RSA Daily

For atheists, rationalists and secular humanists in Australia

Friday, April 5, 2024

Good morning ,

Anyone who's had anything to do with Sam Mostyn will affirm she is an inspired and an inspiring choice as Australia's next Governor-General. 

I suspect, however, she will have to have fingers crossed behind her back when she's required to pledge a grovelling oath of allegiance to an elderly man who happens to have had the questionable good fortune to have been born the first son of a rather psychologically damaged aristocratic family which lives on the other side of the globe. 

Sam should be our Head of State, with all the genuine authority to speak for us on the world stage that comes from being our choice, not a lackey (for all her undoubted qualities) appointed by an outdated system of an bygone era. 

Lead stories

A review of David Hardaker's new book, Mine is the Kingdom. "In documenting these accounts [of Hillsong's Brian Houston's behaviour] Hardaker is compelling, while largely resisting sensationalism." But if you want to ask him questions directly, sign up for the next RSA webinar:

Boy, this story shows just how deeply entangled the religious 'mafia' within the ADF has been. It's taken a Royal Commission to get to the truth ...

“Demand for Catholic education is ever increasing, our schools are going up (in enrolments) but participation in local parishes is going down, dramatically so..

The practice rates are plummeting – I think only 9.1 per cent of all Catholics go to Mass on Sunday. That makes schools mission territories, modern mission territories." Whatever happened to Sunday Schools??

Other stories of interest

Losing my religion, or just another voice emerging from the darkness

"I remember having a conversation with a church leader after the service who told me that if I didn’t convert to Christianity I’d go to to hell. The church isn’t there anymore. It’s now been converted into a health and hospital precinct. I don’t think Jesus would mind."

Faith groups warn Albanese a deal with Greens on religious discrimination would be an 'act of betrayal'

Ah, they do, do they??

Chaplains serve in hospitals and colleges. Should they be in public schools?

From the US. There's increasing push by Conservatives to introduce chaplains into public schools but interestingly, Interfaith groups are pushing back: ".. they are going to be engaging students, sometimes when they’re at their most vulnerable, and there’s not going to be any checks on whether they’re able to proselytize..” said Maureen O’Leary, organizing director at Interfaith Alliance. "This isn’t a matter of being pro- religion and anti-religion ..it's a matter of the appropriate role of religion as it applies to public schools." Yep.

Transition and Apostasy: A Wife's Perspective

Interesting insight into being a "trans spouse" (and also the role of the church in this case): "I tried to understand. What did she and the trans community mean by “a woman born in a man’s body”? I usually wear trousers; I am a physicist; I rarely wear make-up; but this does not make me a “man.”

"The voices of the moderate trans constituency has been drowned out by activist demands that trans people should be actively celebrated .. 

"being heterosexual in a world that assumes I am gay is a learning experience .. in the real world, most people want to be kind and do not care whether someone is male or female; gay, trans, or straight; old or young.."

Got a comment on any of these stories? 

Write to me at president@rationalist.com.au

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