‘A debate on marriage equality need not be hate-filled’
“In a wide-ranging speech delivered last week and published in the Guardian (“Straight politicians don’t understand what it’s like to hide their relationships in fear), Senate opposition leader Penny Wong made the case against a plebiscite on the redefinition of the marriage.
Her three claims were: that opposition to same-sex marriage is essentially homophobia; that the Australian people cannot be trusted to have a respectful discussion about such matters; and so the matter should be left to the parliament. …
The fact is that many ordinary Australians are both pro-gay people and pro-traditional marriage. They know and love people with same-sex attraction and want only the best for them. They know that such people have often suffered injustices in the past and sympathise with the complaint that something is being denied to them still. But they also believe that marriage is a unique relationship that unites people of the opposite sex as husband and wife and, more often than not, as father and mother. Such ordinary Australians are not bigots.”
– This opinion-piece by Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher was published in The Guardian just before the federal election. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net. Photo: Archdiocese of Sydney.)
Why Saturday’s election is like all the others, and yet not
“Voting in elections, like pretty much everything we do, is an exercise in glorifying God by loving our neighbour.
Or as Paul puts it: ‘So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ’ (1 Cor 10:31-11:1).
The principle as it applies to voting is simple enough: we should do everything for the glory of God by seeking the advantage of many. As we eat or drink or work or drive or vote, we should not seek our own good, but the good of many others, and especially their chief good of being saved in Christ.
What does this mean for our vote this Saturday?…
… Christians will regard people’s destiny in Christ as their chief good. As we consider all the good and harm that may be attained through governmental action, we will give a special priority to those actions that provide space and opportunity for the gospel to be clearly proclaimed. As Paul said, do everything for the glory of God by seeking the good of many, so that they may be saved.
And that’s why this election is unlike any I’ve voted in over the past 36 years in Australia…”
– At Moore College’s Centre for Christian Living, Tony Payne lays out the great motivation for evangelical Christians to consider carefully how they should vote.
Related:
Same Sex Marriage: Don’t wait till after the Election.
‘Bill Shorten says same-sex marriage plebiscite would not lead to homophobia-driven violence’
“The Federal Opposition Leader has said although a plebiscite on same-sex marriage could be damaging to the LGBT community, he does not think that it would lead to a shooting like the one in Orlando.
Bill Shorten said during the online leaders’ debate on Friday night that he did not want to hold a plebiscite because it would encourage homophobia.
He also referenced the recent shooting in Orlando and the murder of British MP Jo Cox…”
– Report from ABC News.
Related:
“Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s linking of the Orlando massacre to a people’s vote on marriage was an unfortunate form of emotional manipulation designed to silence debate, according to the Australian Christian Lobby…” – Australian Christian Lobby.
Religious Instruction in schools and “soliciting”
“Press reports today (e.g.”Qld govt to review religious education“, Courier-Mail, 7 June 2016) indicate that a school Principal in Queensland has written to parents at his school indicating that he is cancelling the usual Religious Instruction (RI) classes, on the basis that he has discovered the lessons involve “proselytising” (a term which he says refers to “soliciting a student… to change their religious affiliation”). The Queensland Government in response to the press reports has indicated that it will be reviewing materials used to ensure they comply with relevant rules.
Does this mean a radical change has recently taken place in a program which has been operating for many years allowing parents to send their children to RI (elsewhere sometimes called “Scripture” or “Special Religious Education”) classes for a short period each week? Actually, no. It seems that the Principal has misread the relevant provisions, and the Queensland Government really doesn’t need to react to the misleading interpretation…”
– Assoc Professor Neil Foster provides vital reading as background for the news story out of Queensland.
Religious instruction under review in QLD
“Religious Instruction (RI) in Queensland’s state schools will be reviewed after a school principal raised concerns that teaching materials are proselytising students. It’s the first time a review of this nature has been called in the state.
The review, announced by the QLD Minister for Education Kate Jones today, comes after a local Brisbane principal told parents he had decided to axe religious instruction classes immediately after reviewing the materials and finding that, in his belief, they “proselytised” students. …
Matthew Keong, the principal at Windsor State School in Brisbane’s north, sent a letter to parents on Friday outlining his decision to stop the program. The materials used in his school were from the ‘Connect’ program, published by Youthworks Media (a Sydney Anglican ministry).”
– Report by Kaley Payne at Bible Society Australia,
Labor plans to appoint discrimination commissioner to ensure LGBTI people ‘feel safer’
“Labor has announced it will appoint an LGBTI discrimination commissioner to the Australian Human Rights Commission if it wins government in July…”
– ABC News has this report.
(Photo: Senator Penny Wong’s website.)
Moore College Missions 2016
“How joyous and encouraging has it been to follow each Moore Missions team this week?
Having arrived at the mid-week mark of the annual missions week, we can praise God for how easy it is for us to share in what the teams are doing. Thanks to the one-stop-shop at the Moore Missions site, we are steadily updated about the 13 teams of Moore students and faculty.”
– Thanks to the new-fangled Internet, you can get the latest to help you pray for Moore College missions across Sydney and further afield. Please be encouraged to do so.
Greens promise to end religious exemptions to Sex Discrimination Act
“The Greens have promised to remove religious exemptions to federal anti-discrimination law and increase funding to the Safe Schools anti-bullying program.
The promises are contained in broad-ranging Greens policy for LGBTI rights to be released on Tuesday by their LGBTI equality spokesman, Robert Simms, and gender identity spokeswoman, Janet Rice…”
– From The Guardian. (h/t SydneyAnglicans.net)
See also The Greens policy statement.
Voting on July 2 — David Cook
David Cook, Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, turns to the Federal election in his latest comment:
“It is rare for an election to have as a major issue, a matter of morality, as much as this forthcoming poll.
The single issue is Same Sex Marriage, the ALP has said, that if elected they will legislate in the first 100 days for SSM. The Coalition parties, if elected, promise a national plebiscite on the issue.”
Full text below: Read more
Petition calls on Bill Shorten to support a marriage plebiscite
The Australian Christian Lobby has launched an online petition calling on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to support the proposed plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
As the Australian Christian Lobby’s Managing Director Lyle Shelton notes, under current policy, an ALP win in the Federal election would mean same-sex marriage being legalised in Australia by early October.
Photo credit: ALP.
SMBC celebrates Centenary
Sydney Missionary and Bible College at Croydon is this weekend celebrating its Centenary, beginning with a Thanksgiving Service on Friday night April 15 2016.
Principal Stuart Coulton introduced past Principal, and now Presbyterian Moderator General, David Cook. Preaching from Hebrews 1:1-4, David exhorted his hearers to hold fast to the Bible, the revealed word of God, and to be constantly vigilant against drifting from the truth.
The Centenary celebrations will continue on Saturday April 16 with an Open Day.
A highlight of the day will be the launch of the College’s centenary history, Out of Darkness, by Academic Vice Principal Anthony Brammall (pictured).
The book is available from the College.
Government to retain Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
“The Government will provide certainty to the charitable sector and community organisations by today announcing the decision to retain the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).”
‘Safe Schools’ program to face Government review
“The Federal Government will review the Safe Schools anti-bullying program that is designed to provide a safe environment for same-sex students.
Backbencher Cory Bernardi, who has accused the program of having a “radical agenda”, raised the issue in the Coalition party-room this morning and says there was widespread support.”
– Report and image from ABC News.
Related:
Local pastor stands up to ‘shocking’ school program – Australian Christian Lobby.
Sydney school to allow male students to wear female uniforms – ABC News.
Protecting free speech in the Same Sex Marriage Plebiscite debate
“An article in the The Guardian today, ‘Override hate speech laws to allow marriage equality debate, urges Christian lobby’ reports that Lyle Shelton, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, has made proposals urging greater protection of free speech for those opposed to the introduction of same sex marriage in the forthcoming Australian plebiscite on the topic.
Of course, the reader will see that the Guardian headline and my summary of the proposals seem quite different. In its support for same sex marriage, the Guardian and those it quotes describe the ACL proposals as follows: the ACL wants to ‘permanently override anti-discrimination laws’ …
I think the Guardian has slanted the ACL views unfairly. (Even more unfairly, the Sydney Morning Herald report on the story features a cartoon of an ACL representative complaining that they can’t be expected to make their case ‘without expressing hatred and bigotry’.) Let me suggest reasons why the ACL proposal, so far as can be ascertained from these press reports, sounds limited, moderate and sensible. …”
– Neil Foster, Associate Professor on Law at Newcastle, adds some clarity to reporting on those opposed to the introduction of same-sex marriage in Australia.
Update: See Part 2 here.
Malcolm in the Middle
“On Friday 12 February, at the invitation of the Australian Christian Lobby, I joined a delegation to meet Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, in his Sydney office. It was agreed that we confine our remarks to the issue of the plebiscite regarding single gender marriage which will be held, in the event of a coalition victory, soon after the next Federal election. …
When the PM was asked about freedom of conscience for those in the marriage industry, florists, caterers, etc, he said that he was sure that common sense would prevail…”
– Presbyterian Moderator-General David Cook reports that he was ‘profoundly disappointed’ after a meeting with the Prime Minister last week. Read it all here.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…