Religion News Selection 14 (Apr 11

Religion News Selection 14 (Apr 11 - 18)

(18 April 10)
by Greg Spearritt

Religion News Selection

Apr 11 - 18, 2010

A selection of religion news stories from Australia.

Inclusion here does not endorse the veracity or quality of any particular item – it just means I found it worth reading and reflecting on (even if badly conceived or poorly written).

If you’re after the unexpurgated (and reasonably unbiased) version, see Religion News Australia which appears weekly on our website.

EDUCATION

You can't teach ethics without referring to Christianity (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 12 – (Opinion: Jim Wallace) With our nation having just played host to a big atheist convention trumpeting the intellectual superiority of unbelief, many may well be wondering why we still bother gazetting an extended long weekend to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Keneally allows Anglican Church to vet content of ethics lessons (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 13 - THE Anglican Archbishop of Sydney has privately lobbied the Premier, Kristina Keneally, against the permanent introduction of secular ethics classes in public schools, saying they would jeopardise the future of religious education.

Complaints put brakes on ethics class trial (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 17 - VERITY FIRTH is refusing to guarantee a 10-week trial for secular ethics classes will start next week in state primary schools as expected, after a flurry of complaints from religious leaders.

INTERNATIONAL STORIES

Abuse

Literary duo seeks Pontiff's arrest (The Australian)

Apr 12 - AUTHOR and atheist campaigner Richard Dawkins is planning a legal ambush to have the Pope arrested during his state visit to Britain "for crimes against humanity".

Also: The Pope-hunters' pathological campaign (The Australian)

Apr 15 – (Opinion: Brendan O'Neill) THE New Atheist campaign to have Pope Benedict XVI arrested when he visits Britain later this year exposes the deeply disturbing, authoritarian and even Inquisitorial side to today's campaigning secularism.

Also: Evildoers, not Pope, to blame (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 16 - (Opinion: Miranda Devine) The pursuit of the Pope reached absurd heights this week with news that atheists Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have asked the Australian barrister Geoffrey Robertson to draw up a case to arrest Benedict XVI for alleged cover-up of paedophilia in the Catholic Church.

Vatican distances itself from prelate's gay remarks (ABC News)

Apr 15 - The Vatican has distanced itself from remarks by a top prelate who stirred anger in the gay community by blaming homosexual priests for the child sex abuse scandals rocking the Catholic Church.

The enforcer with a gentle manner (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 15 – (Opinion: Paola Totaro ) My brush with Pope Benedict occurred on board a specially re-configured Qantas 747, en route back to Rome from Sydney two years ago almost to the day.

Why the Pope should be thanked (Daily Telegraph, Sydney)

Apr 18 – (Opinion: George Pell) Pope Benedict XVI has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks over his handling of sexual abuse by priests.

POLITICS

Churches lash Rudd on new asylum stance (The Australian)

Apr 14 - KEVIN Rudd is facing growing criticism from church groups over his toughened asylum stance, but other critics of past Australian refugee policy are holding their fire.

RELIGION & SOCIETY

Aussies safer in a strip club than a church, figures show (Adelaide Now)

Apr 11 - THEY may be holy places of worship and reflection, but new figures show you may not be as safe in a NSW church as you are at a strip club or in a brothel.

How the West was lost: a lack of faith in civilisation (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 12 – (Opinion: Phillip Coorey) There is a growing belief among Australia's most formidable conservative thinkers that the foundations of Western civilisation in this country are being eroded.

When laws clash with culture (Sydney Morning Herald)

Apr 16 – (Opinion: James Spigelman) Sexism in the European cultural tradition has been attacked on a broad front, including violence against women.

The true nature of sceptics (The Australian)

Apr 17 – (Opinion: Frank Furedi) Unafraid, questioning minds are central to the pursuit of truth and democracy.