Following on from my article last week, titled - Not a problem - we have seen the hate come out against Israel Folau and Margaret Court and many lesser figures in Australia.
The question is two fold, the first is that both Israel and Margaret exercised their free speech albeit with the horrific haters coming out against their free speech.
No police officer, no federal agent, no government official landed on their door step with hand-cuffs at the ready to whisk them away to some dark dungeon.
None of that happened. Rather, sporting bodies concerned with their sponsorship, their relationship with the 1.2% of Australian’s homosexual community and their supporters came out against Israel and Margaret.
Neither have major companies come out against either Israel or Margaret as they too are fearful of having discrimination suits and public outrage – we call these people ‘quiet Australians’ they elected the Scott Morrison Government in 2019.
What is the deep seated issue
As a Baptist Minister of 43 years,
a daily columnist with Christian Today since 2008,
the Australian cricket team chaplain of 17 years followed by Life After Cricket for 18 years,
recipient of the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century, and the
Gutenberg Award in 2019 by the Australasian Religious Press Association – that is a lot of experience –
the deep seated issue is “faith in Jesus Christ” to Salvation.
The hate speech exercised by those who came against Israel and Margaret is essentially, an horrific attack on those with profile who are true believers in Jesus Christ.
This is the great hate. This is the forensic frightening hate of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, as allowing Christian people, those who follow Jesus to have their say in public and promoting all the positives of Christian commitment, is at the very forefront of their philosophy. Atheism is their central focus and the need to destroy anything Christian is paramount.
They hate us.
One core trouble
I have stated this in my articles over and over again. The Parliament failed to clarify what were the limits of same-sex marriage. Both the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the then Opposition Leader Bill Shorten stated clearly that the Bill was only allowing two people who loved each other to marry.
However fears fell on deaf ears that it would impact every area of life all the way to primary schools, kindergartens, to law suits against Christians who opposed this very legislation.
There is no good-will with the hates against Christians. They go for the jugular. They hate Christians and any-which-way will do very nicely.
Responses
There are at least three responses
There is the Israel Folau and Margaret Court model - big enough to exercise free speech. Hold the fort. Be strong. Take the haters criticism.
Another is to become an activist yourself, and fight fire with fire. Get the courts engaged and increasingly the courts are coming down on the side those who disagree with the haters.
In this same vein the new Federal anti-discrimination legislation against Christians will pit the haters against truth and righteousness.
The third is on the ground – P&C meetings, local sports administration, chess clubs, every conceivable society group and stand strong against the haters. Christians need to be involved. I have been a member of Chambers of Commerce in Moruya and Tweed Heads. This is my local bit.
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children