Often you will hear the religious moan about how they are being silenced. Indeed, often you will hear this reported in mainstream media (radio, television, print), or on religious websites. The people complaining about being silenced do not seem to appreciate the irony of their concerns being reported in the media.
In her latest whinge about being silenced, Margaret Court1 has claimed that anti-marriage equality voices will be excluded from public debate. This was in a submission to the ‘religious freedom’ review being run by Phillip Ruddock. It seems that, based on submissions so far been released, the religious are largely concerned with their right to discriminate being infringed2.
Court, in her submission opined that Australia is “forsaking foundational truths and the blessings that have made [it] great” and that the Ruddock review should ensure “that Christianity will not be silenced or stifled in Australia”2. Again, the irony seems to be lost on poor Margaret.
There is little chance that religious people will be silenced, as they have been addicted to telling other people how to live for millennia and are still doing so. What has changed, and what they are most worried about, is the fact that they are now being ignored by increasing numbers of the populace, as religion declines in Australia. They have to use the verb ‘silenced’ because it is redolent of victimhood, whereas ‘ignored’ is redolent of irrelevance.
Sources
- http://www.blotreport.com/society/margaret-caught-out/
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/30/religious-freedom-review-margaret-court-claims-anti-gay-marriage-voices-silenced?CMP=soc_568
