Pseudo-Secularism

Hindu dharma is implicitly at odds with monotheistic intolerance. What is happening in India is a new historical awakening... Indian intellectuals, who want to be secure in their liberal beliefs, may not understand what is going on. But every other Indian knows precisely what is happening: deep down he knows that a larger response is emerging even if at times this response appears in his eyes to be threatening.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Go elsewhere for sharia law: Costello

23-02-2006

ANYONE who believes Islamic sharia law can co-exist with Australian law should move to a country where they feel more comfortable, Treasurer Peter Costello said today.


All Australian citizens must adhere to the framework in society which maintains tolerance and protects the rights and liberties of all, he said. It is a pre-condition for citizenship of Australia.

Mr Costello was giving a speech on the meaning of Australian citizenship to the Sydney Institute.

"There is one law we are all expected to abide by," Mr Costello said.

"It is the law enacted by the Parliament under the Australian Constitution.

"If you can't accept that, then you don't accept the fundamentals of what Australia is and what it stands for."

Mr Costello, the son of a Methodist lay preacher and who was raised a Baptist, emphasised that Australia is a secular state under which the freedom of all religions is protected.

"But there is not a separate stream of law derived from religious sources that competes with or supplants Australian law in governing our civil society," he said.

"The source of our law is the democratically elected legislature.

"There are countries that apply religious or sharia law – Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind.

"If a person wants to live under sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease.

"But not Australia."

Mr Costello said there were some beliefs and values which were so central to Australian society that those who refused to accept them refused to accept the nature of Australian society.

"If someone cannot honestly make the citizenship pledge, they cannot honestly take out citizenship," he said.

"If they have taken it out already they should not be able to keep it where they have citizenship in some other country."

It was more difficult for those born in Australia or who had no dual citizenship, Mr Costello said.

"In these cases, we have on our hands citizens who are apparently so alienated that they do not support what their country stands for," he said.

"Such alienation could become a threat to the rights and liberties of others.

"And so it is important to explain our values, explain why they are important and engage leadership they respect to assist us in this process.

"Ultimately, however, it is important that they know that there is only one law and it is going to be enforced whether they acknowledge its legitimacy or not."

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