@Fact Finder - I am a migrant to this country (from Western Europe) and I was initially astonished at the largess given to religious institutions in this country, but never having lived long enough in my country of origin to be able to truly compare the role of religion, which is big in my country (Catholicism), but adhered to by mostly lip service and the ceremonial of the various public holidays. As far as I know, the European churches do no longer have the influence they did before the French Revolution. Of course there were historic interruptions via WWI and WWII (Austria having endured a 'Catholic dictatorship' under one Dollfuss (A Catholic dictator who made it easy for the Nazis to slide in - he was executed by his successor) - who got everyone to observe Catholisicism in its strictest form, no birth control available, not even condoms, no abortion and he 'taught' the people to keep their mouths shut. No work also.
Yet Europe has had the French Revolution, and is largely secular now - - so I was astonished at the high regard in which churches were/are held in Australia - and the image of a Prime Minister being a member of a reformed modern Church (Hillsong) going in for all the mumbo jumbo again, was a little much for me. I am an atheist - full point. If there is a soul component which longs for eternity, we all have it, we can all deal with this privately, no need for interceding magicians - and look how disrespectfully we deal with that soul component in other people, (as long as they are different from us).
We need to watch out for this Church and State business, because it will eventually give Islam its hand-up into main stream society. As far as I can tell, it will be a retrograde step back into the Middle Ages - but maybe we deserve it for not having been vigilant.
Taurisk
