Building a world of peace.

Golden Words by Peace Ambassador of present era Mr @ManHeeLeePeace ..@hwpl_nl @hwpl6chicago @HWPL_ZA pic.twitter.com/vgMriiXxNe

— Syed.K.I. Zabiuddin (@rafay06) March 14, 2016

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) (Mormons) keeping up with the times?

Check out this interview with LeNae Peavey-Onstad, who was recently endorsed by our Church as a chaplain.

Posted by BYU Religious Studies Center on Friday, 18 March 2016

The Progressive Christian Network of Victoria in conjunction with Common Dreams on the Road brings to Melbourne, Dr Robin Meyers. pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the USA

The post below has been cross-posted from

the blog of The Progressive Christian Network of Victoria Inc.

Dr Robin Meyers in Melbourne

One of the most exciting thinkers in today’s church is coming to Melbourne.

Dr Robin Meyers is Senior Minister with the fastest growing United Church of Christ, Kansas-Oklahoma, a Professor at Oklahoma City University, and best-selling author.

Hosted by Common Dreams on the Road, and the Progressive Christian Network of Victoria

At the Uniting Centre, 54 Serrell St. Malvern East:

Friday 13 May, 7:30pm: 

‘The Underground Church: Reclaiming the Subversive Way of Jesus’

Saturday 14 May, 11:00am – 4:00pm:

‘From Galilean Sage to Supernatural Saviour: The Heresy of Orthodoxy’

‘Spiritual Defiance: Building a Beloved Community of Resistance’

‘Quantum Physics & the Future of God: How Science is Redefining the Almighty’

Cost (including lunch on Saturday and tea/coffee breaks):

Friday evening only: $12; ($10 PCNV Members)

Friday & Saturday Sessions: Earlybird (by 29 April 2016) $55;

Regular $65 (Members: Earlybird $50; Regular $60)

Registrations essential: Registration link will be posted here soon.

For enquiries or a registration form call 03 9571 4575 or email info@pcnvictoria.org.au

Hosted by the Progressive Christian Network of Victoria

Why The Christian Right Is Wrong

Islamic Society of Ballarat hosts an opportunity to visit Ballarat's Mosque on 16 April 2016. The theme is "Come to Common Terms".

Ballarat Interfaith Network

is happy to promote

for the

Islamic Society of Ballarat

an opportunity to visit

the Mosque of Ballarat

on 16 April 2016

details below

The theme of the event is

'Come to Common Terms'

Lecture by Sheikh Waseem Razvi on interfaith dialogue

The Supreme Court of the United States of America revokes the tax-exempt status of the Church of Scientology

The United States Revokes Scientology’s Tax-Exempt Status

By ABC news - March 12, 2016

In a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court today, the eight justices ruled in favor of revoking the Church of Scientology’s tax-exempt status in the United States. Under the ruling, Scientology will still be able to operate as a business but no longer as a non-profit religious organization.

The case was brought forward by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division after concluding a two-year-long investigation into the inner workings of Scientology. The investigation, along with an extensive audit, found the group to be a “criminal operation with a sole purpose of making money”. The eight justices agreed with the IRS and its findings that Scientology was neither a religion or fell under the guidelines of a non-profit charitable organization.

CI Special Agent, Tom Downey, worked closely with IRS Chief Counsel Criminal Tax Attorneys during the course of the investigation.

“If private schools had similar prices to the courses in Scientology, students would receive the absolute highest level of education by the top educators in the country,” Downey said. “But in reality, based on the ridiculously high cost of Scientology, there is no school out there that even exists. The best schools in this country charge a fraction of the exorbitant amounts of money that Scientology charges its members.”

Paul Horner, a spokesperson for Scientology, told ABC News the ruling is “discrimination based on religious beliefs”.

it amazes me that over ten million Scientologists can have their beliefs trampled on like this,” Horner said. “The Church of Scientology is working hard to make this world a better place, constructing more buildings and ships and other really neat stuff, and now, most of that will have to be put on hold because of a few religious bigots.”

For years, Scientology’s claim of ten million followers has been widely disputed. In 2011, former editor, and longtime Scientology foe, Tony Ortega, wrote the following in The Village Voice:

“According to the latest survey, the total number of people who identify as Scientologists is just 25,000 in this country of more than 300 million human beings.”

Scientology teaches that 75 million years ago an evil galactic overlord named Xenu, ruler of a Galactic Confederacy, decided to tackle overpopulation by rounding up 13.5 trillion people in DC-8-like spacecraft, flying them to Earth (then known as Teegeeack), dropping them in the volcanoes of Hawaii and vaporizing them with hydrogen bombs.

Their spirits, known as thetans, attached themselves to humans at the dawn of man, and according to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard is the root cause of all our fears, confusion and problems. For humans to reach a clear state, thetans must be removed from the body through therapy sessions, known within Scientology as auditing.

Scientology adherents must work through eight stages of auditing over a period of many years to reach this clear state, each of which costs thousands of dollars to partake in. It was these costs that the court took issue with, ruling that they far outstrip average course fees for educational establishments.

Sarah Bradley, a spokeswoman for Sock It Forward, a group that provides the homeless and those less fortunate with brand new socks, told ABC News she lost her family because of Scientology’s disconnection policy.

“I was born into Scientology,” Bradley said. “When I turned seventeen I began to question some of their beliefs. My family, who are all members, told me to stay quiet, but it was too late and I was excommunicated from the church. Scientology’s upper management told me I was no longer able to see or talk to my family ever again,” Bradley said. “It broke my heart, I couldn’t even say goodbye to them. They were told by Scientology if they had any communication with me that they would be excommunicated too. My family chose Scientology over me.” Holding back tears Bradley says, “I just hope my family is proud of me, all that I’m doing with my life and everything I’m doing to help the homeless. I wish more than anything to see them one day; I love and miss them so much.”

Downey told reporters that Scientology spends tens of millions of dollars every year doing what no other religious non-profit organization does.

“The money is used to harass former members, coerce abortions, to secure their International base so people can’t escape, child abuse, forcing members to disconnect from family and friends who aren’t Scientologist friendly, and to litigate to death anyone who opposes them,” Downey said. “Years ago, the Cult Awareness Network was an organization that provided information on groups that it considered to be cults. After years of litigation with Scientology and being forced into bankruptcy, it is now a Scientology run enterprise. Over the years Scientology has also put many government officials and politicians in their pocket.”

For years, the Church of Scientology often pointed to their tax-exempt status as proof that it is a recognized religious entity in the United States. And there’s no disputing that tax-exempt status has been a huge boon to the Scientology industry. With such few members, but billions in real estate holdings, the Church of Scientology has been called “the most famous small business in the world,” with its tax exempt status saving the Church an estimated $20 million a year on property taxes alone.

Roberto Sigmond of Amnesty International told ABC News that revoking the Church of Scientology’s tax-exempt status in the United States is a huge win.

“From all the deaths Scientology has caused over the years to its phony drug rehabilitation program, this is a great day for anyone that believes in human rights.”

After originally being recognized as a tax-exempt religious organization in 1957, Scientology’s tax-exempt status was lost in a 1967 IRS audit. As part of the effort to regain tax exemption during the late 1970s, Scientologists repeatedly infiltrated the IRS, copying large numbers of documents and at one point placing an electronic bugging device in an IRS conference room. These actions took place within a program code-named Operation Snow White. Eleven high-ranking Scientologists, including Hubbard’s wife Mary Sue Hubbard, were sentenced to time in prison for acts surrounding this operation. L. Ron Hubbard himself was named as an unindicted co-conspirator as investigators could not link him to the crimes.

The United States is not the first country to revoke Scientology’s tax exemption. In October of last year, a Dutch court revoked Scientology’s status as a “public welfare institution” and the tax exemption that goes along with it.

Janine Pieters, reporting in the NL Times, said the court ruled that sales of Scientology’s courses and therapy sessions are aimed at profit-making and that it does not therefore belong on the tax authorities charity list.

Beginning April 6th, 2016, The Church of Scientology will no longer receive tax exemption in the United States. Attorneys for Scientology have 30 days to appeal the case, although it is not yet clear whether they will or not.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics, the 2016 Census and the Religion Category

2016 Census and the Religion Category

The Census of Population and Housing provides a snapshot of Australia's people and their dwellings. It provides the basis for estimating Australia's population which is used to distribute government funds and plan services. The Census helps Australians understand who we are, where we live and how we are changing.

The first Census was held in 1911 and since 1961 they have been conducted every five years. Australia's seventeenth national Census of Population and Housing will be held on Tuesday, 9 August 2016.

The Australian Census continues to be one of the most comprehensive Censuses conducted anywhere in the world, with a long list of person and dwelling topics. A rigorous review and public consultation process of Census topics conducted by the ABS after the 2011 Census confirmed that there is strong support for each of the existing Census topics.

During the 2016 Census topic review process, the Religious affiliation topic generated a great deal of interest with a total of 444 submissions being received. The issues raised in the submissions were very similar with many recommending changes to the question due to perceived bias in the question format and consequent potential underestimates of the number of people who stated they had no religion.

After user consultation and testing, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has decided to move the No religion response category to be the first response category in the question, so it will be more consistent with other questions and the order of their response categories. This approach is consistent with that of a number of other countries.

Example of Question 19: What is the person's Religion? (2016 Census)

The information gathered from this question is used by religious organisations and government agencies to plan activities and community services, as well as distribute funding. A question on a person’s religion has been included in all Australian Censuses. Answering this question has always been optional, as is specified in the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Despite the optional nature of the question, approximately 90% of respondents provided an answer in the 2011 Census.

For more information on the 2016 Census click here.

Communication Team | Australian Bureau of Statistics

Archbishop Philip Freier, Rabbi Fred Morgan and Dr Hass Dellal discuss religion's power for peace.

Editor's comment: This sounds like a wonderful event - but what a pity that women have no voice in such an important topic!

Harnessing religion's power for peace: Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

From March 16, 2016 07:30 until March 16, 2016 09:30

•  At Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne

The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne along with other supporters invite you to:

Harnessing religion's power for peace | Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne's "Conversations with the Archbishop" series

Date: Wednesday 16 March 2016         Time: 7:30am
Location: Deakin Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne

The world's religions have a mixed record when it comes to war and peace - sometimes complicit and sometimes providing a powerful narrative for peace and understanding. What can people of faith do to combat violence, reduce tensions and promote peace?

Join Archbishop Philip Freier, Rabbi Fred Morgan (Rabbi Emeritus of the Temple Beth Israel) and Dr Hass Dellal (executive director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation since 1989) as they consider the positive impact religion can have on building peace and tolerance around the world and in Australia. The public conversation will be facilitated by ABC Radio's John Cleary.

Attendees will also have a chance to ask questions, with a Q&A session for the final 20 minutes of the event. The conversation will be recorded and broadcast on ABC Radio after the fact.

Admission is free, and bookings are not essential. For more information, click here.