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Religious restrictions

Is Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday more religiously significant to you than Ramadan, the Muslims' month-long fast to mark the month in which, according to their belief, the Koran was revealed to the prophet Mohammed? Probably not, and it is likely that many of you will be very uncertain of the comings and goings of the Christian church's Jesus Christ over Easter.

There is, I argue in my column in The Herald today, no more reason for Australians' choices to be restricted on these Easter days than over Ramadan, yet they are. The primary restrictions apply to our freedom to shop at major retailers and to drink alcohol, although how our drinking beer or shopping at Myer will diminish the sacredness of someone else's day is beyond me.

And, finally, these restrictions are coming under sustained assault. Tabcorp is open to punters on Good Friday, next month, although there won't be any horseracing in Australia on that day. Yet. Newcastle's Queens Wharf Brewery has just lost a bid to allow its patrons the use of the wharf area on Good Friday, and this highlighted the silliness of barring the takeaway sales of alcohol on that one day. It is as much a holiday for some people as it is a sacred day for some, but fewer, people. And more than 80 major retailers are urging the State Government to allow them to open on Easter Sunday, citing multiculturalism and the diminishing role of religion.

I won't be gambling or shopping over Easter, although I wouldn't mind a few beers at a pub on Friday afternoon, as is my habit throughout the year, and I am irritated that I may be denied that by religious customs I don't share, don't accept and don't want. And I can't see how my freedom of choice reduces or offends anyone else's reasonable beliefs. So let's bring it on in one big challenge.

Or is there a justification still, if there ever was, for having the beliefs and customs of Christians imposed on my life?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 17/03/2009 3:10:41 PM | Comments (75)

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This is one of my favourite topics. The shops can open on ANZAC Day as can the pubs, albeit after 11am. Even mention opening on good friday and it's frowned upon. ANZAC Day should have more significance, because although we are not all religious we are ALL Australian, and respect dictates that we should honour our veterans. Why is religion "off limits" when it comes to criticism?

Posted by fista, 17/03/2009 4:03:40 PM

A good line that, fista. I wonder what percentage of Australians go to a Christian church on Good Friday or feel that they should. A very low percentage, I'm sure. And more to the point, very few of these people would want to drink in a pub on any day.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/03/2009 9:04:49 AM

Some people would like the shops, restaurants, bars and horse races to be open for business as usual. People who think this would make a great way to spend their good friday public holiday should realise that if their is enough public pressure for these businesses to be open on good friday then it may not be too much longer before the holiday is dispensed with altogether. then all workers will be at their place of work on good friday and so it will be just another working day as usual. it could be an interesting dilemma if say for example, Muslims lobby to have their religious holidays declared public holidays for people of that faith. we could have a situation in Australia where there are no christian public holidays but plenty for those of other faiths.

Posted by senior sergeant smith, 17/03/2009 4:46:01 PM

Easter is no longer a Christian or even religious holiday for the great majority of Australians. It is simply a holiday and no government could even consider removing it from the calendar. More Australians believe in the Easter bunny than the Christian religion's story of the pagan-named Easter.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/03/2009 9:08:20 AM

if you enjoy the public holiday even though you are not religious, you cannot then complain about the alcohol and trading restrictions pertaining to that particular holiday!

Posted by ml, 17/03/2009 6:59:05 PM

I was under the impression that Australia was in the grip of excess use of alcohol. Two days for the Pubs to be shut, good friday and Christmas day. If you really need to drink buy some beer and have it at home. Would good friday turn into a drunken splurge like Australia day if the pubs were open? And do the publicans want to open? As a Nation i think we have enough opening times, and i believe that our Christian church goers put up with drunken idiots for the other 363 days a year so having two off seems only fair. One thing for sure once you open the good friday pub gate, there will be no closing it. Which one of the Christian beliefs do you not want imposed on you Jeff? I have lived next door to Christians, and drunks. Who would you really want next door Jeff, The Flanders or Homer and Bart.

Posted by Buell, 17/03/2009 7:58:03 PM

If, Buell, we are going to have alcohol restrictions on Good Friday and other days as Grog Free Days for reasons of health, then let's put that to the people. As it stands now the alcohol and shopping restrictions are in the name of religion despite the fact that ours is a secular and even proudly irreligious society.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/03/2009 9:12:53 AM

It is fear that makes people stop others from enjoying themselves. I have worked and played in Newcastle CBD for 21 years this month. Hopefully I will be able to continue doing that. I have never been in an altercation in that time. Cats have at one time or another p^ssed on my door step. These filthy animals should be eradicated from our country, but they still breed and I know it will never happen. I once saw a person vomit in the gutter outside the old Newcastle Workers Club. Welcome to Newcastle, or any city in Australia.

Posted by TheGutMuncher, 17/03/2009 8:39:41 PM

I know how i feel about it , i think its stupid . Everyone to their own , I'm a non drinker an baptised catholic , but i don't care if others drink on ne day . Shops should open on n e days they want and ppl want to work then good . I'm sick of religions and ppl whinning about what others should do . Everyone should not have to live and be forced to accept something they're interested in . Honestly I'm soo over the Catholic whingers complaining about ppl enjoyin g a beer or doing some shopping . They'd have something to complain about if the government stopped funding there Paedophile based schools . Stopped their collections for paedophile priests court costs ... Yes shame , and they want to say what day should be sacred . They have no right to try rule any Australian lifestyle .

Posted by kateykatey123, 18/03/2009 4:11:05 AM

a secular society there should be no restriction on hours of trade as long as employees are willing to work those days and receive appropriate penalty rates without duress being applied by the employer (which admittedly may be hard to police). That such changes are contemplated is further evidence of the decreasing irrelevance of religions of all denominations in the lives of Australians. The notion that one religion’s “holy days” are any more worthy of respect than another’s is anachronistic. I know many Muslims who strictly observe Ramadan, but quite rightly would not seek to impose it upon their non-Muslim colleagues.

Posted by Directeur Sportif, 18/03/2009 7:58:14 AM

Here Here Jeff. I think the takeaway sale of booze on good friday should be less offensive than drinking in a pub. We should be free to buy a carton of beer and relax in the comfort of our own loungerooms or perhaps the tent if on holidays (caravan in your case Jeff). It's ridiculous.

Posted by CB, 18/03/2009 8:41:53 AM

take away all public holidays for everyone that way everyone is happy - arent they?

Posted by chameleon, 18/03/2009 9:26:43 AM

There is no longer a link between public holidays and religion. The link is history. Just as the history of link to Easter and Christmas for the few devout goes back to pagan times.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/03/2009 9:43:50 AM

Jeff you say "It is simply a holiday and no government could even consider removing it from the calendar" For many retail/service sector workers these public holidays have already been taken away by way of employees being forced to work these days or get cut off the roster in future. Get rid of religious public holidays if that is what the majority of people want as long as it applies across the board to all occupations except essential services. that was the point i was trying to make when i wrote about how people may enjoy going shopping or drinking on a public holiday but they are only able to do so because others have had to give up their public holiday. Is it acceptable for retail workers, bar workers etc to have to go to work on religious public holidays to serve the lucky ones who still have the day off.

Posted by senior sergeant smith, 18/03/2009 9:39:46 AM

But they are not religious public holidays, Sarge. The public is not religious. Australia is a secular nation.

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/03/2009 9:44:47 AM

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