While a few conservative MPs voted no, which included Russell Broadbent, Keith Pitt, David Littleproud, Bob Katter and Tony Abbott. Labor, the Greens, and a number of traitorous Liberals – including the leftist Prime minister – crossed the floor to side with those intent on destroying the true definition of marriage.
Malcolm Turnbull enamoured with the occasion was making it seem as if this was the greatest day in Australian history.
“What a day for love, for equality, for respect. Australia has done it,” Mr Turnbull said.
“This is Australia, fair and diverse, loving and filled with respect.”
Not so fast.
Throughout the past few days various amendments to the Smith bill were put up to protect a few religious freedoms. All of them were knocked back. They included;
- Protections for schools. They voted against.
- Protections for business. They voted against.
- Protection for celebrants. They voted against.
- Protection for celebrants in the military. They voted against.
- Protections for people to choose their kids education. They voted against.
Crossbench MP Bob Katter said people should be “very suspicious” that every amendment has been rejected.
“Every single effort to protect religious freedom has been denigrated in here today,” Mr Katter said.
He goes on about boys been forced to wear dresses in school, and didn’t take interjections kindly.
“Once you get a stampede on it is a brave man who stands in front of it,” he said.
North Queensland MP George Christensen said, “If churches and pastors can’t even have freedom to not be party to something that is against their fundamental beliefs then neither can anyone else.”
“The House of Representatives has just voted to not allow civil celebrants – even those who are pastors – to exempt themselves from having to perform marriages for same sex couples. They’ve effectively ensured a lot of people who would otherwise vote for legislation to allow same sex marriage can no longer vote that way, myself included.” Mr Christensen said.
One particular amendment that was voted down (59-87) was the amendment to allow a Defence Force officer to conscientiously decline an order to become a marriage celebrant due to his religious beliefs.
One pro-gay Liberal MP argued that if you don’t want to comply with an order to marry a gay couple then you should “leave the defence force”.
The official statement from the Coalition for Marriage stated:
The passing of the Dean Smith bill unamended through the House of Representatives today was evidence of the disregard that many MPs have for the freedoms of Australians and the upholding of international human rights obligations, the Coalition for Marriage said today.
“It is deeply disappointing that both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader reneged on the assurances they gave to the Australian people during the marriage campaign,” Coalition for Marriage spokesman, Lyle Shelton said.
“The Australian people were promised that their freedom of speech, freedom of religion and parental rights would be protected in any same-sex marriage legislation, and this has not happened.
“It’s classic bait-and-switch. Australians were told that they could vote ‘yes’ and have their freedoms protected, but were given the Dean Smith bill instead.
“As a result of the parliament failing to uphold the rights and freedoms of ordinary Australians, we expect to see similar consequences for free speech, freedom of religion and parental rights as what we have seen overseas.
“We know that the appetite for punishing those who disagree with the new definition of marriage exists in Australia. We saw it before the campaign began with Archbishop Julian Porteous being dragged before an anti-discrimination tribunal for preaching to his flock. We saw it during the campaign with a young worker being fired for adding a Coalition for Marriage filter to her Facebook page. And we have seen it after the campaign ended with the obstinate refusal of politicians – even those in electorates with high ‘no’ votes – to do anything to protect freedoms.
“We are grateful to those MPs who stood by the Australian people and stood up for freedom in trying to pass some amendments through the House. Unfortunately, they were too few today.
“The Coalition for Marriage promised to stand up for the rights and freedoms of Australians, and we intend to keep doing that,” he concluded.
In the meantime, Australian Christians and conservatives are faced with the reality of civil disobedience when faced with prospect of violating their conscience. It’s a day we never, in the two hundred years since our nations founding that we thought we would never see. But the time to suffer for the cause of Christ is now upon us.
May He give us the grace to undergo this persecution, while we show love and forgiveness to our persecutors.
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