Post-Christianity, and then what?


A Christian minister condemns same-sex sex and abortion as being sinful. Cue outrage. Bigoted and hateful says the supposed Catholic Premier of Victoria. “I send my kids to Catholic schools. My faith is important to me. It guides me every day…It also guides me in my sense of what is right and what is wrong, and if I can just say with utmost respect, calling out homophobia is not the problem. Homophobia is the problem.”

If by homophobia Daniel Andrews means treating homosexuals badly, then he is right. Societal discrimination against, and ill-treatment of, consenting adults engaging in fornication, in extra-marital sex in other words, is wrong. But that’s not the issue. The Church on a Hill was not condemning the sinner. Judge not etc. It was condemning the sin. And, for the avoidance of doubt, so does the Bible upon which Christianity springs and is anchored.

Christianity is inconvenient. No doubt about that. It takes an unequivocal stand against a range of fleshly and venal temptations. The unmarried youthful St Augustine highlighted the difficulty, make me chaste but not yet. In other words, the sermons which cause so much problem for Essendon Football Club and the Premier and others, were essentially unexceptional. Standard Christianity as proclaimed through the ages.

Some Christians have a straight-down-the-line view that abortion is wrong, full stop. Some have a more nuanced view. My own view is that killing an unborn baby, a separate and distinct human being growing in the womb, can be justified or excused in particular dire circumstances. That said, the number of abortions these days go far beyond what could ever be justified or excused. This is only possible because euphemistic and deceptive wording has replaced accurate descriptions.

Abortion has become a matter of reproductive health. A woman must be in control of her own body, it’s said. Reproductive health is important. And yes, women should be in charge of their bodies as should men (including in matters of forced vaccination). But an abortion involves a separate human life which is being taken away. Unless this is acknowledged, the light of the truth is hidden away. Darkness and lies prevail. Evil flourishes.

While abortion is not mentioned in the Bible, implied and explicit references to the sanctity of human life abound. Christian churches objecting to the killing of unborn babies is therefore also unexceptional. Standard Christianity.

So, there it is. Christian church makes unexceptional statements in line with scripture and all hell breaks loose. It’s patently a post-Christian age in Australia; or very near to. Even senior clerics in the Anglican and Catholic churches steered clear of the Bible when asking for tolerance for those holding Christian views. Whatever you do, don’t mention the Bible. The Archbishop of Canterbury might have mentioned it once or twice in the distant past but he’s woke enough to have gotten away with it.

And after Australia and other Western countries have dumped Christianity? Then what? Hold onto your hats. The world was a much nastier place before Christianity moulded free, tolerant and prosperous Western societies. And it can be again. Ask Iranian and the Afghani women; ask homosexuals in Muslim countries; ask the Uyghurs; ask children mining cobalt in the Congo.


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Old School Conservative
Old School Conservative
October 10, 2022 3:59 pm

A post-Christian age? Yes it is.
Mark Steyn has been writing about the world-wide slide away from Christianity for some time, and Australia is going along for the ride.
In addition to the the examples mentioned in Peter’s article, Steyn refers to:
* police crashing church services during Holy Week,
* a great absence of the church in the life of the nation,
* churches throughout Christendom deemed non-essential when Covid showed up, and
* Christians taking the Christ out of Christmas (removing nativity scenes).

Perhaps Archbishop Comensoli’s row with the Jug Eared Dictator For Life in Victoria has signalled a turn for the better from Christian leaders.

Roger
Roger
October 10, 2022 6:00 pm

It’s patently a post-Christian age in Australia; or very near to.

First the presecution of Pell and now the Thorburn affair.

Victoria seems to be further down that path than other states.

Davey Boy
October 10, 2022 6:06 pm

When asked (more than once, and via various channels) whether she endorses or disagrees with her senior Labor colleague’s (i.e. dictator Dan’s) view of standard Christian beliefs, the local Labor MP (Sally Sitou) has refused to even acknowledge that the question has been asked of her.
I guess she thinks that her silence is ‘dignified’.
I view it as cowardly.
I am Labor Woman, hear me roar, indeed.

Louis Litt
Louis Litt
October 10, 2022 8:19 pm

The Christian churches have not articulated the reasons for the commandments.
Reason why homosexuality is out because of the continuity of your tribe. Hedonism replacing social benefit and work.
Disease from inserting one penis into some one anus.
Abortion with its disrespect for life – what’s new to the lefties.
Chritianity provided a safe society to progress and to fight where it’s brethren were threAtened with their lives.
Further Catholicism is universal, it’s in your core – the commies can’t reach that and loathe Catholics for it.
Cardinal Pell articulated the Catholic position on matters extremely well.

Jannie
Jannie
October 10, 2022 8:56 pm

Give me back the Berlin wall
Give me Stalin and St. Paul
Give me Christ
Or give me Hiroshima

Destroy another fetus now
We don’t like children anyhow
I’ve seen the future, baby
It is murder

When they said repent, repent, repent,
I wonder what they meant

NFA
NFA
October 10, 2022 9:40 pm

Good commentary Peter Smith.

Thank you.

NoFixedAddress
NoFixedAddress
October 10, 2022 9:42 pm

Good commentary Peter Smith.

Thank you.

NoFixedAddress
NoFixedAddress
October 10, 2022 10:43 pm

Forget about Christmas for a start.

Shipping down 75% ahead of Christmas shopping

NoFixedAddress
NoFixedAddress
October 11, 2022 12:18 am
Tom
Tom
October 11, 2022 10:16 am

My faith is important to me. It guides me every day…It also guides me in my sense of what is right and what is wrong, and if I can just say with utmost respect, calling out homophobia is not the problem. Homophobia is the problem.

Like other despots, Daniel Andrews’ success as a politician relies on doublespeak like the above.

Andrews has redefined “homophobia” as disapproval of homosexuality – pure doublespeak.
Homophobia as defined by Andrews is not being either a homosexual or an enthusiastic supporter of homosexuals. The truth is Victoria is one of the most tolerant liberal jurisdictions on earth where the idea of punishing someone for being homosexual is abhorrent and homophobia is virtually non-existent.

Unfortunately, there is no chance of Andrews being reined in by an election as the Liberal Party opposition has surrendered, marketing itself as Labor Light.

If Victorians want Labor policies, they’ll vote Labor, not an imitation. The Liberal Party has become an insult to Victorian voters.

Razey
Razey
October 14, 2022 7:16 am

The truth is Victoria is one of the most tolerant liberal jurisdictions on earth

Except if you don’t take the clot shot.

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