Dear Josephus,

The Dean Smith Bill that has been passed in the Senate
has all the necessary protections to prevent what you
are suggesting from happening. Plus additional amendments
to the Bill are also being discussed and will continue
to become part of the Bill. Our parliamentarians will
see to this happening.

The Smith Bill has only the provisions the lunatic Left allowed, or it would not have passed the Senate. The only way that decent people with morals might be protected is the other Bill, which Comrade Turnbull has already said will not get a look in.

Toni,

"So it's all twitter's fault?"

There you go again..deliberately misconstruing a point then mocking the point. Does that work for you?
To make it easier for you I'll make my point again. When I say #hashtag trendiness I refer the whole social media mindset where short-term herd mentality causes a groundswell of moral panic or outrage or virtue signalling which overturns, with little thought and less understanding, long held societal norms. When such things like the #bringbackourgirls lunacy occur they have little long-term effect other than providing amusement for those studying the herd instinct. But sometimes, as with SSM, the effects are permanent and profound. Its no way to run a society but is increasingly the case.

"Their [the church's] raison d'etre is sticking their nose into everybody's business." Yeah that's why they exist. Nothing to do with communion, Christianity (or Islam). Sheesh!

"Maybe those societal views in favour of increased liberty are older than you think."

Increased liberty as a societal aim has been around for several millennia. That's beside the point here. You might (now) claim that SSM was always about liberty yadda yadda, but if you had even a modicum of memory you'd realise that it wasn't always the case. When Rudd, Gillard etc were opposed to SSM where they opposed to increased liberty or equality. I have little time for them but even I wouldn't be that harsh on them. SSM was turned into an equality issue so as to achieve a particular aim but it wasn't always an equality issue. But being a good follower of the herd means knowing what to forget and it seems you've learned well what needs to be forgotten.

"We should be so bloody lucky.[that the churches be silenced].

A devotee of Mill (yeah sure!) hopes for the silencing of a large minority of the populace. That's too comical to even parody.

Here are the facts concerning the private member's
bill from Liberal Senator Dean Smith to legalise
same-sex marriage. It passed in the Senate and it
now heads to the lower house when it sits on
November 27th 2017. James Patterson withdrew his
bill saying he believed that a majority of Senators
believed the Smith bill "is where we should start."

However the Coalition backbencher along with conservative
colleagues will be looking at amending the Smith bill over
concerns that it does not go far enough to protect
religious freedoms.

"I will now work constructively with my parliamentary
colleagues over the coming weeks on amendments to ensure
that the strongest possible protections for the freedoms
of all Australians are enshrined in the final legislation",
he said.

And the government's leader in the Senate, Attorney-General
George Brandis said he wanted to see further protections
for people who did not want to be involved in same-sex
marriages.

Brandis flagged plans to amend the bill when it goes to
committee to extend the right of conscientious objection
from ministers of religion to include civil marriage
celebrants. And "to put the matter beyond doubt".
Brandis also wants to add an amendment "that nothing in the
bill makes it unlawful for people to hold and to express
the views of their own religion on the subject of marriage."

It couldn't be fairer.

Still to be decided in SSM is who will the Mister and who will be the Mistress.

SSM couples are advised not to honeymoon in Russia, among a number of other places.

Oh you poor thing Josephus...

You started it with this comment...

Opinionated2,
I note you have a lot to say about something you know nothing about.
Posted by Josephus, Thursday, 16 November 2017 4:44:00 PM

So you can dish it out but can't take it when you get it back... You poor little petal..lol

You promote ridiculous scare tactics because you are a sore loser... You claim children will be sold... What next!

It is the loony right who are bringing up all these ridiculous objections...

Why do religious rights need to be protected? The religions didn't protect children in their care when they allowed them to be abused and covered up the crimes. What happened to the children's rights when this went on for decades probably millennium?

With that outrageous behaviour why should we even listen to religions at all?

What about the rights of the intelligent people who are non-religious, and who don't fall for goat herder fairy tales being protected by legislation? No school prayers in public schools for one... No attacks on people being told they are going to hell... a place that doesn't exist and that is a total insult to God?

How about we protect children against being scared when they are taught the great lies about the devil, hell and eternal damnation... Is lying to children and scaring children a form of abuse, indoctrination and mind control?

If we are going to legislate religious freedoms we should also legislate to stop religions scaring people with absolute falsehoods!

How about we introduce a right on behalf of taxpayers that the tax office audit the books of religions? Let's document for the taxpayers who subsidise religions where ALL the money goes!