This morning I was invited to speak on the Ann Diamond Show on BBC Radio Berkshire about the recent comments made by the Head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O’Brien where he described equal marriage rights as “grotesque” and likened the proposed legislative changes of gay marriage to that of the legalisation of slavery.
As many people know, I am currently planning my own civil partnership having been in a committed relationship for 10 years and to me it feels rather strange not to be able to refer to our own special day as a wedding.
I believe in freedom of thought and speech and respect the Cardinal’s decision to write the letter to the Telegraph and defend his position today – after all aren’t we told to keep our friends close but our enemies closer? Then again, perhaps he just protects too much?
Having read the contents of the letter, it’s clear the views made are very traditional and cling to arguments that simply do not reflect the world in which we live in. Marriage predates the church and they do not hold the monopoly on love. Marriage is not about procreation – it’s about a commitment between two people in love. That view is offensive to couples who are unable to have children.
I don’t want Gay Marriage – after all I do not drive a gay car, live in a gay house and drink gay tea! I simply want marriage equality. I’ve always said that if as a modern country we believe in equality, a consultation is not required as there cannot be one single argument against marriage for LGBT people.
I hate to say it but Cardinal Keith O’Brien appears to be a bigot that shields his homophobia behind religious freedom – he talks about shame being bought to the UK but does he not recall the abuse of all those children within the church?
At what point do the content of his comments become a hate crime? After all, if he had made comments about people of colour, disabled people or other religious people such as Jews he would have been shot down in flames! There are so many other things wrong with this world and he chose to comment on gay marriage!
Being gay is not hazardous to a healthy lifestyle but it seems that his choice is to carry a lot of hate and anger around with him! So no thank you Keith, I think I’ll stay as a fairy thanks.