Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies slams same-sex marriage activists
“The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney has branded radical same-sex marriage campaigners as a ‘barge of bullies’ who are swamping the public debate with an ‘introspective, authoritarian denial of free speech’.
Writing in The Australian today, Glenn Davies says the corporate world in Australia has been ‘press-ganged’ into supporting marriage equality and backing diversity by gay activists. ‘What kind of diversity is so monochrome that it does not allow differing expressions of opinion in the debate?’ he says. ‘This narrow-minded, freedom-restricting carping is what the same-sex marriage campaign has come to.’…”
– Story from The Australian.
Here is an excerpt from Archbishop Davies’ piece –
“There is only one upside from the recent attacks and unprecedented abuse directed at an academic and the directors of Christian organisations: people are beginning to wake up and take notice. They are starting to understand that the campaign for same-sex marriage is not sailing on a raft of rainbows but on a barge of bullies.
Last week there was the IBM executive whose position was questioned because he was a director of the Lachlan Macquarie Institute. He was the subject of attack in his previous employment as well.
Then there was the Christian academic who had not even entered the same-sex marriage debate, whose university was pressured over his employment which, it was claimed, conflicted with its membership in the so-called Pride in Diversity campaign. What kind of diversity is so monochrome that it does not allow differing expressions of opinion in the debate?
Not only has this minority view tried to swamp the public debate with its introspective, authoritarian denial of free speech, it has struck at the heart of Australian democracy and the freedoms that we all cherish. …”
– Read the full article – on page 14 of the print edition of today’s Australian – or in their digital edition (paywalled).
Anglican Aid launches Cyclone Debbie appeal
“Anglican Aid is launching an appeal for those who have lost their livelihoods in Cyclone Debbie. We are asking Christians in Sydney to stand in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in northern Queensland who have been affected by the cyclone.”
– Details from Anglican Aid. (Image: NASA DSCOVR / EPIC Team.)
Calls for Macquarie University to distance themselves from Christian Academic
“In the latest case in a growing line of stories, Dr Steve Chavura, a Senior Research Associate at Macquarie University, has been the subject of calls for his dismissal from the university. …
It should be noted that Dr Chavura is not the first LMI board member to receive attention in recent days, indeed these stories a fast becoming common place around the country. For example: …”
– Murray Campbell looks at the latest ‘take no captives’ approach in the culture wars.
(Interestingly, Dr. Chavura’s “research interests include … philosophical issues relating to freedom of speech”.)
Christian leaders slam ‘appalling and unAustralian’ gay activists
“The nation’s most senior Christian leaders have described as ‘appalling’ and ‘unAustralian’ attacks from gay activists that have driven two Christian charities to request board secrecy.
And the Sydney Anglican Archbishop Glenn Davies has slammed the multinational corporates who surrender to those attacks as ‘weak-kneed’.”
– Story from The Australian. (paywalled). File photo of Abp Davies: Moore College.
Related: Another Christian persecuted by Gay Left – Herald Sun.
Abortion, Obscenity and Free Speech
“Sometimes a powerful visual image is what is needed to shock us into action. But can an image be so powerful and horrifying that it becomes “obscene” and hence unlawful to use in public?
That, it seems, is now the view being taken in Victoria of a particular type of image: pictures of unborn babies who have been killed. While the decision of a Victorian court, it may be followed elsewhere in Australia. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster (Associate Professor in Law at Newcastle) discusses the decision in Victoria, and implications for free speech.
Image: Australian Christian Lobby.
How showing a picture of a dead foetus has become a crime
“Showing a picture of a dead foetus in public is now a crime following a ruling in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday which will strengthen the hand of the abortion industry lobby across Australia, warns the Australian Christian Lobby.’…”
– from The Australian Christian Lobby.
Beer, Bibles and free speech in Australia
“The Bible Society of Australia has recently celebrated its 200th birthday – a significant milestone in a country whose European settlement only took place about 230 years ago. It decided to celebrate the event by way of connecting with popular Australian culture – and in a fairly secular country, a key aspect of that culture is beer!
So in a creative move, the Society formed a partnership with Coopers, a long-established but slightly “niche” brewery, to arrange the release of cans of “Coopers Light”, a low-alcohol beer, with Bible verses on the cans. (The link was all the more appropriate because the motto of the Society was “Live Light”. Coopers also claims to be “Australia’s longest living family brewery”, having been established in 1862.)
So far, so good …”
– At MercatorNet, Neil Foster recounts the disturbing tale of the “Keeping it Light” video.
Coopers outrage ‘over the top’, Liberal MPs say
“The two Liberal MPs involved in a video which sparked outrage over Coopers Brewery’s links with The Bible Society have hit back, calling the public response ‘over the top’ and the brewer’s backdown ‘spineless’. …”
– ABC News report. Image: ABC.
‘Beer and Bibles: brewery cops same-sex marriage backlash’
“Coopers has been copping a bit of flack over a video produced with the Bible Society in which two MPs debate same-sex marriage. …”
– Story from ABC’s Triple J Hack.
Related: 1. Press release from Bible Society. 2. A good drop for the Good Book.
Update: Coopers Brewery distances itself from Bible Society’s marriage equality video, faces backlash – ABC News.
Report of the Select Committee on Same-Sex Marriage Bill
“The Senate Select Committee on the Exposure Draft of the Marriage Amendment (Same-Sex Marriage) Bill has now handed down its formal Report (15 Feb 2017). …
At the moment the current Government’s preferred option, a plebiscite, has been rejected by the Parliament, and the Government has indicated that in line with its election commitments, it will not be moving to a vote in Parliament on the issue.
Nevertheless, it is worth noting some areas of consensus, and flagging the issues on which there still remains substantial disagreement.”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster highlights areas for further discussion in the Senate Select Committee report.
Christian events in Australia in 2017
Steve Kryger, at Communicate Jesus, continues his helpful tradition of compiling a list of Christian events in Australia.
Australia Day Honours 2017
Over at SydneyAnglicans.net, Russell Powell has a report on Sydney Anglicans recognised in today’s Australia Day Honours.
40th anniversary of the Granville train disaster
“A former Police Rescue officer who personally rescued two people from the rubble of the Granville train disaster has reflected on the tragedy 40 years ago today.
Chief Inspector Gary Raymond APM, OAM (Retired) was a young member of the Police Rescue Squad which responded to the train derailment and bridge collapse in 1977 that claimed 83 lives and injured 213 others. Read more
Overseas Muslim marriages and Australian law
“Two cases involving purported marriages under Islamic law, entered into overseas by Australian residents, have received recent press coverage.
The decisions of the courts involved seem to be clearly correct, and they helpfully illustrate some important principles of Australian law. A person whose home is Australia cannot legally travel outside this country and enter into a valid marriage with a minor, or enter into a second marriage when already lawfully married under Australian law. …”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster looks at the operation of Australian law and overseas marriages.
Update on 2016 Law and Religion issues and preview for 2017
“It seems a good time of the year to take stock of the current status of some important Law and Religion issues discussed this year, and to flag some upcoming issues for the New Year.”
– At Law and Religion Australia, Neil Foster provides a concise summary of some of the key issues in 2016, plus a heads-up on another Parliamentary Inquiry, this one into “the status of the human right to freedom of religion or belief“.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…