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Bible . . Page.. 710 ..

I have been interested in the comments that have been made about tolerance by a minority of what Mr Cornwell asserts is a majority opinion. The minority have to cop it. The minority can stay away, or wait outside. We have had read to us letters written by Christian churches saying that people of other faiths should not mind the current form of the prayer. This is tolerance on its head. This is intolerance. Tolerance is about majorities considering and having regard for the convictions and beliefs of minorities.

This Legislative Assembly is a secular institution. It is not the role of this Assembly to promote religion or to give weight to some religious convictions over others. I have a personal faith, and I accept that people of faith believe that their faith is a serious matter. Many faiths, although not all, believe that their faith should be extended to others in the community. I welcome, as a person of faith, all debate in the community about spirituality. I believe that it is an important issue. But I do not believe that churches should seek to promote their faith by appropriating the institutions of the state. Nor should people who feel comfortable praying the monotheistic prayer in the current standing orders force others to pray despite their unbelief.

On a personal note, it is a matter of some sadness to me that Christian churches, of which I am a part, seek to maintain their standing in the community by appropriating secular institutions, by clinging to these kinds of rituals in our institutions, rather than getting to the fundamentals of their faith and seeking to persuade others of the merits of their views. It is, as I said, a matter of sadness and grief to me that the efforts of the churches do not go more into that and less into the business of seeking to ensure that schools and the Legislative Assembly maintain things which they will feel comfortable with.

There is another important principle which members should consider. This Assembly belongs to all citizens in Canberra. All citizens in Canberra should be eligible to stand, regardless of their personal beliefs, and should feel encouraged to stand, regardless of their personal beliefs. They should not be discouraged. They should not be sent signals that Anglicans - for this prayer is, at its root, an Anglican form of words - or Christians, or believers in one of the three related monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity or Islam - somehow have greater rights to participate or greater status in the community than people with other personal beliefs. This is already recognised to a limited extent by the provisions allowing people to make an affirmation when they become members of this Assembly, rather than swearing on the Christian Bible.

For people of faith who believe in the importance of taking their job seriously and acting in a way which is prayerful or in accordance with the tenets of their religion, this is really a matter not of form in this place but of what people do. Madam Deputy Speaker, it is not a great element of my tradition to be producing proof texts, and I think it is not a particularly strong form of argument; but I want to refer to a thought by the central figure of my religion, Jesus. I commend this to the consideration of members. He said this:

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