What do you do when people refuse to listen?

What if you’ve tried to speak, again and again, only to be ignored?

For the past two and a half years, I’ve been warning about the rising hatred on our streets, on social media, and in our national life. Sometimes it feels as though many people simply don’t want to hear it.

Yes, we now have a Royal Commission into antisemitism, and I pray it makes a difference. But I have little confidence that a report alone will change the hearts and minds of those who have embraced the ancient lies of antisemitism.

People don't want to talk about what's really behind antisemitism today.

Recently, I met with a very senior New South Wales government minister. I was grateful for the conversation, but struck by the refusal to even consider that culture, religion, or ideology might play a role in violent incidents such as the Bondi massacre, attacks on Jewish Australians, or the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. Everything was explained away as mental illness or economic disadvantage.

So what do we do?

Last week, reading Exodus, I was reminded that this is not a new problem. Moses was called to speak truth to Pharaoh and lead his people to freedom. Yet even the Israelites did not want to listen. Moses doubted himself, questioned his abilities, and feared failure.

But God kept telling him the same thing: do the work.

That’s the lesson for us.

We must keep speaking the truth.

We must stand with those who are persecuted. We must defend freedom against oppression, justice against injustice, life against death.

Many will not listen. Some may ridicule us. But our duty is not to guarantee success; it is to bear faithful witness to the truth.

The future of this beautiful country is worth every sacrifice of popularity, comfort, and convenience.

We cannot surrender to hatred and division. We must keep speaking, keep standing, and keep doing what is right - because in the end, truth and justice prevail.

The good news is, you are not alone. As part of the Allies for a Strong Australia, you are part of a large and rapidly growing grassroots movement standing for truth across the country!

Yours in the truth,

Mark