{"id":15479,"date":"2025-05-12T22:49:31","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T12:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/?p=15479"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:17:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T01:17:17","slug":"will-the-coalition-ever-learn-to-stop-imposing-religion-on-the-public","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rationalemagazine.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/will-the-coalition-ever-learn-to-stop-imposing-religion-on-the-public\/","title":{"rendered":"Will the Coalition ever learn to stop imposing religion on the public?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mp_wrapper\">\n  <div class=\"mepr-unauthorized-excerpt\">\n    <p>Editor\u2019s note: If you would like to submit a letter for possible publication, please email it to editor@rationalist.com.au. See our\u00a0Publishing Guidelines.\nDear Editor,\nPerhaps the Coalition's resounding defeat might be an opportunity to deliver some feedback: stop imposing religious beliefs on the public. We live in a democracy, not a theocracy.\nIt was the defeat of the Northern Territory's democratically introduced Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT) by the Coalition's then federal government that stopped me voting for the Coalition. I had until that time been an active supporter of the Liberal Party. I now vote independents.\nAlthough I am a progressive Christian, I believe in a separation of church and state. I am a member of Dying With Dignity (NSW) and Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD).\nWhat really annoys me is the theological ignorance of the opponents of VAD. They base their objection on the commandment not to kill. But the original Hebrew word (retzach) in the Old Testament had the meaning of 'murder with malice', which is very different to 'mercy killing'. VAD is not a choice between life and death, but a choice between two different ways of dying.\nMy New Revised Standard Version of the Bible uses the word 'murder'. One word has caused so much grief for people dying badly!\nSo Kevin Andrews and his ilk imposed their ignorant dogma on other people, denying Territorians of nearly 30 years of the choice to die with dignity, and delayin...<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"mepr-unauthorized-message\">\n    <hr style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 1000px !important;height: 5px;border-width: 0;color: red;background-color: red\" \/>\n<div style=\"text-align: center\">\n<h3><em>You're part way through this article. Want to keep reading?<\/em><\/h3>\n<h4><em>Only members of the Rationalist Society of Australia can read our Premium articles.\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>\n<h3 style=\"height: 20px\"><span style=\"color: #c83200\"><em><a style=\"color: #c83200\" href=\"https:\/\/rationalist.com.au\/membership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Become a member today.<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><em>Already a member? 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