Mr. Rudd said the Cleric's remarks have no place in modern Australia. Although the remarks were earlier made in a DVD of an address several years ago, they were brought to light only this week. The cleric concerned has gone into hiding and is not contactable.
Christians are right to object to the way such statements are made as sexist and derogatory towards women. Violence has no place in human relationships as a way to solving issues. The way of Jesus was the way of suffering love, not violent reaction.
But Christians should examine their own household before criticizing Muslims on such an issue. There are a group of fundamentalist Christians who base their practises on Old Testament teaching, and still demand the right to physically punish children, the most venerable of all, with hitting, spanking, striking with rods and paddles, and even some Christian schools have that practise in their discipline codes. Likewise, domestic abuse of wives is overlooked by those who push an outdated concept of the "submission" of wives to their husbands. All physical assault is a criminal act. It would help end un- Christian social practise if there were more charges and more judicial rulings.
It should be boldly stated from Christian pulpits that torture has no place in government interrogation of enemies, that capital punishment of criminals is a barbarous hangover from an un-enlightened era, that physical assault on children, women, the elderly, the mentally ill and the prisoner and other venerable people in society is a criminal act what must be repudiated by every Christian community.
Rev The Hon Dr Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.