Same-sex relationships cannot be equal

Published on 24/07/2012 00:00

Lacking examples of the mistreatment of homosexuals by contemporary Scottish Christians, Alistair McBay (Letters, 21 July) had to resort to the routine tactic of secularists: dredging up misdeeds from previous centuries that he knows full well are not representative of current opponents of same-sex “marriage”.

Same-sex relationships should not be recognised as “equal” because they are not.

Marriage is a divinely ordained institution designed to unite a man and a women in a perfectly committed and permanent relationship, providing consequent children with secure and stable family life. Same-sex “marriage”, on the other hand, is a tactical objective for those who seek to endorse the sin of homosexual sex, undermine natural family structure by relativising it, and push homosexual relationships to the forefront of all aspects of public life.

For years educators have shown little interest in promoting marriage as traditionally understood, but schools, at every level, will be flooded with references to same-sex relationships once same-sex “marriage” is introduced. If society decides that homosexual relationships are equivalent to heterosexual ones, why shouldn’t kids be introduced to them at the earliest stages?

Angela Innes (Letters, 21 July) thinks that opposing same-sex “marriage” is not “very Christian”, but I fear that Ms Innes does not have a strong grasp of the teachings of Christianity.

Richard Lucas

Broomyknowe

Edinburgh

The same-sex couple debate seems to centre on the right to use the words “wedding” and “marriage”. In that case all that is needed is for the civil ceremony to be officially entitled “civil wedding”, with a “civil marriage certificate” issued to validate the ceremony.
That politicians will mismanage the matter is obvious in the fact that the Scottish Government could be prepared to authorise such marriage in church, but allow individual churches to abstain. How will that promote equality?

What if they all refuse? Government has no right to interfere in church matters, which are administered according to religious beliefs. If civil law rights to absolute equality were applied in this case, any couple could insist on having a ceremony in any religious establishment.

Only enrolled members of any church, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim or whatever, can lay claim to any rights within its operation.

I’m free to attend my local church any time I wish, but I have no claim on its facilities. This is a purely civil matter and the government has a responsibility to make a clear-cut decision.

Robert Dow

Ormiston Road

Tranent, East Lothian

One aspect of the anti-gay marriage crusade which has to be applauded is that, unlike all the previous crusades, it has managed to unite Christians and Muslims. Bless.

Neil Sinclair

Clarence Street

Edinburgh