DAR AL HARB - AUSTRALIA: THE REMOVAL OF CHRISTIANITY FROM AUSTRALIA AND ITS ISLAMIZATION

Chapel also a mosque

AN unholy row has erupted over the Gold Coast Hospital's decision to turn its Christian chapel into a 'reflection room' catering to other religions.

Critics point to the decision as a further move to de-Christianise the health system after Queensland Health last year ruled that bedside Bibles were available only on request.

Under the Gold Coast Hospital plan, Muslims will be able to pray to Mecca alongside Christians praying to the Holy Cross.

It is not clear whether there will be religious icons for Buddhists, Hindus and Jews.

Opposition health spokesman and Surfers Paradise state MP John Paul Langbroek said yesterday the decision was clearly designed to avoid offending non-Christians.

He said all Christian iconography would be removed from the Gold Coast Hospital chapel, a suggestion rejected by Queensland Health, which said Christian symbols would sit alongside Muslim items in the new prayer room.

"The chapel is a place for everyone, regardless of religious conviction, to go and seek comfort during trying times," said Mr Langbroek.

"People make use of the hospital's chapel and chaplaincy services usually at a time when they need it the most. To suggest someone might be offended by this is ridiculous.

"I'm sure people of all religions would agree this move is unnecessary.

"If they want to open a reflection room, that's fine, but they should be retaining the chapel and what it symbolises."

The Rev Fred Nile said the decision was a disgrace.

"This is a Christian country and Christian chapels should remain," he said.

"This will become a Muslim prayer room now. It happened at the Sydney airport ... and now they object to women using it.

"The hospital decision-makers should be ashamed of themselves.

"I believe they'll find most of the community will wish to keep the chapel as is."

Hospital Anglican chaplain Father Sid Rogers championed the 'reflection room' and said the new arrangement catered to a greater diversity of religions.

"It's a mountain out of a molehill," he said yesterday.

"This started when we began to look at ways to improve our service at the new (Parklands) hospital.

"We're not doing anything ground-breaking because most of the major hospitals do this now and we are simply complying with state health policy.

"We will be keeping the chapel as it is but making allowances for certain groups.

"For example, if we schedule a Holy Communion, you would expect mostly Christians and the chapel would be reserved for them.

"If you have a group of Muslims who would like to worship ... you have a set time for that."

A Queensland Health spokeswoman said the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service District embraced the multicultural nature of their workforces and the wider community.

"In response to requests from staff members to have a place of worship, the Gold Coast Hospital Chapel is opening its doors to all faiths," said the spokeswoman.

"Father Rogers is devising a timetable of usage to ensure all faiths have access to the facility and appropriate additions are being made to the chapel to accommodate the change.

"Prayer mat storage, footwear space and an icon to identify Mecca are among the minor additions being made to accommodate other faiths."

The spokeswoman said Bibles were available at the bedside at the Gold Coast Hospital and where a Bible was not located at a bedside, it was an oversight rather than a directive and one could be provided on request.

A spokesman for Health Minister Stephen Robertson said multi-denominational chapels were available at Royal Brisbane, Princess Alexandra, Prince Charles, Cairns, Townsville and Toowoomba hospitals.

Former Federal MP, Christian missionary and mayoral contender, John Bradford, said Australia was still very much a Christian country.

"We obviously have to accept that we are multi-cultural and be sensitive to the people of other faith," he said. "But where will it end?"

Further support for the hospital's decision came from Southport Catholic parish priest Father Peter Pillon, and Gold Coast councillor, and high-profile member of Southport Church of Christ, Rob Molhoek.

Opposition came from the Coast's Scripture Union and Christian Community Church.



HatTip: UmmahNewsLinks.com


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1) Chapel also a mosque