The Australian Democrat Party online survey on religion and politics has been completed, with 40,000 returns. However it’s unlikely the results will ever be published.
The survey site has the following message:
Thank you to all of those who have completed our online survey and shared their views with us. The response has been very interesting and has informed our thoughts on this complex topic. We hope that it has encouraged people to think about the issues and we look forward to more discussion.
We do not plan to publish results of this survey. Online surveys are useful because they are fast, easy and inexpensive but they do not typically gather in-depth, rigorous scientifically valid information. Indeed some complained that ‘yes’/'no’ answers were inadequate for the complex questions raised.
Furthermore, respondees were self-selected rather than chosen at random. This means the survey, despite its 40,000 returns, is unlikely to be representative of the broad population. Indeed we understand it was widely promoted in ways likely to have skewed the results - in itself an interesting development in debate about the influence of the churches over matters of state!
I can understand the reluctance of the survey organisers to go any further. As they imply, the survey was well publicised on Christian blogs and email lists. On top of that, the questions were loaded and in some cases contained inaccuracies.
It’s interesting to note the Queensland Government’s promise to invest three million dollars over three years towards chaplains providing support for young people in state schools. Schools will be able to apply for up to $10,000 to help cover the cost of chaplains. See the Team Beattie paper (pdf). This is an election promise which means that we’ll have to wait and see if it actually gets put into action. Clearly the Atheist and Secular Humanist associations are not happy. I’d guess the Australian Democrats will be miffed, judging from their God and Government policy.
I’m part of a group of Christians, Jews and Muslims on the Gold Coast preparing for ‘Project Abraham’, a forum and exhibition being launched on September 10. The project is connected with an initiative of Jewish and Muslim leaders in Adelaide last year.
On Sunday September 10 we’ll be holding a forum at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, focusing on “Eating and Drinking at Abraham’s Table”, food and drink in the three Abrahamic faiths. This will be a little different to the usual summaries of faith and practice given at inter-faith dialogues. We’re working together in the afternoon to explore ways in which the Gold Coast community can proactively engage with the rich traditions brought by overseas tourists. At this time of year, for example, we have a lot of tourists from United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. I’ve been told that even back in the 1970s Surfers Paradise was known in Victoria as “Surfers Palestine”.
The exhibition will include artifacts and photographs from the three Abrahamic faiths. I’m working as a Uniting Church in Australia participant with representatives of the Anglican and Catholic churches in the North Gold Coast region. The Uniting Church doesn’t have anywhere near the number of artifacts and worship aids found in the two more traditional denominations. The other two have collected most of the work and given me the job of putting them together.
The Gold Coast City Council has provided the venue and two staff to work with the coordinating team. Funding comes from the Australian government’s Living In Harmony programme. Local schools are being invited to send students to the exhibition and participate in an educational programme.
The Australian Democrats have commissioned an online survey, ‘God and Government‘, exploring the connection between religion and government in Australia.
Tax Breaks for Church-run businesses
Currently some churches run commercial businesses as part of their operations. These businesses benefit from the tax breaks that churches are entitled to. Should the commercial businesses run by churches get the same tax breaks as the charitable parts of the church operation?
The reality is that many churches run commercial businesses that sustain charitable work. Receiving public funding does however point to the need for transparency in operations. I would be cautious about state control for organisations who receive tax breaks. After all, film companies who receive tax breaks for their work in Australia do not become subjected to state control on their work.
Religious Education in Public Schools
A basic level of religious education (RE) is taught in public schools in Australia. It takes place within school hours under the jurisdiction of the school. Although it is not compulsory most schools have an opt out system, which means that unless parents specifically notify the school that they do not wish their child to be involved then their child will have to attend the RE classes. Should religious education be part of the school curriculum? If yes, should it be compulsory? Should it be opt in or opt out? Should RE be linked to a particular religious faith or should it be more about comparing differing religious beliefs? Should classes in ethics be taught as an alternative to RE?
I believe that Christian beliefs are best taught in an environment in which people can evaluate them alongside other beliefs. We’re talking about education not indoctrination.
Intelligent Design
Intelligent design is the idea that the complexity of the universe and living things is best explained as the result of the actions of an intelligent supernatural being, rather than a result of a scientific process such as evolution. Recently politicians have started to argue that this idea should be taught in science classes rather than in religious education. Should intelligent design be taught in schools as an alternative to evolution? If yes, should it be taught in science classes or religious education classes?
I have no problem with the concept of intelligent design as long as it is not set up as an alternative to scientific explanations. Intelligent design is being touted by many groups as a way to refute evolution as a theory. Intelligent design could provide a philosophical background to many theories of evolution. I think it belongs in religious education classes rather than science classes.
School Chaplains
Currently some public schools in states and territories have publicly funded school chaplains. These chaplains come from a variety of religious backgrounds and provide spiritual support as well as generally play a role in student welfare. Generally they are not required to have any specific qualifications or experience. Should taxpayers money be used to fund school chaplains? Should funding for school chaplains be redirected towards funding for professional counsellors? Should school chaplains be subject to minimum educational qualifications regarding youth work?
As the chair of a local chaplaincy committee I’m biased on this one. However in most cases chaplains are employed alongside qualified professional counsellors, and in some cases alongside qualified youth workers. It would be helpful for school chaplains to work towards qualifications in youth work.
Government-subsidised Church-run Hospitals and Pharmacies
Currently some religious groups/individual that receive government funding refuse to provide some services based on their own religious beliefs, For example, catholic run hospitals will not perform vasectomies or abortions and some chemists will not stock or supply condoms or the contraceptive pill. There are also government funded pregnancy counselling services that will not refer for abortion and do not make this clear in their advertising. Should hospitals that receive government funding be obliged to provide vasectomies? Should hospitals that receive government funding be obliged to provide abortion services? Should pharmacists that receive government funding be obliged to provide contraception? Should pregnancy counselling helplines which receive government money have to refer for abortion if women ask for a referral? Should pregnancy counselling helplines which receive government money and DO NOT refer for abortion have to make this explicit in their advertising?
Government funding should not have to mean absolute control. Contraception, abortion and sterilisation are provided in public hospitals. Funding of providers is often linked to specialised services. What’s the big deal?
Religious Beliefs and Government Policy
In which of the following areas do you think government policy has been influenced by religious beliefs?
Asylum seekers, gambling, welfare, drug and alcohol use, sex education, contraception, euthanasia, stem cell research, gay marriage, same sex relationships, adoption, abortion, war, industrial relations?
What kind of religious beliefs are we talking about here? Obviously religious people in Australia have a similar spectrum of political views to those in the wider community.
Do you think that politicians who have strong religious beliefs should try to use the political system to turn their religious beliefs into law? Do you think that religious leaders/churches/houses of worship should try to influence government decisions on issues? In the last 10 years, do you think that political leaders in Australia have used religion for their own political purposes?
On a continuum from apathy through to conversation to persuasion to intimidation, I’d rather religious leaders were somewhere in the conversation/persuasion sector.
The final question is interesting. Would you be in favour of legal moves to formalize a separation of church and state in Australia?
Formalizing a separation of church and state would lead to artificial walls. We have an organic approach now that allows for growing pluralism in Australia.
