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| Abbott makes campaign pitch at school that calls homosexuality 'abomination' | Abbott makes campaign pitch at school that calls homosexuality 'abomination' |
| (21 days later) | |
| Tony Abbott has launched the Coalition's education policy at a conservative Sydney Christian school which describes homosexuality as an "abomination" and embraces creationism as the origin of human existence. | Tony Abbott has launched the Coalition's education policy at a conservative Sydney Christian school which describes homosexuality as an "abomination" and embraces creationism as the origin of human existence. |
| The opposition leader used his visit to the Penrith Christian school, an independent school run by the Pentecostal ImagineNations church, to talk about values. | The opposition leader used his visit to the Penrith Christian school, an independent school run by the Pentecostal ImagineNations church, to talk about values. |
| "The great thing about a school like this is it's not just about getting you through your exams," he said. | "The great thing about a school like this is it's not just about getting you through your exams," he said. |
| "It's not just about making good friends who hopefully will be your friends for life, important though both of those things are. | "It's not just about making good friends who hopefully will be your friends for life, important though both of those things are. |
| "In a school such as this it is very important that we have the right values to live by, and I guess the best value that we can live by is that golden rule to 'do unto others as you would have them do to you'." | "In a school such as this it is very important that we have the right values to live by, and I guess the best value that we can live by is that golden rule to 'do unto others as you would have them do to you'." |
| The Assemblies of God Australia statement of faith on the school’s website spells out a list of its values. | The Assemblies of God Australia statement of faith on the school’s website spells out a list of its values. |
| In a section on homosexuality, the school says: "We believe that homosexuality and specific acts of homosexuality are an abomination unto God, a perversion of the natural order and not to be entered into by his people." | In a section on homosexuality, the school says: "We believe that homosexuality and specific acts of homosexuality are an abomination unto God, a perversion of the natural order and not to be entered into by his people." |
| On gender change, it says: "We believe the practice of attempting to or changing one’s gender through surgical and/or hormonal or artificial genetic means is contrary to the natural order ordained by God." | On gender change, it says: "We believe the practice of attempting to or changing one’s gender through surgical and/or hormonal or artificial genetic means is contrary to the natural order ordained by God." |
| And in a section titled “Creation” it says: “We believe that the heavens and the earth and all original life forms, including humanity, were made by the specific immediate creative acts of God as described in the account of origins presented in Genesis, and that all biological changes which have occurred since creation are limited to variation within each species.” | And in a section titled “Creation” it says: “We believe that the heavens and the earth and all original life forms, including humanity, were made by the specific immediate creative acts of God as described in the account of origins presented in Genesis, and that all biological changes which have occurred since creation are limited to variation within each species.” |
| Abbott told reporters he "respectfully disagreed" with the school's statement. | Abbott told reporters he "respectfully disagreed" with the school's statement. |
| "This is a good school and it is a school which has been supported by people like [Labor frontbenchers] David Bradbury and Peter Garrett," he said. | "This is a good school and it is a school which has been supported by people like [Labor frontbenchers] David Bradbury and Peter Garrett," he said. |
| A spokesman for Bradbury told Guardian Australia he had visited the school previously in his capacity as a local member, and that he also disagreed with the statement of faith. | A spokesman for Bradbury told Guardian Australia he had visited the school previously in his capacity as a local member, and that he also disagreed with the statement of faith. |
| “He had not seen the document in question until today. He does not agree with the comments in question,” the spokesman said. | “He had not seen the document in question until today. He does not agree with the comments in question,” the spokesman said. |
| A statement from the Greens said the school’s position reflected “outdated discrimination exemptions applying to religious schools”. | A statement from the Greens said the school’s position reflected “outdated discrimination exemptions applying to religious schools”. |
| “What’s more shocking than the school’s statements around homosexuality is that Australian law still allows religious schools to expel students and fire teachers on the basis of their sexuality,” said Greens spokeswoman for schools, Senator Penny Wright. | “What’s more shocking than the school’s statements around homosexuality is that Australian law still allows religious schools to expel students and fire teachers on the basis of their sexuality,” said Greens spokeswoman for schools, Senator Penny Wright. |
| The school has been contacted for further comment. | The school has been contacted for further comment. |
| The school’s principal, Bruce Nevill, initially told reporters the school was not considering reviewing the statement of faith. | The school’s principal, Bruce Nevill, initially told reporters the school was not considering reviewing the statement of faith. |
| He said the reference to homosexuality as "an abomination unto God" was a quote from the Bible. | He said the reference to homosexuality as "an abomination unto God" was a quote from the Bible. |
| "Plain and simple, that's all it is," Nevill said. | "Plain and simple, that's all it is," Nevill said. |
| But later on Thursday the chief executive of Christian Schools Australia, Stephen O'Doherty, told Fairfax they would now review the statement. | But later on Thursday the chief executive of Christian Schools Australia, Stephen O'Doherty, told Fairfax they would now review the statement. |
| “''Because of the capacity for it to be misunderstood, the school is going to review the way in which the policy is worded,'' he said. | “''Because of the capacity for it to be misunderstood, the school is going to review the way in which the policy is worded,'' he said. |
| ''The language that they've used in that statement comes from an older translation of the Bible, it's not in step with modern language and doesn't reflect the attitude that the school has to the treatment of people who identify as homosexual.'' | ''The language that they've used in that statement comes from an older translation of the Bible, it's not in step with modern language and doesn't reflect the attitude that the school has to the treatment of people who identify as homosexual.'' |
| O’Doherty said the suggestion that students were taught homosexuality was a perversion was “offensive,” and that many students over the years had been assisted by the school while struggling with their sexuality. | O’Doherty said the suggestion that students were taught homosexuality was a perversion was “offensive,” and that many students over the years had been assisted by the school while struggling with their sexuality. |
| ''People are accepted for who they are, that is a key teaching.,” he said. | ''People are accepted for who they are, that is a key teaching.,” he said. |
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