Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life. For example, the Catholic Church in its hum...
It is to do with the Human Rights Act 1998, Equality Act 2010 and being part of the EU with laws passed in Europe effecting Britain. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever been asked to perform a Gay wedding, Tim?
ReplyDeleteHow about if it was not forced? What if a Catholic priest , serving among a non homophobic catholic community, decided, with the support of the community, to perform the sacrament of marriage between any sincere and committed couple?
Isn't that what the the church is really concerned about? The loss of control among the faithful? Independent catholic laity?
The Catholic Church has chosen not to marry couples where one couple was previously married and no one has forced them to change their practices.
ReplyDeleteAlso the old bugbear of churches renting out their halls and horror of horrors a gay couple has their reception there. Why was there never an outcry when a remarried couple had their reception in the same hall? I personally know of one Catholic who got remarried (outside the Church) and had her reception in a Catholic facility.
Rationalist1
If the church was concerned about loosing control they'd cave to the flavours of the day like many denominations have done since appeasement is the only way to keep people voluntarily coming to church if their minds are set that its moral teaching is wrong. If the church were a social club and not responsible for preserving and preaching the truth, then marrying two men, two women, two men and one woman, etc etc. would be good policy if the secular winds of the day were blowing in that direction.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Paul
Rationalist: Such an event wouldn't happen in our diocese as we are forbidden from permitting some rentals. I would have thought it was the same in Toronto. God knows, there are lots of other options open to any couple who marry in Toronto so it would be no inconvenience for such a couple. It is an authentic hardship up here as often the parish hall is the only public space available to rent for such a reception. Couples who marry outside of the Church have to travel to another town or hold their reception outside in tents. A priest in TO has no grounds to rent the parish hall in such a case and I assume that if his Chancery Office were to find out what he did, he would be called on to the carpet with his Bishop.
ReplyDeleteFr. Tim