AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL ON PM AND PARLIAMENT TO UPHOLD TRUE MEANING OF MARRIAGE Thirty-eight of Australia’s religious leaders, representing major religious traditions and a broad diversity of faiths and cultures, have written a public letter to the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, urging him to resist attempts in Federal Parliament to redefine the meaning of marriage. “As leaders of Australia’s …

His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos, the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia, has joined with 38 leaders of Christian and other religious groups in signing a letter to the Prime Minister urging him and the parliament to uphold the true meaning of marriage. Referring to current and future bills to change marriage, the letter says: “This proposed legislation undermines that …

Conservative government MPs say same-sex marriage is not inevitable and have warned Tony Abbott that he faces a savage internal backlash over the issue, likening it to the devastating split over the ETS which cost Malcolm Turnbull the Liberal leadership in 2009. Several right wing Parliamentarians have told Fairfax Media they believe they have the numbers to oppose a free …

Posted by Lyle Shelton on: http://www.acl.org.au/2015/05/why-australia-should-not-rush-to-follow-ireland/ “You’re a nauseating piece of filth”, tweeted Crikey political editor Bernard Keane to his 44,000 followers.[i] ‘Bigotry’, tweeted Labor member of parliament Stephen Jones.[ii] (Jones was the MP who sponsored a bill in 2012 which was rejected by the parliament by a margin of almost two-to-one.) Keane and Jones were responding to ACL’s Saturday …

Lyle Shelton Parliamentarians planning to ‘own’ Bill Shorten’s same-sex marriage bill need to explain how they would protect the rights of children to know their biological parents. In abolishing “man and woman” in the Marriage Act, Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Lyle Shelton said parliamentarians risked legislating one of the greatest injustices against the rights of children in modern times. …

Ireland has just voted for marriage equality. Will Australia be next? You probably thought, as I did, that last week’s same sex marriage referendum in Ireland was carried by an overwhelming 62 per cent vote majority in support of changing the constitution. In fact, only 34 per cent of the adult population voted in support of the measure. There are …

By political reporter James Glenday The “silent majority” of Australians will reject moves to introduce same-sex marriage, according to the Abbott Government frontbencher responsible for social cohesion. Conservative NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells believes allowing a conscience vote on the issue would be perceived as a “cop out” and might lead to a disconnect between the Liberal Party’s base and …

MEDIA RELEASE – Australian Christian Lobby 3 June 2015 The Australian Christian Lobby welcomed results of an Essential Research poll indicating support for same-sex marriage had plummeted a massive 13% since a Crosby|Textor poll in July 2014. ACL Managing Director Lyle Shelton said the results indicated that there is nothing inevitable about redefining marriage. “This is an extraordinary result,” Mr …

Dear Friends of Saint George Taybeh, I pray and hope all of you are well and will continue to have all of God’s blessings. I would like to share with you some personal news that one of the happiest moments as a parent is seeing my son Dr. Constantine David Khoury graduate today here in Miami from Ross University Medical School. …

The Supreme Court of New South Wales handed down its judgment today in legal proceedings commenced, with the knowledge and consent of the Holy Assembly of Bishops and the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, by His Grace Bishop Irinej and the Serbian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand against the Free Serbian Orthodox Diocese for …