Religion, Belief and Political Conviction
Australia - a country portrayed as being fair, progressive and secular is anything but…
What has been commonly referred to as “gender ideology” or “gender identity ideology” is, in fact, a religious-based set of beliefs. I draw your attention to the ‘Definition and Scope of the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief’ from the Parliament of Australia website:
The members of the Court in the Scientology case, also discussed in Chapter Four, concurred with this view. They nevertheless went on to point out certain indicia of religion. Mason ACJ and Brennan J held that:
… for the purposes of the law, the criteria of religion are twofold: first, belief in a supernatural Being, Thing or Principle; and second, the acceptance of canons of conduct in order to give effect to that belief, though canons of conduct which offend against the ordinary laws are outside the area of any immunity, privilege or right conferred on the grounds of religion.
…
We would hold the test of religious belief to be satisfied by belief in supernatural Things or Principles and not to be limited to belief in God or in a supernatural Being otherwise described.
…
One of the most important indicia of “a religion” is that the particular collection of ideas and/or practices involves belief in the supernatural, that is to say, belief that reality extends beyond that which is capable of perception by the senses. If that be absent, it is unlikely that one has a “religion”. Another is that the ideas relate to things supernatural. A third is that the ideas are accepted by adherents as requiring or encouraging them to observe particular standards or codes of conduct or to participate in specific practices having supernatural significance. A fourth is that, however loosely knit and varying in beliefs and practices adherents may be, they constitute an identifiable group or identifiable groups.
So, let’s break this down…
1) “for the purposes of the law, the criteria of religion are twofold: first, belief in a supernatural…”
Here is the definition of supernatural:
The belief in “gender identities” is absolutely a belief in a force that is beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature. Tick!
2) …"Being, Thing or Principle”
The belief in “gender identities” is a belief in a thing or principle; “a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning.” Tick!
3) “and second, the acceptance of canons of conduct in order to give effect to that belief”
“Canons” in this context are roughly defined as “a body of principles, rules, standards, or norms.” The belief in “gender identities” meets this criteria because, as we know, there are many canons of conduct that one must subscribe to in order to show one’s devotion to the religion of Gender. Some of those are:
Changing one’s name
Using different pronouns
Binding female breasts
Altering one’s physical appearance
Taking hormones
Consuming cross-sex drugs
Seeking surgical procedures to alter one’s secondary sex characteristics
and of course, the belief in “gender identities” in the first place
Tick!
4) “We would hold the test of religious belief to be satisfied by belief in supernatural Things or Principles and not to be limited to belief in God or in a supernatural Being otherwise described.”
So, just incase you were already thinking, “but believers of ‘gender identity’ do not believe in a supreme God or being,” it doesn’t matter. That is not a requirement for a set of beliefs to be considered a religion.
Now, let’s break this down a bit more:
5) One of the most important indicia of “a religion” is that the particular collection of ideas and/or practices involves belief in the supernatural, that is to say, belief that reality extends beyond that which is capable of perception by the senses.
One of the most important indicia of a religion is the belief that reality extends beyond that which is capable of perception by the senses. The belief in “gender identity” is a belief that extends beyond our perception by the senses. We cannot see “gender identity.” We cannot touch “gender identity.” There is absolutely no proof or evidence of the existence of “gender identity.” It takes faith to believe in “gender identity.” We cannot sense “gender identity.” The belief in a “gender identity” is akin to the belief in a soul.
Tick!
6) Another is that the ideas relate to things supernatural.
I have already established that the ideas attached to “gender identity” relate to things supernatural. The idea of “gender identity” is beyond scientific understanding and the laws of nature. A “law of nature,” in the philosophy of science, is defined as “a stated regularity in the relations or order of phenomena in the world that holds, under a stipulated set of conditions, either universally or in a stated proportion of instances.” Binary human sex (female/male - XX/XY) is a stated regularity that holds universally and in a stated proportion of instances.
Tick!
7) A third is that the ideas are accepted by adherents as requiring or encouraging them to observe particular standards or codes of conduct or to participate in specific practices having supernatural significance.
Repeating what I have already stated, the belief in the ideas that shape “gender identity ideology” are accepted by its adherents (those who claim to have a “gender identity” and those that claim to believe in “gender identity”) as requiring, or encouraging, them to observe particular standards (name & pronoun change, physical alteration, etc.). These specific practices are believed to have supernatural significance (the belief that the practices can make one change sex, or fulfill their belief in “gender identity,” which fits the definition of supernatural).
Tick!
8) A fourth is that, however loosely knit and varying in beliefs and practices adherents may be, they constitute an identifiable group or identifiable groups.
“However loosely knit and varying” these beliefs and practices are, if they constitute an identifiable group or groups, this is yet another indication that these beliefs are religious. I think we can all agree that believers of “gender identity,” particularly devout adherents to its practices and canons of conduct, are identifiable.
Tick!
In Australia, we are protected from religious beliefs by numerous laws including, but not limited to, provisions in our Constitution and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). These legally binding documents also protect our right to political conviction and to beliefs (not in a religious context, more in the context of ideas and opinions).
Article 2 of the UDHR states that:
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Articles 18 and 19 of the UDHR state that:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Furthermore, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 5), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 5) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 30) all clearly state that nothing herein (included in these documents), “ may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.” Australia has signed and ratified the ICESCR and the ICCPR, and Australia is a founding member of the United Nations.
The sex-based rights of girls and women, along with the rights of every Australian to be free from religion and their right to protection of their political convictions and beliefs, are all being destroyed by the encroachment of this dogmatic, religious-based attack via policy and legislation.
Our Law Commissions and political institutions seem to be captured by religious beliefs in what is supposedly a progressive and secular country.
So, I ask - Who will put an end to these overt human rights abuses occurring in Australia?
- Critical Thinker
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