Matua Kahurangi
Matua Kahurangi is unapologetically provocative and infamous for his incendiary writings that challenge societal taboos and stir relentless debate.
Hold onto your pōtae, whānau, because the NZ Herald is at it again, bringing you all the sensationalism you never asked for in their latest headline-grabbing exploration: “Destiny Church Protest Reignites Debate on Tax-Exempt Status for Charities.” While the country deals with actual issues like rising living costs and a government signing us up to the Paris Agreement, the Herald’s keen investigative minds have turned their focus to the burning question of whether or not Destiny Church’s tax-exempt status should be, well, reviewed.
It’s clear that the Herald’s love for Destiny Church is as deep as the shallow end of a pissed-in kiddies pool, especially when they manage to drag out the same tired arguments that go back years. In their latest episode of ‘Who Can We Cancel Today?’, they quote Prime Minister Luxon lamenting the ongoing “broader question” regarding Destiny’s charitable status – groundbreaking stuff, really. I mean, why talk about the concrete issues affecting New Zealanders when you can push an agenda and keep stirring the pot on a decades-old debate?
And lest we forget, the protest itself? Oh, just a group of people – regular, ordinary Kiwis – standing up for something so controversial as protecting children from sexualised behaviour. But according to the Herald, that’s not worth discussing, is it? No, instead, they frame the church’s advocacy against the sexualisation of children as some kind of radical act that needs constant public retribution. How dare Destiny Church promote family values and object to the exposure of children to inappropriate material in the media? Surely, it’s far more scandalous than any protest, right?
Destiny Church is doing what the Herald won’t – they’'re actually talking about the health and wellbeing of the next generation. The recent protest against a rainbow family event is somehow always painted as a criminal offence in the eyes of the mainstream media, but when you dig into the rhetoric of the event in question, you’ll find that the church is merely standing firm on the values that have kept children safe for generations. But no, let’s ignore that small detail while the Herald pats itself on the back for its ‘unbiased’ reporting.
Of course, the Herald also fails to dive deeper into the fact that Destiny Church’s charitable status has allowed them to provide education, support and aid to their congregation, making their mission far more than just about protest or ‘controversy’. But why complicate things with inconvenient facts when it’s so much easier to keep digging the hole deeper with half-formed opinions and reckless generalizations?
As for the much-hyped ‘petition’ to strip Destiny of its tax-exempt status, it’s almost laughable. Over 8,000 signatures? Wow, that’s a real mandate from the public, isn’t it? The irony here is rich – thousands of New Zealanders are petitioning to shut down a group that has consistently stood up for the protection of children in the face of an increasingly sexualised culture. Instead of questioning the true motives of such petitions, the Herald spins its usual narrative, complete with the spectacle of political figures and social commentators making vague remarks about ‘broad issues’ without offering any solutions.
But, of course, that’s what sells. Controversy. Drama. Polarising figures. In the world of the Herald, who needs nuance or critical thinking when you can rely on sensationalism to generate clicks and keep the same tired narratives alive? Destiny Church is standing up for what’s right for New Zealand families. It’s about time someone did, especially in an era where everyone seems too terrified of speaking out against the growing tide of inappropriate sexualisation of children.
Keep at it, Herald. Keep parroting your tired old lines. Meanwhile, Destiny Church and the millions of Kiwis who are truly concerned about the future of our children will keep doing the hard work of standing up for what matters.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
