Australian Christian Group: Marriage Equality Supporters Motivated by the Devil

This just in, from Gay Star News: the chairman of a group called the Australian Christian Lobby — which, if its Wikipedia page and official website are to be believed, seems like the Down-Under equivalent of the Family Research Council — claimed in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that supporters of marriage equality are tools of Satan. GSN‘s Andrew Potts reports:

The chairman of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has told Australian public television that the fight over marriage equality represents a spiritual war and that supporters of marriage equality are supporting ‘evil’ and may be motivated by ‘the Devil.’

‘[Same-sex marriage is] against the kingdom of God by the Devil,’ ACL chairman Tony McClelland told ABC’s Lateline program.

‘The Devil doesn’t like God and doesn’t like everything God stands for. I would say that people who are trying to change the definition of marriage, which has its roots in Christianity, are obviously trying to deconstruct Christian’s views of what marriage should be. And they well may be motivated by the evil one to do that.’

Marriage equality has been a very hot topic in Australia of late, and according to the GSN article, the ACL has repeatedly called for a civil and ‘respectful debate’ on the issue. However, McClelland’s incendiary statements make it clear that his group views civility and respect as a one-way street, as Aussie LGBT leader Rodney Croome pointed out:

“The ACL has repeatedly called for supporters of marriage equality to show more respect to Christians who oppose reform, yet here it is slandering us by saying we’re “motivated by the Evil One”,’ Australian Marriage Equality national spokesman Rodney Croome said.

‘This comes on top of ACL representatives linking us to Nazis, paedophiles and the [Aboriginal] stolen generation.’

‘While it so blatantly fails to practice what it preaches, the ACL is without a shred of credibility.

‘Decent, respectful Christians on both sides of the marriage equality debate must take a stand against the ACL, its denigration of those it disagrees with, and its double standards.’