A Time to Love, and a Time to Hate
Both the federal and state governments are currently looking for ways to eliminate hate-speech, vilification, and words that promote terrorism. But never seek ways to replace it with the way of love. They want to replace ineffective current laws. The Muslim Cleric Brother Ismail has spoken words which promote hate as he spoke of the alleged stabbing of Bishop Emmanuel by a 16-year-old boy to a packed crowd in late May and added, “That kid, in his actions, stood up and defended the honour of Mohammed.” Ismail is a regular speaker at Bankstown’s Al Madina Dawah Centre. He has been critical of the love that Bishop Emmanuel showed the boy and the mainstream Islamic leaders who were “praying for the bishop’s recovery”. The country’s peak Jewish body has lodged vilification complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission against both this Centre and Mr Ousayd who runs it, and the hate revealed by the many incendiary and anti-Semitic sermons they have given ever since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct 7.
An opposition senator James Paterson believes that police and prosecutors need to get serious about people praising alleged terror attacks, make investigations and lay charges. The police, as well as political leaders, have also been asking authorities “to get serious” on hate speech, because they know that Ismail’s comments currently do not fall foul of the current commonwealth laws which outlaw “praising” terrorist acts. While our laws are being openly defied and mocked, any inaction could lead to more tragedy. There is an Arab proverb: “If the camel once receives permission to get his nose into a desert tent, his whole body will soon follow”. More effective and robust laws are needed to prohibit hate speech. Who then determines what words are causing harm? Hate speech laws could be created to use against any of us. If we found the time to love people especially those coming from any marginalised community including being more sensitive about what we say, it would make a difference. Most of us can feel hurt by things others say about our sex, gender, or sexuality, or race, culture, or religion.
History shows that hate speech has been used intentionally to mobilise groups and societies to hate others and even provoke crimes, war, or genocide. Hate is increasingly being spread through the internet. Preventing and combating online hate poses a real challenge because it can be disseminated across the world in a matter of seconds. Most of us, including people from other cultures and religions, can experience words that hurt when people focus on themselves, their cultural sensitivities, or traditionally their different value systems. It is important that all States and the Commonwealth do take effective and sustainable measures to prevent and combat hate speech., but a greater way could be expressing love through giving, being helpful, spending quality time with people and kind words.
Let’s pray:
* For greater wisdom to be given to our nation’s leaders, judges, and politicians to find sensitive ways to create laws that restrict hate and negative filled speech but show love.
* That more of us show patience and kindness, less envy, boasting or pride. That we will honour others, be less self-seeking, or easily angered, or keep no record of wrongs. That we will not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. That we will come to protect others, be more trusting, always hoping and persevering.
* That the speech of more of us will be gracious, seasoned with salt, and knowing how we ought to answer each person with love (based on Col 4:6)
Praying for the Media
Last Sunday was a Global Day of Prayer for the media. Let us this week spend time in praying for the media which has such a powerful impact on how our society operates and what it thinks.
Please pray:
* Ask the Lord to provide the television, radio and print mediums with staff members and executives who are committed to accuracy and integrity.
* Pray that more of our media celebrities and hosts will be worthy of our respect and admiration.’
* Pray that the media of social communication may always be used for God’s glory and the good of all.
Private Schools Declare War on the Greens
Independent schools are preparing to launch a nation-wide campaign in Greens and marginal electorates. They will call out the “relentless and baseless vilification” of private schools. They will urge constituents not to support parties which would abolish the funding of private schools and limit educational choices. This follows increasing criticism of the allocation of government funding to private schools. School funding is a crucible issue for Labor and its biggest source of division with its state ALP counterparts. The Greens are expected to push for reforms that would slash some independent schools’ funding in any power-sharing agreement with a minority Labor government. Independent Schools Association (ISA) chief executive Graham Catt said all students in all school sectors should be supported to “access a great education”, but that this should not result in attacks against private schools and campaigns to have their funding slashed.
Catt said the majority of students in independent schools, which included specialist schools such as Christian, Muslim and Jewish institutions, come from middle to low-income families, with median annual school fees sitting at just over $5500. Education Minister Jason Clare introduced legislation this month to lift the commonwealth share of state school funding by $16bn over the next decade after intense negotiations with states and territories. But with private schools the level of federal funding will taper off the higher the median income of the families whose child attends the school. Mr Catt said, “Meanwhile, families across Australia face a postcode lottery, where the quality of state education depends on their location. All families should have the right to make the best educational choice for their kids and politicians need to support – not punish – those decisions.”
Please pray:
“Point your kids in the right direction – when they’re old they won’t be lost.” Proverbs 22:6
* Please pray that the Independent Schools Association are successful in their aim to protect Australians’ rights to choose how their children will be educated. Pray especially for all Christian Schools.
* Pray for our education system, which is falling behind and becoming subject to so many competing and woke demands.
* Pray that the Greens’ “relentless and baseless vilification” of private schools comes to nothing. Ask the Lord to shut the mouths of all who try to prevent our children from hearing about Him and His love.
Praying for Issues in the News
* The latest media survey results reveal a dramatic fall in its TV and Radio audiences. Such results would seem to indicate that the ABC is not meeting the needs of the Australian public despite its budget being funded by the Australian public through taxes paid. The recently appointed ABC Chair Kim Williams has flagged that “a cultural renewal” is required to regain public support for the broadcaster and will seek to undertake such change in the months ahead. Please pray that ABC management will be able to achieve the change that people are obviously seeking without being shouted down by the ABC staff collective that has played such an important role in the recent unsatisfactory ratings the ABC has recorded.
* The recently released report from the Covid 19 enquiry indicated that many Australians have lost trust in governments and other institutions who were in charge of the public response to the pandemic with many decisions at that time being seen not to be in the best interests of the majority of Australians. A nation cannot survive for long when there is distrust between government and the people so it is important that steps are initiated quickly that would seek to recover that trust. This will take humility by our leaders to admit their failures in decision making during the pandemic and to Implement change that will ensure past mistakes are not repeated in the future. It will also require much greater openness and honesty from government to the general public not only on health matters but on many other issues facing our nation at present. Seeking to pass legislation that will stop the public from questioning decisions of governments on social media is only likely to result in even more distrust in our political leaders. Please pray that God would cause events to arise that would restore greater trust between authorities and the people over which they exercise their authority for the greater good of our nation.
* The American Presidential elections will be held in coming days. This election will have implications not only for the nation of America but for the whole world. Please pray that God would direct the people of America as for whom they vote and that the outcome of the election will align with God’s will at this time in America’s history. Pray for peace on the streets of America no matter what the result.
Praying for our Nation
Individualism and tolerance have led to the undermining of many of our biblical values in these days. We have aligned ourselves as a society, with other gods. The god of self, the god of ‘my rights’, the god of the intellect, the god of success, the god of power and influence, and any other god that serves our needs. Let us repent of our turning way from the One True God and seek to re-align our lives with His teachings and will for us as a nation.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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