ABC = Anything (but) Biblical Christianity, by Mark Powell.
When it comes to reporting on religion, Julia Baird is a great example of what is wrong with the ABC, as well as the rest of the mainstream media, at the present time. Both are, quite frankly, biblically illiterate and therefore ideologically opposed to traditional Christianity. And their bias shows.
Baird recently published an article in The Sydney Morning Herald sanctimoniously savaging conservative Christians in general and the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) in particular for having the temerity to defend their historic doctrinal standards regarding marriage. …
Her entire thesis is fundamentally flawed. Baird concludes her piece as follows:
For those confused about the place of Christianity in the public square now this vote has passed, it might be time to get back to that old thing, what is it again, that book…the Bible, in which there are more than 2000 references to poverty and a scant handful to sexuality.
What intrigued me about this statement is that no one has seemed willing to question it even though it is patently false. … Based on a simple word study, the subject of “poverty” and “sexuality” are given approximately the same weight and importance in the Biblical canon. …
Even more bizarre is Baird’s question – which quickly becomes an accusation – as to who, and who does not, speak for God. For Baird, those who voted ‘Yes’ in the plebiscite are those who truly “know Jesus.” But for “narrow and controlling” clergy such as the Rev. Dr Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, he is one of “the pious Church leaders” (i.e. Pharisees) characterised by “greed, selfishness, lack of love,” whom the Lord Jesus Christ would have definitely opposed.
According to Baird though, “Yes” voting Liberal Senator Dean Smith, whose only confession of faith is that he’s proud to be an Anglican, is on the side of the angels – even if his stance is completely at odds with the Scriptures. Unperturbed, Baird calls on the greatest theological authority of all, Gogglebox. Yep, you heard me. Professional television watchers and armchair social commentators now have, according to Baird, more biblical and theological insight than one of Australia’s leading church leaders and one of the leading Anglican theologians of the world, not to mention well trained Christian clergy in local parishes around the country.
hat-tip Stephen Neil
