MULTICULTURALISM – MULTICULTURALISM – CAN IT WORK IN CAN IT WORK IN

AUSTRALIA?AUSTRALIA?

WHAT IS CULTURE?WHAT IS CULTURE?•CultureCulture (Cambridge (Cambridge Dictionary – noun)Dictionary – noun)

•The way of life, especially The way of life, especially the general customs and the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular of people at a particular time…time…

WHAT IS WHAT IS MULTICULTURAL/ISM?MULTICULTURAL/ISM?• Multicultural (adjective)Multicultural (adjective)

Including people who have many Including people who have many different customs and beliefs:different customs and beliefs:Australia is increasingly a multicultural Australia is increasingly a multicultural society.society.Multiculturalism (noun)Multiculturalism (noun)the existence of several cultures within the existence of several cultures within a society, especially as they relate to a society, especially as they relate to one another in immigrant receiving one another in immigrant receiving nations. nations.

MonoculturalismMonoculturalism Melting PotMelting Pot MulticulturalismMulticulturalism

‘‘A culture is largely a reflection of the A culture is largely a reflection of the dominant belief systems’ of the dominant belief systems’ of the country of origin…country of origin…• Look at India to see what a Look at India to see what a

predominantly Hindu culture looks like…predominantly Hindu culture looks like…• Look at countries like Thailand and Look at countries like Thailand and

Cambodia to see what a predominantly Cambodia to see what a predominantly Buddhist culture looks like… Buddhist culture looks like…

• Look at countries like Malaysia, Look at countries like Malaysia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Iraq to see what a predominantly and Iraq to see what a predominantly Muslim culture looks like… Muslim culture looks like…

• There are no ‘Christian Nations’, just There are no ‘Christian Nations’, just some nations where there is a higher some nations where there is a higher percentage of Christians like USA, South percentage of Christians like USA, South Korea, and some emerging African Korea, and some emerging African Nations like Ghana…Nations like Ghana…

• Australia is a secular nation with a Australia is a secular nation with a Christian foundation in the Westminster Christian foundation in the Westminster system and common law…system and common law…

WHAT ABOUT AUSTRALIA?WHAT ABOUT AUSTRALIA?• Australia’s multicultural policy promotes Australia’s multicultural policy promotes

acceptance of and respect for our cultural acceptance of and respect for our cultural diversity. It embraces our Australian-grown diversity. It embraces our Australian-grown customs and the heritage of indigenous customs and the heritage of indigenous Australians, early settlers, and the diverse range Australians, early settlers, and the diverse range of migrants now coming to this country. It of migrants now coming to this country. It supports the right of each Australian to maintain supports the right of each Australian to maintain and celebrate, within the law, their culture, and celebrate, within the law, their culture, language or religion.language or religion.

• The freedom of all Australians to express and The freedom of all Australians to express and share their cultural values is dependent on our share their cultural values is dependent on our abiding by mutual civic obligations. All Australians abiding by mutual civic obligations. All Australians are expected to have an overriding loyalty to are expected to have an overriding loyalty to Australia and its people, and to respect the basic Australia and its people, and to respect the basic structures and principles underwriting our structures and principles underwriting our democratic society. democratic society.

• These are the Constitution, These are the Constitution, parliamentary democracy, freedom of parliamentary democracy, freedom of speech and religion, English as the speech and religion, English as the national language, the rule of law, national language, the rule of law, acceptance and equality.acceptance and equality.

PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES• The government's aim is to build on our The government's aim is to build on our

success as a culturally diverse, success as a culturally diverse, accepting and open society, united accepting and open society, united through a shared future, and a through a shared future, and a commitment to our nation, its commitment to our nation, its democratic institutions and values, and democratic institutions and values, and the rule of law. This vision is reflected in the rule of law. This vision is reflected in the four principles that underpin the four principles that underpin multicultural policy:multicultural policy:

• Responsibilities of allResponsibilities of all - all Australians - all Australians have a civic duty to support those basic have a civic duty to support those basic structures and principles of Australian structures and principles of Australian society which guarantee us our freedom society which guarantee us our freedom and equality and enable diversity in our and equality and enable diversity in our society to flourish;society to flourish;

• Respect for each person Respect for each person - subject to - subject to the law, all Australians have the right to the law, all Australians have the right to express their own culture and beliefs express their own culture and beliefs and have a reciprocal obligation to and have a reciprocal obligation to respect the right of others to do the respect the right of others to do the same;same;

• Fairness for each personFairness for each person - all - all Australians are entitled to equality of Australians are entitled to equality of treatment and opportunity. Social equity treatment and opportunity. Social equity allows us all to contribute to the social, allows us all to contribute to the social, political and economic life of Australia, political and economic life of Australia, freefree from discrimination, including on from discrimination, including on the grounds of race, culture, religion, the grounds of race, culture, religion, language, location, gender or place of language, location, gender or place of birth; andbirth; and

• Benefits for all Benefits for all - all Australians benefit - all Australians benefit from productive diversity, that is, the from productive diversity, that is, the significant cultural, social and economic significant cultural, social and economic dividends arising from the diversity of dividends arising from the diversity of our population. Diversity works for all our population. Diversity works for all Australians.Australians.

CAN MULTICULTURALISM CAN MULTICULTURALISM WORK IN AUSTRALIA?WORK IN AUSTRALIA?

A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVEA CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE•GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLEGOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE

John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.shall not perish but have eternal life.

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.repentance.

God instructs his God instructs his followers followers •To love all people…To love all people…

John 13:34, 35 (NIV)John 13:34, 35 (NIV) “A new “A new command I give you: Love one command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By you must love one another. By this all men will know that you this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one are my disciples, if you love one another.” another.”

Romans 12:9 Love must be Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. what is good.

God instructs his followers God instructs his followers • TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE…TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE…

•TO LIVE AT PEACE…TO LIVE AT PEACE… Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far

as it depends on you, live at peace as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. with everyone.

God instructs his followers God instructs his followers • TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE…TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE…• TO LIVE AT PEACE…TO LIVE AT PEACE…• TO SHARE YOUR BELIEF WITH TO SHARE YOUR BELIEF WITH

GENTLENESS AND RESPECT…GENTLENESS AND RESPECT…• 1 Peter 3:15,16 (NIV)1 Peter 3:15,16 (NIV) But in your hearts But in your hearts

set apart Christ as Lord. Always be set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.slander.

SUND@Y7 Questions…SUND@Y7 Questions…