VoxBrief

REPARATIVE THERAPY: HARM OR HELP? By Roslyn Phillips (BSc DipEd), Nathan Keen (BEng, CertMin), Jasmine Yow (BJourn).         In recent times, homosexual activists in NSW and elsewhere have sought to ban any treatment or counselling by psychiatrists or others to help people who wish to change their sexual orientation.     There is evidence on the public record that properly conducted reparative therapy has helped many men and teens. They sought therapy because they wanted to marry a woman and have children naturally or becuase they did not want the significant physical and emotional health risks associated with the homosexual lifestyle. People have even sought theraphy in the Netherlands, wher ehomosexuality carries no stigma.

CHRISTIAN FAITH IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE. Humphrey Dobson, The Christian institute and Wayne Grudem, Phoenix Seminary.         In a 2003 media interview, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was asked about his faith. Mr Blair's strategy director Alastair Campbell, an atheist, immediately intervened. "We don't do God. I'm sorry/ We don't do God," he said. Why are Christian values sometimes viewed as incompatible with public service - and unwelcome in the public square?

THE MYTHS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA. By Dr John Whitehall. This paper is edited by permission from "The Comforting Myths of Medical Marijuana" (Wuadrant, October 2014, https://quadrant.org.au).           NSW Premier Mike Baird, supported by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, has announced plans to begin clinical trials of medical marijuana. The move follows a vigorous media campaign, backed by Greens, Coalition and Labor MPs. Professor Whitehall raises key questions Australian governments need to consider before the trials begin.

NO-FAULT DIVORCE: COUNTING THE COST. By Christopher Brohier LLB (Hons), CGLP.         The concept of no-fault divorce that became law in Australia in 1975 was part of a revolution in divorce law reform that swept through the Western world in the late 1960s and 1970s.     It was based on the idea that the law should aim to strengthen marriage, but if the marriage was finished in fact, the law should "enable the empty legal shell to be destroyed with the maximum fairness, and minimum bitterness, distress and humiliation".

INDIGENOUS RECOGNITION: SHOULD WE CHANGE THE CONStITUTION? By Dr David Phillips, National Director, FamilyVoice Australia.         In a major 2007 address, former Liberal prime minister John Howard spoke of "the anguish so many Australians feel about the state of Indigenous Australia and the deep yearning in the national psyche for a more positive and unifying approach to Reconciliation."     Mr Howard promised that, if re-elected that year as prime minister, he would hold a referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution. However his government lost office.

THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE: WHY THE US SUPREME COURT GOT IT WRONG. Edited by Roslyn Phillips, BSc DipEd.         On 26 June 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled (5:4) that same-sex 'marriage' is a fundamental right under the US Constitution. This decision by five unelected judges has automatically legalised same-sex 'marriage' in all 50 US states, including those where voters had rejected same-sex 'marriage' via democratic referendums.     The majority ruling was splashed across world headlines - but very few media outlets reported the foud dissenting opinions, including that of US Chief Justice John Roberts. All four were scathing of the majority judgment, pointing out that it ignores both logic and precedent, and exceeds the Court's pwer. Each opinion expressed deep concern that the Court has ushered in a new form of tyranny.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRANSGENDERISM: WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW. Edited by Roslyn Phillips, BSc DipEd.        Brett (not his real name) was only three years old when he discovered barbie dolls. His parents thought it was a phase he would soon out grow, but that didn't happen. He wanted to wear frilly pink dresses like those Barbies wore. At kindergarten, he only wanted to play with girls. He told people that he wanted to be a lady when he grew up.

A VOICE TO OUR NATION. By David Phillips. Edited extract from 'Courage in a Hostile World - the story of FamilyVoice Australia'.             My wife Ros and I were driving along in our rental car during a 1990 holiday in New Zealand. We were enjoying the majestic scenery when suddenly we saw it - a large billboard saying: 'Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD!' (Ps 33:12) It challenged my thinking: What does it mean for a nation to serve God?

PHYSICAL DISCIPLINE: IS IT EVER OK? By Roslyn Phillips, BSc DipEd.             In March 2014, an Audelaide father faced court on an aggravated assault charge for smacking his 12-year-old son. The father - an Air Force pilot "of excellent character and work ethic" - shared custody of his son with his former wife, whose approach to parenting he considered "very laisser-faire".     By contrast, the father set firm boundaries about bed times, TV and computer use, meals and chores. He did this out of love, trying to instil self-discipline to his son - along with values including respect, dignity and integrity.

THE DANGERS OF REDEFINING MARRIAGE. By Dr David van Gend, family doctor and president of Australian Marriage Forum.             Redefining marriage is a dangerous idea. It redefines everything from parenting and kinship bonds to sexual morality and acceptable religious doctrine. G.K. Chesterton warned "This triangle of truisms - father, mother and child - cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilisation wich disregards it." 

THE SCHOOL BULLYING PROBLEM By Roslyn Phillips, BSc DipEd. National Research Officer, FamilyVoice Australia             "Throughout school I was always a geeky kid," Stuart McGregor (41) says. "A nerd if you will. The kind of kid bullies love. Except I had one feature that stood out. I was a coppertop. A red dog. A ranga. A redhead. With freckles."That feature made me a target for bullies. On a daily basis I would be beaten. I was afraid to go to the toilet at school for fear of my head being flushed. "Let's get that red out of your hair, ranga," the bullies would say as they tipped me upside down. Blue Loo tastes as awful as it looks and smells."

ISLAM AND WOMEN - STORIES FROM BEHIND THE VEIL. By Dr Stuart Robinson, award-winning author, The Hidden Half.         There is more to it than meets the eye of the beholder... A few years ago when I was on talk back radio, a young lady phoned in from interstate. She told me she was a Muslim and wanted to ask some questions. To provide some context I asked where she had gone to school. She named a Christian denominational school that she had attended for 12 years. I next asked had she ever read a Bible. She hadn't.