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Christianity is the world’s most persecuted religion, yet Senator Lambie does not recognise the need to preserve the freedom of our religious institutions to maintain their identity and character.

If you still don’t believe that religious freedom is under threat in Australia, then consider the latest statements by the independent senator for Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie, regarding the current religious freedom bill. Lambie was reported in The Australian as saying that the legislation was “dead on arrival”. Lambie went on to aggressively state:

I can’t speak for the other two crossbenchers, but what I’m hearing is when it comes to Senator (Rex) Patrick and Senator (Stirling) Griff is, and they’ll have to come out and confirm themselves, but I don’t believe they have any intention for voting for it.

If they don’t, I would like to get that out on the table so the LGBTI community can have a bloody Merry Christmas and not have this hanging on their shoulders.

However, it is more than a little disingenuous of Lambie to spin a bill seeking the protection of religious freedom into something which seeks to persecute the LGBTIQ community. The truth of the matter is, is that Christians are the most persecuted people group in the world! Just take the following three examples.

Christians persecuted by Communists in Vietnam

First, the Religious Liberty Bulletin reports that in Vietnam, religious freedom exists in theory but not in practice. The Communist regime views unregistered house churches and ethnic minority Christians as threats to the nation’s unity and security. The regime targets these Christians — Catholics and Protestants — with intimidation, vilification, harassment, police brutality and Cultural Revolution-style “kangaroo-courts” where they are publicly shamed and forced to “confess their crimes” and renounce their faith. 

Dozens of Christian pastors, priests and religious liberty advocates are serving long prison terms having been falsely accused of “misusing religion” to violate national security laws. Some have been tortured; many are in failing health. Vietnam’s revised national security laws (enacted January 2018) along with its new Cyber Security Law (enacted January 2019) have made getting information out of Vietnam a very risky business.

Gunmen slaughter 12 in Nigeria

Second, Barnabas Fund is reporting that wwelve people have been killed in two separate attacks on the Irigwe community in Plateau State, Nigeria. Gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants shot dead 10 people and burned down 30 houses in a raid on Te’egbe village, Bassa Local Government Area, on November 26, three days after two men were killed in Bassa’s Miango District.

In August Pastor Stephen Baba Panya, president of the Evangelical Church Winning All, called for urgent government action to prevent the “genocide” of the Irigwe people, among them a large number of Christians.

A spokesman for the Miango Youth Development Association, Nuhu Bitrus, referred to a “calculated attack” carried out by the Fulani who intruded from the boundaries of Kaduna-Plateau, saying, “Eyewitnesses said the attackers came en masse to carry out this devilish act.” He added that the assailants destroyed crops that had already been harvested. The attacks also caused the displacement of 690 people from 114 households.

Indian Christians prepare for Christmas persecution

Third, Christianity Daily is reporting that Christians from India are preparing for persecution as the celebration of Christmas approaches. Mission Network News said Indian Christians are bracing for more persecution as Christmas approaches this year. Mission India’s Erik (not his real name) said Christmas sees an increase in persecution for Christians around the world.

Erik also spoke of the difficulty Christians in India have finding communities where they feel safe to practice their faith, such as attending church, especially during the Christmas season. The pandemic, he said, has actually brought them the opportunity to find that community, though online.

Erik asked for prayers for persecuted Christians not only in India but globally, especially now that Christmas is near, and especially for those who will be celebrating the momentous occasion for the first time. 

So, what about in Australia?

Someone like Lambie would more than likely object that such extreme situations of religious persecution could never happen here. And yet, the infamous “Folau Clause” has already proved to be too controversial for the Morrison government to include in the current legislation. 

For all its strengths and weaknesses, the religious freedom bill has nothing to do with a person’s sexual orientation. Instead, it is about ensuring that religious institutions — as well as individual believers — have the right to uphold their own beliefs and practices. The fact that politicians such as Lambie seem reluctant to acknowledge that goes to the very heart as to why this piece of legislation is so important.