Religious Freedom Bill
The second draft bill includes provisions allowing religious hospitals, aged care facilities, and accommodation providers such as retirement homes to discriminate against staff on the basis of religious belief in order to preserve the “religious ethos” of that institution.
It will ensure that the exemptions that applies to religious bodies extends to “public benevolent institutions”, allowing them to discriminate on the grounds of religion.
The proposed bill permits religious camps and conference centres to discriminate provided they publish a policy explaining their ethos and rules.
This is not a bill to protect religious beleifs – it promotes them to a position of extreme priviliege.
Our Philosophy
The Atheist Foundation of Australia recognises the scientific method as the only rational means toward understanding reality. To question and critically examine all ideas, testing them in the light of experiment, leads to the discovery of facts.
As there seems to be no scientific evidence for supernatural phenomena, atheists reject belief in ‘God’, gods, and other supernatural beings. The universe, the world in which we live, and the evolution of life seem to be entirely natural occurrences.
No personality or mind can exist without the process of living matter to sustain it. We have only one life – here and now. All that remains after a person dies is the memory of their life and deeds in the minds of those who remain.
Atheists reject superstition and prejudice along with the irrational fears they cause. We recognise the complexity and interdependence of life on this planet. As rational and ethical beings we accept the challenge of making a creative and responsible contribution to life.
Atheist Foundation of Australia
Our Aims- To encourage and to provide a means of expression for informed free-thought on philosophical and social issues.
- To safeguard the rights of all non-religious people.
- To serve as a focal point for the community of non-religious people.
- To offer verifiable information in place of superstition and to promote logic and reason.
- To promote atheism.
