Australia is home to many different religions; in fact it would probably be fair to say that most of the religions that exist in the world could be found here. For example, think Scientology (yes it is a religion according to the High Court of Australia), Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and the many different sects that would call themselves Christian; Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Holy Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, Christian Scientists, the various Pentecostal churches, etc, etc.
The views held by these various religions and sects vary quite dramatically and each believes that their view is correct and supported by whatever God it is they believe in and whatever scripture they use. An Orthodox Jew believes it is forbidden to work on the Sabbath and this would encompass the pressing of a pedestrian crossing light activation button. By the way the punishment for working on the Sabbath is to be put to death but they draw the line here. It always amazes me how strongly held some beliefs are but how flexibility is allowed in other cases!
A Muslim believes that a man must grow a beard at least to the length of a fist and that it is forbidden to shave it or to trim it to less than the length of a fist. Hard to see why Allah would care so much about your beard length but that’s what a Muslim believes.
A Jehovah’s Witness believes that having a blood transfusion is forbidden by words in the Bible and there have been many court cases involving the medical treatment of the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Once again I am amazed how an ancient text can be used to discuss modern technological advances and medical treatments. And they’ve had numerous goes at predicting the actual date on which the world will end and Jesus will return. There’s always a good reason why the maths was a bit out but catch a scientist admitting that he might have made a mistake and you can never believe them again!
I wonder why I would be prohibited from ending my own life when it becomes intolerable to me because of pain, dignity or sheer hopelessness. Why do Christians have the right to tell me that I am not allowed to do it and use various verses from parts of what must be one of the most inconsistent and illogical texts to exist, the Bible, as justification.
Don’t get me started on the weird and wonderful beliefs of the Scientologists and other religious fringe – dwellers! Electrodes implanted in heads to receive messages from outer space are by no means the most bizarre beliefs and claims.
And the mainstream Christian churches certainly believe, or did believe for some time in some wondrous things such as the bodily assumption of Mary into heaven or the transubstantiation of wine into blood and bread into human flesh. Shouldn’t we wonder at how the beliefs change over time? The Bible hasn’t changed but we are asked to accept that someone has had a revelation pointing out why something that was accepted as the truth for eons is no longer so. Pretty amazing really!
Why do we condemn the poorest of the poor in Africa and South America to a life of poverty and disease by prohibiting the use of condoms or other birth control means because of some Pope’s, Imam’s, Bishop’s, or Rabbi’s pronouncements and interpretations of ancient and contradictory writings?
So what should we do about all these ideas? Well it’s a free society and we guarantee the right to practice one’s religion but that does not give the believer the right to “impose” their beliefs on others in our society. I really don’t care if we have prayers in parliament or before Albury City Council meetings. I don’t close my eyes or bow my head and nor do I say Amen at the end. But neither do I make a fuss and try to tell others that they should follow my example. I stand quietly and wonder how God will “protect me from all that is evil” especially when I have just read that a man has bludgeoned his son to death.
Now let’s have a look at the protesters outside the medical clinic in Englehardt Street and see what this all means. As Catholics they believe that abortion is wrong in all cases and they would like to convince others of this and so stop abortion as a medical procedure. No problems so far and any vigil or demonstration in support of these beliefs should certainly be allowed in our society. But their protest is not a silent or passive one. From their own statements it is clear that they approach people and try to convince them that they should not have an abortion, even when that may not be the reason for a person attending the clinic.
They show confronting images of aborted foetuses and use words that intimidate and distress people. Some people who use this clinic do it because they have had a partial miscarriage for example and they are they to access a necessary medical procedure.
This is harassment and intimidation and an interference with other’s rights to privacy and it should stop. They would not appreciate me if I protested outside their church with photographs of men who have hanged themselves because of the pain stemming from abuse at the hands of Catholic priests. Would they let me speak to their children and warn them of the presence of paedophiles in the ranks of the priests who conduct services and expound on what is sinful? I think not.
While I respect their beliefs I would ask that they respect my right to believe in other things and my right to privacy.
