I have a question for Catholic opponents of same-sex marriage - would you given the political practicality of such a move, also ban other marriages deemed not to be marriages by the Church - such as the ‘marriages’ of divorced people, or the ‘marriages’ of baptized Catholics outside the Church? if so, I assume for the same reason you oppose gays being able to marry each other. If not, why not, and why are you not campaigning for a ban?
Hiya,
The question is somewhat erroneous.
The Church isnt interested in banning peoples marriages because they are not Catholics. It is against gay marriage because it sensibly objects to the redefinition of marriage.
Regarding “gay marriage”. Gay relationships are fundamentally not comparable to heterosexual relationships. This is why people object to gay marriage - its exactly the same as the Government legislating to force people to call a dog a horse.
A (heterosexual) marriage is:
- a relationship characterised by the attraction of opposites
- a relationship strengthened by the complimentary nature of opposites
- a relationship which is open to the possibility of creating new life, via the physical expression of the couples love for one another
- a relationship which enjoys a natural and important social role
- the fundamental building block of human societies
Gay relationships are none of these things. Indeed, gay relationships are the antithesis of these things.
So we can see that, other than word play (devaluing the word “marriage”) changing the law has no real effect, as anyone with half a brain can still see the relationships are not at all similar or comparable.
Only on the most vague and reductive level possible - 2 beings who love one another - could you even begin to compare homosexual relationships to heterosexual ones. The same vague, reductive level which would include a man and his dog, and a brother and sister for example.
Suggestions of calling gay relationships marriages is not because they are similar to heterosexual relationships, but rather is to meet an emotional need existing among some gay people*.
(*They think they would feel better about themselves if they were allowed to pretend they were the same as heterosexual people. Thats not a pleasant thing to have to say, but its the truth).
At the end of the day, there are a whole host of circumstances for heterosexual couples. Catholic weddings, non-Catholic weddings, divorcees, invalid marriages, blah blah blah. All circumstances are different and merit individual consideration.
But at the end of the day, we are all still talking about one man and one woman, in these cases. Sure, maybe the Church doesnt recognise some as valid - but it has no right (or desire) to remove peoples freedom of conscience. It would be obviously be absurd for the Catholic Church to object to two muslims getting married, for example, because it wasnt a Catholic wedding.
Most people agree what marriage is, they just have different ideas and values as to how it is created etc. But they are still talking about fundamentally the same thing.
In contrast, a gay relationship is something entirely different - as above.
The whole affair is exceptionally orwellian. It is, as stated, similar to the Government making a law which means we have to refer to dogs as horses. Not good.
