Giving gay people the right to marry in church

[Missy86]

It is such a hard issue, of course gay people should have as much rights as none gay people but do they need to get married in a church after all they can have civil weddings already.

In the bible it says that marriage should be between a man and a women to produce children and we cant change what the bible says can we, I am not getting married in a church because I am not religious but why would any body want to wed in a church that doesnt agree with their way of life. I dont understand that

I dont mean to offend with this post I would just like to hear other peoples views

the only thing I am annoyed about is that I wont get to call my oh "husband" on forms

 

[Nibblenic]

Well for me this is a complicated one. I am very much for gay people to be able to marry and for them to be able to say they are married as supposed in a 'civil partnership'

I am against anyone marrying in a Church who is not religious, who doesnt not regularly attend that church or another of the same faith. However just because you are in difference to your religion does not stop some people believing in that religion and/or attending services within that religion.

It is not longer necessary to have a man and woman to have intercourse in order to produce a baby. There are many babies born with medical intervention, IVF/Chlomid/operations all sorts. So to say that babies are for men and women I think is wrong. I know straight couples who use a sperm donor or a egg donor, so they are no different to gay couples in my opinion

I do think anyone who believes in a religion has the right to be married within. We dont pay attention to all aspects of the bible or any other religious texts or follow them to the letter, quite frankly some of it is contradictory.

 

[NicoleLJ]

Well for me this is a complicated one. I am very much for gay people to be able to marry and for them to be able to say they are married as supposed in a 'civil partnership'

I am against anyone marrying in a Church who is not religious, who doesnt not regularly attend that church or another of the same faith. However just because you are in difference to your religion does not stop some people believing in that religion and/or attending services within that religion.

It is not longer necessary to have a man and woman to have intercourse in order to produce a baby. There are many babies born with medical intervention, IVF/Chlomid/operations all sorts. So to say that babies are for men and women I think is wrong. I know straight couples who use a sperm donor or a egg donor, so they are no different to gay couples in my opinion

I do think anyone who believes in a religion has the right to be married within. We dont pay attention to all aspects of the bible or any other religious texts or follow them to the letter, quite frankly some of it is contradictory.

I agree with this. There are many many gays who are religious. I am not gay and I do not believe in a God or religion. But maybe they do. If they do and they want to be married in a church I see no issue. Many people marry in churches that are not from the religion of the church they marry in. Some choose the church just on looks. And now as well many couple are of two different religions getting married and many cerimonies now incorportate both. So if so many accomidations can be made for straight couples then they can also be made for Gay couples.

 

[smelly07]

I think its a difficult one........ if the bible is so against being 'gay' would someone who is is gay still believe in that 'religion' want to follow a religion that is against what they are????? iykwim......
I'm not religious and had intention of marrying in a church, i also think similar to nibblenic in regards to being against anyone who isnt religious getting married in a church or having their children christened or the equivilent into a religion they do not follow themselves. x

hard one!!

 

[Nibblenic]

I know two gay people, one brought up Christian one Jewish, who would like to continue to openly follow their faith, despite their life choices. They do feel unable to or worry about not being welcomed into those communities because of the negative press/impressions they get about that religion. Which im sure is contradictory to the message of those religions, like love thy neighbour and family values. The term 'family' has changed on so many levels, surely gender should no longer be taken into account either

 

[kit10grl]

I was brought up catholic, but am not an active member of a congregation. I never felt faith so never really found a point in the religion for myself. However i do believe in a higher power and life after death based on the things i was taught about god and heaven etc.

There are a lot of things that define a persons faith i dont think that there sexuality is one of them and so fully understand how a gay person could still have faith and follow a religion even if they dont agreee with certain aspects of it. I dont think its any different to saying a person who steals shouldnt follow the religion, or an adulterer, or someone who lies to their parents, or kills. These things are all also mentioned in the bible as unacceptable things to the religion. We wouldnt say a murderer couldnt be married in a church based on the fact he was a murderer would we?

From a slightly different perspective, the bible also says that we should live with tolerance for those who are different. So who are people to say who should and shouldnt be married ina church. God is the only one to cast judgement so i feel anyone should be alowed to marry in a church if they are believers, if god doesnt recognise the marriage then that will be something between the gay religious person and their god at their judgement. For those who are believers would you want to stand before god and defend why you denied two people love and happiness? God gave us rules to live OUR lives by not for us to force others to live their lives by.

For the record, i married an atheist, in a private chapel, with a church of england reverand performing the non religious ceremony. It was not my original intention, i planned to marry in the grounds of the castle till i saw the chapel and fell in love with how pretty it was. Why should anyone have the right to tell me i couldnt marry there?

JMO

 

[Thaynes]

Let people live their lives. In my honest opinion I don't see why sexuality has to be an issue with anything or race or religion. What is the point in stopping people from getting married in a church if it is what they've always wanted.

 

[twinkle1975]

I'm a Christian - I have no problem with gay people getting married in Church - I think if the Church is happy to perform the ceremony the state shouldn't interfere. I'm not a fundamentalist & there are some things I disagree with the church on but I still want to be part of it - I imagine there are some gay people who feel the same.

Just out of curiousity - why won't you be able to call your OH husband on forms? You're not having a civil ceremony if you're a M/F couple - you'll be married & therefore can call him husband!

 

[Missy86]

It said on the news that they were changing the wording on all forms to say partner or spouse instead so it didnt offend anyone

 

[Eve]

I don't understand why they can't honestly. I see it this way, I can get married in a church, cheat on my husband, beat my children etc... which would look bad on the church and it's bad as the bible says to cheat etc... why so concerned now? I personally feel if someone wants to get married in a church, regardless of sexual orientation, it should be allowed. Love is love and god, above all would see that.

 

[andella95]

It would seem to me that it should be up the the church in question.

 

[alaskagrown]

I'm going to say the church should have the right to refuse.

 

[TattiesMum]

Well for me this is a complicated one. I am very much for gay people to be able to marry and for them to be able to say they are married as supposed in a 'civil partnership'

I am against anyone marrying in a Church who is not religious, who doesnt not regularly attend that church or another of the same faith. However just because you are in difference to your religion does not stop some people believing in that religion and/or attending services within that religion.

It is not longer necessary to have a man and woman to have intercourse in order to produce a baby. There are many babies born with medical intervention, IVF/Chlomid/operations all sorts. So to say that babies are for men and women I think is wrong. I know straight couples who use a sperm donor or a egg donor, so they are no different to gay couples in my opinion

I do think anyone who believes in a religion has the right to be married within. We dont pay attention to all aspects of the bible or any other religious texts or follow them to the letter, quite frankly some of it is contradictory.

I agree totally with this

I have a gay friend who is, and always has been, a committed Christian ... he's a good man with more compassion and 'Christian' values in his little finger than many religious leaders I know (and bear in mind I deal with vicars, priests, pastors etc all day at work).

The parts of the bible which are alleged to condemn homosexuality also condemn many other things which we wouldn't dream of following today ... not to eat shellfish, not to remove any of our hair (on head or body), to stone to death any woman not a virgin on her wedding day and on and on and on

Like Nic I can't conceive of any reason why someone would want to get married in church when they don't have a religious conviction - but I don't see why anyone who does, shouldn't be able to affirm their relationship in the eyes of a deity they believe in

 

[caz81]

I completely disagree with allowing the change to the definition of marriage and i think that some people fail to understand why it is that true Christians are so upset by this. Its not about 'we hate homosexual people and are going to judge them'. The fact is that God has defined marriage as being between one man and one woman- no Government has the right to overrule what God has said. By saying 'well we are going to change it to 2 women/2 men' then in effect you are saying 'God got it wrong so we have to make it better'. God never gets anything wrong- he is perfect and for a Government to think they have the right to change in a church something God said is so wrong and any Christian should be outraged by this challenge to God's authority.

Some people in this thread have said 'well family has changed' maybe it has in society but that does not mean as CHristians we should just accept something that we believe to be fundamentally wrong because society likes it.

Christianity has become far to 'watered down' to try and fit in (in great part due to the soon to be ex archbishop) and so people dont get a true sense of what it is anymore. As Christians we follow what is in the Bible. Nowadays I think people seem to forget that- for example I often see people say 'im a Christian and I think God loves everyone so everyone will go to Heaven'. No, this is wrong- God does love everyone but if you reject Jesus and the sacrifice of the cross you will not. The point im trying to make here is Christianity is not all hand holding and loving- there is a true message and life we should be trying to live as Christians, the church has no right to try and force us to go against our principles because we have been so quick to try and adapt (wrongly in my opinion) in the past.

Some people have said, but isnt it about loving your neighbour? of course it is, that is one of the greatest commandments, I dont know of any homosexual people in the church that I go to but if there were noone would shun them- we are all sinners in the eyes of God and their sin is not worse than mine- but I would refuse to rewrite God's word for them which is what asking the church to change the definition of marriage is.

And Tattiesmum- as Christian's the main basis of our faith is the New Testament not the Old Testament.

 

[Eve]

If over 50% of marriages end in divorce I think the real definition of marriage has been lost anyways...

 

[Eve]

Question here...

Marrying cousins etc...? It's done in the bible is it not? That has now changed.

 

[Tegans Mama]

As a Jewish lesbian I would love to be able to get married in the eyes of g-d. I don't think god hates me. I think the people who I would worship with would hate me, perhaps my rabbi would hate me and I would be ostracised and ridiculed for loving a woman and not a man.

My Jewish me however says gay marriage in the eyes of g-d is a sin, it's wrong, I'm doing the wrong thing, I should have entered a relationship with a man and just got on with things even though the thought makes me feel physically sick.

I can't be Jewish and a lesbian, although being Jewish is my heritage. It's a part of who I am, I'll always be Jewish. Always believe in g-d, always love g-d, but probably never be able to openly and publicly embrace that.

It's hard to understand this subject from the view of a religious person who is gay. I know that my g-d could never hate me. But the people here on earth can.

 

[Eve]

As a Jewish lesbian I would love to be able to get married in the eyes of g-d. I don't think god hates me. I think the people who I would worship with would hate me, perhaps my rabbi would hate me and I would be ostracised and ridiculed for loving a woman and not a man.

My Jewish me however says gay marriage in the eyes of g-d is a sin, it's wrong, I'm doing the wrong thing, I should have entered a relationship with a man and just got on with things even though the thought makes me feel physically sick.

I can't be Jewish and a lesbian, although being Jewish is my heritage. It's a part of who I am, I'll always be Jewish. Always believe in g-d, always love g-d, but probably never be able to openly and publicly embrace that.

It's hard to understand this subject from the view of a religious person who is gay. I know that my g-d could never hate me. But the people here on earth can.

That is how I see it too hun. My God loves everyone. Reading your post saddened me, as you should be able to feel secure and accpeted in a church, any church for that matter. We can't control who we love, and we shouldn't feel punished or outcasted for our love.

 

[Eternal]

I completely disagree with allowing the change to the definition of marriage and i think that some people fail to understand why it is that true Christians are so upset by this. Its not about 'we hate homosexual people and are going to judge them'. The fact is that God has defined marriage as being between one man and one woman- no Government has the right to overrule what God has said. By saying 'well we are going to change it to 2 women/2 men' then in effect you are saying 'God got it wrong so we have to make it better'. God never gets anything wrong- he is perfect and for a Government to think they have the right to change in a church something God said is so wrong and any Christian should be outraged by this challenge to God's authority.

Some people in this thread have said 'well family has changed' maybe it has in society but that does not mean as CHristians we should just accept something that we believe to be fundamentally wrong because society likes it.

Christianity has become far to 'watered down' to try and fit in (in great part due to the soon to be ex archbishop) and so people dont get a true sense of what it is anymore. As Christians we follow what is in the Bible. Nowadays I think people seem to forget that- for example I often see people say 'im a Christian and I think God loves everyone so everyone will go to Heaven'. No, this is wrong- God does love everyone but if you reject Jesus and the sacrifice of the cross you will not. The point im trying to make here is Christianity is not all hand holding and loving- there is a true message and life we should be trying to live as Christians, the church has no right to try and force us to go against our principles because we have been so quick to try and adapt (wrongly in my opinion) in the past.

Some people have said, but isnt it about loving your neighbour? of course it is, that is one of the greatest commandments, I dont know of any homosexual people in the church that I go to but if there were noone would shun them- we are all sinners in the eyes of God and their sin is not worse than mine- but I would refuse to rewrite God's word for them which is what asking the church to change the definition of marriage is.

And Tattiesmum- as Christian's the main basis of our faith is the New Testament not the Old Testament.

^^WSS

It upsets me when people say things like relgious people "hate" gays, I dont agree with that, I dont, I dont agree with some things that people do, but that doenst mean I hate them.

Religion should change to accomadate a changing society, in many many cases it has and thats sad, for example sex before marriage is now very very normal, my church teaches its not, my husband and I saved ourselves for each other, a very old fashionaed idea in many eyes, but we follow the bible and teaching of our church. I dont hate or even dislike people who dont save themselves, people all have agency to decide what is right and wrong for them, but dont think the church should change to accomadate that.

 

[Eve]

I just find it all sad and terrible.

One of my friends step-fathers lost a child to cancer. She was 3-4 years old. He wanted his daughter burried at a certain church. A church where his parents went every Sunday. Because she wasn't baptised or whatever, she wasn't able to be burried there. The father and grandparents never returned as they couldn't believe the church would deny a poor child to be burried there. It broke my heart.

Like I said before, the definition of marriage has already been changed in our society. I think if you are a part of that religion, you shouldn't be denied the ability to marry within the church.