TASMANIA’S Catholic Church says a complaint lodged with the Anti-Discrimination Commission about a booklet distributed in its schools is representative of a rising intolerance against Christianity.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
More than 10,000 Tasmanian families received 10-page pastoral letter Don’t Mess With Marriage in July.
The booklet, published by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, provided a thorough explanation for the church’s opposition to marriage equality and was distributed in the state by the Hobart Archdiocese.
Transgender rights activist Martine Delaney, who has been endorsed as the federal Greens candidate for Franklin, lodged the complaint against the document on Monday morning.
She said the letter was in breach of Section 17 of the Anti-Discrimination Act which stated it was an offence to offend or humiliate on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Ms Delaney said implying same-sex attracted people were not ‘‘whole people’’ and writing that ‘‘messing with marriage’’ was ‘‘messing with children’’ was incredibly hurtful.
‘‘I know people who have taken children out of school because, as same-sex parents, they felt hurt that the Catholic church did not recognise them as whole humans,’’ she said.
‘‘I don’t think this should go unchallenged.’’
Archbishop Julian Porteous said the pastoral letter clearly condemned any form of unjust discrimination and affirmed the dignity of all human beings.
‘‘In order to assist the Catholic community in Tasmania to better understand why the Church has sought to defend the current legal definition of marriage, I asked Catholic Schools in Tasmania to distribute this booklet to parents with children in our schools,’’ he said.
‘‘I am aware that there are some in society who would seek to silence the Church on this issue, and indeed prevent Christians expressing their beliefs in the public square on important social issues.
‘‘Increasingly they are trying to manipulate anti-discrimination legislation to achieve this end.’’
Ms Delaney argued Australian society was secular and that in some instances religious freedom must give way to law.