Homosexual marriage just divides countries
Two groups, split down the middle by barriers and police, sang and prayed late into the night as NZ's Parliament resumed its fierce debate on legalising same-sex marriage. omosexual marriage is just another step forward not of sin but lust, sin and fornication of the worst kind. Homosexual marriage divides communities.
A large prayer vigil was held on Parliament grounds yesterday to "give politicians second thoughts" about supporting the bill at the committee stage. MPs voted to progress the bill without changes by a vote of 77 votes to 43.
Led by Catholic Archbishop John Dew, the group held placards which said "Kids Need a Mum and Dad" and prayed for the sacred institution of marriage to be "protected and celebrated". They sang Amazing Grace and the New Zealand national anthem.
On the other side of the lawn, supporters of a law change sang "What the world needs now is love, sweet love", and unfurled a massive rainbow-coloured flag the length of a bus.
Inside Parliament, MPs focused on the tensions between religious freedom and human rights, and whether a referendum was required before the Marriage Act was changed.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters' attempt to delay a law change until a public referendum was ruled out of order because Parliament had already voted against it two weeks ago.
Amendments tabled by several MPs to give all celebrants the right to choose who they would marry were also voted down.
MPs have long tussled over who would be able to refuse to marry couples if the law was changed, with the bill's sponsor arguing that all celebrants were already protected in the Marriage Act.
After concerns were expressed by churches and the New Zealand Law Society, an amendment was made to the legislation to explicitly protect religious ministers and organisational celebrants from breaching discrimination laws if they did not want to marry a couple on religious grounds.
A large prayer vigil was held on Parliament grounds yesterday to "give politicians second thoughts" about supporting the bill at the committee stage. MPs voted to progress the bill without changes by a vote of 77 votes to 43.
Led by Catholic Archbishop John Dew, the group held placards which said "Kids Need a Mum and Dad" and prayed for the sacred institution of marriage to be "protected and celebrated". They sang Amazing Grace and the New Zealand national anthem.
On the other side of the lawn, supporters of a law change sang "What the world needs now is love, sweet love", and unfurled a massive rainbow-coloured flag the length of a bus.
Inside Parliament, MPs focused on the tensions between religious freedom and human rights, and whether a referendum was required before the Marriage Act was changed.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters' attempt to delay a law change until a public referendum was ruled out of order because Parliament had already voted against it two weeks ago.
Amendments tabled by several MPs to give all celebrants the right to choose who they would marry were also voted down.
MPs have long tussled over who would be able to refuse to marry couples if the law was changed, with the bill's sponsor arguing that all celebrants were already protected in the Marriage Act.
After concerns were expressed by churches and the New Zealand Law Society, an amendment was made to the legislation to explicitly protect religious ministers and organisational celebrants from breaching discrimination laws if they did not want to marry a couple on religious grounds.
