RSA Weekly For atheists, rationalists and secular humanists in Australia
Saturday 25 January 2025 Hi , If Peter Dutton is serious about his demand for "education not indoctrination" in schools, will he address issues of religious indoctrination in classrooms across Australia? We've
written to him this week asking just that (see our top article). Let's hope we'll get a response soon from the Leader of the Opposition. Also, there's plenty to chew on regarding the return of Trump to the White House. The Christian nationalists have got their man in power. And they have wasted no time getting to work. Hold on to your hats! If you'd like to share something you've seen online or share your thoughts about articles in the RSA Weekly, feel free to email me on editor@rationalist.com.au. Si Gladman Executive Director, Rationalist Society of Australia |
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| RSA RSA calls on Opposition Leader to support removing religious
indoctrination from schools24 Jan: The Rationalist Society of Australia has called on the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, to support the removal of religious indoctrination, including scripture programs, from Australian classrooms. The RSA wrote to Mr Dutton this week after he declared that, if elected to government this year, the Coalition would demand “education not indoctrination” in schools. Read the full article |
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| RSA No answer yet on when government will respond to proposed reform
of religious charities22 Jan: The Department of the Treasury has dodged a question in the Senate on when the Albanese government will provide a response to the Productivity Commission’s recommendation for reform of Basic Religious Charities. In a written question submitted in November, Greens senator David Shoebridge asked directly for an answer on when the government would respond to the recommendation, which was delivered in a report mid
last year. Read the full article |
| POLITICO Trump signs anti-abortion policies after speaking to March for Life 26 Jan: President Donald Trump’s campaign-trail promise to leave abortion
regulation to the states lasted just a few days into his presidency. He issued executive orders on Friday that revive some anti-abortion policies from his first administration. Read the full article |
| ABC Significant progress made to end school funding wars as two more states sign on for public school funding deal 25 Jan: A new 10-year funding agreement
that will define the future of the nation's 10,000 schools and could end the education funding wars is closer after Victoria and South Australia signed on today. Under the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA) the Commonwealth has agreed to lift its share of public school funding to 25 per cent, up from 20 per cent. Read the full article |
| ABC Why has no-one arrested in relation to Sydney's antisemitic attacks been charged with terrorism? 25 Jan: Nine people have been charged for their
involvement in attacks across Sydney under Strike Force Pearl, which has been allocated extra resources including specialist counter-terrorism officers. However, no one has been charged with terrorism offences. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Coalition demands Labor hate speech crackdown explicitly outlaw threats and attacks on places of worship 24 Jan: The Coalition has demanded
the Albanese government explicitly outlaw threats and attacks against places of worship as part of a planned crackdown on hate speech. Labor’s bill to further outlaw speech directly inciting violence and threats will be a big focus when federal MPs return to Canberra in February. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Canada’s top court to hear challenge to controversial Quebec secularism law 24 Jan: Canada’s top court has agreed to hear a challenge to
Quebec’s controversial secularism law, paving the way for a fierce debate over provincial powers and the fundamental rights of ethnic and religious minorities. Read the full article |
| THE AGE New hate-speech laws could be in force within weeks23 Jan: Hate speech laws criminalising violent threats against racial or religious groups could be in force within weeks,
as Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus rejects claims that the Albanese Government’s policies on Israel have fuelled a surge in anti-Semitism. Read the full article |
| SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Religious groups split on changes to hate-speech laws23 Jan: A proposal to criminalise hate speech in NSW has split religious organisations, with Australia’s
peak Jewish body welcoming it as long overdue, but the Anglican and Catholic churches warning it could have unintended consequences of criminalising expressions of doctrine. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Crossbenchers urge Labor to act immediately on deepfakes and misinformation before next election23 Jan: Independents have urged the government to act immediately on
deepfakes and disinformation as the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) issues a warning about AI and foreign interference in the upcoming election. Read the full article |
| RIOT ACT Don't let Brindabella Christian College reopen without assurances, reform group urges ministers23 Jan: The reform group campaigning for governance reform at Brindabella
Christian College has launched a survey calling on the community to support its push for the ACT and federal education ministers to not let the school reopen until it can show it is taking action to get its house in order. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN ‘The end of women and children’s rights’: outrage as Iraqi law allows child marriage22 Jan: Iraqi MPs and women’s rights groups have reacted with horror to the Iraqi
parliament passing a law permitting children as young as nine years old to marry, with activists saying it will “legalise child rape”. Read the full article |
| ABC Donald Trump says he was 'saved by God' to rescue America as he returns as president21 Jan: In officially being sworn in as the 47th president of the US in Washington DC, Donald
Trump said that he was "saved by God" to rescue America after what he characterised as years of betrayal and decline. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Teacher who told Sydney Catholic Schools she was transitioning allegedly asked to move and not given shifts21 Jan: A music teacher who told the management of Sydney
Catholic Schools she was transitioning was allegedly asked to move to a different school before being given no shifts for a year. Zoe Conolan-Glen lodged a discrimination complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission in July 2024, which was referred to the federal court on 18 December. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Pope dissolves Peru-based Catholic movement after ‘sadistic abuses’21 Jan: Pope Francis has taken the remarkable step of dissolving a Peruvian-based Catholic movement
after years of attempts at reform and a Vatican investigation. The investigation uncovered sexual abuses by its founder, financial mismanagement by its leaders and spiritual abuses by its top members. Read the full article |
| ABC Doctors outraged by abortion ban at Orange hospital take complaint to ICAC20 Jan: Doctors "heartbroken and incensed" by last year's abortion ban at a regional New South Wales hospital
say they have taken their concerns to the state's independent corruption watchdog. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN Iranian court sentences pop star Tataloo to death for blasphemy20 Jan: An Iranian court has sentenced the popular singer Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, known as Tataloo, to
death on appeal after he was convicted of blasphemy, according to local media reports. Read the full article |
| CHRISTIAN POST Australian MP slams charity watchdog's handling of Hillsong's compliance failures3 Jan: Andrew Wilkie, an independent member of the Australian Parliament, has
dismissed the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission as a "toothless tiger" for accepting a remedial plan from Hillsong College to do better after an investigation found it failed to meet several compliance standards. Read the full article |
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| RATIONALE Finding a way out of our debt
spiral David James: The biggest financial challenge facing the world is how to deal with unsustainable debt. Global debt is pretty much out of control; it is running at more than double the world economy. Different countries are facing different challenges. In Australia, the main problem is household debt fuelled by a once-in-a-century housing bubble. Read the full article |
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| RATIONALE In science we trust Mathew Marques, et al: Public trust in scientists is vital. It can help us with personal decisions on matters like health and provide evidence-based policymaking to assist governments with crises such as the COVID pandemic or climate change. Read the full
article |
| MOTHER JONES A Brazen Moment of Christian Nationalism at Trump’s Inauguration David Corn: It’s hardly unusual for a Trump rally to begin with a
Christian invocation. But this introduction had a sharp Christian nationalism vibe. Halili shouted, “Thank you, Jesus, for today. Seriously!” Then she reworked the Lord’s Prayer to include Trump: “Your kingdom come, Lord. Your will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven. In America, as it is in Heaven. In the life of President Donald Trump, as it is in heaven.” Read the full article |
| SYDNEY MORNING HERALD What to know about Trump’s ‘two-sex’ executive order Almost immediately after he was sworn in as the 47th president of the United
States, Donald Trump signed an executive order that rolled back protections for millions of transgender and non-binary people while also rescinding several Biden-era orders concerning the broader LGBTQ community. Read the full article |
| SYDNEY MORNING HERALD A brave bishop stumped Trump. You could call it a Bible bashing Julia Baird: Since the Episcopalian Bishop of Washington,
the Right Rev Mariann Budde, spoke at the prayer service held the day after the inauguration, Republicans have called for her to be deported, and President Trump called her “nasty”, saying she should apologise to the American public. Others praised her uncommon courage. Read
the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN ‘Reactionary nihilism’: how a rightwing movement strives to end US democracy Adam Gabbatt: There is a “real and very, very present”
threat to the US from a shadowy collection of rightwing leaders, a new book on the movement behind Donald Trump warns, with the aim being “an end to pluralistic democracy”. Read the full article |
| THE CONVERSATION Attitudes toward Christian nationalism don’t just boil down to views on race, religion and history Kerby Goff, et al: Our
research suggests that the controversy surrounding Christian nationalism is driven not by a lack of moral concern by sympathizers or critics but by their different moral priorities. We believe that understanding such differences as morally rooted can open the door for mutual understanding and productive debate. Read the full article |
| THE CONVERSATION Trump has begun dismantling America’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Here’s why Australia may not follow suit Judy
Lundy and Uma Jogulu: It’s been a significant day for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in the United States. Such initiatives are about providing equality of opportunity and a sense of being valued for all members of an organisation. But a backlash has been brewing for years, led by some familiar, newly emboldened voices on the right. Read the full article |
| THE GUARDIAN What is an oligarchy and is Biden right to call it a threat to US democracy? Victoria Bekiempis: Joe Biden delivered an ominous
message to Americans in his 15 January farewell address, warning that a privileged few could soon be poised to wield enormous power in the US. Biden described a “dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. Read the full article |
| THE FREETHINKER Trampled Rights: The Tragic Stories Behind Blasphemy-Related Killings in Pakistan Shaukat Korai: The extrajudicial killing of
Kunbhar—which occurred not long after another blasphemy-related killing by a police officer in Quetta, Baluchistan—has shaken the entire province, instilling fear in those who cherish liberal, progressive, secular values and the right to free speech. Read the full
article |
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