Victorian Nero Declares War on Christianity

History repeats itself, which is why we all need to be students of history. And when we ignore or forget the lessons of history, we simply end up repeating the mistakes of history. Consider the increased paganisation of the West and the corresponding rise in anti-Christian bigotry and persecution.

We have of course seen this before. The persecution of the early Christians took place over several centuries, beginning with the Roman emperor Nero (37–68). Various means were implemented to silence believers, strip away their rights, and force them to remain silent – even renounce their faith.

Why does it seem that what we find all over the West today is starting to have some eerie and scary similarities to what took place back then? To see the clear parallels, let me offer an imaginary newspaper article from first century Rome.

Emperor Nero says the practice of Christian conversion is “bigoted quackery that masquerades as religion” and it will be banned in Rome. The government says the ban would be a Roman empire first and comes after an investigation by the Religious Complaints Commission the practice resulted in long-term psychological harm and distress.

The so-called conversion has changed and even cost people their lives, Nero said before joining the Midsumma Pagan Pride March on Sunday. “This bigoted quackery that masquerades as religion, the notion that any gay Roman is broken and needs to be fixed … that’s such a hurtful, wrong and frankly an absolutely disgraceful way to approach what should be about inclusion and acceptance and valuing people just for who they are,” he said.

It’ll be a year at least before legislation is introduced to the Senate, allowing for consultation and to ensure the laws are exactly right, Equality Minister Arelius said.

OK, an imaginary story, but actually it is almost a word for word copy of what we just heard yesterday in the media. Here is the more recent – and real – version of events:

Premier Daniel Andrews says the practice of gay conversion therapy is “bigoted quackery that masquerades as healthcare” and it will be banned in Victoria. The state government says the ban would be an Australian first and comes after an investigation by the Health Complaints Commission the practice resulted in long-term psychological harm and distress.

The so-called therapy has changed and even cost people their lives, Mr Andrews said before joining the Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda on Sunday. “This bigoted quackery that masquerades as healthcare, the notion that any gay Victorian is broken and needs to be fixed … that’s such a hurtful, wrong and frankly an absolutely disgraceful way to approach what should be about inclusion and acceptance and valuing people just for who they are,” he said.

It’ll be a year at least before legislation is introduced to parliament, allowing for consultation and to ensure the laws are exactly right, Equality Minister Martin Foley said.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/bigoted-quackery-victoria-to-ban-gay-conversion-therapy?fbclid=IwAR3-o2dX0qS3o6tCpUG44Kb5YVSkN6S4PSiSQ9Wthd7gq04pxICX-LELCF8

I would like to know how the two scenarios differ to any significant degree. In both cases the heavy hand of the law is being brought to bear on the Christian population. In both cases we have state-sponsored anti-Christian bigotry, along with ramped-up persecution of those who fail to bow to the demands of the imperial state.

As to the actual proposal here, this is shocking stuff indeed. It is not just Christians of course who have long offered such help and counsel to those seeking it. Non-Christian groups and even secular groups have offered this over the years. There is no “bigoted quackery” going on here – just much-needed alternatives for those who struggle with or are unhappy about their sexual attractions.

And of course the pejorative term “conversion therapy” is not our term, but theirs. The bogus idea being pushed here is that sinister Christian groups are going around kidnapping homosexuals and forcing them against their wills to become straight. Nothing could be further from the truth.

This is simply about offering real choice to those who might be seeking help in this area. But I have spoken to all this in some detail. See this recent article for example: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2018/12/11/the-war-against-conversion-therapy/

As I said in that piece:

Christianity insists that we are all born sinners, but that Christ came to deal with the sin question, as well as provide a way out of our chains. Christianity is a transformative religion in which people really can become new creatures in Christ. And that means even homosexuals can be transformed if they want to be.

But that threatens the very core of the homosexual narrative, depending as it does on the myth that homosexuals are born that way and can never change. Never mind all the honest homosexuals who have disagreed with this, and all those ex-homosexuals who prove this to be a lie.

Freedom and choice

Most folks would understand that when we talk about freedom, in large measure we are talking about choice. The ability to choose between varying options is part and parcel of what real freedom is all about. But the ominous thing is, while the secular left is always talking about choice, increasingly they are taking freedoms away from various groups of people.

The examples are legion. We talk about choice when it comes to reproductive health, but all that really means is giving a mother the right to kill her own baby. Where is the right of choice for the unborn baby? That is taken away from the very start.

And those who want to peacefully and gently be present to share options with mothers heading into abortion mills are having their rights of choice taken away as they are banned from being anywhere near an abortion clinic. Where is their choice?

Increasingly the choices of Christians and others in Australia are being taken away from them as more and more “hate crimes” and “anti-discrimination” laws are being passed. Simply having the right to hold a public meeting is being denied many as their choice to have a contrary point of view is being denied them.

We have had plenty of speakers and organisations who happen to hold to non-PC points of view being denied the right to speak at various venues or to hold conferences, etc. Their choices are becoming narrower and fewer as we continue to call contrary points of view “hate speech” and the like.

And in this Victorian case, the secular left is more than happy for people to be able to choose their sexuality, their sexual identity, even what sex they prefer to be. But here they are taking choice AWAY from those who want some help with unwanted sexual attractions.

Those who simply may be uncomfortable or unhappy with where they are at, and just wish to get a bit of counsel and advice are having that right arbitrarily and unfairly stripped away from them. What about their choice? Why are they the only ones who can have no say in their own sexuality?

The move by Dan Andrews and his Labor government to strip away real choice and freedom from some groups simply to maintain a radical secular left ideology at all costs is getting worse by the month. And the parallels we find here and what took place in ancient Rome are frightening indeed.

I know of Victorians who offer this helpful service to those who seek it. These folks are mainly ex-homosexuals themselves. They have found a way out of a dead-end lifestyle, and they are offering the same help for anyone else who might want it. But when laws like this go through, their work will become illegal, and if they continue in it, they will become outlaws.

And thousands of churches, pastors, counsellors, Bible teachers, therapists and others who deal in these areas will also become criminals in the People’s Republik of Victoria. Oh, and the Bible speaks about the sin of homosexuality as well as how God can set these and other people free and have new life in Christ.

So when does the Bible become verboten here Dan? What is your timeline to have all Bibles confiscated and all sermons that speak about this declared to be illegal? And when will you have my own website taken down for hate speech? It is all just a matter of time it seems.

About all that remains is to start throwing those pesky Christians to the lions again, or to start burning them at the stake. Hey, the MCG would be a great venue for all this Dan. Indeed, it could make for terrific halftime entertainment at the next AFL gay pride round.

Oops, I better not give Rainbow Dan any more ideas.

[1445 words]

26 Replies to “Victorian Nero Declares War on Christianity”

  1. Both sides of politics seem to be dismissing conversion therapy as pure pseudoscience that is potentially harmful. However I was fascinated to read this from a secular science site

    “While the latter perspective hits closer to the mark, the science of sexuality supports a more measured stance. There are no verified cases of formerly gay people completely ridding themselves of same-sex attraction, but it does appear possible for some people who are predisposed to same-sex attraction to expand their sexual repertoire — develop attractions for opposite-sex partners as well, and even opt for the opposite sex exclusively.

    “I think highly motivated people can change their behavior, and they can clearly change their label,” said Heather Hoffmann, a professor of psychology who chairs the neuroscience program at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill.”

    https://www.livescience.com/34018-people-stop-gay.html?fbclid=IwAR3C8OWS19rqj8F3Cr0-ZLkgv6YSSAtRobrXMHa-DHypfDr-HG1pq-LFITQ

  2. Thanks Damien. As I wrote in Strained Relations, there is a lot of secular help available:

    And it is not just “religious” organisations that are involved in helping homosexuals go straight. The decidedly non-religious Masters and Johnson Clinic in St. Louis has treated hundreds of homosexuals and bisexuals. Masters reports that they have successfully “changed” more than half of their homosexual clients, and higher than 75 per cent of bisexuals.

    And just as importantly, I personally know of many folks who have indeed rid themselves of their same-sex attraction.

  3. I don’t think Death Adder Dan needs any prompting, he does crazy without any help.

  4. When you consider that a majority of Victorians voted for him, the problem is greater than just Mr Andrews alone. This is an entire (or at least a majority) population that supports him and his hostility. Grim outlook indeed.

  5. Hi Bill,
    There are so many Christians in Victoria – voting Christians.
    Why do we seem to have no power? No ability to shape and influence laws.
    And you think Dan is bad – wait for Bill Shorten.
    Kyle

  6. The whole West is in decline. With more and more US states allowing late-term abortions (ie, murder of babies) is it any surprise?

  7. Glad you’ve written about Daniel Andrews latest equivocating edict on the weekend, condemning homosexuals to not receive help if they wish to try and become heterosexual.
    How hypocritical that he forces teachers to recruit young children into a homosexual lifestyle, but forbids anyone to do the opposite. No discrimination there!
    I wonder if the Health Complaints Commissioner’s report is similar to last year’s Institute of Family Studies report on children raised in LGBTQI families. That report was objectively described as “tendentious and mendacious”. Not worth the paper it was written on, purely designed to substantiate the LGBTQI’s propaganda.
    As Mark says, the bigger problem is the naive public who voted the Duplicitous Daniel and his Toxic Team into power. Tragic.
    As you say Bill, “conversion” therapy actually works and Andrews is lying. So we need to tell everyone the facts. If we don’t speak up, the general public will just accept whatever lies Andrews and the LGBTQI propaganda machine spew out.

  8. The US internet site, http://www.pfox.org (parents and friends of ex-gays) clearly shows that Dopey Dan values ideology over facts. Short videos on this site illustrate the journeys of many ex-gays. Many point to the role of sexual abuse, family trauma and pornography in forming their ideas of sexuality. Unfortunately, I think we now have an abusive culture to add to that list.

  9. Re my earlier post: Just answered my own question after reading the HCC Report.
    It too is “tendentious and mendacious”, obviously setting out to only focus on negative experiences of conversion therapy to provide Andrews with a faux justification to legislate his LGBTQI boss’s agenda. Not a legitimate inquiry’s bootlace.
    https://hcc.vic.gov.au/file/permalink/7019

  10. Your article brings to mind a favourite verse of mine. Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”
    Since the beginning man has challenge God’s word and there is nothing new about the gay movement or percussion of those who strive to up hold Gods word. And there is nothing new about the fact that as a result everyone suffers. Both those who reject and those how accept.
    Thank you Gail for the direction to PFOX web site. Very enlighten. Ex-gays are clearly a threat to the LGBTQI’s narrative. Again Bill thank for a very informative article. Praying for you

  11. Hi Bill. Just read your latest post about “Victorian Nero Declares War on Christianity” but have since had trouble accessing this page. Finally managed to “come in via the back door”, so to speak. It seems Andrews is becoming increasingly more virulent in his opposition to all things Christian. He’s like the proverbial dog with the bone! Isn’t it about time he was ‘outed’ for his Neo-Marxist views? I suppose Christian counselling will soon be outlawed as being the antithesis of his Marxist State! Keep up the good work, Bill. In the end you will be told, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

  12. From what i understand Masters and Johnson havent been in that business for decadea. No doubt the rainbow warriors came knocking

  13. Couldn’t agree more Bill!!
    There presently exists zero longitudinal studies in the relevant literature that supports the thesis that it is impossible for people who experience unwanted “homosexual” thoughts and feelings are unable to either cease or decrease experiencing said thoughts or feelings. Nor are there any bonafide “non-self reporting, non-confirmation bias” based studies that demonstrate that assisting a willing participant through standard secular and/or religious based counselling causes any harm to participants.
    Additionally, the last person in Australia that we know tragically committed suicide in relation to counselling in respect of same sex attraction was a gentleman who was being “counselled” by former Lilydale Baptist Pastor Matthew Glover to accept his homsexual desires as normal, healthy, holy, and righteous in God’s sight – which is the complete antithesis of Dan Andrews stated reasons for introducing this authoritarian, paternalistic, anti-choice, anti-patient, inequitable, and obliquitous policy of intellectually bigoted medical fascism.
    It would be great to know what the “study” by the government’s adjuvant, taxpayer funded “health complaints commission” consisted of, what its actual findings were, and how it came to its palpably pre-determined conclusions.
    If such studies existed one need only promulgate them (I note, however, that when the Victorian Department of Education claimed that “studies showed” 10% of students were LGBTQ+ they somehow forgot to place any links to such studies or point readers to where such studies could be found).
    On the other hand, there HAVE been longitudinal studies conducted by psychologists that have demonstrated that a) people with homosexual thoughts and feelings can reduce said thoughts and feelings either completely or to some extent (similar to the experience of alcoholics); and b) no short-term or long-term harm has resulted from Christian based counselling services for people with unwanted same-sex attraction who are willing participants and desire to change: https://www.cedarville.edu/~/media/Files/PDF/Student-Life-Programs/Critical-Concern/Ex-Gays/jones-and-yarhouse-2009.pdf
    Further, this is the view of many gay and lesbian identifying academics and activists and not just the view of the popularised chimera of the “homophobic Christian troglodyte” agitprop:
    https://isreview.org/issue/65/lgbt-liberation-build-broad-movement ; https://socialinqueery.com/2013/03/18/no-one-is-born-gay-or-straight-here-are-5-reasons-why/ ?https://www.advocate.com/health/love-and-sex/2014/02/11/exploring-umbrella-bisexuality-and-fluidity ; https://dailycaller.com/2014/03/19/nobody-is-born-that-way-gay-historians-say/2/ .
    In addition, past president of the American Psychological Association, Nicholas Cummings – who was one of the executive members that famously voted in favour of changing the APA’s position on homosexual feelings and behaviours to one of acceptance and normalcy, and still supports that position today – rejects the view that counselling people with unwanted same sex attesting is harmful or unsuccessful in effecting change, due to his 25 years of counselling experience demonstrating tens of thousands of people he counselled either becoming more stable in their homosexual feelings or experiencing positive change away from said feelings (depending on the therapeutic goals the patient was seeking): https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/07/30/sexual-reorientation-therapy-not-unethical-column/2601159/
    Finally, a recent University of Queensland study found that the main cause of LGBTQ+ identifying young people tragically taking their own lives was how they were treated by other LGBTQ+ people – not the media’s narrative of “homophobic” Christians, family members or straight friends (who were found to be the most accepting/loving): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/appy.1212
    If Dan Andrews really wishes to inflict such an obnoxious, myopic, and tyrannical piece of legislative pablum onto the Victorian people instead of focusing his efforts on more important issues like the rising crime, debt, and homelessness statistics, or the inefficient yet unreasonably expensive expensive energy crisis, or perhaps the judicial and political corruption problems he and his party have spent the majority of the last 15 years creating, he should at least provide a cogent argument founded in facts rather than sophistry to enter into Hansard. Is that too much to ask?

  14. Just came across this article by XYZ that is pertinent to this discussion: https://www.xyz.net.au/curse-daniel-andrews/
    This was written in July 2016, and since then Daniel Andrews and his Marxist ideology has flourished with little in the way of opposition. Back in December last year I, along with many other Victorians, really thought we had a chance of a Liberal State Government victory. However, let’s face it, the election was a disaster. It was as if Andrews had called upon the powers of the evil one to ensure his success! And so his Marxist agenda continues unopposed. Where are Victoria’s strong political leaders hiding? They are certainly not in Parliament! This is, and has been for some time, a spiritual battle – and it seems Victoria is asleep at the wheel to the detriment of us all.

  15. Joel, can you please write that into an article? It would be good to get that out as James did. You have covered some good solid evidence there. It needs to go out wider.

  16. Victorian Nero Daniel Andrews’ and his Commie Government Betrays the People…again! The Andrews Government (MARXIST MINIONS) has drafted the LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2018 that has many draconian/diabolical features about it.
    https://www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/91138/Local-Government-Bill-Exposure-Draft.pdf If this Act is passed in Victoria, no doubt the rest of the states will follow suit.
    Reading the Bill indicates the following events will happen if the Bill passes through the parliament unchallenged: FOR EXAMPLE 1. ALL local councils will become legitimised as “corporations” as representing “the third tier of government”. Our Constitution does NOT allow for this to happen; nor is it appropriate for a corporation to be both a commercial profit-making enterprise and an arm of government. 2. ALL Councils will be elevated to “Authority” status; meaning, they will become laws unto themselves. Taken from page 131 of the draft legislation, it can be seen in (1) that councils will be able to “acquire any land” in “the performance of its functions”. This is quite a frightening statement THIS IS REALLY FRIGHTENING ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO PAY RATES ON TIME ETC….
    Taken from p155 Council will have the authority to transfer, exchange or lease of land ‘without consideration’ to the Crown or Minister ie they can compulsorily acquire any persons properties.
    With already corrupt councils potentially being offered so much POWER to exercise over their ratepayers, it is believed that the laws they plan to enact will be so totalitarian that no person will have any means to object to their decisions.
    ‘Forcibly sold’: Is history about to be repeated? Remember Nazis ‘Forcibly sold’/ expropriated thousands of commercial and privately owned properties. After the war, if the owners had survived, restitution was mired in legal arguments if the properties were in the west https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/29/dina-gold-family-property-nazi-berlin-stolen-legacy-krausenstrasse This Draft Bill is available for public comment, for submissions to object to this ACT and for help to do this see https://www.cirnow.com.au/andrews-government-betrays-the-people-again/

    May Our Lord Jesus bless you and yours for your efforts against The Daniel Andrews’ Death Culture Government.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

%d bloggers like this: