London-England-Lads

This debate is raising many interesting points. I can't believe only one day was dedicated to the debate however.

I am very proud that Canada is so more forward on this issue.

My OH & I had a Civil Partnership the day it became law here in the UK and we look forward to having a proper (if small) legal religious wedding in Canada.

Shard

Is there any benefit to be gained by a marriage rather than a CP in the UK (not referring to the religious element)? I had thought the whole point of CP was that it gave equivalent rights to marriage.

ArthurBrit

Why do non religious people still go to the church to get married?

I am not religious so I had my civil wedding.

Another thing is, why homosexuals would want to be part of a religion that ultimately does not accept their lifestyle?

Tangram

Isn't it up to the whacky religions to decide whether they do it or not, with the CP being the legal bit as Shard said above ?

I left Catholicism many decades ago as I was not living by the rules of that particular club - don't like the rules, don't stay in the club was my understanding.

Quite right that they should get equal status 'under law' imho.

London-England-Lads

Civil partnership is a legal document - it affords me the same right as my friend and his wife.

However I feel as a christian and a human being (who wants equality), I should be allow to say in front of my friends and family that I love my partner and if I want to say that in front of god I should be allow to.

It is about equality ... In saying this I also feel that civil partnerships should be opened out to opposite sex partners.

Former Lancastrian

There again there are those christians who are also human beings objecting to this so who is right and who is wrong?
In this regard Canada tends to be a little more relaxed but there are those who object. Is a Catholic not also a christian and you probably know their views on this subject.

London-England-Lads

I know many gay catholics.


"There again there are those christians who are also human beings objecting to this so who is right and who is wrong?" - I am not saying that they do not have the rights to get married !

Former Lancastrian

Neither am I.

iaink

I know many Catholics who practice birth control, but the church in general is not exactly welcoming of the idea.

It seems to me that they are catholics in spite of the churches teaching on the subject rather then because of it and that the church ideology does not condone their behaviour.

Its a strange situation, my impression is that they are catholics only because they always have been and dont really know what else to be, even if the church would disown them if things were brought to a head. The church by its very nature is very judgmental, considering the central theme should be to love one another regardless.

rwin

A Catholic is a Christian. But there are more than one denomination of Christian out there.

I'm not Catholic so I don't know what the likelyhood of getting married in the Catholic Church would be. Zero I suspect even in Canada.

But there are some denominations of the United Church (a Christian Church) in Canada the most certainly would perform a Christian ceremony for a gay couple.

dbd33

I attended a same-sex wedding conducted in a Christian church in Canada. Note though that it should not construed from my attendance that I support, or even condone, religion.

Jingsamichty

I understand that the proposed Bill will allow same-sex couples to marry in registered premises (registry offices, hotels, some places of worship etc) but specifically excludes the Church of England.

So even if this Bill passes, a gay CoE couple will not be allowed to marry in a CoE church.

I don't really understand why gay people are keen to marry in a religion that can't stand them.

London-England-Lads

it depends how you interpret the bible. My current COE Church is very liberal

Alan2005

My 2c is that only civil partnerships should have legal standing and any ceremony apart from that can be done by a private organization, be it religious or otherwise. The civil partnership should be open to anyone as it's state backed, the "marriage" ceremony should be open (or closed) to whoever the people doing it want. There will always be some organization willing to pick up business that homophobic bigots don't want.

Jingsamichty

That's very admirable, but they still wouldn't be allowed to marry you, even if this Bill passes. The chief frocks in the CoE aren't very liberal.