Attacks on Christian values escalate

#1122 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 2 September 2015.

Outrage continues over apparent attempts by a powerful lobby group to remove Special Religious Education from state schools, and a recent state-wide ban by the NSW Education Minister of a film depicting life for children of gay and lesbian couples, scheduled to be screened at Burwood Girls High School.

Christians who oppose same sex marriage were offended by Beyond Blue’s claim this week that failure to support “marriage equality” may be linked to depression, mental illness and suicide by same-sex couples.

And news this week that the option of “no religion” will appear above all other religious denominations on next year’s national census confirmed fears of growing secularism and positively anti-Christian sentiment, with claims that up to half the population may indicate they have “no religion.”

The common thread is religious freedom, which is why I welcome Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson’s announcement of a major freedom of religion roundtable in November, to chart the way ahead.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.