Marriage Webcast from Australian Christian Lobby on Vimeo.
The panelists are:
- Karl Faase (host), Senior Pastor at Gymea Baptist Church, Sydney
- John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister
- Professor Patrick Parkinson AM, specialist in family law, child protection
- Patricia Weerakoon, sexologist
- Dr Allan Meyer, pastor and author
- Helen Meyer, educator and counsellor
[Recording of Dennis Altman, Sydney Writers Festival 2012 panel "Why get married when you could be happy?"
recorded by ABC Radio National, http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/features/sydneywritersfestival/sessions/sunday-4-5/]
I found the debate informative on the heritage and benefits of traditional marriage. It seems there is more to be lost than gained by amending the marriage act to include same sex couples.
I absolutely consider marriage to be bewteen a man and a woman, and I can’t consider any other way. I am a Christian and I consider to respect what GOD Himself, decided. Also why should we decide the life of a child before he is able to have his own conscience. GOD bless the children as a result of the marriage of a man and woman. Does not exist such an example in the Bible, which we consider the truth word of GOD
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There should have been someone from Family Counselling or DCP, the facts of the need for a father and mother for a growing child outweigh all arguments that are contrary to man and women as a father and mother.
It may out dated for us to continue this argument for marriage between husband and wife, but it is not incorrect.
10 Billion people can be wrong, when 1 God made the rules.
This is really good and I will forward this Webcast to many of my friends.
Well done ACL
Thanks for “Defining Marriage”, I think though, it has to be said that same-gender relationships are sexist and discriminatory intrinsically, as they only include one gender in each couple. Therefore these relationships should not be backed by governments or enshrined in legislation.
A very good and worthwhile watching webcast. It provides good information about the importance of our traditional idea of marriage from both a religious and natural point of view.
Good job to all. I have major concerns for the (non consenting) children who will be forced to live without both a mum and a dad. We already know what happened when the Australian government tampered with the aboriginals families, and now we have the huge problem known as the stolen generation. Some of my concerns from this program are ( from christian perspective) the unbiblical approach to first preaching the cure without first convicting of the (Sin) disease. A homosexual cannot continue as he is and expect to go to heaven, like any other sinner he must repent. To remain in his sin means to remain separated from God.
Awesome presentation of Gods view of marriage.
passage quote from John MacArthurs sermon 2007 on Homosexuality.
One of the supreme tragedies in our day is reclassification of homosexuality as a non-sin, as a normal behavior, as an acceptable behavior, even as a noble behavior because that’s the way you’re made, instead of defining it the way the Bible defines it as a perversion from which you need to be rescued. Wrong diagnosis obviates the cure. And the evangelical church must stick with a biblical definition of sin and confront the sinner with every sin, whether conventionally popular or not. And there is a massive movement to appease the guilt of homosexual behavior, and it is a fierce guilt that needs relentless appeasement. There is a massive movement to somehow free these people from their behavior that is a result of unchecked lust and to make them feel okay about what they do. There is an effort to redefine it as an acceptable alternate life style, sexual orientation, genetic difference, or personal preference.
We speak the truth about the sin in order that we might speak the truth about the Savior who forgives,
Every time the ACL wonders why people label you homophobes or bigots someone should link your comment.
Excellent webcast. Thank You so much for getting together such a well educated and experienced panel who were so encouraging to listen to. The Panel were also an example of how we should be confidently and respectfully approaching this issue. Thank You.
Great start, lets see more of these forums.
I’d like to see a more expansive ‘animation’ addressing the fact that the main benefit of marriage is ultimateky a safe snd secure society !
Great debate and I hope the decision will be made by the general public in a true democratic way, not by the media and the opinions by celebrities. Marriage should stay the way it was for literally centuries and should not change. God instituted it, so it is right, the way it was initially intended.
It was critically important that ACL post this webcast considering the profound issues that were raised.
I was very moved, by what you all had to say on this very important topic.
Each of you that spoke really displayed a great level of empathy- wisdom, and also displaying a high level of understanding on such an important topic such as this.
Please continue to do what is needed to be done, so that our civilisation goes forward and not backwards.
May GOD RICHLY BLESS you and your Families..
Thank you ACL for conducting the webcast. It was great bringing different occupations to highlight the importance of marriage, family and children. A very heartlfelt presentation indeed. Well done.
Its a shame Dr Meyer didn’t mention 1 Cor 6:9 when asked what the bible says about homosexuality. I get very tired of people who pussyfoot around sin. How can you repent of sin if you don’t know what it is. People need to know that when the bible speaks of fornication and sexual lewdness etc. one form is homosexuality. It is defined very clearly in the Old Testament. Homosexuality is an insult to God.
A really important issue to discuss. I thought all panelists gave excellent answers – all of which were relevant, honest, thought-provoking and Biblically sound. Would be great if all Australians (Christian or otherwise) can view this webcast. Big thanks to ACL for putting this on the web!
In my submissions I argued that words have meanings and we should not change the meaning of a word. The same goes for laws. Changing the meaning of words and laws is to make nonsense (no-sense) of them. Marriage is already defined in law. Other forms of relationships are recognized in law. To change marriage law will lead to 1000s of related laws being challenged and modified: from the home, to school, to the playground, the workplace, church and community, with the loss of freedom of speech and the vilification of dissenters to the change of the definition of marriage. The Honourable John Anderson highlighted the issues of legislation addressing the recognition of free belief and speech being lost, and the complexity of ethical human rights issues. There is no need to change marriage laws when other forms of relationship are already recognized and protected in laws. The proposal to change The Marriage Act has surreptitious overtones to undermine marriage rather than debate equality. Equality is not sameness. Equality is how we treat people and how their rights are protected.
The open discussion on sexuality, sex and spirituality is one that Christians need to be on the cutting edge. The beauty of sexuality needs to be affirmed as does the role of sexual desire versus lust, and the role of self-discipline. These are foundational. These things need to be discussed in the context of morality and the foundations of morality. However, the challenge is that when we speak of marriage, same sex relationships, sexuality along with the increase of behavioural disorders and social stresses, the impact of diet, stress, and generational change, we need to do so with such grace that we do not come across as holier than thou. Allan took us there in his attempt to be vulnerable and stand with the sinner. In my marriage counseling I needed to state that I consider the sins of my thought to be no less sin than that of any lifestyle I disagreed with from a Biblical vista. In fact as a pastor I was held the more accountable.
Thankyou to everyone involved in the webcast. You were all very impressive and I appreciate the clear presentation of important information. In response I have three prayers. One is that the church will pray as never before and stand up for godly values. The second is that churches throughout Australia will take up the suggestion of Dr Allan Meyer to impact the community through discipleship and thus change the nation. The third is that God will raise up more parliamentarians of the calibre of John Anderson, who are not just church goers but genuine followers of Christ.
This link shows a protest that happened outside of a Melbourne church who held the ACL webcast.
What a disgrace!
Did this happen at any other churches I wonder?
http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/8597/Melbourne-Equality-Fighters-stand-up-to-Christian-Lobby.htm
thanx ACL and team for this forum, you have provided a very informative and assertive way for Christians to carry forward with our beliefs with integrity.
If the way this protest meeting was conducted, doesnt count as militant homosexual bullying of a current political issues meeting I dont know what does! I had to laugh at Ali Hoggs statement:“Two hundred strong outnumber the twenty inside preaching bigotry.” Ignoring the bigotry slur, I would hardly measure two hundred protestors outside one church as matching the 1000,s that attended in around 500 churches across the nation. How ironic that whilst the panel members were quite respectul in their disagreement with the homosexual marriage lobby, this Ali Hoggs was by any measure, extremely abusive. I will be asking my friends to look at this video of the militant homosexuals bullying tactics, as it clearly does their cause more harm than good.
Thank you for the webcast on the same sex marriage debate.
It was enlightening and presented by wise and interesting speakers.
Christian marriage is just that. It works well as it is, a man and a woman joined in holy matrimony.
This is great, and I wholly support it. We need to look at divorce also and the affect this has on people and their children. Marriage is definitely the cornerstone of our society – if we devalue it, we are (and consequently now ARE ) in big trouble. Yes, this debate is a good one. Maybe that is the good thing about this same-sex “marriage” debate, in that it brings to light every area of marriage.
Sadly, this is just one of the many ‘worldly’ issues that Christians around the world have to struggle with. While it is clearly stated in the Bible that homosexuality and Christianity do not mix (1 Corinthians 6:9, Romans 1:27), the ultimate judgement still lies with God. While there’s still time, we can only pray that God by his own will open up the eyes of more non-believers in seeing his real love and may more Christians have the courage to speak out like these panelists.
What a wonderful panel and I couldn’t agree more! We have already let the foundations of our society be undermined by a lapse in moral values. The gay agenda-pushers would have us believe there will be no consequences for changing the laws on marriage, but everytime a government has interfered in this Holy business, things have only got worse. When statistics show that 50% of marriages fail, it is speaking only of modern marriage, where there is sadly a culture of wives no longer respecting husbands, and where people of different ethnic backgrounds have married despite being too dissimilar on a fundamental level. I’ve no doubt that allowing same-sex marriage will see the failure rate increase even higher.
Thank you for your presentation. I support the marriage laws not to be changed and I will forward this to as many people as possible – especially my pastor incase he didn’t see your presentation. Thank you again.
Thank you to the ACL for broadcasting this debate. I wish to refer to John Anderson’s statement that there would be two major impacts if marriage is redefined. The first would be the loss of the fundamental right of a biological parent to be known as the parent of a child, and of the child to know his or her parentage.
The second impact was the one I kept thinking about. If it was wrong, according to the law, for a parent to tell their children that same-sex marriage was wrong, then does that mean that the Bible also has to be wrong? The Bible is clearly for heterosexual marriage, and against homosexuality; for grace, and against sin in any form.
Is our country prepared to face the consequences of continuing to enact laws that are opposed to the will of God? We can change the law, and we can outlaw the Bible, but we cannot change the truth. Micah 4 says that in the last days the law will be based in Jerusalem, and all nations will live according to the word of the Lord.