Gay marriage is not a ‘human right’: European ruling torpedoes Coalition stance ; Gay ‘marriage’ not a right, prohibiting gay adoption not ‘discrimination’: European Court ; Jacqui Smith happy for her legislation to be repealed to allow same-sex marriage; Muslim Council of Britain: Marriage equality for gays ‘unnecessary and unhelpful’; Polygamous Muslim unions on the rise in Britain
Gay marriage is not a ‘human right’: European ruling torpedoes Coalition stance
Mailonline – Same-sex marriages are not a human right, European judges have ruled.
Their decision shreds the claim by ministers that gay marriage is a universal human right and that same-sex couples have a right to marry because their mutual commitment is just as strong as that of husbands and wives.
The ruling was made by judges of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg following a case involving a lesbian couple in a civil partnership who complained the French courts would not allow them to adopt a child as a couple.
The ruling also says that if gay couples are allowed to marry, any church that offers weddings will be guilty of discrimination if it declines to marry same-sex couples.
It means that if MPs legislate for same-sex marriage, the Coalition’s promise that churches will not be compelled to conduct the weddings will be worthless.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117920/Gay-marriage-human-right-European-ruling-torpedoes-Coalition-stance.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Gay ‘marriage’ not a right, prohibiting gay adoption not ‘discrimination’: European Court
LifeSite News – The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the prohibition of adoption to non-married couples is not discriminatory, because it applies to both heterosexual and homosexual couples equally.
It has also ruled that homosexual “marriage” is not a right under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The decision effectively confirms the liceity under the same Convention of French law, which does not award the status of “marriage” to homosexual couples, and does not permit non-married couples to adopt children.
The ruling was announced in a suit by a French lesbian couple, Valérie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, who have been in a Pact of Civil Solidarity (PACS) since 2002. A PACS is a loose contractual arrangement made available to both heterosexual and homosexual couples in France, in contrast with stronger “civil union” arrangements and homosexual “marriages” available in some other countries.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/gay-marriage-not-a-right-prohibiting-gay-adoption-not-discrimination-europe?utm_source=LifeSiteNews.com+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=07ae7c25b4-LifeSiteNews_com_Intl_Headlines_03_16_2012&utm_medium=email
Jacqui Smith happy for her legislation to be repealed to allow same-sex marriage
Independent – The former minister who championed civil partnerships today said she was happy for her legislation to be repealed – and replaced with plans to allow same-sex marriage.
Jacqui Smith said she was proud of the achievement, but acknowledged gay couples still faced discrimination – and even violence – because they could not marry.
Ms Smith, who was responsible as Equalities Minister for steering the legislation through in 2004, said she now appreciated the moves had not gone far enough.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jacqui-smith-happy-for-her-legislation-to-be-repealed-to-allow-samesex-marriage-7579290.html
Muslim Council of Britain: Marriage equality for gays ‘unnecessary and unhelpful’
Pink News – The Muslim Council of Britain has backed opposition to marriage equality for gays, calling equality an ‘unnecessary and unhelpful’ exercise.
The group also voiced its support for the Church of England the Roman Catholic Church leaders who have spoken out against marriage equality for gay couples, referring to the column by Cardinal Keith O’Brien in which he called the plans “grotesque” and the Catholic Archbishops’ letter which told Catholics they had a “duty” to oppose marriage equality for gays
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/03/20/muslim-council-of-britain-marriage-equality-for-gays-unnecessary-and-unhelpful/
Polygamous Muslim unions on the rise in Britain
Christian Institute – An “unprecedented” number of Muslim women are inquiring about polygamy, the Islamic Sharia Council in Britain has said. Newspaper reports suggest that thousands of Muslim women in Britain are entering polygamous relationships. The news comes as the Westminster Government launched a consultation on whether marriage should be redefined.
http://www.christian.org.uk/news/polygamous-muslim-relationships-on-the-rise-in-britain/