Margaret Court, pastor of Victory Life Centre, a Pentecostal church in Perth, has been extremely vocal about LGBTQ people and their relationships. This was particularly true during Australia’s agonising marriage equality debate. One of her most infamous efforts was an open letter to the CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, stating that she would no longer fly with the airline because of their support for same-sex marriage. Alan Joyce, who’d been with his partner Shane Lloyd, for nearly two decades, had joined a growing number of Australian CEOs who’d publicly committed their companies to the YES vote.
It was rather amusing that Ms Court had not considered that Australia’s other major airline, Virgin Australia, had made the same commitment, and whatever airline she flew, homosexual men served her needs.
Ms Court has repeatedly stated her opposition to LGBTQ people is based on her unswerving belief in the infallibility of the Bible.
“All my life I’ve had those views and I was just saying what the Bible says,” she told Australian Associated Press. “I should always be able to say my views biblically, being a pastor and helping people with marriages and family. And I’ll never change those views.”[1]
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“I run a church and I teach what the bible says and that’s my beliefs and I standby that.” she told the Sydney Morning Herald. [2]
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“I am disappointed that Qantas has become an active promoter for same-sex marriage,” Court, who lives in Perth, said in the letter published in the West Australian newspaper. “I believe in marriage as a union between a man and a woman as stated in the Bible. [3]
If Margaret Court is so committed to Biblical truth, one has to wonder what she does with verses like 1 Timothy 2:11-12, where the apostle Paul instructs his young protege about the faith and how to run a church.
“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” 1 Timothy 2:11-12
Christian fundamental believers, like Evangelicals and Pentecostals, have always had a clever knack of quoting verses that align with their preconceived ideas and prejudices, yet ignore others that are challenging or don’t fit. It’s called cherry-picking.
I’m not sure it really works that way….do you?
READ THIS. Man shall not lie with a man.
[1] https://apnews.com/article/australia-media-victoria-marriage-tennis-499b778518522ab0b5e17afd1941dd60
[2] https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/margaret-court-to-be-recognised-in-australia-day-honours-20210122-p56w2y.html
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/may/25/margaret-court-vows-to-stop-flying-qantas-over-marriage-equality-stance
During the Marriage Equality debate I wrote an article for DNA Magazine on Margaret Court and her so-called “biblical views”. It was received very well. As a retired Uniting Church Minister who also believes in the authority of Scripture, I strongly affirm that you can have a high view of Scripture and also be gay and uphold Marriage Equality and the full involvement of LGBTI people in the hutch, including Ordination.
Exactly. Thanks
As is typical for someone who doesn’t actually understand the context of scripture, you have taken your punchline verse completely out of context. I suggest you research the historical context of the verse you’ve used and that you read more on what Jesus said regarding the equality of men and women in preaching the gospel. I know Margaret very well personally and can attest to her faithfulness not only to scripture but to God. Not to mention her endeavors in the community where she actively assists more people at need than anyone else in the city, maybe even the country, a lot of which are homosexual people and people who directly oppose both Christianity and the bible. I implore you to do more research before putting out poor hit pieces on people who do significantly more for the people of this country than you do.
Cameron, I do understand the historical and cultural contexts of Timothy 2:11-12 as I do about Genesis 19:1-38, Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:25-27. I’m pointing out the inconsistencies in the approach where it seems okay to tout the historical and cultural contexts of a select passage, then ignore them with others. You can read or listen to my understandings on this here https://www.abbi.org.au/audio-resources/what-does-the-bible-really-say-about-homosexuality/
Re your comment “I know Margaret very well personally and can attest to ………. her endeavours in the community where she actively assists more people at need than anyone else in the city, maybe even the country, a lot of which are homosexual people
I honestly would love to know more