The Australian Bureau of Statistics has sent out millions of ballots to its voluntary citizens in what could be a policy-changing plebiscite, Hallelujah Magazine has learnt.
This statutory measure comes as a response to the age-old divisive question which has long traumatized the entire human society; should same-sex marriages be legalized or not.
The referendum which kicked off a week ago will be running until the 7th of November. The Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed the first ballots were sent out on Tuesday Sept.12, and that all forms will be mailed out by 25 September.
The poll seeks to establish beyond reasonable doubt where the majority of the Australian citizens stand as far as SSMs is concerned.
A recent survey commissioned by equality advocates has found that two-thirds of Catholics avouch gay marriages, as do fifty-nine percent of Anglican, Uniting Church and Church Of England followers. Therefore, it’s results like this that led the Statistics board to assign for a fresh and compulsory poll. It is their conviction that if most Aussies say ‘yes’ the government will hold a parliamentary vote on the issue, but no action will be taken in the event of a ‘no’ outcome.
And yet for the shortest period, the poll has been going on, it has been met with so much drama. Inasmuch as almost everyone would have wanted it to be done peacefully, apparently it’s not. There is totally no unanimity among the citizens, and fierce divisions have erupted particularly between the church and the LGBTQ community.
A recent report by Christian Today has established that an evangelical church in Brisbane, The Bellbowrie Community Church was threatened with a petrol bomb by gay activists. The vile threat came after the church, consisting of about 150 parishioners, displayed a billboard saying ;
This did not dwell well with the LGBTQ community, hence they went hither and thither ranting about and threatening the church on social media. It is also was also reported that the same billboard was later tampered with in favor of homosexual marriage.
As unorthodox as it may sound, there are some religious leaders who are encouraging their followers to vote yes. Most of them, in the way to make a point, is slamming the traditional religious way of marriage of only confined to opposite sexes. Some have called it out as archaic, unfair and hypocritical.
Reverent Margaret Mayman of the Pitt Street Uniting Church, outspoken Anglican Minister Reverent Keith Mascord and ardent Catholic Les Mico are among some who have commented in favour of SSM. The later even went on to tell AFP of his two gay adult sons and that his faith prompted him to become an advocate for marriage equality.
Source : Australia gay marriage poll: Church threatened with firebombing over ‘vote no’ billboard
