Open Season on Christians and Conservatives
If you are a Christian or a conservative, your days are numbered:
It is no longer business as usual. Gone are the days when Christians and conservatives who publicly affirm their beliefs and values are left alone, or tolerated. Now they are being hunted down. It is as if they are all walking around with large targets affixed to their backs.
It is now open season on anyone who dares to identify as a conservative or a Christian. And if you identify as both in any sort of public fashion, that is especially going to result in you being targeted by the secular left. Every day things are getting worse in this regard.
It is not full-blown persecution – yet. But it certainly is moving in that direction. The cases are far too numerous to just write an article on each. So I often have to double-up – and then some – as I will do here. Six new examples of this war on Christianity and conservativism can be examined – and lamented.
Let me begin in Australia and then head overseas. Most people would be aware of the ongoing controversy with Margaret Court, especially since the Australian Open is still running. She is without question the greatest female tennis player ever. But because she is now a Christian who stands for biblical truth, including the issue of homosexuality, she is treated like dirt by so many of our elites.
For years now she has been hounded and attacked, and just a few days ago a deplorable stunt was pulled by US tennis brat John McEnroe and lesbian Martina Navratilova. They unfurled a banner asking that the Margaret Court arena be renamed.
Their unethical and inappropriate protest resulted in Tennis Australia having to rebuff them, and so they then offered a very lame ‘apology’. Indeed, McEnroe simply doubled down and further attacked her: “What she said in the past, her comments, to me go over the line of what should be acceptable.” https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open-2020-day-11-live-coverage-is-this-sports-most-insincere-gesture/news-story/75dd55d517f1b9dc126eb58227d4385d
Hey John, many of us find you and your behaviour to be unacceptable. So much for all this tolerance and openness you keep carping about. You want everyone who dares to think differently to you and the PC crowd to be banished into silence and shame. I would prefer that you be banished to be honest.
My second Australian example has to do with former sexologist and feminist Bettina Arndt who has shifted in her views over the years, and is now actually involved in various conservative causes, including the men’s rights movement. For daring to move to the right secular leftists are going hysterical.
Their rage and venom increased exponentially when she received an Order of Australia award just days ago. Angry lefties are now demanding that she be stripped of this honour. Arndt said in reply, “People have to understand that this is an orchestrated campaign against me. These accusations are deliberately being used to try and damage me. I am not doing anything wrong. And yet there is this smear job going on.”
She continued, “I am being absolutely overwhelmed with responses from men and women all across Australia thanking me for what I’m doing, thanking me for being a voice for men, in a world where men are getting unfair treatment. Feminists are determined to shut down anyone who challenges the anti-male culture that exists in our society.” https://www.9news.com.au/national/bettina-arndt-slams-victorias-attorneygeneral-for-calls-to-revoke-her-australia-day-honour/d298eeae-c0a4-48fd-8a29-b88b2c779e05
Perth-based law professor Augusto Zimmermann said this: “Of course, the feminist backlash against her well-deserved award merely reveals the illiberal, fascistic nature of modern feminism. It is indeed quite revealing to see all these rabid feminists exposing their poisonous determination to retain control of the narrative. As Bettina points out, ‘It’s a wonderful demonstration of the threat I pose to their dangerous ideology’.”
Let me now move to the UK where American evangelist Franklin Graham is finding it difficult to preach the gospel there, because he too dares to affirm biblical values, including on human sexuality. Consider a few recent headlines: “Franklin Graham’s Glasgow event axed after council pressure”. And this: “Franklin Graham’s Sheffield visit axed after calls by LGBT+ groups”. One American Christian commentator said this about the disturbing developments:
Instead of defending religious liberty and free speech, they caved to the LGBT bullies. So far at least three venues have canceled Graham’s rally – and more are expected. Graham said on the Todd Starnes Radio Show they are working with attorneys and they plan on fighting back. He said thousands and thousands of British Christians are being disenfranchised. “Their rights are being trampled on by these city governments and the gay lesbian movement,” he said.
Graham said it’s disturbing that militant LGBT activists want to push Christians into the church house and off of church property. He likened it to what the Soviets did to people of faith. “It’s a freedom of speech issue it’s also a religious freedom issue,” he said. https://www.toddstarnes.com/faith/if-the-lgbt-activists-are-permitted-to-silence-franklin-graham-they-will-eventually-silence-all-of-us/
Another case from the UK concerns commentator Katie Hopkins. She is evidently “far-right” so that means she is especially evil:
Far-right commentator Katie Hopkins has been suspended from Twitter following calls for the social network to carry out a “full review” of her account. Campaigners had accused her of spreading hate on the platform, where several of her tweets have been shared by Donald Trump, the US president. Ms Hopkins’ account has more than one million followers, having survived a series of Twitter takedowns targeting activists including Tommy Robinson and the far-right group Britain First.
The only tweet still visible on her main profile page on Thursday morning was from a critic accusing her of inciting racial hatred in messages directed at the rapper Stormzy. Twitter said that Ms Hopkins had been temporarily locked out of her account for violating the site’s hateful-conduct policy, which bans the promotion of violence or inciting harm on the basis of race, religion, national origin or gender identity.
The move came a little over a day after Rachel Riley, a co-presenter of Channel 4’s Countdown and an anti-racism campaigner, met Twitter representatives calling for them to review and remove Ms Hopkins’ account. The meeting was organised by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) campaign group, which called for Twitter to permanently delete the account. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/katie-hopkins-twitter-suspended-deleted-review-a9309351.html
Good grief. Of course one need not agree with all she has said. Indeed, one can ask just how much of a conservative she is across the board. For example, just five years ago she was proposing euthanasia vans because the UK has “far too many old people”. That is not quite a position conservatives or Christians are keen to champion.
One final act of secular left persecution from that part of the world deserves a mention:
A teenager with Aspergers was fined nearly $800 and placed under a strict 3-month curfew for asking an apparently transgender police support officer, “is it a boy or is it a girl?” Declan Armstrong (19) is said to have offended the officer, Connor Freel, who was reportedly left “upset and embarrassed” by the question. Freel’s counsel elaborated on how he reacted:
“To have something shouted at him that had such personal connotations whilst he was on his own in the middle of a public place that was rather busy due to market day footfall did leave him vulnerable, distressed, and embarrassed.” It also made Freel “reluctant” to work by himself in the future.
While Armstrong denies asking the question, he was convicted of violating the Welsh Public Order Act 1986 by “using abusive or insulting words with intent to cause harassment.” His sentence was also raised from “a low level to a medium level community order because of its transphobic nature.” Of the fine, $261 went directly to Freel. https://thenationalpulse.com/social-issues/teen-with-aspergers-placed-on-house-arrest-fined-for-asking-trans-police-officers-gender/
Wow, why don’t they just line us all up and shoot us already? And in America things are getting just as bad. Consider what will take place on Monday: around 100 million people will watch the Super Bowl. Just as riveting as the actual football game are all the mega-priced television ads that appear throughout the broadcast.
This year for the first time ever an ad featuring drag queens will be run. However, a prolife ad looks like being rejected by the network. Go figure. As one write-up of the story puts it:
FOX Sports apparently has no problem airing controversial ads during the 2020 Super Bowl — just not a pro-life commercial. According to NBC News, this year’s big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will include a commercial featuring drag queens/LGBTQ activists.
Meanwhile, pro-life advocates with the new Faces of Choice organization said they have been waiting at least six months for an answer from FOX about their ad. The drag queen ad from Sabra hummus already is stirring up controversy. It features drag queens Kim Chi and Miz Cracker from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” LGBTQ marketing strategist Bob Witeck celebrated the significance of the ad. https://www.lifenews.com/2020/01/29/fox-allows-super-bowl-ad-with-drag-queens-wont-approve-pro-life-commercial/
As far as the drag queen ad goes, there is a petition circulating calling for this to not be shown during this family viewing event: https://www.returntoorder.org/petition/tell-the-nfl-stop-promoting-drag-queens-at-the-super-bowl/
And the powerful and moving 2-minute prolife ad can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm24p8cBPKQ
As I said, if you are a conservative or a Christian in today’s West, your days are numbered. They ARE after you. And they will not stop until all of us are finally and forever silenced.
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If really won’t be long at this rate that christians here in Australia will be jailed or worse simply for expression views that were totally ignored just 10 years ago. Remember when Julia Gillard still affirmed marriage in about 2011 in Labor.. Even though she was probably against it then it shows that not long ago it was still no issue for both major parties to be traditional in this area. How quickly everything has changed!
That is a powerful Pro-Life ad which the super bowl have knocked back! It’s a very vivid portrayal of real abortion survivors and brings the reality of abortion more alive.
Thanks for the article and the warnings therein. The writing is increasingly on the wall and we will all eventually be forced to comply or to stand up for what we believe and know to be true. Thank you for being one of the watchmen on the wall and sounding the alarm!
Hated for honouring our Maker.
It is a real concern to realize just how the culture is shifting. I wondered about the Christians who live their faith quietly? These are people who won’t force their beliefs onto others. Instead, they seek to live their lives in a way that honors their Maker. They strive to live with integrity. They will endeavor to treat all they meet with kindness and respect, because this is how they would like others to treat them.
Daniel 2: 21 says: ‘And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.’ Could not the settlement in favour of Israel Folau and the election of Scott Morrison, irrespective of the cause of the bushfires amid the claims of global warming be seen, especially in view of this Scripture, as reason to consider that it is not a fait accompli against Christian conservatives? Or are you taking an eschatological view?
Thanks Russell. Just being realistic I guess! Yes the Morrison miracle was good news, and the settlement, although a costly one for Folau, was a good outcome. But those two things alone to not mean we have arrived in the millennium! In a few years Labor may well get back in, and not everyone has the wealth and clout of Folau to pull off such wins. So the examples mentioned in my article – and many more like them – demonstrate that things are still in a bad way for conservatives and Christians. Sure, I and others are working as best we can to see things improve in the days ahead. But realism must temper our optimism. We work and pray, and leave the results to God.
And now we have the “conversion therapy” legislation to face. Am I as a Christian minister to cease urging men and women, boys and girls to turn from their sinful ways and to put their trust in Christ as Saviour? Our message is one of hope in a merciful and gracious God; hope and forgiveness for the drunkard, the thief, the homosexual, the self righteous, in fact for us all. For we all like sheep have gone astray. A turning from sin and its consequences to Jesus Christ is to use a biblical term, “conversion”. Will our unbelieving legislators now seek to close the mouths of gospel preachers and in fact all, who seek by biblical means the conversion to Christ of our friends, neighbours and workmates?
Thanks John. Yes mouths are already being closed, and much more is on the way.
The fact that the Nine Network retain McEnroe as a commentator after his and Navratilova’s disgraceful act (not to mention McEnroe’s numerous other insults directed toward Margaret Court) clearly shows the media’s hypocrisy and deeply entrenched double standards.
Thank you very much for the article Bill.
Conflict is the air we breathe, it is the water in which we swim. Our world is ruled by the forces of darkness, thus it is no surprise when these forces oppose all that is good, beautiful and true. However we are prepared for this battle and we need not be afraid. We have love and perfect love drives out fear.
Let us have hope for the future! Our saviour has already defeated our enemies, relying on him we have nothing to fear. And we can take courage from the example of the saints of the past who faced the trials and persevered. Not only that, they built beautiful civilizations to boot! Have hope! We are God’s children and no power can snatch us out of his hand. With that assurance why don’t we see how much sanctifying work we can do in this world?
Dear Bill,
Please accept my apologies if this is not the best page to let you know about the below. It just came to my attention that Channel7 will televise the Super Bowl. As you may be aware Fox will air a trans ad as per https://www.lifenews.com/2020/01/31/shame-on-fox-for-rejecting-pro-life-super-bowl-commercial-running-drag-queen-ad-instead/
They also disallowed a pro life ad as per https://www.lifenews.com/2020/01/31/watch-heres-the-30-second-pro-life-super-bowl-commercial-fox-rejected/
There was a petition possibly from CitizenGO but I cannot seem to find it.
Please help raise awareness. Thank you.
God bless,
Pascal.
Thanks Pascal. Yes you have come to the right place, since I have spoken about the Super Bowl and the 2 ads in my article above! And I also mention a petition above as well. Thanks again.
Well said Bill. The current ANZ advert featuring 2 men and a baby, with no mother is a direct insult to mothers. No man can ever be a mother – so obvious. I hope Christians will note these companies that try to normalise evil and withdraw any support for them. Even if we do not speak out, and I think we should, we can at least say Qantas, Asics, ANZ, Westpac …. I will never ever support you or buy your products again.
Thanks Robert. Yes there are now far too many TV ads featuring homosexuals, and homosexuals kissing and so on.
Queen Elizabeth II’s title is “Fidei defensor” or ‘”Defender of the Faith”; yet throughout her reign, Christians have been publicly humiliated, harassed by the police, fined, jailed, lost their careers, physically attacked and imprisoned. Secondly she has elevated LGBT and Islamic activists into the House of Lords and bedecked them with honours – MBEs, OBEs, CBEs and CPs . Thirdly, economically speaking, though on paper she is patron to hundreds of Christian charities, she allows those who contribute to the economic and social health of the nation, such as politicians, judges, policemen, teachers, doctors, nurses even member of her own church to be expunged from the public market place.
Indeed God save the Queen.
David Skinner UK