Abbott has spoken against gay marriage to those who vandalised inner Sydney gay murals

Abbott speaks against gay marriage at Lebanese Maronite Catholic mass meeting

There's more information that has come to light in regard to the Facebook group "Christian Lives Matter", who have been threatening violence against the gay community in the inner west of Sydney and have defaced gay murals in that area. They are a group of people from the western suburb block of 12 No voting electorates and part of the Lebanese Maronite Christian community. 

From The Stirrer:

Both were vandalised by a group of young men from Christian Lives Matter, apparently in response to the country voting overwhelming to let LGBTI marry. Now, I know little about them, but I understand they are from the Lebanese Maronite Christian community, and claim to be ‘defending their religion’. The Stirrer

I've never heard of them, and likely very few people in the eastern suburbs have either, certainly not within the gay community here. Despite us not having the faintest idea who they are, or them having the faintest idea who we are, they have chosen to judge our relationships as being wrong because the bible. Going so far as to commit vandalism in our community to art they don't approve of.

From "Christian Lives Matter" Facebook page

I guess it's understandable, as religious zealots never take no for an answer to something that "the bible says". Just typical really. Of course the worry here is of the threats of violence from these people via Facebook to our community, where they don't live and obviously know nothing about. If they want to have delusions about an invisible sky man and talking snake they so be it, they have every right to do that, just as much as me following the Flying Spaghetti Monster. But they have absolutely no right to vandalise innocent law abiding people's property because of their religion, or threaten violence.

The Stirrer article goes on to encourage dialogue between the LGBT and the Maronite Christians to increase understanding between our two groups, that we're no threat to their religion and there's no need for them to feel they have to threaten us. I totally agree. Getting to know us as just people like them has been the thrust of the whole marriage equality campaign for years. Ignorance is the enemy.

There's no doubt that this could get right out of hand though if they keep coming in to our community and vandalising it. We LGBT won't be putting up with their bullshit. Tempers will flare and confrontation could unfortunately end in violence, which nobody wants to see.

Lyle Shelton and Miranda Devine have already been called out by the mayor of the inner west of Sydney for stoking the fires, supporting them in their vandalism of artwork. Surprisingly though it appears there's been another person guilty of this, albeit perhaps unaware? As an update to The Stirrer article it has come to light that at the beginning of the postal survey Tony Abbott attended the Lebanese Maronite Catholic group in western Sydney to drum up support for a No vote against gay marriage.

Take it as you will, whether you blame Turnbull for this whole postal survey and the hate it's inflamed, Tony Abbott for using the survey for inflammatory words against the LGBT community, or both. It's definitely very wrong in hindsight, virtually lighting the match IMO. The media said Abbott wasn't campaigning against us but that was obviously wrong. From The Catholic Weekly:

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott addressed a packed hall of Maronite Catholics in Punchbowl on September 2, urging them to make their voices heard in the upcoming plebiscite on same-sex marriage. 


Speaking before an audience that included the Maronite Bishop of Australia, Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, Mr Abbott lauded the contribution of the Maronite community to Australia, praising Maronite families, workers and business people for their exemplary citizenship. 


 “A silent majority that remains silent ceases to remain a majority,” Mr Abbott said. 


“You love our country; that’s what today’s meeting is all about … trying to have the very best country that we can.” 


The family was the bedrock of the communities that make up Australia, Mr Abbott said, and marriage was fundamental in protecting children and families. 


 “Yes, love is so important. But in the end, marriage is about the welfare of the kids; it’s about the protection of the family. 


“And that’s why it’s so important that we don’t do anything to water (marriage) down, (that) we don’t do anything that would lead to reduced respect and protection for the families of Australia.” The Catholic Weekly

There's so much coded language in that. "Family" is always used by No people as code for hetero families as the only real families. He brings in patriotism to Australia, even suggesting voting Yes would be unpatriotic - "If you love our country...."  And WTF is "protecting children" supposed to mean, that gays are paedophiles? That's certainly a dog whistle. He even goes on to say "marriage is about the welfare of the kids", another dog whistle. And of course "protection of the family", meaning LGBT don't really have families as they're not straight.

The most audacious is at the end where he says it's important "we don;t do anything that would lead to reduced respect and protection for the families of Australia" WTF? What about rainbow families? What are they Martians? What about what the postal survey and Abbott's drumming up of hate did to them? And now look at the result; we have vigilante Christians coming into our community with the intent for vandalism and violence.

Newtown police described as "visibly shocked" last night when receiving images of violent threats by vigilante group "Christian Lives Matter", who are being monitored. Lyle Shelton has doubled down on his support, despite criticism from Leichhardt mayor for encouraging crime. pic.twitter.com/PpEMFhlM4W

— Pauline Pantsdown (@PPantsdown) November 21, 2017

Abbott with Maronite youth leaders

ACL article header

Header for "Christian Lives Matter" Facebook page