Australian churches on the defensive after GAC

[Faithfree]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010 ... 863269.htm

Christian leaders use Easter to attack atheism

Religious leaders have used their Good Friday sermons to launch an attack on what they call a recent surge in atheism.

Thousands of Christians crowded into churches this morning to mark the solemn Christian festival of Good Friday.

Sydney Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen told his congregation atheism is not the rational philosophy that it claims to be.

Dr Jensen told the congregation that atheism is as much of a religion as Christianity.

"It's about our determination as human beings to have our own way, to make our own rules, to live our own lives, unfettered by the rule of God and the right of God to rule over us," he said.

"What we're really seeing, once more [is] an example of the contest between human beings and God over who rules the world."

The Anglican Archbishop's comments were mirrored by the Catholic Bishop of Parramatta, Anthony Fisher.

In his Easter address, he said Christianity has proved to be both vulnerable and hardy in the last century.

"Last century we tried godlessness on a grand scale and the effects were devastating: Nazism, Stalinism, Pol Pot-ery, mass murder, abortion and broken relationships - all promoted by state-imposed atheism," he said.

"[It's] the illusion that we can build a better life without God."

Atheist Foundation president David Nicholls says the comments are an act of desperation by the church.

"We're not forcing anything on anybody," he said.

"Hitler, who was a Catholic, forced Nazism onto the German population.

"Stalin forced his ideology onto the population. They didn't do any of these things in the name of atheism, in fact Stalin was trained in a seminary."

In his sermon, Dr Jensen said the passion of its followers shows atheism a religion in itself.

But Mr Nicholls says that atheism does not have its own belief structure.

"The passion and vigour that Peter Jensen refers to is only in his own mind," he said.

"Because atheists say it as it is, and it's against what Peter thinks, he would have to include those words.

"Atheism is just the acceptance that there is no God, and apart from that people make their own decisions."

The anti-atheist messages come after a global convention on atheism was held in Melbourne last month.

Organisers of the Rise of Atheism conference say about 2,500 people attended the event which included keynote speaker Richard Dawkins.

Cardinal Pell's message

Meanwhile, the leader of the Catholic Church in Australia, Cardinal George Pell, acknowledged that the Catholic Church has had a lot of negative publicity in recent years.

But he used his Easter address to remind Australians of the important work Christians do for the community.

Cardinal Pell says Christian teachings are the foundation of the Western way of life, including the Australian notion of a fair go.

"We often hear about Christian failures to live up to Christian standards and there have been too many scandals and many victims but the great majority of Christians continue to follow the commandments of love through regular service, tolerance, forgiveness and community building," he said.

"Australians believe that everyone is entitled to a fair go because of the Christian teaching that every person, unlike the animals, is made in God's image.

"Great efforts are made at a considerable expense to help the elderly, the sick, the unemployed, delinquent children, the marginal lives."

Anglican Church Primate, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, urged people to think of stories of hope that emerge from natural disasters such as the Haiti earthquake.

Meanwhile, in pre-Easter celebrations in Rome, Pope Benedict celebrated Maundy Thursday mass at Saint John in Lateran Basilica.

He commemorated Christ's Last Supper by washing the feet of 12 priests representing the apostles, which is a symbol of humility.

[Faithfree]

"What we're really seeing, once more [is] an example of the contest between human beings and God over who rules the world."

What we're really seeing is a contest between human beings deluded into thinking there is a god who rules the world, and those willing to accept the bleeding obvious.

[RuleBritannia]

Dr Jensen told the congregation that atheism is as much of a religion as Christianity.

According to the Australian Taxation Office (here) religious organisations are exempt from income tax.

Maybe some Aussie atheist organisations should get in on this, extra money to spread rationality and reason can only be a good thing.

[Faithfree]

Dr Jensen told the congregation that atheism is as much of a religion as Christianity.

According to the Australian Taxation Office (here) religious organisations are exempt from income tax.

Maybe some Aussie atheist organisations should get in on this, extra money to spread rationality and reason can only be a good thing.

Great, we'll get on to it immediately! Oh wait, I just read the fine print:

The term ‘religion’ is not confined to major religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, but also extends to Buddhism, Taoism, Jehovah’s Witness, the Free Daist Communion of Australia and Scientology. The categories of religion are not closed. Nonetheless, to be a religion there must be:

* belief in a supernatural being, thing or principle, and
* acceptance of canons of conduct that give effect to that belief, but that do not offend against the ordinary laws.

Obviously Dr Jensen missed that bit too.

[JimC]

Yes, they are being stung a little, which is a good sign, I suppose...

But stuff those boring bishops and their pulpit orations, they can go stick their heads up a dead bear's bum...

[leo-rcc]

Good thing too. I'll start attacking those non-believers in Loch Ness monsters, that will teach them.

[Feck]

They just don't know what to say do they they have run out of excuses ......they have been insisting for more than a thousand years that we would all be beasts if it weren't for the saving graces of the Church and now the truth is being revealed they are shitting themselves .

Their answer to the challenge of atheism used to be "Burn the evil ones" and now all they can do I cry about how more and more people are thinking for themselves .... It was the beginning of the end for them when the babble was made available for people to read .

[JimC]

I like this bit I extracted from Jensen's speech:

It's about our determination as human beings to have our own way, to make our own rules, to live our own lives, unfettered by the rule of God and the right of God to rule over us," he said.

Well said, sir, well said!

[beige]

Dr Jensen told the congregation that atheism is as much of a religion as Christianity.

Oh dear... I really don't like where this is going.

"Last century we tried godlessness on a grand scale and the effects were devastating: Nazism, Stalinism, Pol Pot-ery, mass murder, abortion and broken relationships - all promoted by state-imposed atheism," he said.

I have wonder why that particular piece of nonsense is so prevalent.

[It's] the illusion that we can build a better life without God."

Or perhaps the illusion is in self-deprecating until you feel you're powerless without the intervention of magic.

[Trolldor]

"Australians believe that everyone is entitled to a fair go because of the Christian teaching that every person, unlike the animals, is made in God's image.

Fucking nonsense. Firstly, most Australians believe we're being overrun by boat people, and that a sure sign of success is a plasma screen television.
Secondly, the bible teaches that women are fuck dolls for men who ruined everything at the beginning of time and should therefore bleed regularly for it.

I'm really losing my tolerance for this shit.