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The official Information Booklet claims that "there is evidence of persistent and increasing religious intolerance" that "appears to coincide with increasing religious revival", "occasionally by those who claim a superior religious belief. This gives the impression that religious revival, by those who claim a superior religious belief, could be responsible for increasing religious intolerance. If these statements are intended to apply to Christianity, then Christians must clarify an apparent misunderstanding.
Christianity is a superior religious belief, but preaching for revival that is faithful to the true Gospel is not intolerant of others, nor does it violate the religious freedom of others by forcing or coercing. Christians sow the seed and water it, but leave the increase to God, knowing full well that God alone knows those who are His sheep, and He will bring them into His fold. Christianity is a unique religion, and its uniqueness is what makes it superior. It is that claim to superiority that causes Christians to experience persecution for their beliefs and religious practices. Section 116 of the Commonwealth Constitution says Christians cannot be prohibited from freely exercising or expressing their religion.
Christianity is the only religion that teaches about God's successful search for His elect people, in His own way, in His own good time. Because He is Almighty, and He loves His children, God cannot fail to find and save all those for whom Christ died. Other religions teach of man's uncertain search for a deity or some form of Utopia, quite unlike the true Gospel of Christ.
The Christian's "claim to superior religious belief" is part of our freedom to express what we believe is true, and to state our belief without fear or hindrance. We must be allowed to teach and preach that Christ is God, elevated above all else, and therefore faith in Him is a superior faith:
"We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14.11&12)
"God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2.10)
Our unique religion is superior in worth. It has no equal for God has no equal:
"I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no saviour." (Isaiah 43.10,11)
"I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me. . . there is none beside Me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace and I create evil." (Isaiah 45.5-7)
Christianity is a unique religion because Christ is unique - no other human being was (or ever will be) publicly acknowledged by Almighty God to be His only begotten Son. His plan of salvation is unique, and His Holy Book is unique and it will outlast every other book that has ever been written.
There is no word for "tolerant" or "intolerant" in the Bible, and we are not told anywhere to be "tolerant" or to "tolerate" wrong beliefs, or wrong acts. Who would want to go down the path that seems right to a man, but leads to death? God says:
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 14.12)
There is a word in the Bible for "forbearance", and Christians are actively, but patiently to oppose, in love, those who do not know Christ:
"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." (2Tim.2.25)
God has given Christians the right, not to condone or compromise, but to preach and act against all false doctrines. True Gospel-preaching that leads to spiritual revival cannot be called intolerance, because revival preaching is God's gift to the unsaved who might then be enabled to repent and believe. Nor does it violate the religious freedom of others to believe in any other religion. But Christians must be free to exercise their right to preach the truth as God commanded - wherever, whenever, and by whatever means God allows.
Preaching the gospel for religious revival must necessarily include convincing people that they are sinful and depraved, then explaining to them the uniqueness of Christ, that He is the only way to heaven, the only one who died and rose again for the forgiveness of sin, and the only one who can save His people from everlasting punishment in hell. This is evidence of true Christian LOVE for sinners, who need to know Christ, their only Saviour.
We cannot but preach the truth that no other Name except the Name of Jesus Christ can save sinful men from their just desserts. He commanded His followers to LOVE as He loved us, not with reciprocal love, but with sacrificial love, having absolute regard for the other's best interest in both this life and the next.
That explains the accusation of religious intolerance accompanying revival. In reality it is evidence of true Christian LOVE and concern for those who are outside of Christ, who have no saving faith, to avoid an everlasting existence in hell.
Christians do not claim personal superiority, for everyone has sinned and come short of God's standard (Romans 3.23). However, we cannot but preach the truth that no other religion can save sinful men from their just desserts. God says plainly that there is no other Name under heaven, given to men for their salvation, except the Name of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again and is alive forevermore. His commandment to His followers is that they LOVE others as He loved us, not simply emotionally, but sacrificially, having absolute regard for what is in their best interest in both this life and the next.
The Gospel makes true Christianity a religion of LOVE, motivating us to do what is right and eternally good for others. Authentic Christianity cannot be a religion of hate, because Christ commanded His followers to love:
"You have heard that it has been said, 'You shall LOVE your neighbour and hate your enemy', but I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 43&45)
"For if you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so?" (Matthew 5.43-47)
"And unto him that smites you on the one cheek offer also the other; and he that takes away your cloak forbid not to take your coat also. Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise." and then (in vv.33-35), "And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thank have you? for sinners also do even the same. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the children of the Highest; for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." (Luke 6.29-31& 33-35)
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It is of great concern that P.19 of the Information Booklet appears to condone or promote the statements that introduce the United Nations' "Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination based on Religion and Belief". One of these statements is:
Inadmissible by whom? - by the United Nations, who are trying to cast off the cords by which God binds them!!? Our governments are answerable only to God and to the Crown and the Constitution under God. (see the first paragraph of the real Preamble to the existing indissoluble Constitution.)
It was ruled by Mr.Justice Hayne in the High Court in December 1998 that legislation made in accordance with our Constitution cannot be overridden by the United Nations Charter, etc., unless Australia makes corresponding new laws.
On p.13 the official Information Booklet refers to the teachings of major religions regarding "our common humanity, and the dignity and equality of individuals".
The Bible emphasizes "our common humanity" as the depravity of human beings in every part of our nature, as a result of the failure (sin) of Adam and Eve, who were the representatives of humanity in the Garden of Eden.
The "dignity of man" is derived solely from the fact of our creation by God. The Bible says that Man was made in the image of His Creator. That image has been dulled by human sin, but its dignity is still there.
The "equality of individuals" is explained in the New Testament statement by the apostle Paul but it gives us no reason to boast of our equality -
Another of the statements by the U.N. on P.19 is:
As for "world peace", that is impossible because Jesus Christ (who controls world affairs) told us:
The thrust of the the present-day political policies of every party except One Nation, is towards U.N. purposes and principles. It is, of course, Pauline Hanson's support for and belief in the Constitutional Monarchy, and the ancient God-inspired British Common Law ("ideologies or practices of colonialism"?) that have brought the anti-Christian intolerance, discrimination, violence and hatred that she has suffered. She is public proof that one who wants to see Australia governed, not according to the U.N., but ruled justly once more according to Rule of Law, Imperial Acts, etc., will be violently and intolerantly discriminated against.
The Declaration on P.19 takes a definite stand against "all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion and belief" and says on P.20 that the UN is -
The U.N. push to override our political sovereignty is based on religious discrimination against God and Christian beliefs. Christ foretold that the Jews (and similarly citizens of other nations) would reject Him, when He said that the common attitude would be "We will not have that Man to reign over us." (Luke 19.14) That is, nations want independence and freedom FROM the restraints of Christian laws.
Australia is at this point in its history now.
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The Information Booklet defines and gives examples of the nature of intolerance on page 16, some of which will be used to make comments under this heading, as under.
Registration requirements, in principle, are contrary to Magna Carta and Biblical beliefs. For example, passing laws against gun ownership (forcing citizens to give control or registration of guns over to the government and its bureaucrats) is in breach of Magna Carta and the 1689 Bill of Rights. Defence of oneself or others is a duty required of us by God, and we must obey God rather than man. To force a free citizen to do otherwise is a serious and intolerant political violation of Christian religion and belief.
Disarming a community encourages massacres, invasion and genocide, and in God's sight is a criminal violation of our sacred right to life - witness what happened to Christians in East Timor because they had been totally disarmed.
This principle of "non-discrimination" can be contrary to the right of "conscientious objection" especially when based on Biblical teachings. "Come out from among them and be ye separate" is just one of God's commands to be discriminatory, and everyone is called to obey God rather than man. It should be noted that any policies, laws and regulations that will deprive Christian schools, churches, businessmen, etc., of their right to employ or work with people whose religious and ideological beliefs are compatible with their own and God's requirements, are examples of this kind of violation of religion and belief.
The Booklet says that these categories of violation were described after analyzing issues from the perspective of the anti-God United Nations' 1981 Declaration. However, from the opposite pro-God perspective, these two categories are a contradiction.
No.2 demands "tolerance in matters of religion and belief . . . on the part of the State and Society" and takes issue with religious extremism.
No.4 condemns "violation of the freedom to manifest one's religion and belief." They seem to be saying that everyone has the right to manifest his religion, and everyone must tolerate every other religion. Yet under Section 116 of our Constitution, governments cannot pass laws to enforce religious tolerance. Freedom of speech must allow intolerance to be expressed. That surely is the basis of preaching - to tell it like it is, and say what people do not want to hear. The right to preach cannot be curtailed without being lost altogether.
Christians are taught to follow the example of Christ and Paul and not tolerate anything wrong - wrong beliefs or wrong behaviour or man's sin nature. We are to be patient with wrong-doers, but never to tolerate their beliefs or behaviour. The dictionary meaning of "tolerate" is "to allow something to be or be done without active opposition"
Christ's example and teaching, especially with the Pharisees, was never to tolerate untruth, wrong beliefs, man's sin nature, etc. and His few years of preaching and teaching were characterized by active opposition to wrong belief, behaviour and the sin nature. God certainly did not tolerate sodomy when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Neither was He tolerant of man's bad behaviour. In fact His intolerance to untruth and unbelief was such that He deliberately chose to die so that no one would have to tolerate wrong any more. Christians are duty bound to imitate Christ, and they must be free to manifest that aspect of their religion and belief.
The Information Booklet says "In Afghanistan . . . abuses of human rights, particularly against women, are notorious." Australia's Crimes Act and Criminal Codes are available to deter any such behaviour here. Section 116 forbids the Government making any laws to enforce religious observances.
Community Standards: Before merging with "Festival of Light", the Community Standards Organization had been operating since 1966 as a separate body, the members of which cherished a commitment to uphold, publicize, and maintain the community standards (based on the teachings of Jesus Christ) on which Australia had been founded, and which had made Australia the great country it then was, admired and envied by many. This is still the commitment of the merged groups known Australia-wide now as FOL/CSO. However this submission comes from the committee and membership of the Queensland Branch only.
The disastrous deterioration in community standards between 1965 and the present time is directly attributable to the upsurge in discrimination against the family values and other socio-political teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ that are all part of the religion of Christianity. In 1966, as a public protest against this violation of Australian Christian beliefs, the Community Standards Organization was formed as the public voice of concerned citizens who were of the same mind as George Washington who said in America in 1796:
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles."
George Washington was referring to Biblical religious principles being used and maintained as the basis for lawmaking in the USA, and the CSO members could see, also from "reason and experience", that Australia's national morality would not prevail either if the Law of God were not maintained as the Law of this Land. Therefore it is essential that the freedom of the Christian religion to influence lawmaking in Australia be restored and maintained.
By passing laws that change or repeal God's (Christian) laws, i.e. about lifetime monogamous heterosexual marriage, sodomy, abortion, prostitution, etc., and replacing them with man's laws that implement the Humanist religious beliefs, governments have been making laws for establishing a religion, in breach of Section 116. The religion they have been slowly, but surely, establishing is the anti-God Humanist religion.
The Purpose of this Submission: The purpose of this submission is to supply information in response to these questions that are frequently asked about religious freedom, the protection of it, and, in particular, the place of Christianity in Australia:
1. Does Australia have a national religion?
2. Does Australia provide for religious freedom?
3. Is our right to freedom of Christianity in Australia being violated?
4. Nothing ever happens without a cause, so who or what is causing Australia's community standards to fall?
5. How will other human rights fare if Christianity is deprived of its right and opportunity to influence society?
6. How can this community chaos be reversed and lawful protection of Australia's established Christian religion be effectively restored?
From early this century, we in Australia were enjoying a rich Christian legacy of personal and political peace, safety and security. The country I knew in 1928 was vastly different from the Australia of today. That was when Christianity was honoured as the Law of the Land, and state schools promoted it. It was before World War II, and before the planned onslaught against Christian religious freedom by 'The English Teachers Association (Q)', after that body had been infiltrated by a group of English University academics around 1971. Influenced by the British Humanist Association in Birmingham, England, their goal was the violation of freedom of Christianity in this country, especially in education.
In 1964 this Christian philosophy of education was reaffirmed in both Federal and State Parliaments. Acts were passed to provide free tertiary education, saying it would extend the transmission of our Christian culture to all generations. The funding was taken under false pretences, for within a few years tertiary training omitted Creation in favour of evolution. Very soon this led to schools violating all Christian beliefs and moral principles, thus forcing an artificial 'generation gap' between parents and children. The worst thing to happen to Australia was to use Humanism to destroy so many children and teenagers.
Schools taught anti-God Humanism and evolution in place of belief in God's absolutes. They became post-modernist, and discipline was lost. Education, the Parliamentary system, laws, the police and our justice system lost their previous effectiveness. God's Name and our national Christian religion were no longer honoured, but were being discriminated against in all areas, both State and Federal. Christianity's right and freedom to influence and protect society was continually being violated by our governments. Society's standards evaporated, along with peace, safety and security.
Our long-standing beliefs about fundamental rights and freedoms are now forgotten, surrendered or distorted, mostly because the relatively new notion of 'Parliamentary sovereignty' has overridden entrenched Christian laws.
Alexander Hamilton, giving his now-famous six-hour speech at the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, said:
"If we permit the ambitious and energetic men among us to believe that we are a people tired of liberty, the temptation to take it from us will be irresistible."
We are indebted to Archbishop Stephen Langton for the Great Charter of English Liberties (Magna Carta) and for the custom of requiring its repeated confirmation. But as the people grew apathetic, monarchs and others began to ignore their Oaths. History has a habit of repeating itself, and oppression and slavery are threatening to return because many people have become apathetic and uncaring towards the entrenched safe-guards of Christianity. Personal and political peace, safety and security is the legacy of Christianity that Australians will continue to lose unless government violation of Christian rights is made to cease forever.
Pretended "sovereignty of Parliament" has put rulers above the law and made a mockery of God's Laws and our Constitution (more detail given under Question 3). It denies us freedom of our Christian religion.
An up-to-the-minute example of this can be found in a Government referendum advertisement in the 'Sunday Mail' of 19/9/99 in the section "How does our current system of government work". It confirms that Australia is a 'constitutional monarchy', but it then proceeds to distort and undermine the true role of the Governor-General as clearly recorded in Section 61 of the Constitution. What is explained to the people is a very unconstitutional role for the Governor-General, and absolutely contrary to his real and extremely valuable role as set out in the Commonwealth Constitution.
His role is one of God's "cords that bind rulers". In S.61, it clearly states that the Governor-General is to serve in the capacity of Her Majesty's representative. His delegated powers are principally administering and maintaining the Constitution, and the laws of the Commonwealth." He is the servant of the Queen and her subjects, paid to see that Parliament is, and always remains, "subject to the Constitution" (S.51). His Constitutional duties are on behalf of the people as "checks and balances" to stop governments from oppressing us, contrary to the Christian principle of 'equality before the law'. Christianity is Christ, and Christ is Truth. That advertisement violated truth and the freedom of Christianity.
If a government tries to pass a law to make lawful what is repugnant to God's laws, the Governor-General is to exercise the Royal Prerogative and refuse to sign such a Bill into law. The established religion of Christianity and our charters of liberty must be observed, and not be violated by governments. No Bill of Rights is of any use to us if our rulers ignore it.
The great Magna Carta principle "equality before the law" has often become overridden. Parliament put itself above the law in 1986, ignoring the clear requirement for a peoples'referendum in both Queensland and Western Australian State Constitutions to allow a change in the Monarch/Governor relationship rules. This political manoeuvre flowed on to affect the Federal situation and so the resultant unlawful Australia Act is now said to have somehow changed the Constitution.
How can this be when the Constitution can be altered only by asking the people to give approval by Referendum under Section 128 to change the specified content of certain numbered sections in Clause 9 only of the U.K. Constitution Act 1900? No referendum was held, and yet the Governors and Governor-General are said now to have had the Royal Prerogative power taken from them by the Australia Act, and they no longer have to answer to the Queen.
This is extreme violation of Magna Carta, the Rule of Law, the Bill of Rights, and the Christian religion, all of which call for adherence to truth, justice and equality under God. Magna Carta is given lip service only. Her Majesty the Queen, as recently as 1997, described Magna Carta as a peace treaty. Yet it is not being used as it should be to ensure peace, safety and security in Australia.
Sadly, the guarantees, principles, and freedoms in Magna Carta were often soon forgotten by up-coming generations, in times past just as they have been today. It is almost as though a major part of our European history, culture, heritage and birthright is consigned every so often into oblivion. In fact, throughout history the Crown has often failed to honour its written agreements and guarantees to its subjects, claiming instead for itself and for Parliament preferred rights and benefits, often by 'conventions', but never by Constitution.
Less than 200 years after King Alfred the Great had established the Ten Commandments as England's Code of Law, the 1066 Norman invasion by William the Conqueror and the abuses from then on caused much distress in England. Finally, after having suffered years of abuse by the Norman and Angevin kings, the people, urged on by the Archbishop of Canterbury, negotiated with King John in 1215, for his signature to show agreement with a list of articles later called Magna Carta. The king's mischiefs had been defeated, allegiance was withdrawn and taxation revenue was withheld until sixty-three articles were signed and sealed to guarantee rights, interests and privileges to the people forever, in exchange for their restoring to the Crown the right of Government, and their allegiance.
The Stewart Kings, like the Tudors, had a tremendous desire for unlimited power. Many of the clergy preached from their pulpits the doctrine that the King, by divine right to the throne, was above all laws. The House of Commons rose against this royal love of absolute power. This led to Charles' being forced to sign the Petition of Right, freeing the people from oppression and unlawful imprisonment. Parliament also ratified and maintained the Articles of Religion on behalf of religious freedom. However the king dissolved Parliament and ruled without it for a record eleven years while the people suffered political and religious tryanny.
To escape this violation of their religious freedom, and severe physical torture, large numbers of Puritans fled to America for safety. In Scotland there was more violation of religious freedom, and during the Civil War between Cromwell and King Charles, the Scots demanded certain religious rights through a Solemn League and Covenant made between the Parliaments of England and Scotland, in return for supplying troops against the Royalists. However Parliament itself became divided over the question of religious freedom - the Presbyterians wanted only to limit the power of the King constitutionally, but Cromwell's religious Independents were bent on destroying the throne and setting up a republic.
Charles surrendered to the Scottish Army, but when he refused to support their Reformed Religion by signing their National Covenant they gave him to the English Parliament that was dominated by the Presbyterians, to arrange his safety and freedom, but instead Cromwell and his Independents in Parliament usurped power and arranged for King Charles to be beheaded after an unjust trial without a required jury of his peers. No ruler has the right to put himself above the law.
This paper has set out to show how far we have deviated from the fundamentals of liberty under God. For a country to be successful, and to enjoy an effective legal system, there must be some agreement as to the basic principles which limit the power of the legislature. The Queensland Imperial Acts Application Act (1984) confirms that basis, not only for Queensland, but also for the Commonwealth, according to the Queen's 1953 Coronation Act.
The writer has long been interested in the history of the repetitive struggles for people's freedom of religious rights against the cruelty, oppression and slavery of times past, and especially in our inheritance of Christianity as the established national religion of Great Britain and Australia, and of Magna Carta that protects Christian liberty, beliefs and practices in this country, as well as in Britain.
It is recorded by Sir Robert Howard that "Rights of the people had been confirmed by earlier Kings both before and after the Norman line began." But it was 1215 before the English people successfully forced John to sign Magna Carta. Our politicians should also be forced to acknowledge Magna Carta, and protect the Christian religious beliefs embodied in it.
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