Australian Politician forgets that it is not just churches which will lose freedoms if homosexual marriage is approved
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| Pro and anti-Proposition 8 protesters rally in front of the San Francisco City Hall as the California Supreme Court holds a session in the to determine the definition of marriage (Strauss v. Horton cases). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Clive Palmer’s plan to “solve” the debate about changing the definition of marriage
fails to acknowledge that it is not just church’s beliefs that need protection.
Australian Christian Lobby Managing Director Lyle Shelton said
individuals, business owners, ethnic communities, and Christian and Muslim
schools also had beliefs that could fall foul of anti-discrimination law if
marriage was redefined in law. "It’s great to see Clive offering ideas and it is good to see
that he recognises that churches, mosques and other places of worship will lose
the freedom to practice millennia-old beliefs about marriage unless protections
are granted.
“But Clive needs to realise that many groups and individuals
besides churches will lose their freedom to act in accordance with their beliefs
if same-sex marriage is legislated. “He also fails to recognise the rights of children who will be
required to miss out on a mother or a father to fulfil the wishes of adults. .
“International law confirms that marriage is a compound right to
found and form a family. Two men can only achieve this right of ‘marriage
equality’ if the states unblock access to commercial surrogacy.” Mr Shelton said any couple, gay or straight, could effectively
obtain a civil union through state-based relationship registers which have
granted equality under the law for years.
“Equality, even in cases of next of kin arrangements, occurred
in Australia years ago. But changing the definition of marriage in law takes
away the freedoms of Australians who will always believe in man-woman marriage. “Changing the definition of marriage also takes away the rights
of children to know and be loved by their biological parents wherever
possible.”
Mr Shelton said the best way to settle the marriage debate was
through the Turnbull Government’s promised plebiscite on marriage due to be
held after the 2016 election. “This gives time for all Australians to think through the
consequences of changing the definition of marriage.”
