Splits emerge in anti-marriage camp
Divisions in the campaign against same-sex marriage in Australia have emerged, with the Salt Shakers Christian lobby group attacking the involvement of other faiths in the campaign.
“The involvement of speakers from other faiths [at the rally] seems to have been done to spread the message of opposition to homosexual ‘marriage’,” the Salt Shakers wrote in newsletters following the Marriage Day rally in August.
“However, the inclusion of a message from a Muslim imam, who praised marriage and the family, was problematic because Islam allows a man to have four wives.
“The appointment of a Mormon couple as ‘marriage ambassadors’ was also a great concern — one reason being Mormonism’s past views on polygamy.”
The Salt Shakers also expressed concern that some politicians who spoke at the rally said they had supported the removal of discrimination against same-sex couples by passing amendments to 84 Commonwealth laws, and that one supported civil unions.
Christians who tolerated LGBTI people were also singled out.
“The church in Australia flounders under the weak opposition we get from atheists, the pro-death lobby and the pro-homosexual lobby,” the newsletter read.
“As more and more people, churches, and even denominations, fear man more than they fear God the church becomes more like the world and Scripture is compromised for the sake of ‘peace’ and a desire to be ‘nice’ … Sadly, today the church won’t drive out anyone — instead we placate those defiling His laws, His values and His Creation order.”
The Salt Shakers have asked supporters to pray that Jesus visits Christians who tolerate members of the LGBTI community so he can ask them “Why are you persecuting me by endorsing sin?”
The Salt Shakers believe that gays and lesbians who remain celibate are as unacceptable as those who acted on their attractions, and asked supporters to pray “against the legalisation of same-sex relationships”.
DOWNLOAD: Saltshakers Newsletter
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Why ask any Religion for anything they are on the fringes of Society,as we sit on the edge of SECULAR Revolution against the old decrepit institutions of Religion .
Who cares what they say ALL Religion is a trap for humans
And if they keep putting up their foul crap then they should’t cry when they get their heads chopped off!
Why worry about their sick backward traditions of Faith thinking ?
We are not stupid anymore we do not live in Judea , History has moved on!
Don’t worry about what they have to say about us ,if they keep attacking SCIENCE then their will be blood on the streets!
The stupid “Faith thinkers” can keep it to themselves!
Why any human would want to get married is beyound me1
The Religious institution of Human bondage,Marriage, should be banned!
How much damage to women and children does marrige cause?
How many children are still abused by these sick.paedophile defenders?
And some of us seek moral justification from these sick,abusers of humans?
WHY?
Marriage isn’t a right its a trap!
God DOSEN’T exist and humanity created him in its image!
Why would any human want to participate in a morrally decayed culture known as Religion???
I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian cult with no name and the New Testament is quite clear that there are only 2 types of sins – repented and unrepented sins. Whilst I don’t believe any of it any more, lust (yes just in the mind), greed, having sex with someone when your first root is still alive, abusing prostitutes are all sins that will take you to hell if you don’t repent – yet these people think its ok to persecute other people (like Saul before he became saved & Paul). A sympathetic private pray would be more in line with the New Testament whilst recognising their own fallibility. Of course it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man (anyone from a developed country) to enter heaven.
Hi Jessica,
I understand where you are coming from. People also read the Bible to support the idea of male only Priest or divorce should never be allowed. Churches used to persecute each other over there different readings and there is still much disagreement on these things. It was also read just as passionately to support slavery as Westboro Baptist supports death to “gays” etc. The Klu Klux Klan reads it to support the idea a white colour skin is superior. What is to say my reading of the Bible is better than yours? The Wesboro Church picks out some bits, and ignores others. If they were honest they would follow the Bible word for word but they do not, they like everyone makes judgements. Many new translations do include the word homosexual as it was a new add on in the history of the Bible.
The Bible is read by many Christian denominations differently. Some literally, some are more interested in the context and the message. For example the story of Sodom is of male rape, not being polite to strangers. Yet for generations it was read to condemn homosexuals. Lot offered the strangers up to be known- the original translations he is getting others to rape them, to be “known”, the original word, has a very different meaning to the translation in the King James Bible.
We now know so much more about the text, and what the translations mean then before. There are many theologians who support Same-Sex Marriage and would say the Bible is not homophobic at all.
Christianity is not owned by one person, although fundamentalist like the Westboro Church would have you think they own it. It is owned by everyone.
There are some great books, such as “The History homosexuality and Christianity”, along with interesting websites.
Perhaps this link might help you start your journey is here http://www.whywouldwe.net/site/
Cheers,
Dave
Dave,
If you follow a completely different version of the Bible, which does not speak negatively about homosexuals, and allows you to call yourself a Christian, then I have no confusion about your support for same-sex relationships and I’d like to apologise for grouping all Christians under the modern(?) Bible. I would also really appreciate some more information about this Bible.
Where I become confused, is when people pick and choose which parts of their chosen holy text that they believe in or support. As far as modern Bible followers go, I find it easier to understand the “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church than I do people who believe in the bible, and also support same-sex relationships.
But Jessica that is about temple prostitution. It goes and says eating shell fis is an abomination. The Christian Lobby does yet hang fishermen does it? The original Bible did not even have chapters. Jesus never said one word against us!
It’s not hard to see why some Christians think in this way; hatred against same-sex couples is in their operating manual.
“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death.” – Leviticus 20:13
If they believe the Bible is the word of God, then I can see why they would hate us.
The Christians I can’t understand are the ones that ignore or reject passages like this.. why call yourself a Christian if you don’t agree with the Bible? Why not be good without God and leave the superstitions behind?
love is love.
no matter what race, colour, orientation or religion you are.
if your beliefs lie with a god whom of which allows such hatred and judgement to flow towards another for embracing the most simple and basic human right of love then who are they to call themselves a god? ask yourselves – is it your god willing all this hatred? or is it your own fear? love is beautiful – love is kind, honest, unconditional and most of all love is love. no one has the right to tell us otherwise. not god, not a book, not a polititian, reporter and no, not even you.
my peace and respect to all – just dont bring your hate and intolerance to my door.
I think it’s time that religious extremists stop thinking that they run everyone’s lives. I’m not going to force you to engage in homosexuality, the same as I don’t expect to be forced to adhere to your religious beliefs.
It is like Alien versus Perdator. The battle of fringe cults for supremacy over the voice of stupidity is a bit of a low budget thriller to the general public. People are turned off by the attacks on unborn children and the foul rants of dumb hate, from adults, who should know better. Could anyone imagine Jesus attacking the unborn children? These peoplpe are foreign to most Christians.
The Christian Lobby, the Salt Shakers, and the Australian Family Association (Festival of Light), can fight amongst themselves, while millions of Australians, including Christians, are starting to support the Civil Rights or GLBTI people. Already we have seen some Baptist Ministers, Catholic Priest, Anglican Priest, Uniting Church Ministers, Nuns and many other Christians find the discriminate unacceptable. Even George Pell’s cousin who is a Nun has been critical of him.
There are even websites where Christian leaders are calling for equality. In New York over 700 Christian Church leaders advocated for Same-Sex Marriage.
Anglican Arch-Bishop Desmond Dr Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, told journalists that gay hate was the same as racism. “For one to penalise someone for their sexual orientation is the same as penalising someone for something they can do nothing about, like ethnicity or race. “I cannot imagine persecuting a minority group which is already being persecuted.”
The question is what will the cults do after equality? Already some are stirring for a fight against people of the Muslim faith. I wonder who will next be their target after some of us are married and living as any other person?
You said it, brother. I’m sure Jesus said something about never compromising scripture for the sake of peace. And “bash those poofters!” he then went on to say.