POLARISING: Israel Folau's saga has riled up the hardcore religious.
POLARISING: Israel Folau's saga has riled up the hardcore religious. JOEL CARRETT

Double standards of hardcore religious laid bare


I CAN'T help but be puzzled by the double standards that appear to be being peddled by the five pastors who've come together to urge "church people" to unite for "traditional family values".

Is that code for come together and fight for your right to be bigots and spout hate speech against entire sects of communities, then cry foul when you feel the same thing happens to you?

They've used the "persecution" of Israel Folau as the final straw, which has sparked their crusade.

Completely ignoring Israel Folau's persecution of gay people, of course.

These same guys who rallied against Playboy in Kmart and wet T-shirt competitions are now calling on the church to become more active in debates, declaring themselves a sleeping giant which needs to wake.

An anti-discrimination case lodged and later withdrawn against the Tasmanian Catholic Church over a booklet Don't Mess With Marriage, calls to re-name Margaret Court Arena, and the recent Israel Folau saga are three issues the cohort say have impacted freedom of speech.

I'm picking up a common thread here though.

The average punter who doesn't believe can see the hypocrisy of these groups and the troubles religion brings.

It creates more friction than it's worth, so much hate and division.

And maybe people are starting to get a little frustrated with the constant meddling in politics by churches who don't even pay tax.

Society is maturing.

We're becoming more accepting of people and less reliant on an ancient book to tell us how to live and be decent people.

That's something to be celebrated.

The double standards of the hardcore religious are everywhere.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison invited cameras into the church to watch him and his happy-clapping crew worship during the election campaign.

He shoved his religion in our faces, put it front and centre of politics.

But suddenly he and the usual conservative echo chamber cry foul when questions about his religion are asked.

Bill Shorten has been accused of weaponising his faith.

I'm sorry, but you can't have it both ways, ScoMo.

It's the same as the "freedom of speech" fallacy.

Freedom of speech isn't freedom from consequence.

If, and let's be clear, this is what you're saying, you are desperate to retain your right to denigrate minorities because your religion tells you, then be prepared to cop some free speech back when free thinkers reject your contributions.

It isn't "PC", it isn't an attack on freedom of speech.

It's the gradual realisation that your hardcore religious views no longer align with what most reasonable people believe.

The church may have obligations to spout hate, under the guise of beliefs, but some of us also have an obligation to call out this hypocrisy.