Australian cardinal warns against secular reading of religious rights

Published: 2007-11-01

PERTH, Australia (CNS) -- Cardinal George Pell of Sydney has warned that an Australian bill of rights could sharpen anti-Catholic sentiment and ostracize Christian communities who wish to uphold traditional values. Western Australia Attorney General Jim McGinty is currently promoting the idea for one such bill; he said in May that a bill of rights should be enshrined in Western Australia state law. McGinty said many people are unaware that the basic human rights they take for granted are not protected by law. Although not directly responding to McGinty's proposal, Cardinal Pell said that the "secularist reading of religious freedom places Christians (at least) in the position of a barely tolerated minority -- even when they are the majority -- whose rights must always yield to the secular agenda." "Although, I don't think other religious minorities will be treated the same way," the cardinal said Oct. 30 in an address to The Sydney Institute, a current affairs think tank.

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