Mr Beattie must not pay very close attention to his quotes. In quoting the constitution, he said "the Commonwealth is forbidden to make any law ... imposing any religious observance".
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I am not bound by the notions of the Bible unless I choose to be. If you choose to be, then fine. But everyone else gets to live according to whichever religion they choose, and there are plenty that expressly allow same-sex marriage. You know what effect changing this law will have on you and any other straight Christian people who believe it's wrong to gay-marry? None. Zilch. Nada. And that is exactly how much your religion should be affecting same-sex couples. To do otherwise would be unconstitutional.
I'm curious, if you're as strict with the rest of the Bibles laws and suggested practices, because it's a weird line to draw when this one doesn't affect the vast majority of people directly, yet people happily ignore dress, dietary, divorce and hygiene laws much more clearly laid out in The Good Book. Many of which are punishable by death or banishment, but happily adjusted once modern ideology frowned upon such measures. Even if we accept the anti-gay interpretation as being clear (which I don't), why would it be any less susceptible to modernisation?
You are protected in living your life how you like, I am protected in mine, and hopefully soon, same-sex couples will be protected in their equality too.
Phil Boyd, Wagga
Watch what you eat
Another Christmas is looming and, as shopping centre's burst at the seams with happy shoppers, factory farms are bursting at the seams with unhappy turkeys.
Unlike the shoppers who are revelling in these weeks preceding Christmas, the turkeys are suffering increasingly as the ammonia laden air burns their eyes, lungs and hocks and the space in the sheds diminishes.
Their tragic lives have been fraught with pain from day one - but the death that awaits them will be like a trip to hell. Undercover footage taken at a slaughterhouse in 2013 revealed that turkeys killed there were routinely abused.
As they were dragged roughly from their crates workers punched them, jumped on them and slammed them against the wall. Birds who avoided the automated throat cutter were boiled alive in the scalding tanks.
If Christmas is meant to be a time of peace and goodwill on Earth, isn't it ludicrous to celebrate it by supporting this cruelty?
Jenny Moxham, Victoria
‘Misallocation of funds’
Premier Berejiklian’s decision to spend $2.5 billion on demolishing and then rebuilding two sports stadiums in Sydney reflects the wrong priorities.
This is money that should be spent on our schools and hospitals. It is wasteful spending that can’t be justified. It is an insult to communities across our state. Just think what $2.5 billion could do for our schools, hospitals and TAFEs.
Countless rural roads could be improved for a fraction of that price. And what about community sporting fields, showgrounds and other facilities that would benefit from long overdue upgrades?
It is shocking that local MPs representing the Liberals and Nationals are supporting this decision. It is a dreadful misallocation of money that is out of touch with community values.