Yes there is separation of church and state, but the state and the people under it are still overwhelmingly imbued with Christian values, regardless of whether people are religious or not. Christianity colours our laws and social conduct and, for the great number of Australians of European heritage, almost their every thought even though they are completely unaware of it. It is deeply rooted and persists as the foundation of our culture whether we like it or not. It is the basis of our social indoctrination and its everywhere.
You say the commandments against adultery and idols are not law. But it was only in the 1970s when no-fault divorce came in that adultery ceased to be a outright crime. And adultery can still be brought up in evidence in modern day Family Court disputes. As for idols and the like, try marching down Bourke Street waving an ISIS flag or a swastika and tell me the police won't get involved.
Soldiers take an oath of loyalty to the Queen who is formally Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The separation of church and state does not give a soldier the secular right to refuse to defend the Queen's titular rights and must be prepared fight to defend them as ordered.
Christianity may colour some of our laws but there are many that are not. Sliding tax scale, unions, minimum wage, etc. are elements of Marrxism, which Christians will tell you is related to Darwinism and essentially the work of the devil. Christianity colours almost all of our thoughts? That's a pretty massive call and I'm interested to hear the argument that backs it up!
As others have mentioned, a lot of the values and practices of Christianity pre-date that religion and are also found in many other belief systems. Therefore I struggle to see how you can attribute so much to Christianity at the expence of every other relevant element of history.
You relate ISIS and Nazi flags to the worship of craven idols, Which I believe you do so erroneously. Firstly, these flags and symbols have been banned because of the ideology they represent and the violence they command against the ruling state, not because they do not represent the Christian god (are swatikas even banned? I don't think so). Secondly, it is legal to march down any street with a Flying Spaghetti Monster flag, a flag of Ganesh and flags of rainbow gay pride - all symbols and idolotry that is completely un-Christian. I'm not sure your argument there stands up.
I signed up in 1994. I recall pledging to the queen but I also remember that you had a choice on what you pledged to, I think the other one may have been a bible, I really can't recall. Yes, the Queen is head of the Church but I think it's a pretty big stretch to argue that anyone is swearing the oath to her as the head of a religious organisation rather than the head of state. Secondly, given the Australia Act from 1986 I'd also argue that it's pretty way out to suggest that Australia would ever be called on or would answer any call to defend the Church of England, it just wouldn't happen. We defend the national interest and part of that is supporting alliances, which are often partly based on values. But I'd argue that national interest and national security trumps all.
@evoo4u Culture is fluid and what you see as Australian culture was markedly different to what your grandparents would have called Australian culture - to them their culture would very likely have been British. And if our culture hangs on such superficial things as to how we wish niceties on others, well then we're already ******, I'd say!