Cultish Religious Sects and Politics: The Brethren v. Green
Contest and Other Controversies Involving Minor Religious Sects Down Under
Stephen Mutch, Ph.D. L.L.B. (UNSW)[1]
Abstract
A political contest between the
Exclusive Brethren and the Greens is being conducted in Australia with a high
degree of animosity. The Brethren are also at odds with the government in New
Zealand. These contests involving the Brethren, along with some other political
controversies involving minor religious sects, raise some interesting questions
about the appropriate (if there are any) demarcation lines between religion and
politics in Australia and New Zealand. A greater focus on religious questions
in politics has stimulated a growing interest in the broader philosophical
debate about the question of separation of church and state in both countries;
an issue hitherto at the fringes of political debate Down Under. This increased
focus has also raised more directly issues about entitlements received by
‘religious’ groups generally, with the Greens openly challenging government
funding, taxation, and special exemptions to Australian law the Brethren have
received. These issues are examined through the prism of cultic studies.
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