All men (of god) are (not) created equal

How odd that there has been a furore over men (yes, I mean men) of god lately: the Sydney Imam gets roasted for making disgusting statements about women's dress and rape, and PM Howard announces $20,000 per school wishing to hire a chaplain!

Is this just part of Howard's conservative (Christian) values agenda, or something more 'realpolitic'? Phil at veni vidi blogi speculates whether there's a link between Family First Senator Fielding's support for the government's new media laws and the government's cash for chaplains in schools. Either way, it's certainly not good for secularism.

As Phil points out, "We'll never be an Iran but the Enlightenment is taking a battering at the moment, it would seem."