Equal marriage

I rejoice with Ireland in having won a huge majority for marriage equality.

The mainly religious opponents of this change should consider what the Bible actually says about marriage. Jesus says nothing at all. All the anti-gay stuff is in the 3,000-year-old Old Testament which explains how Abraham was married to his sister and that a rapist is duty-bound to marry his victim.

Marriage has changed many times over the years: remember the law that protected a wife only from being beaten by a stick no thicker than her husband’s thumb?

To my mind, marriage is a monogamous, romantic relationship between two consenting adults and the ad absurdum argument that gay equality will lead to 
polygamous marriage or marrying your dog is not in the same ball park. Those who wish that wider definition should be free to campaign for it.

Neil Barber

Saughtonhall Drive

Edinburgh

Rev Dr Robert Anderson (Letters, 25 May) accuses the campaign for marriage equality of “targeting the overthrow of Judaeo-Christian values” and returning Europe to its pre-Christian state.

The fact is that the Scottish campaign was supported by many Christians, and by religious bodies such as the Unitarians, Quakers and Liberal Jews, who welcome the fact that they can now solemnise same-sex marriages. The overwhelming referendum result in Ireland in favour of equal marriage was carried through the Yes votes of hundreds of thousands of members of the Roman Catholic faith. They were not voting to overthrow Christianity, but to affirm their understanding of true Christian values.

TimHopkins

Equality Network

Bernard Street

Edinburgh