From the Fringe to the Floor of the Australian Parliament: Religious Supremacy
- Renee Spencer
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Is Creeping into Australian What Does Freedom Mean Inside and Outside a Cult?Politics
PART 2 OF 4
In my last blog, I explored how extremist groups across Islam, Judaism, and Christianity claim a divine right to rule. They believe they are God’s chosen people—and that domination, not coexistence, is their religious duty.
This isn’t just happening “over there.”
It’s happening here—in Australia, too.
From Pentecostal political movements to conspiracy-fuelled cults, a growing number of fringe actors (and some not-so-fringe anymore) are preaching a theology of control, hierarchy, and moral superiority—and trying to enshrine it into law.
Let’s take a closer look.
1. Christian Nationalism Down Under
Though Christian nationalism is often associated with the U.S., it has quietly gained traction in Australia.
Key players include:
Pentecostal politicians with links to Hillsong, Australian Christian Churches, and the Seven Mountains Mandate
Former PM Scott Morrison, who publicly said he was doing “God’s work” as Prime Minister and has been linked to Dominionist teachings
MPs who oppose LGBTQ+ rights, gender education, and Indigenous sovereignty on biblical grounds, not policy logic
What is Dominionism?
It’s the belief that Christians are called by God to “take dominion” over all areas of life: government, media, education, and law.
In Australia, this has shown up in:
Opposition to abortion access and sex education
Campaigns for religious freedom bills that protect discrimination, not rights
Coded language like “Judeo-Christian values,” used to marginalise Muslims, Indigenous beliefs, and secularism
2. The Rise of Fringe Theocratic Movements
Beyond Parliament, extremist fringe groups have exploded in online spaces—particularly since COVID.
Examples include:
The Kingdom Movement: A growing pseudo-Christian sovereign citizen ideology claiming that only God’s law (as they interpret it) is valid, not man-made law. They reject taxes, licensing, even the police—unless those institutions submit to “God.”
QAnon-adjacent cults: Believers in the “Great Awakening” and “White Hat military ops” often claim Australia is under demonic control, and that divine intervention (or armed uprising) is justified.
Anti-lockdown churches and “freedom pastors”: Leaders who preached that public health orders were Satanic and urged followers to defy lockdowns as acts of holy resistance.
These groups believe they are part of a spiritual war, where only divine law counts and dissenters are deceived.
3. Religious Supremacy in Anti-Indigenous Sentiment
This gets particularly dangerous when tied to colonial religion and race.
Some far-right Christians in Australia reject Indigenous land rights, culture, or spirituality, claiming:
“Only Christianity is true.”
“Traditional Aboriginal beliefs are pagan.”
“The land belongs to us now—God gave it to us.”
This ideology underpinned much of the disinformation during the Voice to Parliament referendum, with some religious actors claiming the Voice would lead to “demonic legal systems,” land repossession, or even idol worship.
These are extremist views, often couched in biblical language to mask their racism.
4. A Common Cult Psychology
Much like global religious extremists, many of these Australian movements:
View themselves as morally and spiritually superior
See outsiders as enemies, infidels, or agents of Satan
Believe it is their divine duty to convert or conquer
Use DARVO tactics—accusing others of persecution while they preach domination
In short, it’s cultic thinking in political disguise.
5. Why This Matters Now
Australia has historically maintained a healthy separation of church and state. But that wall is being chipped away—from both the inside and the fringes.
When divine entitlement creeps into public policy, we risk:
Eroding pluralism and religious freedom for all
Replacing evidence-based law with theocratic ideology
Fuelling radicalisation and conspiratorial thinking
Legitimising psychological abuse, isolation, and coercive control
Healing Means Naming the Harm of Religious Supremacy
Whether it comes from a violent extremist overseas or a smiling MP quoting scripture, the idea that one group is divinely entitled to rule over others is a threat to democracy and human dignity. Religious Supremacy is an illogical premise.
It’s not faith.
It’s control dressed in holiness.
It’s not freedom.
It’s spiritual authoritarianism.
And it’s time we called it what it is.
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PART 4
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Because liberation—spiritual, psychological, and political—begins with truth.
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