Religious freedom lost as White magazine shuts

Posted on November 17, 2018 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars

“Christians are being run out of business, hounded by boycotts and bullied by activists, for adhering to their faith a year after the celebrated same-sex-marriage vote.

In a sign Australia faces a ‘crisis of freedom’, The Weekend Australian can reveal a successful international wedding magazine that chose not to feature gay couples will today announce its decision to shut down after becoming the target of an intimidation campaign.

The founders of White magazine, Christians Luke and Carla Burrell, said they were the targets of an activist campaign that deterred their advertisers, frightened their staff and included threats of physical harm because of their stand on same-sex weddings. …”

– Read the full story in The Weekend Australian (subscription).

See also:

Farewell – Official Statement from White magazine.

“Recently we’ve experienced a flood of judgement. We know much of that comes hand-in-hand with running a public magazine. But we are also just two humans fumbling our way through these big questions and like anyone else, and we don’t have all the answers.

Instead of allowing us the space to work through our thoughts and feelings, or being willing to engage in brave conversations to really hear each other’s stories, some have just blindly demanded that we pick a side. We’re not about sides, we’re about love, patience and kindness. A campaign was launched targeting the magazine, our team and our advertisers. Couples who have featured in our magazine have also been the subject of online abuse despite their individual beliefs. We’re really saddened by this. …”

(Note also some of the comments below that article.)

Urgent action needed on religious freedom – The Australian Christian Lobby media release:

“Revelations today that Australians are being persecuted for their beliefs shine a light on the need for urgent religious freedom protections, the Australian Christian Lobby says.

The call comes after The Weekend Australian has revealed that photographer Jason Tey, is before a State Administrative Tribunal not for declining service, but for simply stating his Christian beliefs. …”

Photo: White magazine.