There's a story emerging this morning (I heard it first on the radio news, and my immediate, out loud, reaction was 'Oh, f*** off!') that the Church of England has claimed in response to the government's proposals for marriage equality that 'gay marriage is the greatest threat to the Church of England since the Reformation.' Leaving aside the obvious historical illiteracy contained in that statement - the Church of England wouldn't exist, but for the Reformation - the hyperbole here is breathtaking. One of the quotes in the report I read which particularly caught my eye referred to what has been 'understood' by marriage for centuries being replaced by people making a 'vague commitment to each other'. If two people, whatever the gender permutation, stand up in front of a church (or register office, or wherever) full of family, friends and sundry other witnesses and take vows promising a lifelong union, in what way is that a 'vague commitment'?
If there's anything behind this, apart from blatant discrimination and bigotry, it's the fear of the church hierarchy that they might lose their totally unearned and unjustified position of privilege within society. The concept of 'disestablishment', the separation of the state from the church is being raised, as if it's a bad thing. When the proportion of the population who are, by any reasonable definition, active Christians is in single figure percentage points, what's not to like about disestablishment? Welcome to the 21st century.
Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B
I hope the clowns over here don't pick up on that statement of "vague commitment". Good grief!
ReplyDeleteBut you are exactly correct. Somehow, allowing civil marriage between two committed people is supposed to undermine the church. In the US, you aren't married without a civilly issued marriage "license"! Not even if it's officiated by a minister of some sort (who has to be registered with the civil authorities where he performs marriages, so his signature can be legal on the license after the service). This is what is so mindboggling to me. The government has had their hand in marriage for so long, and it ties to so many CIVIL benefits, rights, and privileges, that is there is NO WAY that the Supreme Court can possibly rule any way but in favor of governments allowing anyone to get married that wants to. I pray it happens soon!
Peace <3
Jay
Hello Jay
DeleteI think the chances of marriage equality over here are pretty reasonable - I glanced through a copy of the London Evening Standard that had been left on the train I travelled back on this evening, and even that consistently right-wing rag's editorial said that the C of E were overstating the case, much to my surprise. Another report in the paper, on a government-sponsored survey, stated that 70% of the Brits who'd been polled supported gay marriage, rising to 82% of those under 50. Even 58% of those who described themselves as 'people of faith' were in favour. I'm sure the forces of reaction will fight tooth and nail to try and prevent equality, as they always have, but, given figures like those in the survey, I'm hopeful that the right outcome will be forthcoming, sooner rather than later.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hallo Sammy,
ReplyDeletein the 70s, two fellow students of mine married in "Gretna Green" in Scotland, because they were minors.
Is that still possible?
Is this also possible for same-sex couples?
Gruß Nikki
Guten Tag Nikki
DeleteThere is a separate legal system in Scotland, a legacy of its pre-1707 status as an independent country, and there were differences in the age people could marry without parental consent many years ago, hence the 'Gretna Green' scenario, Gretna being the first small town on a main road north of the England/Scotland border, as you no doubt know. That situation doesn't appertain now, and marriage equality doesn't yet apply in Scotland, either, but I read a report before replying to your comment that suggests that there is a clear majority of members of the devolved Scottish parliament who favour marriage equality, so it could be enacted in Scotland before the rest of the UK. As I said to Jay, though, the prospects for equality in this country as a whole seem to at least give grounds for hope. Time will tell.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B