South Australian church wants to ban gay and trans people
A SOUTH Australian church is under fire for announcing its intention to ban gay and trans people, as well as people with disabilities, from its congregation.
According to , the Adelaide-based FamilyVoice church group has said people with illnesses or disabilities could disturb the church鈥檚 鈥渟acred space鈥�.
It also wants to be allowed to discriminate against gay and trans people, and on the basis of age.
鈥淔or very good reasons, a religion may not wish to engage a person who has a mental illness and displays disturbed behaviour,鈥� the church wrote in a submission to a federal parliament enquiry into freedom of belief.
鈥淪uch behaviour would adversely affect a church service, which is sacred in nature.鈥�
FamilyVoice argued that anti-discrimination laws 鈥渞epresent a direct assault on religious freedom鈥�, and that current religious exemptions do not go far enough.
The submission by the church, which has a history of attacking gay and trans rights, has drawn criticism.
Australia鈥檚 Dignity Party MLC Kelly Vincent called the comments 鈥渃ruel and hypocritical鈥�, and perpetuating 鈥渁 dangerous stereotype鈥�.
鈥淔or some, engagement in religious and spiritual activities might actually play an important role in achieving and maintaining positive mental health,鈥� said Vincent.
鈥淭o deny that on the grounds of a sweeping misconception is not only legally unsound, it鈥檚 cruel and hypocritical.
鈥淔amilyVoice also argues that homosexual behaviour is immoral, and sex changes are delusional鈥�.
Australians have taken to social media to express outrage at the church鈥檚 comments.
鈥淔amilyVoice, I will let my daughter express myself whenever she wants, wherever she wants and however she wants. You have the problem,鈥� tweeted one.
鈥淏ecause Jesus would surely ban sick people from his services!鈥� wrote another.
FamilyVoice, I will let my daughter express herself whenever she wants, wherever she wants and however she wants. You have the problem…
— Clayton Goode (@clayton_goode)
Because Jesus would surely ban sick people from his services!
— Purple Wyrm鉂わ笍 馃嚭馃嚘 (@Purple_Wyrm)
In Jesus鈥� name? Maybe FamilyVoice needs some collective mirror-time.
— Gregory Dodwell (@gregreedee)
In response to the submission, the Attorney-General鈥檚 department said all Australians are free to choose, express and practise their religion within the framework of the law.
鈥淎ustralia is home to a diversity of faiths, united by acceptance, mutual respect and a commitment to democratic traditions,鈥� the department said.
Or head on over to Activate Church in Bowden. Pastor Brad Chilcott is a staunch supporter of equality and the church left their denomination recently because of their decision to be LGBTIQ inclusive:
How Un-Christian can anyone or any group get?
What happened to the, alleged, instructions from Jesus – reportedly made long before a group of old men in Italy in 432AD decided to destroy Jesus’ teachings by declaring him to be divine – something JC did not claim for himself:
Love thy neighbour.
Suffer (bring) the little children – irrespective of their later discovered sexuality – to come unto me and I will give them succour (Help)
I wonder when the Australian Human Rights Commission will take this mob of bigots, homophobes, ageist and discriminators against the handicapped and mentally unwell bastards to court.
Had anyone actually ever heard of this little group of non-Christians?
They sound as if they have policies far more in line with Nazism than Christianity don’t they?
After all, in addition to the 6.4 million Jews the Nazis exterminated between 1933 -1945 they also exterminated a further 7.3 million others which included Homosexuals, the Disabled, the Mentally Challenged. These latter are never allowed to be spoken of when it comes to the Holocaust yet they received exactly the same fate.
If you are wondering how I know I am very widely read when it comes to Nazism.
Why any gay person would want to join this church, let alone any religious organisation, is beyond me. All religion is mumbo-jumbo based on story books that have no validity in the 21st Century. All religions condemn gay people. Why would you join a club that doesn’t want you. The world will be a much safer place when all religions disappear into obscurity!
All welcome -uniting wesley church….beulah park
****sunday 10am****
Paul Turley is a charismatic minister!!
So much for unconditional love eh religious in austraylia?