The Australian government will allow people to bring their own Holy books, such as the Bible, the Koran and the Torah, for making their pledges of commitment at Australian citizenship ceremonies.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen on Monday moved to clear up confusion about a so-called Bible ban at citizenship ceremonies, as the opposition had labelled it, 9 News reports.

The Federal Opposition had accused the government of banning holy books for new Australians following changes it made to the citizenship ceremony code in 2008.

But Mr Bowen denied that, saying citizens had always been encouraged to take their own holy book to make the pledge of commitment.

The trouble related to part of the code which states religious texts are not to be handed out as official gifts by whoever organises the ceremony, usually councils.

Mr Bowen said that was set in 2003 by the previous government and remained the case.

Ceremonies were secular and shouldn’t be used as forums for political, partisan or religious expression, he said.

SOURCE

No Bible ban for new citizens: government (9 News)