Bishop Warns Against Exploiting Church Attack for Political Gains
Emphasizing the importance of preserving the videos of the stabbing online, Orthodox Christian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has issued a second public message following the attack, stating that he does not want the incident to be exploited for political purposes. He stressed that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are innate rights given by God.
In a video posted on the Christ The Good Shepherd Church YouTube channel on April 24, he stated, “I do not wish for what has happened to me to be used as a way to threaten human freedom and freedom of religion.”
Following another 16-day injunction against X by eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant, forcing the social media platform to block 65 tweets containing footage of the attack on Mr. Emmanuel, Australian authorities have criticized X and called for stricter sanctions to combat online misinformation.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young commented, “These laws need to address the profits made by platforms from algorithms and data usage.”
Concerns have been raised about potential censorship in a bill that excludes government, mainstream media, and foreign government content. Bishop Emmanuel, highlighting the importance of free speech as a core aspect of human dignity, warned against politicizing the issue in a video.
“I do not condone acts of terrorism or violence, but given our rights to freedom of speech and religion, I see no issue with the videos remaining on social media,” he added.
Bishop Emmanuel argued that freedom of speech and religion are fundamental to human dignity and identity, irrespective of faith, background, race, color, or gender. He expressed pride in being an Australian and paid tribute to those who sacrificed for the country’s freedom.
“We honor the warriors who fought for freedom of speech and religion,” he remarked.
