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Recent Comments

1. An item in CathNews on 9 December urged people to contact their federal parliament representatives to resist calls to change the defination of 'marriage' to include same-sex couples.
   The item provided sound reasoning to supoport this position. I have written to my Federal Member and also to all 10 Victorian Senators, informing them of my opposition to this proposal and stating my reasons. I urge all those opposed to this proposal to do the same.

   Posted By: Judith Taylor, Clematis, Vic

2. Where will that leave folk such as my husbane and me who have stayed married for 41 years?
   It seemed difficult enough to be grouped with de factos - now are we all the same?
   Maybe marital status ought to be eliminated altogether as a decriptive category.
   

   Posted By: Rosemary Keenan Gwelup WA

3. I am totally against same sex marriages.
   They are completly against the basic principles of life and procreation which leads to marriage between a Man and Woman - this has been the case since life on earth was created.
   The reality is, that to have a sustainable and quality upbringing, every child born must have the love and nurturing of a Mother and Father, not same sex parents.
   If this Bill passes through Parliament, the Labor Party will suffer the consequences at the next election.

   Posted By: Dolf Martino, Dudley Park WA

4. Many forms of relationships have legal protection in our society, husband and wife, child and parent, investor and corporation, de facto union, employee and employer; all can make claims on the legal system that protects their rights, and duties, in the relationship.
   Same-gender people in de facto union currently do not.
   Whatever the arguments against formalising same-gender civil union, those presented by Dolf, which are very widely held, set an ideal of childrearing that is not in fact met throughout society.
   It is an argument which belittles the upbringing of thousands of good citizens, cruelly downgrades the great efforts of sole parents, fails to recognise the reality of domestic violence in two-parent homes, and would leave all the children from these different groups with the legacy of being second-rate citizens. Those many good loving families do deserve praise.
   It is possible that among them are Civil Union partners. Opponents of Civil Union will have to do better than that.
   

   Posted By: PM, Eden

5. They are getting out the hammer and the nails to fasten Christ anew to the Cross. Are there any Christians around?

   Posted By: Anne Boyce NSW SYDNEY

6. Whilst it may be the right and the privilege of the church authorities (many would argue otherwise, considering these authorities of ours are unelected representatives to begin with) to define as it pleases what a religious marriage means, it is not their role to legislate on behalf of a diverse and democratic society what a civil marriage is.
   As a Catholic person I do not necessarily agree with the views of some members or leaders of my church on this issue. I believe marriage has evolved, grown and hence changed over the centuries. What that was regarded as norm in a marriage no longer is, nor should be ever acceptable again. Gender roles have become more equitable than they used to be, and I do not propose of wanting the old and ancient 'tradition' of misogyny and sexism as part of the equation of Marriage as one of the many aspects of 'traditional' marriage.
   Our church should be putting all our energy towards combating homophobia within our church communities, in terms of the lack of affirmative and a welcoming policy to support and care for our Catholic lesbian and gay sisters and brothers who have for a long time been intimidated, bullied, excluded and hurt by behaviour of fellow Catholics.

   Posted By: Ben, Sydney

7. They'll be legalising mistresses next, and that will be a problem for the church.
   

   Posted By: L Newington Bendigo Victoria

8. Ben: I guess you would support the legitimization of polygamy as marriage then? Or any other 'union' as marriage?
   Secular 'legalization' of same-sex marriage wont for one moment change the fact that God defines sacramental (real) marriage as that between a man and a woman.
   That will continue to be marriage in the real sense of the word regardless of any secular definition.

   Posted By: deric davidson bunbury

9. Any intelligent person would fairly say that no two marriages are the same.
   What marriage means and is experienced by one person is different from another.
   A community that is: of different religious or cultural beliefs;
   a community or relationship that is founded on foundations that is: sexist, or child-bride acceptable, or male-privileged, or polygamous-acceptable, or childless, are not a single universal 'norm' in the narrow narrative of the so called 'traditional marriage'.
   Our lesbian and gay sisters and brothers who mostly come from heterosexual relationships still continue to want to renew the institution of marriage - if that is not faith, I don't know what it is.
   Gay and Lesbian members of our larger community sees marriage as about love, equality, equity, faithfulness, commitment, compassion, procreativenesses and justice. Isn't that the essence of a good and fruitful marriage that is genuinely beneficial to the common good?
   Marriage which is the last frontier by which patriarchy is yet to let loose its grip upon, is surely challenging our view of gender roles and power relations; but I don't believe God is stopping it, it is those who seek to speak in her/his name that is most challenged by it.
   The Spirit is calling us to respond prophetically; what are we doing?

   Posted By: Ben, Sydney

10. What the general public fails to recognise is that much of the literature written by those in the gay community reflects a desire to eliminate the institution of marriage altogether.
    'Gay marriage' is a massive strategic step towards undermining marriage - which has always throughout history been between a man and a woman - and bringing about its destruction.
    Wake up Australia: the future of our society is at stake.

    Posted By: Julian Lester - Melbourne

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