Atheist action

By Lia Bichel
MELBOURNE atheists chose Australia Day to protest against a religious gathering at Springvale City Hall.
About 12 members of a group called the Melbourne Atheists held signs and chanted outside a prayer meeting organised by Catch the Fire Ministries.
The prayer event, attended by hundreds of people of different cultures and denominations, was aimed to give people an opportunity to pray for God’s protection over Australia during the bushfire season, to pray for increased rain and to hear prophecies, Catch the Fire Ministries president Pastor Daniel Nalliah said.
Melbourne Atheists member Andrew Rawlings said the group was not opposed to people having their own beliefs but was protesting against Pastor Daniel Nalliah and the Catch the Fire Ministries.
“This particular group is trying to make Australia more religious,” he said.
“People are entitled to their beliefs but (Catch the Fire Ministries) is being subsidised by churchgoers and ratepayers.”
Mr Rawlings said Melbourne Atheists opposed Catch the Fire Ministries’ religious views, including their stance against homosexuals and their practices.
“In my opinion they perform exorcisms,” he said.
“They are also against other people’s religions – they are atheist about other people’s religions!”
Pastor Nalliah did not refute the accusations, but countered by saying that he “loved the sinner and not the sin” and that the church performed “deliverances.”
“I’m not against homosexuals, I am against homosexuality,” he said.
“Some people say exorcism, I prefer deliverance. In the last 18 months we have cured more than 50 people who were deaf. We have cured people who had cancer, tumours and cysts. We have cast out evil spirits in people who are possessed by them.”
Pastor Nalliah said he thought the prayer meeting went welland was not bothered by the protestors.
“There was no major issue,” he said.
“I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of opinion, they have the right to comment,” he said.
Pastor Nalliah also received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Saint Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida at the event.