REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, A new organisation campaigning for No in the same-sex marriage plebiscite has launched, but one religious leader says they do not represent the views of all modern Christians.
The Coalition for Marriage says it speaks for "the silent majority," and is comprised of dozens of organisations — including non-faith ones.
It is led by the Australian Christian Lobby, the Marriage Alliance, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.
Michael Stead, Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, said some people found it hard to put forward a view that defended "marriage as it currently stands".
"Without fear of being labelled as a bigot or homophobe," he said.
"We want to provide a way of having a respectful debate."
Bishop Stead said the coalition's goal was to generate a conversation about same-sex marriage, because so far debate had been dominated by the politics of a plebiscite.
Australia's longest-running annual lifestyle survey has revealed women are having second thoughts about whether a husband is for life, while support is growing for same-sex marriage.
He said their own research had shown them that many people had not been given the opportunity to "hear both sides of the story".
"They've only heard one side of the story, which is very strongly pushing a line that says marriage equality is necessary and that there's no negative consequences," he said.
"And we want to put a contrary view that there are actually consequences to changing marriage."
"So we're certainly confident that a plebiscite will get to the real view of what Australians think about this, a considered view."
Bishop Stead said surveys of Sydney Anglicans had revealed that most did not want same-sex marriage, and he thought it would be similar among Sydney Catholics.
No campaign 'will likely fail because of the opinion makers'
Gregory O'Kelly, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Port Pirie in South Australia, said the church wanted to maintain traditional doctrinal teachings about marriage being a union between a man and a woman.
"Because it is also geared toward fostering of human life and demands a stable and permanent relationship," he said.
"We do not work to silence those who disagree with us, but we do not go silent about out our own beliefs."
After Ireland's 2015 referendum on same-sex marriage, Bishop O'Kelly publicly likened children from same-sex relationships to the stolen generation.
He said he now regretted those comments.
"I regret that some people were genuinely hurt," he said.
"I think my point is sort of there though — the appropriate environment for raising a child is the normal one of a mother and father."
Bishop O'Kelly said it was likely that the No campaign would fail, blaming the "media opinion makers" and political leaders, including both Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, for their "strong view for the Yes campaign".
"People who maintain traditional marriage are sometimes spoken about with disdain," he said.
"So that makes me feel it is stacked against us."
Coalition doesn't represent all Christians: reverend
However, Bill Crews, reverend of the Uniting Church in Ashfield in Sydney, said the coalition was "only speaking for one segment of [Christians]".
Reverend Crews said it bothered him that the Australian Christian Lobby was claiming to be speaking on behalf of all Christians, "when they're not".
"[Often] the marriages are going to be civil ceremonies, so in many ways what does it have to do with the church," he said.
While he said he spoke only for himself and not the Uniting Church, he said all religions needed to reflect the views of modern society.
"If you take the Bible as literally as some of these people do, we'd be keeping slaves and stoning people."
"And we don't do that, we've moved on."
Reverend Crews said surveys and research had shown that Christians actually support same-sex marriage and as such he expected the pro same-sex marriage campaign to win.
Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika
