Many of the traditional Christian values issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, anti-drug and alcohol abuse issues, care for the elderly, the disabled, family values, same sex marriage, promiscuity and pornography, and declining respect for public space and community leaders in education, the law and the church, are shared by others of different faiths, Christian understanding, and personal morals.

There are today new allies on such matters. Conservative evangelicals are joining with denominations that were not traditional allies. In the past, religious traditions that had significant doctrinal differences did not associate together. As a young minister, I remember the local ministers Fraternal, holding a long debate concerning what was regarded by Protestant clergy as Roman Catholic excesses, and theological heresy.

In the end the vote was passed to welcome the Parish Priest, but we lost four fundamentalist Protestant independent pastors who could not remain in the same room as the Roman Catholic Priest.

Of course, over the years the debate went on over whether to include the Pentecostal clergy and Seventh Day Adventists. There was always strong rejection of Christadelphian, Mormons and others whose theology was universally regarded as sub Christian. Of course, there would have been no way that a Jewish Rabbi or a Muslim Imam would have been welcome.

But today, Christians realize that they must work together with people of like mind to reduce social evils, as the majority of the community, in general, are too permissive. This does not mean we compromise our beliefs or accept other beliefs that may be even theologically unacceptable. But we share a common humanity and if we are to impact society we need to work together.

In California in early November, citizens were invited to vote on Proposition 8, which would reinstate a law prohibiting same sex marriage.

Pastors, ministers, elders and priests from Roman Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, and fundamentalist churches, and leaders of the Mormons, the Latter Day Saints who observe highly traditional family values, and rabbis from liberal and orthodox Jewish synagogues, all joined forces to defeat it.

These leaders, and ordinary church and synagogue members, came to value each other as they worked together to secure traditional marriage in a community of powerful homosexual forces. One Presbyterian leader wrote: We Evangelicals must thank our Mormon cousins for that fact. They, along with our Catholic brethren, were better organized than us and that provided a base from which we could ALL work together to get this job done What more, as we have chronicled here, Mormons took the brunt of the abuse, derision, and even threats of physical harm that came with this effort. And like us, they have given thanks to the Almighty who is ultimately in control, even if their understanding of that Almighty is a bit different than ours.

In the battle for the family, however, traditional Christians have no better friends than the Mormon faithful. It would be wrong if that support were taken for granted. We are intolerant of the false attacks on Mormon faith and family. We stand with our Mormon friends in their right to express their views in the public square. We celebrate the areas, such as family values, where we agree.

Of course, some people will never agree to work together even for a better society if they hold differing beliefs. They believe they are compromising their own beliefs to associate with others. Although they may go by a different name, they are in fact exclusive brethren.

But most of us associate each day with non-believers, humanists, and even atheists, in our workplace, university, shopping complex and sporting teams and we do not think we are compromising our faith. We can distinguish between what we believe and what others believe. We can still be in the same work force, same sporting team, same childcare centre or shopping complex.

Certainly, working in the multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious community such as a Parliament, we do not have the luxury of isolation. For the benefit of society, we need all who think like us to work with us that our common human values might be preserved.

As far as I am concerned, I welcome all our new allies!

Rev The Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.