The plebiscite is coming. It’s not the one we were told we’d be having (then told we were not having) but it is still a chance for us to make our opinion on whether same-sex marriage should be legalised known. Now that it has been decided that it’s happening, lobby groups and people with opinions all over the country are gearing up for a fight. For those of us who are Christians, how we engage with this is important; we can either help the cause of Jesus or hinder it. So here are four ideas for Christians about how we can do this plebiscite well.
Don’t say horrible things about other humans
No matter where you stand, there’s a very good chance that all of us are going to be tempted to say mean things about other people – whether they identify as LGBTQI, as a conservative Christian, a progressive Christian, a politician, a combination of these, or something else entirely. Facebook is already full of people debating the value, or lack thereof, of this plebiscite. All the people you interact with, and speak about, whether in broad generalisations or in very specific terms, are made in the image of God, they are loved by him, and Jesus died for them. Treat them for who they are. They are God’s and he will take your treatment of them personally.
Particularly watch how you speak about people from the LGBTQI community, especially if, like me, you’re a Christian who is not from this community yourself and therefore may not know what you’re talking about and probably cannot speak on their behalf. You may say something deeply hurtful out of ignorance more than malice, but whatever your motives or intentions, you are still responsible for your words. Be careful. How should you be careful? I’ll show you a most excellent way…
Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry
In case you’re wondering, that’s a quote from James 1:19. What if our first response to someone who disagrees with us either online or IRL was “Tell me more”, “I don’t know enough about this, help me understand”, or “Thank you, I hadn’t thought of things that way.” Chances are whatever you want to say has already been said, so you probably don’t need to say it again, they’ve heard it before. But what if you were known as someone who listened, someone who was thoughtful, and someone who was not easily baited. That’s probably better than being known as someone who thinks they’re right, and tells everyone else why they’re right, and how everyone can be right like them.
If you’re going to vote, don’t be proud of how you are going to vote
You may be tempted to be proud of how progressive and accepting you are because you are choosing to vote for same-sex marriage. You may be tempted to be pleased with yourself for standing firm in the face of negative public opinion because you will choose to vote against same-sex marriage. But there is no place for pride in the life of a Christian. Your value is not found in your moral values or your political or social opinion. You are no better or worse a person in the eyes of God because you vote “Yes” or “No”. Boast only in Christ, approach everything else with the humility of someone who knows your righteousness is not found in your actions but in his.
If it won’t help the Gospel, stop
My biggest concern with any discussion about this plebiscite is that we get distracted by things that are less important than the gospel. Sure there are important things at stake, but if the things we yell about stop people from hearing of the love of Christ, we’ve lost the most important battle.
For some of you, this may be the most controversial thing I say all post, but unless something crazy happens, soon same-sex marriage is going to be legalised. The question is, how do you want followers of Jesus remembered when all is said and done? Do you want us to be remembered as the ones who tried to deny the legal right of marriage to a group of people who we claim to love, many of whom do not claim to be Christians and adhere to Christian beliefs and values? Do you want us to be remembered as the people who hurled abuse at each other online and said horrible things about minorities? Do you want us to be remembered as the people who fought a losing battle and in the process further eroded our reputation as people of love? Or do you want us to be remembered as the people who spoke with love, who acted with love, who listened with love, and who won and lost with love?
Same-sex marriage does not threaten the Lordship of Jesus, but how you act as a follower will reflect his Lordship to the world. We are Christ’s ambassadors, so if our words and actions could stop people from hearing the good news of what Jesus has done for them at the cross, it’s time to stop, there are more important things at stake than the legal definition of marriage.
>Do you want us to be remembered as the people who fought a losing battle and in the process further eroded our reputation as people of love?
The followers of Christ were never meant to be loved by the world. They were meant to be hated and persecuted. You care more for popularity than the truth of God’s word.
So you don’t wear clothes with two types of cloth or eat shellfish? You’ve never touched a menstruating woman and you regularly stone those who insult their parents or leaders of the church?
God’s words were love each other and treat them as you would wish to be treated.
You can argue over rules and readings of an ancient book if you like however marriage existed outside of Christianity before and after Christ, we don’t have a monopoly on it.
If you disagree with homosexual marriage then don’t marry a member of the same sex. Simple, no issue. Priests and pastors won’t be forced to marry gay couples, you won’t be made to attend gay weddings and churches won’t be filled with gay ceremonies. It won’t affect you so why get angry?
Judge not lest ye be judged. He that is without sin may cast the first stone. Love thy neighbour as you would yourself and yours. These are god’s words
Lols did you read the post Captain?
John 13:35 came to mind, but that may be specifically referring to loving other Christians, so how about the golden rule – “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)
I don’t think the author’s point is that we love others in order to be popular, but to reflect our Father’s love. I don’t think we should be putting forward a Westboro image for example. There is definitely a time to speak what the Bible says and what we believe, but “Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14) Speaking/preaching the truth respectfully, with a heart to teach, rather than needing to be right or having to ‘win’ the argument.
For some of us, the challenge is to speak at all.
Steven I feel the exact same way. We are so afraid of rejection and persecution we have become accepting of all things no matter the sin or the damage it does to people.
Whenever the bible talks about being a light it is always in a personal context not a shine your light on those on the other side of the world.
All true Christian believe what God says in the Bible concerning homosexuality being a sin. We do no favours to anyone by keeping that truth from being known.
Having said that, we should not try to come across as arogant or a biggot either. Wisdom is needed in when to speak up and when to be silent.
Contrary to popular opinion however, sometimes the most loving thing to do is to speak the truth with meekness and fear.
So true.
Since homosexuality is at least sometimes inborn, God has chosen to create people this way. What sin can it possibly be to live your life in the way God made you? What sin do we do, if we persecute others for their natural God-given way of life?
Doctor,
Changing the meaning of the word ” Marriage” is what this plebecite is about. The Creator I know surely understands what you have suggested, and if the person who is created as you say, and have been the Best Person they can be every day, ( I personally find that challenging indeed, but rely on my Human imperfection also being recognised by that Creator?) then He will surely welcome them to the same Heaven I aspire to? Many years ago one of those people leading the Homosexuals decided to call themselves “Gay”! The meaning of that word has now been CHANGED, and that change is unacceptable, because MANY Australians are GAY, but NOT Homosexual, in the TRUE MEANING of that word. We are about to repeat this sad mistake again! Marriage is defined as a union between MAN and WOMAN for the procreating of the Human Race, I believe. It is therefore INCORRECT to apply that to unions, deeply loving unions, I know, which CANNOT NATURALLY fulfil the intention of Marriage. There will be a word or words which PROPERLY and HONOURABLY describes Homosexual Parterships, I believe. BUT we ALL have to be HONEST! Homosexuals being called GAY misrepresents the true meaning of the word GAY. That, sadly, is DISHONEST. Homosexuals being called “Married” is equally dishonest?
I consider myself a “true” Christian and I don’t believe that the Bible says homosexuality is a sin. I just don’t see it in there. I have thought about it long and hard and prayerfully and then thought some more, and I still don’t see it. I’m not going to go into all the reasons why here. My point is, who are you to decide who is a “true” and a “false” Christian? Who endowed you with that esoteric knowledge? Who gave you that authority? You see, Christians are a little like the Liberal Party. They cannot seem to agree to disagree without getting all self-righteous and divisive and snarky. “First take the plank out of your own eye…”
I didn’t read it that way at all. I believe the author is talking about John 13:35
You misunderstand. People of love are people who show love, not people that are looking to be loved.
Aaah…the old Persecution Complex. Unfortunately, nowadays Christianity is a mainstream instituionalised religion in a position of social privilege. Churches get all kinds of special exemptions such an exemption from paying taxes, an exemption from having to follow the Anti-Discrimination Act. They even get to reach out to kids in state schools. Christianity, unlike in the first century AD, is not a fringe minority sect. But even then you forget that Christians were meant to be hated and persecuted for their love and acceptance and forgiveness, not for hurling around hate and abuse.
Thank you so much for your thoughts regarding the plebiscite. It’s the single most helpful piece I have read on the subject. As a Christian grappling with how to vote and think through this issue, this post has helped clarify how to approach discussions about marriage equality.
We shouldn’t expect those around us who aren’t Christian to live the way we do, and I am struggling with the idea of voting against those who wish to commit to a relationship even though it’s not a relationship that might fit into God’s plan, such as some of my friends who are in long term same sex relationships who want to marry.
I will keep thinking and praying about what is the right way to proceed.
Hi Jodi, same sex couples can already “commit to a relationship” with recognised legal rights in Australia. This issue is not about the demands of 4-6% of the population to the detriment of the country as a whole. Recently Barrister Andrea Williams warned Australia of the issues now facing the UK following the redefining of marriage to include same sex couples. The same things are happening in parts of the US. Below is what she said:
“Since marriage was redefined to include same-sex couples in the UK in 2014, religious freedom has been dramatically eroded, particularly for Christians. At the CLC they deal with 200 case inquiries every year, involving scenarios you’d expect to hear from a Communist dictatorship, rather than 21st century Great Britain.
We have provided legal representation to Christian teachers who lost their jobs for refusing to teach students about “same-sex marriage”, magistrates removed from the bench for expressing their belief that children do best with a mother and a father, social workers forced to resign because they refused to place children with same-sex couples, counsellors who lost their jobs for trying to help people with unwanted same-sex attraction, registrars who’d lost their jobs because they refused to preside over same-sex “marriages”, doctors threatened with the removal of their medical licences if they questioned gender-transition – the list goes on and on.
Recently Andrea represented Felix Ngole, a university student removed from his Social Work course for expressing his belief on his own Facebook page that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that children need a mother and a father.
Authorities at Sheffield University stated that Ngole was unfit to be a social worker as he would unfairly discriminate.
“What’s so shocking about this particular case is that he was a university student and he was removed from his course for expressing that view,” Andrea says.
“If you’re a social worker you have to deny your conscience. You either don’t end up working in fostering or adoption, or you leave your faith at the door. If you speak out, you are liable to the consequences.”
The situation in the UK also demonstrates that when marriage is redefined, what follows close on its heels is a push for what is described as “transgender rights”, which entails the obliteration of all recognition of differences between males and females and demands acceptance of even young children to be allowed to transition to living as a member of the opposite sex.
“We’re now in a position where we’re pretty much re-writing our birth records,” Andrea said.
“If you want to see the shift (after redefining marriage) it moves immediately to the obliteration of gender.”
“The medical push is to give hormone suppressants to pre-pubescent children, to give double-mastectomies and chemical castrations. Can you imagine that? What kind of social experiment are we doing? Life altering surgery on our little children… It’s insane and the Church needs to speak out.”
We are currently dealing with three cases where children as young as six are going to school as the opposite gender.
Andrea and her legal team are working with deeply concerned parents who feel they are not allowed to speak against the new orthodoxy of gender ideology at their children’s schools.
“Everyone becomes conforming because they don’t want to rock the boat. These parents we’re working with say they feel like pariahs. Such is the power of the propaganda, the power of identity politics and the labels ‘transphobic’ and ‘homophobic’.”
Christians, she said, are also being punished in the UK for public expressions of their faith in Jesus Christ.
In some cases schools have banned Christian students from wearing crosses and purity rings, while Muslim students are permitted to wear the Hijab.
Some Christian nurses have been dismissed for offering to pray for patients.
Increasingly Christian street preachers in England are being arrested by police for causing harassment, alarm and distress.
“They keep getting arrested and we keep defending them,” Andrea said.
“So far we’ve got a 100 per cent acquittal rate. But I believe that if our street preachers didn’t have cameras and recording devices, the judges and magistrates would believe the accusers.
“We’ve got the evidence which shows that they’re not being abusive or unkind, they’re giving the Gospel.”
Meanwhile, according to Andrea, in the UK there have been incidents of Muslims publicly holding signs reading “Kill the infidels” but they are considered to be practising “free speech” and are therefore protected by the police.”
None of those things you mentioned are a violation of religious freedom.
Those people were absolutely free to believe in Jesus and practice their religion however they want to.
However the right to practice your religion does NOT mean forcing others to follow your religion. That’s where the confusion lies. Some Christians seem to believe that their rights are being infringed when they are unable to use their positions of authority to coerce others into adopting their beliefs.
A teacher refusing to teach their students about the law regarding same sex marriage for religious reasons is not doing their job. If you’re a teacher who believes in a flat earth for religious reasons, you’re free to hold that belief, you are NOT free to impose your beliefs on your students. Christian teachers who try to teach children their own religious views about sexuality in a country where the law mandates freedom from discrimination are abusing their position and do not deserve to continue teaching. I am terribly sorry that certain Christians hold these convictions so sincerely that they feel the need to impose them on children who are too young to think for themselves or critically consider religious assertions, and I am sure they are not malicious or evil people, but they have no right to do what they’re doing and the law must enforce the rights of the children to have an education free of religious bias.
As someone who has seen young men repeatedly attempt suicide after seeking help for their “unwanted same sex attraction” I must insist that any medical professional that attempts to treat anyone for “unwanted same sex attraction” needs to be removed from their profession because this is not something that can be treated and attempting to do so is widely known to cause enduring harm to the subject. Do you remember the story of Exodus International? All studies point to the fact that reparative therapy/conversion therapy is abusive and leads to long term psychological damage to the patient. This is not homeopathy. Allowing misguided youngsters to seek help from frauds who practice this is a violation of their human rights and I’m sorry, but if you know people who ask people to pay them in exchange for trying to change their sexual orientation they deserve to be in jail and if I were you I would be praying that there is NO legal firm in the world that can save them.
Social workers who refuse to place children in the care of same sex couples are delusional and need to be fired. If you can’t see how wrong that is, you’re delusional. We live in the 21st century. The majority of Christians in the UK are Anglican. You’re talking about people refusing to deliver traumatised, abused children into the care of a committed couple willing to accept and love the child because of a religion that was started by a person who couldn’t get permission from his former religion to divorce his wife. Do you understand how f*cked up that is?
Beliefs and opinions are not necessarily based on scientific fact. They’re what adherents WANT to be true.
By the same measure, those promoting same-sex marriage, gender fluidity, etc are just as lacking in hard, scientific fact. They hold to chosen beliefs and opinions. They promote what they WANT to be true.
Bullying and emotional blackmail on either side of the issues are equally unpalatable and unacceptable and should be rejected for what they are: fear of loss and desire to control others.
Equality of OPPORTUNITY is acceptable and desirable in a democratic, free society. Equality of OUTCOME is the utterly unacceptable imposition of social engineers and totalitarian regimes and should be rejected whenever and wherever it raises its ugly head. 70 years of communist rule in Russia, before the people rejected it, should have taught us more than we appear to have learned. It’s no suprise that most of those promoting cultural marxist ideas and attempting to impose them by deceit and coercion have not been alive long enough to have seen the results of totalitarian regimes espousing Marxist ideas through iron-fisted compulsion.
The aspects I find most objectionable are the use of deception, distortion of facts, denial of rights — especially those set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (and the rights of parents to decide how their children will be educated and raised) and any movement or government seeking to impose beliefs and opinions on their citizens deserves to be rejected, removed from office by legal election and, where deemed to have been unlawful in their attempts, prosecuted under existing laws that protect freedom of choice, freedom of opinion or belief and freedom of speech.
Tim, they are a violation of conscience for those people! And when Minister’s/Churches are sued for declaring the Biblical definition of marriage…. what would you call that? (Already happening in Australia). You say “we live in the 21st century” as if that is a reason to dilute truth. I don’t hate same sex attracted people and I completely agree we need to have respectful debate. But you are kidding yourself if you think this debate is solely about marriage equality. It is as much about radical gender ideologies and the eradication of gender identity as we know it. Look Yes we are to love as Christ in this earth, but even Jesus doesn’t say “yes” to every request. “No” is often an equally loving response depending on the request! Here’s a link you might find interesting.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6HD8KLQBvA
Hi Tom. Thanks for your article. The four points you make make sense. We are to be loving and share the Gospel as a priority being careful not to use language that may be offensive. My experience has been that no matter how wise and cunning I have been in approaching this subject with someone that has asked my opinion, no matter how cautious I am in framing my answer, supporters of a Yes votes general response is quite hostile as soon as they know either that I have a Biblical worldview or say I will be voting No. People still choose to take offense even if none was given or intended, This tactic seems intentionally to cause me, as much embarrassment possible, to make me feel guilty, or to shut down any reasonable debate from then on. It’s very telling when they begin shouting insulting comments with the intent to shut you up. If I have succeeded in gaining a listening ear, I have spoken quietly and reasonably about the children and impact on freedom of speech and political correctness that have been unintended consequences in other countries who have already experienced this changes. Although I understand the importance of being cautious I also know the Gospel, or Christian worldview, is more often than not, going to offend those that reject it. I choose not to be offended or take it personally and still vote No and accept the decision of the people. By The Way, Tom, I expect to be at home by end of September 2017 anyway. Blessings, Brad
The reason people take offense is because voting no causes other people harm. Gay marriage being voting on is a right that some people have and they get to voice opposition to other people having that same right.
You may not see it this way but that is what you are doing so that is why people take offense.
When you say you speak “quietly and reasonably about the children”, this is *exactly* the sort of thing Tom is taking about when he says be careful about saying something deeply hurtful out of ignorance. How do you think loving same-sex parents feel hearing this? Or children of same-sex couples? Thousands of these families already exist, they are as loving and supportive as any other, and we have to be careful not to inflict harm in this debate.
If you start talking about “the children” and “freedom of speech”, people know you are talking striaght out of the anti-SSM playbook written by the conservative republicans of the US in their (unsuccessful) attempt to stop the Supreme Court from legalising SSM. How about thinking for yourself for a change?
“Do you want us to be remembered as the ones who tried to deny the legal right of marriage to a group of people who we claim to love, many of whom do not claim to be Christians and adhere to Christian beliefs and values?”
YES, because it is the Biblical position. Conducted in the following manner…
“as the people who spoke with love, who acted with love, who listened with love, and who won and lost with love?”
This has so restored my faith in Christianity as a religion. As someone who identifies as a Christian and tries to live my life by the lessons taught by the bible I often feel lacking. I do not attend “church” as I so often feel they don’t truly get my personal journey and thus are always telling me I’m wrong. I live as I believe God wants me to trying to my best to follow and live for him, not for church. I have always felt that people should live as they choose. Christianity is about free will. We must choose him not be forced. Thank you for your words and your love OF ALL PEOPLE. God bless
Kevin
While I agree with you that nobody should be able to force their beliefs on another. However, as a Christian your highest responsibility is to God and what He says in His Word the Bible.
Part of that is to actually get to know the Bible. I am not going to quote the Bible right now, but your saying you do not go to Church leads me to believe you do not know how important the Church is. I am not saying the Church is perfect, after all nobody but God is. However, the Bible is very clear that we should belong to a local Bible believing Church that actually takes it seriously, where the pastor actually takes his calling suriously to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
In this day and age, where the fear of man is more predominant than the fear of God. The message I just gave you is even more important than you may realize.
Also, contrary to popular opinion, the most loving thing a Christian can do is say the truth in love. It may not be received well. But then again, that never stopped our Lord, or the disciples in saying and and living it.
Check out this article for how redefining marriage could affect Christians in Australia.
https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/uk-barrister-urges-churches-not-to-keel-over-in-gay-marriage-stoush/
God is the same today as He was in the beginning. Marriage was from day one. A man will leave his parents and become one with his wife and a woman will leave her parents and become one with her husband. Now go back to Genesis. God made all creatures two of each but when it came to Adam & Eve he made Adam then made Eve with a rib from Adam??? Why.. simply to show the two are as one. Marriage was in the beginning and let’s be honest. God loves gay people as he loves everyone but God is not happy with the sin. Why are people gay? No idea.. how come they grow up feeling attracted to the same sex or maybe feel they are a female when born male or vise versa. No idea… no one has a absolute answered but to vote yes would go against Jesus teaching and when we all sit here thinking what do I do.., remember God has a plan from day one and we are only a tiny part of that plan. Don’t boast your Vote just silently do what’s in your heart and think what Jesus would do. Pray hard. Blessing Everyone.
Interesting explanation. How do Abraham’s concubines, or Jacob’s or David’s fit into it? King David had at least TEN concubines as well as eight wives! If Adam is your model of marriage, David wouldn’t have many ribs left! You also no doubt basing your argument on Matthew 19:5-6. But this is in the context of Jesus condemning divorce for other than sexual immorality (which Moses permitted). So it doesn’t so much define marriage, as give Jesus’s reasons for condemning divorce. It’s also interesting that Matt 19:5-6 is a quote of Ge 12:24 which was from before when all the abovementioned concubines came about. If God is the same today as he was in the beginning, why did he permit the sort of divorce that Jesus condemns?
It seems to a lot of people, myself included, feel that the anti homosexuality/SSM bible Christian confidently their arguments on certain bible verses while they conveniently overlook the ones they themselves don’t follow. “Go forth and multiply” the Bible says, yet a lot of churches do not condemn birth control. Sure they might have stoned to death men that lay together in the time of Leviticus, they also stoned adulterers but that doesn’t happen now. Are women silent in church and not have authority over a man? Do they even cover their heads? Not any more.
As a lot of you like to say “God knows your heart”. I’m also sure God knows the hearts of two people who want to declare their commitment and love to one another and make it official. Who are we to try and take away their happiness and joy?
I can appreciate where everyone is coming from, but I have to ask why SSC aren’t fighting for a commitment ceremony or similar as this is different to marriage no children can result naturally from this union. They could have the same legally binding union as marriage is given. The argument is it is not the same. It’s like having two cars one a Holden one a Toyota they are both cars but different. I agree we should not persecute anyone that happens to be different we should show them Christs love but I do believe we have to keep marriage as it was intended in Christian religions sacred. A religious minister in Tasmania has already been taken to court for his views he expressed to his congregation on SSM and lost so it will come that ministers will have to perform at all types of ceremonies.
I recently read about a same sex couple (who have 5 children through surrogacy) who want to marry in the Anglican Church and are now planning to sue the Anglican Church for not allowing them to. This is WAY beyond just having a right to marry. This is about forcing faith-based organisations, ministers/people to violate their own faith/conscience so they can appease their own. In this case it’s not about the government validating the union, it is about saying: “See even God validates our union”. Let’s not even begin to talk about the children who don’t get to know a mother. What’s next, a movement for the “right” to a bigomy union? Saying “Yes” will do FAR more harm to this nation (for the sake of the demands of a very small minority).
In NZ, despite assurances that churches/ministers would not be forced to do gay marriages, they have been.
Hi, Tom. Thank you so much for your articulate invitation to vote with wisdom and compassion. I’d love to reprint this blog, “Hey Christians, Watch out for the Plebiscite” for my older non-techno parishioners. May I have your consent to do so?
Yeah. No problem.
Hi Tom.
Thanks for a thoughtful, reasonable and biblically based article. It’s clear that you’ve reflected on this a great deal and you heart is coming at this from a good place.
I think one thing you may have overlooked it this. If you honestly believe that the common good will be best served by retaining the current definition of marriage – as many people believe (whether Christians or not) then being honest and trying to persuade others of that is a loving thing to do.
Regards
Travis
This post is tacitly suggesting that if Christians take a NO stand and lose, we will be seen as trying to unlovingly stop something gays have wanted so much. Please folks read around the subject in Canada, USA, etc and consider what freedoms have been removed from those who do not believe they should participate in gay marriage celebration, legal now in those places. Some sad stories, where conscience must change and now serve the new state laws. Failure to participate has huge consquences. Redefining marriage is a small starting point within a huge diversity agenda. The polyamorists are eager that marriages of three loving people must soon now be recognised in these countries too. Unloving it would be to say no to them, they claim; do you really think so? And how about reducing the age of consent, eagerly awaited by some, since as they say children mature so much earlier these days………let’s be wise, and keep the building block of society as it is. Ships steer their different courses, but lighthouses do not move.
There is much wisdom in your comment Brend.
Well said.
Great article! I hope more others can come to this revelation themselves. Thankyou for sharing your voice!
“If you’re going to vote” – er you HAVE to vote, or get a fine.
Also what if we voted majority ‘NO’, what happens then? more death threats, people losing their jobs for being Christian (not even having a vocal view – yup two documented cases already), I hope this happens so so people LIVE to tell the story.
As for assuming a yes vote, that’s a big assumption, I haven’t seen any figures to back that up (other than tv figures which aren’t what I’m seeing internally in political parties)
It’s not mandatory to vote. It is a survey more than a vote. Have a look on the AEC website.
It’s a voluntary postal vote, not a compulsory plebiscite or referendum. The presumption of a yes vote comes from the hundreds of scientifically valid opinion polls which show that Australians favour marriage equality by a ratio of about 60/40 or more. Because the poll is postal and voluntary, however, no outcome can be presumed. So much will depend on which groups are motivated to vote, and the postal nature could introduce an anti-youth bias which could have an impact.
My understanding is that a person enrolled to vote needs only to turn up on the day and have their name ticked off the roll. Whether they actually vote or not, is up to them.
I checked, and while you do need to be on the electoral roll to vote, it is not compulsory to participate in the postal plebiscite.
The old testament is based on Egyptian mythology and was reworked in order to give a monotheist view of the world. This means it has wise parts but is in no way a historical factual account. It was written by people. We don’t take Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey as facts either, but doubtless some parts of it are based on fact. Read ‘101 Myths of the Bible’ by biblical archaeologist Gary Greenberg who has researched the topic well and knows what he is talking about. People were not too particular about historical accuracy and sources two thousand and more years ago. In any case, the new testament is the more important part of the bible for Christians as this is where Christ appears. No matter how you vote, vote calmly and not with hate or pride, as the author says. And treat those you disagree with like Christ would have done, not like the Pharisees or others who acted as though the ancient laws were equal to God himself.
I think the tags accurately represent the true intent of this post (whether intentional or ignorant)
“Current affairs, politics, social justice”
Absolutely nothing to do with the fear of God and Christ as our mediator which is the actual Old Testament and New Testament gospel not a culturally painted Jesus gospel. I could advocate for pretty much anything with this kind of neutered lordship gospel.
Thanks for your positive post, I largely agree with regards to how we as Christians should behave and respond in love.
However I feel that being “nice” should not be confused with being loving .
Love can be tough and firm when it comes to our convictions , not our preferences.
Preferences can be negotiated and consideration for compromise , convictions are not negotiable.
Jesus told us to occupy till He comes .
Jude , Jesus half brother warns us about compromise and allowing those who would corrupt the gospel to take ground , when he exhorted us to earnestly contend for THE FAITH !!!
Jesus asks an interesting perhaps rhetorical question. ” will the Lord find Faith on the earth when he comes ?”
I see a degree of fatalism or inevitably in your last comments … unless some thing crazy happens same sex marriage will be made legal in australia
So let’s worry how history and the world will think of us in the aftermath !!
Im not Sure that is what the message we read in Jude or other parts of the scripture.
I’m not a dominionist but I think we need to remain faithful to THE FAITH including defending the biblical definition of marriage .
Already we see individual Christians and christian organizations and the church is being dismenpowered in freedom of speech, freedom of expression of conscience and freedom of expression of faith and I can’t help but worry that the church is being told not to fight but to remain silent and accept the inevitable .
And while same sex marriage dosent impact the lord ship of Christ, looking back at history sodom and Gomorrah and the days of Noah didn’t threaten the lordship or sovereignty of the Almighty but look what happened when God could not find even 10 righteous to save the city !!!
French’s “controversial” 2nd last paragraph includes three questions that imply negative answers, i.e, anyone who votes “No” is doing the wrong thing. His title really should read, “Christians, watch out if you vote “No”! Humbly voting “No” because one is convinced that homosexual marriage is wrong in God’s sight and according to His word, does not imply any wrong doing French suggests in his three questions. And it certainly wont be detrimental to the Gospel cause. We must “speak the truth in love” (Eph.4:5). Omitting the truth, omits the love.
Thank you for the article, however I must question your last point that basically says the Yes vote will win. This attitude is very dangerous as it will encourage people to say, why bother putting up a fight if SSM is inevitable. My firm belief is that if Christians get out there and spread the word regarding the follow-on consequences, it will help people to understand that this is not just a “Let people do what they want – how will it affect me” issue.
Stay calm and do nothing when family gets deconstructed? A Christianity for injustice and darkness?
“In other words, by introducing same-sex marriage, the marriage institution is fundamentally changed in kind. Marriage isn’t merely about intense romantic interest. If it is so, what principles would distinguish the intense love within a two-person union, from the intense love within a three-person union, a five-person one, or any other kinds of union our imagination allows? The nature of a man-woman marriage is that it is an institution that is “child-centric” in kind. When we redefine marriage, the marriage institution changes fundamentally in nature – it is no longer of the kind that is “child-centric”, but becomes of the kind that centres on “intensity of love.” With “love” being such a vague, subjective notion, family essentially, can mean anything and everything. And if it means anything and everything, it really means – nothing.”
http://vow.sg/love-fatherlessness-same-sex-marriage-how-family-got-deconstructed-in-america/
Tom,
Thanks for this generous post
I appreciate your even handed tone . And your gentle appeal to the Scripture.
Can I note two things about terminology?
First the use of the term same-sex marriage or gay marriage is partisan. It implies that there are different types of marriage. And this can lead to the suggestion that one form of marriage is superior to another.
I therefore habitually use the term ‘marriage equality’. I do realise that this too is seen as partisan…but that’s what I do
Second ( a minor point) this ain’t no “plebiscite'” at best it is an arbitrary survey…..given that it is only one question (allegedly) it’s an $122,000,000 POP QUIZ…non binding, non-decisive, non-representative waste of money [ This $122 million could fund Renal Treatment in the APY lands, and the NT for the next 10 years] I know where I would rather my money was being spent.
I happen to be a priest of the Anglican Church, I am in favour of marriage equality, I am sad that our denomination is so dominated by puritanical legalists who will prevent me from marrying people who should be able to access marriage equality.
A voice from the other side of this debate. Appreciate this man’s boldness and rationality.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6HD8KLQBvA
If anyone has a right to be heard in this debate it is this young woman:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=915488851858546&id=108381455902627
Why will something something crazy have to soon happen else the vote will most likely be ‘yes’ for redefinition of marriage? Why are you assuming that Australia will vote ‘yes’? Because an alleged poll paid for by people with a marxist, communist, socialist agenda says so? That sounds familiar…. The only poll that matters with this vote is the vote itself. Totally agree with you about the love thing. Christians should always display love and humility. The love of God is completely supernatural, we should be different because of Gods love in us. The way believers are known is the love they have for one another.
My Bible says that Love rejoices in wrong doing but rejoices in the truth. The problem is that you are reading YOUR idea of love into the scriptures instead of letting Gods word define love for you. How can any of you honestly say that this is right??? At all. Does anyone care about what God wants? or do they only care about what man cares about? Does anyone love God enough to stand up for holiness anymore? Yes God is Love, but God is also Just, and God is also a consuming fire. All of these verbs of being apply equally and in perfection in the case of God, who has clearly said that He will punish iniquity and sin, and you dare to call evil good and good evil, you dare to treat sin so lightly for that which Christ suffered so greatly for? Is there no one left who loves God? because well may you say that you love the homosexual, but you don’t love them enough to tell them that they are headed towards a Christless eternity.
What is the gospel?
Hi James!
Gospel literally means good news. The short answer to your question is that the gospel is the good news that God loves all people and sent his Son, Jesus to live , die and rise again. Jesus’ death was to take the punishment that we deserve for our rebellion against God, his resurrection shows us that he has beaten death and that we can too if we trust in him. The gospel is the good news that God loves us and he has proven it in his Son.
Too often Ghandi’s quote ‘I like your Christ. I don’t like your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ’ has rung in my head, but not here, not now. Thank you, from the depths of my soul, for being so Christlike.
I have reposted your article to my FB, as what you are asking of your fellow Christians is exactly what I have been asking of those in my community, the LGBTIQA+ community.
At the end of it all what matters more than anything else, including marriage equality, is how gently you lived, how much you loved, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you (Buddha). When it’s all said and done my only wish is for all humans to have lived kindly. We will be judged on it one day.