These 2 articles were posted to my Facebook page. They are reproduced below for those who may not be able to access that page

 

 

 

Minority Groups???

 

I had an interesting discussion with someone about the influence of the Christian church in Australia. Whilst "the church" represents a reasonably wide range of opinions on some issues, there is nonetheless a sense in which Christians have sought to bring influence on governments and the broader social and moral agenda. Of course, the person with whom I was speaking was not supporter of the Christian faith and railed quite a bit about how inappropriate it was for the church to try to influence things such as moral issues, marriage law, the right of a woman to obtain an abortion. I was told, in the strongest of terms, that it was improper for a minority group such as those who claim to be Christians or have Christian values, to impose their morality of the rest of society.

 

​

l took up with him, this issue of a small minority influencing what we accept as right and wrong, acceptable conduct and unacceptable conduct. So I asked “Which small minority are you referring to? Are you talking about the way that the small vocal minority called “Muslims” (about 2% of the population) is affecting what we can say, do and even eat? Or are you talking about the way that the small vocal minority known as the “gay lobby” (representing less than 5% of the population) is able to “demand” changes to marriage laws and laws relating to free speech etc and push its sexual agenda in programmes such as the “safe schools” programme, running it alongside an anti bullying programme that it knows would, naturally, have popular support? Or are you talking about the small vocal minority called “the church” (representing about 50% of the Australian population) who are being silenced and condemned by the influence exercised by these other minorities?”

 

He agreed that he hadn’t thought of it quite from that perspective. “So,” I asked, “about this bullying business. Who is actually being bullied? Christian kids and teachers face more and more restrictions on what they can say and do almost every day. For example, I know a non government funded chaplain at a Sydney high school who was told that he was no longer permitted to discuss any religious or faith based issues with students. It seemed that it may upset Moslem students – who are allowed to wear their religious dress to school, leave the school assembly when the Australian National Anthem is being sung and pray at times demanded by their religion. So who’s bullying who here?

 

Marriage has held a standard definition for many hundreds of years, now if one wants to resist change to this definition, you can expect to be nominated as a homophobe, ridiculed in the media and, if you happen to be a Politician, have your office trashed. Who did you say was being bullied again?”

 

Our conversation ended at this point.

 

I believe that it is time that the “50% minority”, that is to say, the church, awoke from its slumber and decided to stand up and speak up. If we fail to do so, we may truly become a minority voice in this “Christian” nation that once bore the name of The Southland of The Holy Spirit!