I was pleased to learn and as many of you are already aware, that the newly elected Australian prime minister is an atheist. She was quoted as saying to the media "I've made decisions in my adult life about my own views." She was quite clear; she told an interviewer: ''I'm of course a great respecter of religious beliefs but they're not my beliefs.''
But my hopes were short-lived. I was beginning to think that Australia can now to start paving the way for progress. But instead only about a week into her role as prime minister she has expressed her views against same-sex marriage.
"We believe the marriage act is appropriate in its current form, that is recognising that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we have as a government taken steps to equalise treatment for gay couples," Ms Gillard said. And then when she was asked if that was also her personal opinion, Ms Gillard said it was.
Shocking. "Equalise treatment for gay couples"?! You could equalise treatment for gay couples by allowing them to get married, for a start!
I'm not for or against marriage. I'm actually very neutral on this issue. But I'm certainly pro-freedom. If two consenting adults, of the same sex or not, want to get married and have it recognised by the state, then who is to say they can't or shouldn't? There is no valid reason for the state to block peoples rights and freedoms that is of no one else's concern.
What saddens me for the most part is that this comes from an atheist, not a right wing Christian or a Muslim or Mormon, but someone I had hoped to spoil the party for them, not join it! But maybe this is the dirty game of politics. With 64% of the Australian population recorded in 2007 to be Christians, her outspoken atheism has perhaps already gathered bad rep, and so she has to lean at least somewhat towards their side to keep office.
Who knows.
