ackbahs”. Or perhaps having their thetans measured at the Scientology centre in civic. All in the name of inclusion and diversity of course.

AH, the poor little christians…. so persecuted…. 😉

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd5:52 pm 21 Dec 12

MrPC said :

I wonder what a pastafarian service for the opening of the Legislative Assembly would look like.

Much better than a Christian one.

Good on you Katy.

I wonder what a pastafarian service for the opening of the Legislative Assembly would look like.

If the ACL can have a Christian ceremony, can we hold one for every faith present in the ACT? I don’t think it could make the Assembly any less inefficient, could it?

Looks like the ACL will be getting everything it deserves for Christmas.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.