Be warned: This appalling new bill will spell the end of freedom in Victoria.
We live in an age of euphemisms. We cover up our real intentions with pleasant-sounding words and vacuous phraseology. This has become an artform among politicians of course. They whisper in our ears sweet little nothings while they carry the sledge hammer behind their backs. And it gets worse all the time.
As George Orwell once put it, “In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. Things like the continuation of British rule in India, the Russian purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan, can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal for most people to face … Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.”
Of course as a conservative I happen to think that a case might be made for the first and third examples he raises, but that is not the point here, so I will let that go through to the keeper. Orwell is certainly correct to highlight the use of euphemisms in political language and warn us about the many dangers thereof.
And this is certainly true of some political parties and their chosen names. Some are forthright and upfront about what they believe. What you see is what you get with groups like the Christian Democratic party for example. Their very name informs us of who they are and what they believe in.
But the names of other political parties can be woefully and entirely misleading. The Greens for example have almost nothing to do with genuine care for the environment, and almost everything to do with radical agenda items straight out of the cultural Marxism playbook.
And then we have the Reason Party. As if! This is one of the most unreasonable and bizarre groups around. Indeed, they first began as the Sex Party. Imagine having a political party all about pushing the agenda of the slimy porn industry!
So it has already changed its name once, but it needs to do so once again. They need to be far more honest about their actual aims and intentions. So they really should call themselves the Anti-Christian Anti-Democratic Party. For that is exactly what they are all about.
It seems that everything Christianity supports they are against. If Christians are pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-family and pro-faith, then Fiona Patten and her cronies are dead set against all that. But what do we expect from someone who was once a prostitute and a lobbyist for sex workers, as well as a co-founder of the Eros Association?
She even set up the first National Museum of Erotica! Good grief. Now she is a Victorian politician, pushing one anti-Christian agenda item after another. Just what have they put in the drinking water down there to cause Victorian voters to run with someone like this!
And she is still at it, with her latest act of radical social engineering a real shocker: she is introducing new legislation to even further expand special rights for homosexuals, transgenders and others. The homosexual press was certainly happy to hear about this. As one such outlet covered this story:
Reason party leader and Member for Northern Metropolitan, Fiona Patten, has introduced new legislation to extend Victoria’s anti-vilification laws to cover hate speech based on gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. Currently, Victoria only protects people from vilification on the grounds of race and religion but not other categories. Patten said she was motivated to put the reform forward because of the rise of online trolling on social media – particularly of women in public roles. http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/victoria-news/reasons-fiona-patten-introduces-lgbtqi-vilification-bill-in-victoria/186027
Yeah right – this is about one thing and one thing only: the trolling of conservatives and Christians and others who dare to offer a countering point of view to the never-ending activism and tyranny of the alphabet militants. It is all about silencing any opposing points of view.
But this has always been how the other side operates. They do not want debate on the hot potato issues of the day – they simply want to shut down all debate. This is their long-standing MO, and they have perfected the art of using euphemisms and politicised speech to disguise their real agendas.
Indeed, whenever you hear terms like “anti-discrimination” or “equal opportunity” or “vilification” or “hate speech” you know you are up to your ears in “the defense of the indefensible” as Orwell put it. This is how the other side gets away with murder – or to use biblical parlance, this is how they cover a multitude of sins.
In this case it is all about an attack on free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and the right of ordinary people to be able to share their thoughts on contentious issues without fear of being fired from their jobs, heavily fined, or even jailed.
And that is happening all over Australia. You may not know that, since many of the cases are hush-hush – at least for the time being. They are still being dragged through courts and tribunals. How do I know? Because many of the victims have contacted me privately to inform me of their fate.
And a nefarious bill like this will simply compound problems massively. It really would be the death knell of free speech in Victoria. A piece in the Australian a few days ago certainly nailed it:
Anti-discrimination laws proposed by Victorian upper house MP Fiona Patten have been described as “section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act on steroids” that will turn the state into a “circus for culture wars”, free speech advocates say….
Free speech advocates including the Institute of Public Affairs and Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick warn of unintended consequences in the legislation, likening it to section 18C of the federal Racial Discrimination Act, which outlaws actions that “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” a person on the basis of their race.
And Dan Flynn, head of the Victorian Australian Christian Lobby, put it this way:
Under the guise of protecting women and transgender persons from trolling, her proposed legislation targets those feminists who oppose the broadening of the definition of woman, from a biological woman to anyone who identifies as a woman. It also targets those whose religious convictions adhere to the scientific fact that there are two sexes – male and female – rather than an infinite spectrum of genders. https://www.acl.org.au/mr_df_gender#splash-signup
The war on faith, freedom and family continues to ratchet up in the People’s Republik of Victoria. The Victorian Labor Government under hyper-leftist social engineer Dan Andrews certainly has the numbers to pass a bill such as this.
If it does, we can all kiss freedom goodbye, and say hello to the rainbow gulag. Welcome to the ugly new world of Big Brother that Orwell tried to warn us about. And bear in mind that his prescient novel Nineteen Eighty-Four was meant to serve as an alarm bell, not as a guide book.
19 Replies to “‘Let’s Just Get Rid of Christianity Altogether’”
This is frightening and unacceptable,,, what about Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, most have similar views to things , need to get rid of Dan and his evil leftists
I concur with every thing said above.
Qantas supports the blatantly anti-Christian Dark Mofo festival in Hobart.
“Pastor Stephen Baxter resignedly pointed to the obvious hypocrisy: “It is rather ironic that [Israel] Folau can have his contract cancelled for offending people by quoting the Bible, yet Dark Mofo can openly offend Christians without recourse.”
The ordinary person sleeps through these warnings and those who are not asleep will shelf the warnings as someone else’s problem until the dictator rises. History has shown this to happen again and again and it may well be a good thing for only the dictator will rally the forces necessary to bury the evil in our midst.
John Abbott
Dear Bill,
I rate Fiona Patten as a wicked person. Given I was born in Melbourne it is decidedly sad for me when l see what Victoria has become under Godless leadership. The Christians in Victoria have sat back and let it happen. The Bill Muehlenberg’s and Daniel Nalliah’s are sadly few and far between. Absolutely tragic.
Kind regards,
Phil
Thanks Phil. Yes she is certainly pushing an evil agenda. We need to pray for her that she will have an encounter with the living Christ and turn away from such evil agendas and become a force for good in the world.
Keep ringing those bells Bill…your discernment is always appreciated
Many thanks Drue.
Dark Mogo gets away with it (on earth anyway) under the guise of ‘Artistic Licence” Whilst freedom of expression in speech is under attack artful expression remains almost untouchable as purely abstract. Of course, the Enemy is expert at using all things intended to glorify God’s creativity to denegrate God’s people.
Section 9(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cwlth) provides:
It is unlawful for any person to do any act involving a distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
a) MP Patten’s Bill involves a distinction between those who hold to the Truth of only two Genders and those who are pushing Gender ideology!
b) MP Patten’s Bill will exclude and restrict preferences of those who adhere to only two Genders!
c) MP Patten’s Bill is framed for “the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any (our) human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”
According to Section 91 – MP Patten’s Bill is unlawful – hopefully this can be of use to take the MP Patten and Premier and his Party to Court as they are vilifying and discriminating against all who have a different opinion to them!
What is sad is that Neil Mitchell gives her a forum on his high rating talk show. As always he lacks to ask the hard questions and does not enable an alternative view to counter her.
God’s word is forever settled. He says in the book of Isaiah 54:15; Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee (God’s people) shall fall for thy sake. Christians need to present these issues before our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He alone knows what to do with those who hate his people. Thanks Bill, the Lord is with you.
People of Victoria need to protest and there must be people there who are Christians. People need to find a very strong lawyer who can take those people propsing these things to court on Section 91 as referred to above. It has been clear for a couple of years or more that there was a strong movement underway backed by cashed up individuals donating to this cause and at least two mentioned above. Their sole aim is to create a sexless society. one that does not define gender so anything goes. It was written in magazines and said by a certain woman on several occasions. Then they went underground. Triple J apparently had a whole day on air promoting pornography. Who subsidised it. Did anyone report it? This is taking us to back to the times Gommerah in the Bible. Rife with sexual abominations demanding children for sex. On face book they said there is a book in schools explaining the teaching of sex to 6 year olds.
This is an abomination. Six year olds are non sexual unless groomed for rape by deviant adults. In Bible times it stopped only with the intervention of God bringing down Fire from above. This Bill needs to be voted out.
I have heard Patten air her views on the Neil Mitchell program. She speaks of making Victoria a fairer and safer place. It’s clear that her policies do mask a far more sinister agenda.
Seriously, who appointed this woman a god so that she gets to decide what is and isn’t ‘hate’? Why can’t I be the one to declare her thinly veneered attack on basic freedoms ‘likely to incite hatred’? Why does she get to be the one controlling others right down to the words they use?
If the people she is ostensibly protecting from ‘harm’ can’t handle opposing opinions, then maybe what they believe isn’t worth believing since those beliefs are apparently threatened by mere words!
In any case, in proposing this, she effectively admits the ideas and beliefs she holds are wrong and pathetic – and she knows it!
Quite right Mark.
Just what Victorians need – another bill in which people, especially the “ordinary”, every-day citizens, will be silenced by fear of legal action from merely expressing views that were considered normal until just a few years ago. The militant homofascists were never going to stop ramming home their oppressive views on everyone, and acts such as this proposed legislation from Fiona Patten were warned about during the SSM “debate”.
We are well down that slippery slope that we were told by the Butt Blossoms does not exist.
Lets cut to the chase. We know that Christ prophesied his followers will be hated by all nations and that his followers will be put on trial and imprisoned in the last days. We know the world hates us and will not be reasonable and fair to us. We know that with every taboo that is toppled, the left simply move on to the next taboo in line. We know they are not content with merely achieving rights for themselves, they are well intent on forcing us to conform and comply with their values. In the light of this, what is our strategy? What is our end goal? It seems to me that our christian leaders and commentators are not overly clear or united on what we christians are aiming for politically and how we are going to achieve those aims. Are we democratically active simply to be salt and light? (presenting the gospel, the design of God and the standards of God to the world in the hope that some will be snatched from the fire and so that they cannot say they were not warned?) Are we using the democratic process to conduct a fighting retreat so that by delaying the inevitable, we may provide time for the younger generations to prepare and be prepared for what is going to be a far more difficult time that what our generations (people born before say the 1990’s) have experienced? Are we actually trying to maintain within our society, a legally protected level of biblical based rights for believers? Or is our end goal the dismantling of recent advances by the left and the re establishment of particular godly values? To plan what we are going to do, we have to be clear about what our end goals are. I follow ACL, I signed up for Australian Conservatives, I follow Culture Watch, Political Posting Mumma, Lyle Shelton, Cherish Life, Australian Family Association, Australian Conservative News, Australian family coalition, Bernard Gaynor et al, but apart from prayer (essential) writing letters, signing petitions, sharing posts, giving money and March for the Babies, I am frustrated about the lack of clear guidance and clear – what I will term – next level plans. What is our strategy, what is our end goal? My thoughts are that our end goal should be to non violently fight a very stiff strategic retreat. I don’t think we can regain lost ground to any great degree because of Christ’s prophecies. (That does not mean I think we should not try). I tend to think we should retreat fighting all the way, within the bounds of our faith, within the bounds of our political process. I think we should be a lot more active. I think we badly need a massive march in all the capital cities of all the christians who have determined they will not be bullied into saying good is evil and evil is good. I think we need to show Australia just how many christians they are going to have to throw in jail because we will not submit to transgender ideology, we will not submit to the Lgbtiq agenda. Imagine nation wide marches of thousands of christians with signs saying, “We must obey God rather than man”, “arrest one, arrest us all”, “we will go to jail for biological truth”, “free speech for all”, “no to compelled speech”, followed by formal presentations of declarations to the state and federal governments signed by thousands of Christians stating our position and that we will go to jail as our apostles did before us because of our commitment to God, our commitment to the truth. Am I making any sense? Bill, what is going on amongst the leaders God seems to be raising up. Are they working on long term goals and strategies? Have they been posted and I have missed them?
Thanks Bob. I few brief replies to your article-length comment if I may! Basically, I for one will keep fighting on all levels, and not contemplate a “strategic retreat” or putting up the white flag of surrender – unless some super clear word from God tells me otherwise of course. But with nearly 5000 articles, yes I think I have covered most of the points you raise.
In short, I will persevere because Christ persevered for me. I will keep working for revival and reformation. Others may have other callings or pursuits. But thanks for your thoughts.
This is frightening and unacceptable,,, what about Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, most have similar views to things , need to get rid of Dan and his evil leftists
I concur with every thing said above.
Qantas supports the blatantly anti-Christian Dark Mofo festival in Hobart.
“Pastor Stephen Baxter resignedly pointed to the obvious hypocrisy: “It is rather ironic that [Israel] Folau can have his contract cancelled for offending people by quoting the Bible, yet Dark Mofo can openly offend Christians without recourse.”
https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2019/09/weimar-on-the-derwent/
The ordinary person sleeps through these warnings and those who are not asleep will shelf the warnings as someone else’s problem until the dictator rises. History has shown this to happen again and again and it may well be a good thing for only the dictator will rally the forces necessary to bury the evil in our midst.
John Abbott
Dear Bill,
I rate Fiona Patten as a wicked person. Given I was born in Melbourne it is decidedly sad for me when l see what Victoria has become under Godless leadership. The Christians in Victoria have sat back and let it happen. The Bill Muehlenberg’s and Daniel Nalliah’s are sadly few and far between. Absolutely tragic.
Kind regards,
Phil
Thanks Phil. Yes she is certainly pushing an evil agenda. We need to pray for her that she will have an encounter with the living Christ and turn away from such evil agendas and become a force for good in the world.
Keep ringing those bells Bill…your discernment is always appreciated
Many thanks Drue.
Dark Mogo gets away with it (on earth anyway) under the guise of ‘Artistic Licence” Whilst freedom of expression in speech is under attack artful expression remains almost untouchable as purely abstract. Of course, the Enemy is expert at using all things intended to glorify God’s creativity to denegrate God’s people.
Section 9(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cwlth) provides:
It is unlawful for any person to do any act involving a distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
a) MP Patten’s Bill involves a distinction between those who hold to the Truth of only two Genders and those who are pushing Gender ideology!
b) MP Patten’s Bill will exclude and restrict preferences of those who adhere to only two Genders!
c) MP Patten’s Bill is framed for “the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any (our) human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.”
According to Section 91 – MP Patten’s Bill is unlawful – hopefully this can be of use to take the MP Patten and Premier and his Party to Court as they are vilifying and discriminating against all who have a different opinion to them!
What is sad is that Neil Mitchell gives her a forum on his high rating talk show. As always he lacks to ask the hard questions and does not enable an alternative view to counter her.
God’s word is forever settled. He says in the book of Isaiah 54:15; Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee (God’s people) shall fall for thy sake. Christians need to present these issues before our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He alone knows what to do with those who hate his people. Thanks Bill, the Lord is with you.
People of Victoria need to protest and there must be people there who are Christians. People need to find a very strong lawyer who can take those people propsing these things to court on Section 91 as referred to above. It has been clear for a couple of years or more that there was a strong movement underway backed by cashed up individuals donating to this cause and at least two mentioned above. Their sole aim is to create a sexless society. one that does not define gender so anything goes. It was written in magazines and said by a certain woman on several occasions. Then they went underground. Triple J apparently had a whole day on air promoting pornography. Who subsidised it. Did anyone report it? This is taking us to back to the times Gommerah in the Bible. Rife with sexual abominations demanding children for sex. On face book they said there is a book in schools explaining the teaching of sex to 6 year olds.
This is an abomination. Six year olds are non sexual unless groomed for rape by deviant adults. In Bible times it stopped only with the intervention of God bringing down Fire from above. This Bill needs to be voted out.
I have heard Patten air her views on the Neil Mitchell program. She speaks of making Victoria a fairer and safer place. It’s clear that her policies do mask a far more sinister agenda.
Seriously, who appointed this woman a god so that she gets to decide what is and isn’t ‘hate’? Why can’t I be the one to declare her thinly veneered attack on basic freedoms ‘likely to incite hatred’? Why does she get to be the one controlling others right down to the words they use?
If the people she is ostensibly protecting from ‘harm’ can’t handle opposing opinions, then maybe what they believe isn’t worth believing since those beliefs are apparently threatened by mere words!
In any case, in proposing this, she effectively admits the ideas and beliefs she holds are wrong and pathetic – and she knows it!
Quite right Mark.
Just what Victorians need – another bill in which people, especially the “ordinary”, every-day citizens, will be silenced by fear of legal action from merely expressing views that were considered normal until just a few years ago. The militant homofascists were never going to stop ramming home their oppressive views on everyone, and acts such as this proposed legislation from Fiona Patten were warned about during the SSM “debate”.
We are well down that slippery slope that we were told by the Butt Blossoms does not exist.
Lets cut to the chase. We know that Christ prophesied his followers will be hated by all nations and that his followers will be put on trial and imprisoned in the last days. We know the world hates us and will not be reasonable and fair to us. We know that with every taboo that is toppled, the left simply move on to the next taboo in line. We know they are not content with merely achieving rights for themselves, they are well intent on forcing us to conform and comply with their values. In the light of this, what is our strategy? What is our end goal? It seems to me that our christian leaders and commentators are not overly clear or united on what we christians are aiming for politically and how we are going to achieve those aims. Are we democratically active simply to be salt and light? (presenting the gospel, the design of God and the standards of God to the world in the hope that some will be snatched from the fire and so that they cannot say they were not warned?) Are we using the democratic process to conduct a fighting retreat so that by delaying the inevitable, we may provide time for the younger generations to prepare and be prepared for what is going to be a far more difficult time that what our generations (people born before say the 1990’s) have experienced? Are we actually trying to maintain within our society, a legally protected level of biblical based rights for believers? Or is our end goal the dismantling of recent advances by the left and the re establishment of particular godly values? To plan what we are going to do, we have to be clear about what our end goals are. I follow ACL, I signed up for Australian Conservatives, I follow Culture Watch, Political Posting Mumma, Lyle Shelton, Cherish Life, Australian Family Association, Australian Conservative News, Australian family coalition, Bernard Gaynor et al, but apart from prayer (essential) writing letters, signing petitions, sharing posts, giving money and March for the Babies, I am frustrated about the lack of clear guidance and clear – what I will term – next level plans. What is our strategy, what is our end goal? My thoughts are that our end goal should be to non violently fight a very stiff strategic retreat. I don’t think we can regain lost ground to any great degree because of Christ’s prophecies. (That does not mean I think we should not try). I tend to think we should retreat fighting all the way, within the bounds of our faith, within the bounds of our political process. I think we should be a lot more active. I think we badly need a massive march in all the capital cities of all the christians who have determined they will not be bullied into saying good is evil and evil is good. I think we need to show Australia just how many christians they are going to have to throw in jail because we will not submit to transgender ideology, we will not submit to the Lgbtiq agenda. Imagine nation wide marches of thousands of christians with signs saying, “We must obey God rather than man”, “arrest one, arrest us all”, “we will go to jail for biological truth”, “free speech for all”, “no to compelled speech”, followed by formal presentations of declarations to the state and federal governments signed by thousands of Christians stating our position and that we will go to jail as our apostles did before us because of our commitment to God, our commitment to the truth. Am I making any sense? Bill, what is going on amongst the leaders God seems to be raising up. Are they working on long term goals and strategies? Have they been posted and I have missed them?
Thanks Bob. I few brief replies to your article-length comment if I may! Basically, I for one will keep fighting on all levels, and not contemplate a “strategic retreat” or putting up the white flag of surrender – unless some super clear word from God tells me otherwise of course. But with nearly 5000 articles, yes I think I have covered most of the points you raise.
I am not a fatalist, and I have written before about how we need to be careful about using prophecy as a reason to pull out or give up or say it is all inevitable, eg: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2015/04/16/eschatology-and-fatalism-doing-right-fighting-evil-and-the-end-times/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2012/05/10/no-more-cop-outs-we-must-take-a-stand/
And of course the same sorts of things were said to activists like Wilberforce – but thankfully he ignored that advice! See eg: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/06/21/on-christian-political-involvement/
And I have also written on the need for long term vision, etc – at least in general terms, eg: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2016/04/18/big-picture-long-term/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/05/03/what-we-are-really-up-against-time-to-get-the-big-picture/
And my brand new piece might be relevant here as well: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/09/12/do-you-ever-feel-like-giving-up/
In short, I will persevere because Christ persevered for me. I will keep working for revival and reformation. Others may have other callings or pursuits. But thanks for your thoughts.