Same Sex Marriage

[Niccivan]

Originally Posted by Night Nurse

I wasn't bringing in a judgement call it is my opinion that religious factions should not knowingly go against, in this case, Biblical beliefs. Hence for religious ministers to marry a same sex couple it is going against what the Bible believes in... as representatives of that faction they make a mockery. For a parishioner to have sex before marriage they sin and get the chance to repent but they are not figureheads making endorsements. Hope you can see the difference.

Our pastor wouldn't marry me and my husband because of the fact that we lived together before we got married. He said it went against the Bible, and that he could not marry us in our church because of our sins. In fact, I wasn't even allowed to marry in my church at all. I had to seek an outside facility to get married. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand and I hold absolutely NO grudges for that decision. It was the right decision for my church because they don't want to be sending mixed signals to the community.

For the record, and even though I am a Christian and the Bible says being gay is wrong, I think that God gave people free will for a reason. While I may not necessarily agree with "gay marriage, I respect every man and woman's right to spend their lives with someone who they love and makes them happy. And if that person is the same sex as them, then I'm happy for them. Everyone deserves the chance to be happy. Who am I to keep that away from them?

[spaceboy761]

Originally Posted by Niccivan

Our pastor wouldn't marry me and my husband because of the fact that we lived together before we got married. He said it went against the Bible, and that he could not marry us in our church because of our sins. In fact, I wasn't even allowed to marry in my church at all. I had to seek an outside facility to get married. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand and I hold absolutely NO grudges for that decision. It was the right decision for my church because they don't want to be sending mixed signals to the community.

For the record, and even though I am a Christian and the Bible says being gay is wrong, I think that God gave people free will for a reason. While I may not necessarily agree with "gay marriage, I respect every man and woman's right to spend their lives with someone who they love and makes them happy. And if that person is the same sex as them, then I'm happy for them. Everyone deserves the chance to be happy. Who am I to keep that away from them?

That's kind of harsh on your church's part... ouch. My church is refusing to marry me to my girlfriend, but that whole "she's Jewish" argument they presented holds up pretty well.

[billynomates]

I see nothing wrong in it but I'm not a fundamelist, if the people want to marry because they think it is right to do so in the eyes of God, I think it's cruel to deprive them of thir right ( OK I can see their point of view but I don'agree with it)

[BCGord]

I respect every man and woman's right to spend their lives with someone who they love and makes them happy. And if that person is the same sex as them, then I'm happy for them. Everyone deserves the chance to be happy. Who am I to keep that away from them?[/quote]

Well said. I am not sure who it would hurt for two people to love each other to be married to each other. I don't understand why people are against it. It boggles the mind that there are people out there who think they have a right to keep others from being happy. Some "free" country that would be.

[spaceboy761]

Do any countries in Europe have legalized gay marriage? (excuse my typical American insularity). I know that Canada loosened the laws a few years ago.

[Night Nurse]

we do

it became legal for civil partnerships to be performed in Britain by 21 Dec 2005

(19th for Northern Ireland, 20th for Scotland and 21st in England and Wales)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4493094.stm

[Night Nurse]

Elton John married his long term partner, David Furnish on the 21st

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Stars pack Elton 'wedding' party


There are reports Elton filed for a divorce the following year....


But this report indicates they are somewhat an item (for show or for real, who knows but them)

http://www.buzzfoto.com/tag/david-furnish/

[spaceboy761]

OK, so there are civil unions or partnerships, but no 'marriage'?

[billynomates]

The fellow from Little Britain (David Lucas?) has filed for a divorce after a year.

[Night Nurse]

Originally Posted by spaceboy761

OK, so there are civil unions or partnerships, but no 'marriage'?

I guess this is the way they differentiate between same sex and heterosexual "unions". I've been looking into gay divorces and found

The first gay divorce| News | This is London

One of the first same-sex couples to tie the knot have separated and will make British legal history when they divorce.

Darryl Bullock, 42, and Mark Godfrey, 32, were one of the first to wed when new 'gay marriage' laws came in last year.

The couple were among the first in the UK to make legal history when they took part in a civil partnership ceremony on December 21 last year.

They exchanged vows at The Guildhall in Bath, Somerset, at 8am, beating Elton John and David Furnish's ceremony in the Guildhall in Windsor by three hours.

However, freelance writer Darryl and Mark's three-year relationship faded as they grew apart and Darryl has now taken legal advice about ending the partnership.

However, under the laws brought in last year, the ex-lovers cannot formally apply for a 'divorce' until one full year after the 'wedding'.

Their civil partnership is likely to be dissolved through the county court in a process that will begin on December 21.

In marriage, divorce proceedings first grant a conditional cancellation, or decree nisi, before later formally ending the marriage with a decree absolu.

In civil partnerships, couples dissolve their partnership rather than divorce, and the first stage is to be described as a conditional order, followed by a final order.

Unlike marriage, however, adultery is not grounds for dissolution - because the law only recognises adultery as sex between a man and a woman.

Divorce lawyer Mark Harper, of London law firm Withers, said that, otherwise, the dissolution of a partnership was almost exactly the same as any other divorce.