by Peter Garrett < http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=150> There is a fair amount of fuzziness about where the line of demarcation between church and state lies. This separation is a principle I firmly believe in, while also believing that someone’s personal values should and do inform one’s day to day thought processes and decision-making. But there is way too much selective following of the rule nowadays by this government.It invokes the authority and wisdom and so-called legitimate involvement of the church in politics and policy-making when that involvement is pro-government policy. The Howard Government directly uses various congregations and speeches to promote government policies. But when the church points out the human rights and humanitarian values “shortcomings” and “failures” of the government – for example, in relation to refugee policy – then the church is loudly deemed to have no place in such discussions. It is told, often not so politely, to go away quietly.