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MELBOURNE, Australia, October 20, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — “Crucify ‘No’ Voters,” “Bash Bigots,” “Christians are Nazis,” “Vote Yes.”
Messages of violence against Christians or anyone who votes “No” in a national referendum about homosexuality and marriage in Australia is sprayed all over churches and buildings as the country nears the vote tally.
“We all woke up to see the awful vandalization of our church,” Waverly Baptist Pastor David O’Brien, whose surburban Melbourne church was sprayed with “Crucify ‘No’ Voters,” said. “It’s disappointing to see these things and it was a shock to all of us.”
Australia’s same-sex “marriage” referendum, a simple mail-in survey with no legal authority, began last month and must be sent in by 6 p.m. November 7. The total tally will be made public November 15.
The national debate over same-sex “marriage” has been marred by hate speech, both from individual haters of gays and by homosexual activists who seek to intimidate and instill fear enough to sway the vote their way.
The violence is not limited to one Christian denomination — Baptist, Anglican and Catholic churches have been attacked or vandalized. Even a Mormon building west of Sydney was graffitied with “Vote Yes.”
Catholic leaders who spoke in favor of traditional marriage have become targets. One priest was spat on and called a “F—ing ‘No’ voter” in Brisbane.
The violence is not limited to one city. Churches in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere have been victimized. Glen Waverley Anglican Church in Melbourne was defaced by homosexual activists with “Bash Bigots” and other phrases promoting violence against Christians.
The Anglican Diocese of Sydney is part of the Coalition for Marriage and has contributed $1 million to the No campaign.
“That’s very unsettling for some of the older members of our church this morning,” Pastor Drew Mellor told the Daily Mail. “Some asked, ‘Does that mean we’re going to be bashed?’“
In one incident, a church’s Cross was equated with the Nazi swastika.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, a Catholic who opposes sodomy, was attacked by a 38-year-old, head-butting gay activist wearing a “Yes” badge. The attacker was caught, but he was charged with simple assault and not a hate crime.
According to The Christian Institute, “A woman who supports a traditional view of marriage received death threats and another Christian woman lost her job because she expressed her opposition to changing the definition of marriage.”
Last year, Australian Senator Cory Bernardi had staff terrorized and his office ransacked, trashed and vandalized by homosexual activists, according to TrueMarriageEquality.com.
Sen. Bernardi said his countrymen are in a battle for survival. “Our way of life, our culture, our values, and our freedoms are under imminent threat,” the senator said. “Same-sex ‘marriage’ and the indoctrination of our children … under the guise of an anti-bullying program are just the front line battles of a bigger war to secure control of Australia.”
“One thing that this process has revealed is that, despite the rhetoric, ‘Yes’ campaigners do not actually believe in a tolerant society, where people are allowed to ‘live and let live,’” The Coalition for Marriage’s Monica Doumit said. “Rather, they will target those who disagree for abuse, for boycott, or for some other type of punishment.”
Individuals on the other side have embarrassed themselves, too. “Vote ‘No’ to Fags” and “Faggots not welcome” were marked on trains, and rainbow flags have been vandalized.
The only “authority” the survey has is the ability to pressure elected members of Parliament into legalizing homosexual “marriage.”
Dirty politics and ugly campaigning have marred the vote. There has been no collective estimate of the damage cost to Christian churches across the country.
There are also concerns about voter fraud. The referendum was mailed to every registered voter in the nation, and all those who don’t use their ballot — by forgetting or mistake or any reason — could have their ballot filled out and sent in by anyone in the country.
In August, Catholic bishops urged the faithful to vote against legalizing homosexual “marriage” but added that all Christians must conduct themselves “with a deep sense of reverence and respect for every person in the nation, and for the choices that they are free to make.”
Caught in the middle of the war, Pastor O’Brien says his church, which supports a “No” vote, will keep on doing what they’ve always done. “We will continue to love all, gay or straight, or whatever, and will continue to care for people no matter what and to teach the principles of good and moral behavior that benefit all,” he said.