Category: marriage


Marriage advocates are not bigots

Filed under: marriage, same-sex marriage — 1 Comment
March 17, 2012

Following the Australian Labor Party’s decision last December to support same sex marriage, there are now three bills before federal Parliament seeking to bring about the change.

There are also two inquiries, in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, and members of the public have been invited to comment, either by written submission or by completing an online survey.

It is not homophobic to believe that marriage should be reserved for people of opposite sex.  It is not an issue of equality.  Same sex couples already enjoy the same treatment as de facto couples in all aspects of the law.  No one is done a real injustice if we continue to honour marriage as currently defined in the law.

Marriage is a unique relationship between a man and a woman, the foundation of the family, which in turn is the foundation of society.  Changing it would be social engineering of the worst kind.

Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 11 Mar 2012.

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Strong opposition to gay marriage

Filed under: marriage, same-sex marriage — Leave a comment
March 17, 2012

With three federal bills now before Parliament, moves to change Australia’s marriage laws to satisfy the demands of same sex couples are nearing fruition.  Yet many Australians hold a different view of marriage, based on thousands of years of culture and heritage.

Heads of at least 24 Christian denominations recently signed a joint statement on the significance of marriage, stating that marriage is the lifelong commitment and faithful union of one man and one woman, the natural basis of the family.

They honoured the unique love between husbands and wives, the vital place of fathers and mothers in the life of children, and the corresponding ideal for all children to know the love and role modelling of a father and a mother.

Marriage is a great good in itself, and also serves the good of others, particularly the good of children.  Same sex relationships, no matter how loving, are a different kind of relationship.

Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 1 Mar 2012.

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Margaret Court on gay marriage

Filed under: marriage, same-sex marriage — Leave a comment
February 10, 2012

Pastor Margaret Court at her Perth church recently

When the Australian Open starts tomorrow, gay activists are hoping to use the Margaret Court Arena at Melbourne Park as a platform to promote same sex marriage, unfurling “rainbow flags” in a bid to shame Australian tennis great Margaret Court, after whom the arena is named.

Margaret, a 24-times grand slam singles champion and a pastor at Victory Life Centre in Perth, has expressed her opposition to gay marriage, which she says would promote “unhealthy” and “unnatural” unions.

She believes marriage is “between a man and a woman.”

“To dismantle [the current ] definition of marriage,” she said, “reveals our ignorance as to the ills that come when society is forced to accept law that violates their very own God-given nature of what is right and what is wrong.”

Gay activists accuse her of bigotry, but she is exercising her right to free speech, and expressing her personal view about the nature of marriage – something each of us is entitled to do, and should be encouraged. 

Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 15 Jan 2012.

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Strong support for marriage petition

Filed under: marriage, politics, same-sex marriage — Leave a comment
December 2, 2011

Even I was astonished to hear that, in just six weeks, the Australian Marriage Forum petition, urging the Labor Party to keep its election promise not to introduce same sex marriage, has attracted more than 100,000 signatures.

The marriage petition, organised by the Australian Christian Lobby and the Australian Family Association, gives a sense of the strength of feeling in the community about the importance of retaining the current definition of marriage.

Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes said on Wednesday “There is no consensus in the community on this issue.” 

Well, I think he’s wrong – there’s a large groundswell of ordinary Australians out there who feel strongly about this, and don’t want politicians and activists fiddling with our most basic social institutions.

It’s time we all put this peripheral issue behind us, and got on with the serious business of debating and tackling the issues that really matter in this great country of ours – like jobs, productivity, asylum and gambling reform.

Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 4 December 2011.

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Marriage serves the common good

Filed under: common good, marriage, same-sex marriage — Leave a comment
December 2, 2011

With the Queensland Parliament passing its same-sex civil unions bill on Wednesday, and the ALP national conference making its decision on same sex marriage this weekend, it’s worth stepping back and considering just what’s at stake in terms of Christian opposition to proposed changes to marriage laws.

No religious tradition can claim ownership of the institution of marriage. It’s neither Christian nor pagan.  What we have in Australian federal law today is a definition of marriage that accurately represents the foundational beliefs and values inherent in the biblical teaching on Christian marriage, as well as thousands of years of cultural wisdom from a wide range of communities.

Marriage thus defined serves the common good, and provides a proper foundation for security and stability in national social and economic life.  This is why an overwhelming majority of churches supports the current definition of marriage in Australian law, and opposes the reform proposed by The Australian Greens. 

Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 4 December 2011.

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