The Australian Christian Lobby is incensed at 7’s Sunrise breakfast show for backing marriage equality along with Marie Claire magazine, so they’re urging their supporters to boycott the show and reject its advertisers.

The ACL and its leader Jim Wallace have previously been invited to take part in lively debates about marriage equality on Sunrise – see here and here – so they may be surprised that the show has suddenly given its full support to the cause, announced with a flurry of celebrity endorsements via Marie Claire magazine at the weekend.

“That a TV current affairs show, let alone TV station, should take sides in such a highly contentious issue in the public square is disgraceful,” says an ACL statement. “What it says for the respect they have for alternative opinion, even our values, is extremely disappointing and we need to register our disappointment.”

ACL supporters are invited to contact Sunrise via its website and make comments. “Ask them what you are supposed to think this action means for their respect and even tolerance of your views and values on an issue that goes to the very heart of family and the flourishing of children,” the lobby group advises.

“Register your disgust that the press, supposedly the neutral umpire and facilitator of public debate, should allow itself to be captured by the propaganda machine of the gay lobby.”

You can even: “If you’re so convicted, you might advise them that you do not propose to watch the show again.”

Views from the flock

On the ACL’s website there are even links to several of Sunrise’s advertisers which people can use to contact them and protest too.

Moderated by the ACL’s staff, there are extraordinary comments below the statement, too. “As a former member of the LGBTIQ community, I do not support same-sex marriage because I care for those who it affects,” notes one commenter, who says she won’t watch Sunrise again or support its advertisers. “I believe it is unacceptable that the press, supposedly the neutral umpire and facilitator of public debate, should allow itself to be captured by the propaganda machine of the gay lobby; especially when considering only 4-10% of people actually identify as homosexual.”

Another commenter added: “Why are you pandering to 4% of the population, and why should we rewrite what marriage means to satisfy the whinging of that 4%?”

“Your reasoning leads to people marrying their fridges or dog,” chimed in another.

Jobs are at stake as emotions run high: “I work for Accor [listed as one of Sunrise’s advertisers], and will be resigning my post in the morning in protest over this.”

But not all the comments were in favour of boycotting Sunrise and its sponsors. “Thanks,” typed Michael, “I used your links to tell these organisations that I think their stance is appropriate. Same sex marriage is right and inevitable.”

Several coarser communications from marriage equality supporters appear to have been deleted though. “ADVICE FROM ACL MODERATOR TO ‘GAY BOY’, ‘LLOYD’, ‘ADRIAN PRUST’, ‘FAG’, ‘TIMOTHY STEVENS’, ‘CHRIS CARRICK-HAYES’, ‘CRITICIZE-O-BOT’ AND OTHERS,” shouted a site admin. “Abusing Christians and /or ACL with four-letter-words does nothing to enhance your arguments. Arguments ostensibly about ‘equal love’.”