private schools insert own religious verse into national anthem

[fireheart17]

BG: the Australian national anthem is entirely secular, usually the first verse only is sung at schools, while the first and second verses are sung at other events. Someone some time ago created an "unofficial" verse for the national anthem, but is not considered to be part of the anthem.

http://www.news.com.au/national/scho...-1226155301780

Some PRIVATE schools (religious) have decided to insert their own verse into the national anthem.

[Mishi]

It's not just private schools either. This isn't in that article, but I know that the homeschoolers group that we rarely associated with (they weren't hardcore enough but that's a whole 'nother rant) about 15 years ago also sung it, and claimed that it was the official 3rd verse. I never heard otherwise, so thought that it was the correct 3rd verse right up until I read the article. I don't really know how I feel about it; it appeals to my Christian heritage, but I can understand why having a secular anthem is much kinder and more inclusive of our current population.

[fireheart17]

Mishi, the verse you're thinking of was written around the 80's-90's. It's been sung at a couple of religious-themed events (World Youth Day etc.).

The original anthem prior to 1984 was "God Save The Queen" (to do with our British beginnings I guess....). Advance Australia Fair was written in 1879 originally and was completely different to what we sing today. There were four verses, which made references to England being our "Fatherland" and to us defending our shores. The 1901 version had a very different third verse, which was then modified into our current version that we know of today. There was NO reference whatsoever to Christianity in ANY form of Advance Australia Fair.

According to the PM's office, the verse that's causing so much controversy was never a part of the anthem and should never be sung as part of the anthem.

[SkullKing]

As long as they don´t teach that the verse is part of the officia autralian anthem, I don´t see any problems with it.

[Nyoibo]

That's the problem, they do, they make no mention of the fact that the version people are singing is not the official anthem.

[Blue Ginger]

This just makes me see red.

I like comment number 1 when you view all comments to the article.
'My School also sings it, Mackay Christian College, and when they sing it, I refuse too. Rather I sing the intended second verse, I have also once received detentions for doing so.'

I would have done more than refuse to sing. I would have contacted the media and my local politician as soon as I heard the butchered version.

You do not, under any circumstances, touch our national anthem. Stick your god in your school song like every other religious school does. This is just wrong, so wrong.