Sharon Kaminsky’s Post

https://lnkd.in/gh44gaxH "The decision came after she shared Facebook posts criticising plans to teach LGBT+ relationships in primary schools." Religious doctrines are never imposed on anyone in schools; why should any other curriculum be❓. 👉 Christian doctrines would not (and should not) be taught in Muslim schools 👉 Muslim doctrines would not (and should not) be taught in Christian schools. 🤔 I have heard people say, in other parts of the world 🌎 "If it is a government school." Here, it pertains to Christian Schools, which the government started running or took over - Some of them have a (functioning and active) Church ⛪ on premises. In this particular instance, the issue on ground pertained to students and their parents of other religion demanding to have a Christian school accommodate their demand, as relating to their religion. The person who made that comment practised the religion of those protesting; hence there was lack of transparency. 🤔ℹ After I left Prinary school (🤔🙏🏾thank God it didn't happen earlier), the government of the nation started building a place of worship for other religion on the premises of Christian Primary Schools 😞 😔😟 - Who does that❓ Maybe even Secondary school later 🤔 - I attended a Christian Secondary School, and it was not the case then. Boundaries should always be respected - You don't go and build foreign altars. ❌ ❗The monopoly was solely political; and the bias has been reflected more and more ever since.❗ Relative proportion of choices of those in government at every level favours other religion, but Christianianity. Boundaries should always be respected. 📰 Regarding action taken in relation to this teacher's stand, I feel students (and their parents) at all levels of education should have the right to opt out of such lessons. I have always said 'anyone could choose to be anything they wanted'; however; nobody should have anything imposed on them. In my own opinion, 'LGBTQ and relationships', if taught in schools, should be taught to only students willing to partake of such lessons. It should not be taught to the hearing of students who do not want to partake of it; and it should not be imposed on any students or teachers. ℹ I once read online about someone who put a pig's head 🐷 on the premises of a Muslim - The offender was jailed (I think 💭 ). ✔ Boundaries should always be respected. This is obviously one of the factors that contributes to Peace on Earth 🌎 , which the United Nations always reminds us of. Shalom 🕊

At the core of our current challenges is the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2017, which led to the Ruddock review. The review exposed a startling reality: our assumed freedoms regarding religious expression were far less robust than we thought, despite being signatories to several international treaties. These recommendations initiated discussions about a potential religious discrimination bill. From the beginning, we have advocated for a rich marketplace of ideas where people can debate and share opinions freely. Legislating what is fundamentally an innate human right, not a government concession, is far from ideal. Sadly, Scott Morrison's handling of a particular school's policy further fueled discontent among moderates in the Liberal Party, leading to a revolt and resulting in a bill that failed to protect religious expression. In Western Australia, the Australian Christians Party has played a crucial role in advocating and voicing concerns about proposed changes to the Equal Opportunity Act. We have actively engaged with the Attorney General and other officials to discuss amendments that could potentially undermine faith-based schools' ability to employ staff who align with their ethos. These recommendations even seek to introduce an “Equal Opportunity Commissioner” with the power to ensure compliance without any form of complaint or referral. This is why Christian involvement in advocacy is not just important, but essential in protecting religious freedoms in our state. There is only one Party wholly committed to protecting religious freedom, schools and charities - that’s Australian Christians #australianchristians #life #faith #families #freedom

Interfaith Harmony Session at the University of Sargodha A session on Interfaith Harmony was conducted with youth from various departments at the Lincoln Corner of the University of Sargodha. The session was led by District Member for Interfaith Harmony and Human Rights Advocate, Sanawar Balam. During the session, Advocate Balam addressed the young students, discussing the restrictions that hinder the effective exercise of their religious freedoms and the measures needed to remove these barriers. Key points of discussion included: Freedom of Belief: Topics such as the freedom to express belief, religion, and citizenship, the right to marry, representation in jobs, population census inclusion, the acceptance of religious diversity in society, and the acceptance of religious conversion were explored. Challenges to Freedom of Worship: Issues such as attacks on places of worship, the denial of permission to build religious sites, the lack of maintenance for existing places of worship, and the unlawful occupation of religious lands were discussed. Additionally, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, management of religious schools, and freedom of expression were covered. After the session, students' questions were addressed, and several recommendations were made to the government, including: Removal of Obstacles in the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision of June 19, 2014. Clear Definition of Discrimination: Enacting legislation to define, legislate, and penalize acts of discrimination. Promoting Tolerance and Religious Diversity: The State of Pakistan should take more effective measures to promote tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and religious diversity. Abolishing Religious References: References to religion on passports and other official documents should be removed to uphold the principle of equality among citizens. Protection of Religious Freedoms: Federal and provincial governments should ensure the safety of religious freedoms without discrimination, fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities. Standardized Marriage and Divorce Registration: A uniform system for registering marriages and divorces should be developed. Preventing Coercion in Religious Conversion: Effective legislation should be enacted to ensure that religious conversion is free of coercion, with particular attention given to safeguarding the interests of minors. In addition to Advocate Sanawar Balam, social activists Madam Anum Khan, Madam Neena Maryam, Madam Amna Malik, Zeb Nawaz, and Naseem Zahoor also spoke to the youth. Thank you Mam Nimra Zia, Lincon Corner Team, and the University of Sargodha for the wonderful Session #universitystudent #SanawarBalam #InterfaithHarmony #RelgiousFreedom #humanrights #minorities #universityofsargodha Lincoln Corners Pakistan #LincolnCornersPakistan Christian Study Centre

US Jews don't combat antisemitism enough… or not in the right way. https://lnkd.in/gmvG8sxH An excellent article… The CAIR example is very good. The problem with Jews doing the same is that in this country we are not recognized or perceived as a nationality, a national minority; but rather as a religious one with ascribed cliche set of politics. While antisemitism (a hate for the Jews) is illegal, this refusal to see us as a nationality forms a sort of a de-facto legal foundation for it, by not allowing the Jews the same basic protections as anyone else. The implied premise being, one is born into a nationality; but one chooses their religious and political affiliations. To quote: “We mark ourselves as “white” on any governmental form, even though any DNA test will show that we compose our own ethnic/racial group regardless of our varying origins and religious practices. We build our own schools so that our kids can observe holidays and religious customs, bypassing any need for accommodation. When our kids go to public school, we just mark them down as “sick” on Yom Kippur to avoid a fight with our school districts.” “We must demand that US civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination and disparate treatment based on race, religion, nationality, and ethnicity apply to Jews. We are a “people” protected under law, whether we are Orthodox or Reform; whether we wear tzitzit or crop tops.”

Echoes of J-P II This Associated Press article (2 May 2024) describes the consequential changes the third longest serving pope in history, John-Paul II made to the US Catholic Church. Long seen as a bastion of liberal thought and theology, the US Catholic Church is now a reactionary outlier in the world church and a solid source of strength for Trump loyalists--thanks to the many arch conservative bishop appointments J-P II made while pope. "America’s Catholic Church sees a shift towards the old ways Across the United States, the Catholic church is undergoing an immense shift. "Generations of Catholics are increasingly embracing religious conservatives who believe the church has been twisted by change. The shift is molded by plummeting church attendance, increasingly traditional priests and growing numbers of young Catholics searching for more orthodoxy. "The shift has reshaped parishes across the country, leaving them sometimes at odds with Pope Francis and much of the Catholic world. Young priests driven by liberal politics and progressive theology, common in the 1960s and 70s, have “all but vanished,” said a 2023 report from The Catholic Project at Catholic University. Today’s young priests are far more likely to believe that the church has changed too much, tangling itself up in rapidly shifting views on everything from women’s roles to LGBTQ+ rights. "On the national level, conservatives increasingly dominate the Catholic intellectual world, but surveys show most American Catholics are far from orthodox. Most support abortion rights. The vast majority use birth control. But increasingly, those Catholics are not in church. The shrinking numbers mean that those who remain in the church have outsized influence compared with the overall Catholic population."

There continues to be renewed hope for religious freedom across America. It’s in large part thanks to First Liberty’s Supreme Court victories in recent years that changed decades of bad precedent. These wins ushered in a new era for religious expression—and gave Americans more religious freedom than they’ve had in 50 years. Propelled by this string of favorable Supreme Court decisions, state legislatures continue to take positive steps to protect religious liberty. Here’s a quick rundown of several bills that were recently passed or are being considered.

In a significant victory for religious freedom in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stepped back from secret legislation that threatened to undermine the very foundation of Christian schools. This decision comes after a massive campaign of resistance led by the Christian school community, alongside other faith leaders, who have fought tirelessly to preserve the right of parents to choose an education for their children that aligns with their beliefs. At the heart of this battle is the fundamental question of whether Christian schools should be allowed to employ staff who share their faith and uphold the values that these schools are built upon. For many parents, the ability to send their children to a school that not only teaches academic subjects but also reinforces the moral and spiritual values of their home is non-negotiable. This right has been under threat since the legalisation of same-sex marriage, with subsequent attempts by political groups such as the misnamed Equality Australia to strip religious schools of their freedom. Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy at Christian Schools Australia, emphasized the importance of this victory but warned that the fight is far from over. "The issue isn't resolved," Spencer told Family First National Director Lyle Shelton in an interview for ADH TV. "What we're seeing around the states and territories is that activists, lawyers, and bureaucrats want to force our schools to take an approach to education that undermines their religious identity. They want to dictate who we can employ, rather than allowing us to maintain the authentic communities of faith that parents have chosen for their children." The situation reached a boiling point earlier this year when it was revealed that the Albanese government had drafted legislation that would have effectively forced Christian schools to hire staff who do not share their beliefs. This move was met with widespread opposition from faith-based communities across Australia, culminating in large public rallies that showcased the overwhelming support for religious schools. "We had 4,200 people registered for those events across six states," Spencer noted. "These are people who are spending their own money to ensure their children receive an education consistent with their faith." Despite the reprieve, Christian schools remain vulnerable due to the broader legal environment that has shifted since the changes to the Marriage Act and the weaponisation of the Sex Discrimination Act, which now includes the subjective term “gender identity”. Spencer highlighted that while the immediate threat has been averted, the underlying issue persists. READ MORE: Go to the Family First Party web page.

The world has seen a noticeable rise in religious conservatism in a number of cultures in recent years. This phenomena is a reflection of a return to traditional values and ideas, which have their roots in religious doctrine. The perception of moral standards and social norms eroding in the face of fast globalization and cultural change is one of the main causes of this surge. In difficult times, many people turn to their religious beliefs for answers and reassurance in search of stability and direction. Moreover, religious conservatism has been leveraged by political and social groups to garner support and shape public opinion. Religious conservatives use these issues as a platform to defend their principles and push back against perceived attacks on their beliefs. Examples of these issues include gender identity, same-sex marriage, and abortion. Furthermore, as religious organizations are increasingly trying to reshape laws to reflect their moral values, the emergence of religious conservatism has important ramifications for governance and policy-making. While Christian conservatism gives many people a sense of community and moral clarity, it also poses issues with variety, tolerance, and individual rights. One of the most important challenges facing countries dealing with the modern-day revival of religious conservatism will be striking a balance between these conflicting objectives. #religiousconservatism #culturalchange #moralpanic #faithandpolitics #religiousright #genderwars #religiousliberty #balancingact

Two of Australia’s most senior Catholic leaders have put forward a detailed proposal to the Albanese government to address significant concerns about its draft religious discrimination laws, warning that as the legislation stands faith groups “would go a long way backwards”. The three-pronged proposal, obtained by The Australian, was sent to the government and opposition earlier this month before major party negotiations on the draft laws broke down. The Coalition is demanding Labor address the extensive list of problems outlined by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference before it considers its final position. Signed by Archbishop of Melbourne Peter A Comensoli, Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher and National Catholic Education Commission executive director Jacinta Collins, the proposal allows for the removal of section 38 of the Sex Discrimination Act but says it should be replaced by more precise protections for religious schools and corporations. The Australian understands the Anglican Church has put ­forward a similar plan. “If the (government’s) amendments to the SDA and the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill were enacted as currently drafted, there would be a very real and substantial reduction in existing legal and operational freedoms for religious education institutions,” the archbishops and Ms Collins state. “In essence, we would go a long way backwards. The current proposals would not provide sufficient legal and operational freedoms for religious educational institutions to maintain their ­religious ethos and fidelity to ­religious beliefs and practice.” https://lnkd.in/gvuB3wEQ