Groups clash over gay marriage (Northern Ireland)

Belfast Telegraph ^ | September 24, 2004 | Deborah McAleese

[NYer]

Members of Northern Ireland's gay community today defended the proposed "gay marriage" law after clashing with a high profile Christian organisation.

The two groups aired their conflicting views when members of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association picketed a meeting held by The Christian Institute in Belfast this week.

The meeting, in Great Victoria Street Baptist Church, was organised in opposition to governmental plans to introduce a civil partnership bill for same sex couples.

The Christian Institute believes such a union is "immoral" and has been campaigning to ensure the law is not passed in Northern Ireland or the rest of the UK.

However, P A MagLochlainn, of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association, it is about time that people stopped being prejudicial.

He also said the association hopes to enter dialogue with different church groups so they can both learn from each other.

"I want to make it clear that what we are actually looking for is the right to have a legal partnership, not a Christian marriage," he said.

"We want to strengthen our relationships so there is a stable family unit. All we want is the same legal rights as everyone else.

"The Christian Institute also say that there are not many gay people in Northern Ireland. That is untrue. Because of all the prejudice a large number of gay people are too afraid to disclose their sexuality."

However, Mike Judge of The Christian Institute said that such unions would be "morally wrong" and would "devalue marriage".

He also accused the Government of trying to pass the bill in Northern Ireland before government is restored.

"If the bill is passed it will not be a very popular move for the people of Northern Ireland. The Government should not do anything until the Assembly is back, then let the Assembly make the decision.

"The bill is wrong. We object to it in principle and do not think it should be forced upon the people."

[NYer]

He also said the association hopes to enter dialogue with different church groups so they can both learn from each other.

Begin here ...

"Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity,(15) does nothing to alter this inadequacy."

CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[Pyro7480]

Here's something the Catholics and Protestants in N. Ireland can unite against!

[NYer]

We want to strengthen our relationships so there is a stable family unit.

Gay 'marriage' will have just the opposite effect.

[ConservativeDude]

Here's something the Catholics and Protestants in N. Ireland can unite against!



u beat me to it...good post

[wideawake]

Sometimes people forget that underneath the nationalist rhetoric there are many real-life Bible-believing Christians in Northern Ireland.

Probably more than in the rest of Europe's Protestant countries combined.

[Claud]

The Christian Institute believes such a union is "immoral"...

Hmmm..... that's not right....hang on a sec.....

The Christian Institute believes such a "union" is immoral ...

There it is.

[F-117A]

Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association

NIGRA?

Shades of George Wallace! Can you say "NIGRA" in Northern Ireland?

[Republic]

Just tell homosexuals that as soon as they discover a way to attain average life spans, they can marry. Until then, their sexual activities are a danger to themselves and a weight on society.

[scripter]

Thanks for the ping.

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1)

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.0)

Homosexual Keyword Search

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping - for people who think the radical "gay" agenda is just happening in the US. It's worldwide, even though the percentage of actual homosexuals is very small. Liberals have totally bought into the lie that "gay is good", that sexual attraction and "indentity" are carved in stone, and that all sexual behaviors are equal. Actually, they don't think that - the more illicit and perverse the sex act, the better. Liberals have not really rejected moral absolutes, they've merely turned them inside out.

Let me and Scripter know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.

I hope right minded people in Ireland - both Irelands - gird up for this.

[little jeremiah]

Duh - sorry for the duplicate ping, everyone.

Trigger happy.