The Catholic Church in England has issued a broad denunciation of child abuse, including child sexual abuse, and called for a full investigation of any individual or organization involved in systematically molesting children or aiding and abetting in such molestations. Or wait, I read that wrong. The real evil they want to combat, according to the NY Daily News, is two adults being able to experience the same kind of loving, committed marital relationship as any other couple.
Roman Catholic leaders in England and Wales took to the pulpit on Sunday to rail against proposed legislation that would allow same sex couples to legally marry.
“Government policy cannot foresee the full consequences, for the children involved or for wider society, of being brought up by two mothers without a father’s influence or by two fathers without a mother’s influence.” Most Reverend Bernard Longley, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, told parishioners in a letter that was read aloud during Sunday services.
Ah, see, I knew there was something about children in there.
The Church hopes that a new grassroot effort (or religiously-motivated astroturfing) might sway the balance back to the oppressive side once again.
Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, urged parishioners to launch a letter writing campaign to members of parliament to stop gay marriage before it becomes the law of the land.
“At this time, we look to our Members of Parliament to defend, not change, the bond of man and woman in marriage as the essential element of the vision of the family,” Nichols said. “I urge everyone who cares about upholding the meaning of marriage in civil law to make their views known to their Members of Parliament, clearly, calmly and forcefully. Please do so as soon as possible.”
No doubt he’ll be pleased when he finds out that Parliament has no plans to outlaw or otherwise modify the bond of marriage as it exists between men and women. All they want to do is let other people experience the same benefits as heterosexual couples do. It’s like when you allow all races to drink from the same drinking fountain—extending equal privileges to all does not diminish the privileges enjoyed by any. It just eliminates the inequity, injustice, and oppression.
And there’s good news in the story as well.
A recent ICM poll found that 62 percent of British citizens favor legalizing gay marriage, while 31 percent said they opposed doing so.
Just under 10 percent of the population of England and Wales identify themselves as Catholic, and of those, 40 percent say they do not attend church regularly, if ever.
It just gets better and better, doesn’t it? Hate destroys itself. And none too soon.
The intention to legalize same-sex marriage is one of the very few good things attributable to the current UK government – although their draft law does contain the bizarre provision that the Church of England and the Anglican Church in Wales (alone among churches) will not be allowed to conduct same-sex marriages even if they want to (any religious marriage ceremony has no legal force anyway in the UK – it’s signing a civil document that counts). We have a parallel process going on in Scotland, likewise opposed by the main churches. This seems to be an issue on which public opinion has changed rapidly over the past few years, with the churches left stranded up their homophobic creek without a paddle.
Few same-sex couples have children. And those who do, wouldn’t it better for the children if the couple were legally married, with all of the civil rights, protections and obligations that come with marriage?
Even in the UK, the Catholic Church remains free to discriminate against people with regards to its rituals: they are not now required to marry non-Catholics or divorcees or people they deem to be in a “state of sin.” Allowing same-sex marriage will do nothing to change that.
Anyone who wants to see firsthand the dire consequences of legally recognizing same-sex marriage need only look north to Canada; we’ve had it here for seven years and I know my own 30 year marriage has just gone all gay as a result…O.o
Anyone who wants to see firsthand the dire consequences of legally recognizing same-sex marriage need only look north to Canada; we’ve had it here for seven years
And god punished Canada with poutine!
No, wait, you guys had poutine before the gay marriage – never mind.
They seem to be worried about children being raised by a man and a woman. Does that mean that, if one parent dies, they want the children taken away from the remaining parent?