Australian Christian politician says PinkNews writer belongs to ‘Technicolour’ Taliban
The leader of the Christian Democratic Party in the Australian state of New South Wales has criticised two of PinkNews’ contributing writers, accusing one of them of belonging to a “Technicolour” Taliban.
Reverend Fred Nile, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, responded to Benjamin Butterworth’s recent article on why the gay community should not have to say “thank you” for the signing into law of equal marriage in England and Wales by tweeting: “’gay’ activists r ‘Taliban in Technicolour’. They’ve no respect for others & will never be satisfied #teamnile #nswpol.”
Reverend Nile has a history of making inflammatory remarks. The 78-year-old evangelical Christian believes being gay is “immoral, unnatural and abnormal.”
In 2007 he described Sydney Mardi Gras as a “travesty” and said it was indecent and obscene. Reverend Nile also warned that lowering the age of consent for gay people would encourage paedophilia.
Following a 2011 announcement by former finance minister Penny Wong, that her same-sex partner was pregnant, Reverend Nile said: “I’m totally against a baby being brought up by two mothers.”
He complained: “She needn’t have made it public. It just promotes their lesbian lifestyle and trying to make it natural where it’s unnatural.”
Despite holding such homophobic views, Reverend Nile seems to be a regular follower of PinkNews. Two days after criticising Benjamin Butterworth’s article, he turned his attention to one written by Adrian Trett, the chair of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats.
Criticising Mr Trett’s call for sport to be made more LGBT inclusive and the importance of the Gay Games, Reverend Nile tweeted: “After attacking churches, the next target of the ‘Gay’ Lobby is SPORT. Isn’t anything sacred? #nswpol #teamnile.”
In response, Australian rugby union player David Pocock blasted Reverend Nile on Twitter, saying: “I’d argue that fundamentalism, in any form, INCLUDING Christian fundamentalism is dangerous and unhealthy. A blight on society…”
