A Private School Attitude

Posted: August 29, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Same-Sex Marriage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A private school in Australia created an assignment for its students. Quoted below are questions from it;

“One question in the assignment given to the Year 10 students in June was: “Is homosexuality the sickest sin there is?”

Another question asked what God said about homosexuality and pointed to Bible quotes for the answer, which called it an “abomination”.

The assignment also stated that homosexuality was a “compromise for the need to be loved and accepted”, resulting for many from “low self-esteem (and) gender emptiness”.

Also on the assignment was: “Many people say that homosexuality is an inborn trait. Is a person born greedy, jealous, malicious, gossiper, slanderer, thief, child abuser, serial killer?””

An argument I’ve heard in the past is that the bible is against homosexuality and thus a fact, and via extension of this logic a private religious school can condemn gay and lesbians. But let’s look at what else is in the bible;

  Read the rest of this entry »

Gay Marriage –the Australian tradition by The Marriage Act

Posted: August 18, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Same-Sex Marriage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My friend was recounting a conversation he had with his father about marriage for same-sex couples. His father was against it because marriage was defined as between “a man and a woman” through tradition and in particular cited that the Marriage Act stated this since Australia existed as a nation.

The part of the Marriage Act my friend’s father was speaking about is this;

“Marriage, means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

and

“Certain unions are not marriages. A union solemnised in a foreign country between: (a) a man and another man; or (b) a woman and another woman; must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia.”

Which seems quite clear, there’s no way to deny this statement’s in the Act. There’s just one problem, it’s an amendment added in 2004.

Seven years ago.

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“Society changes, and things fall apart” – Rebecca Hagelin

Posted: August 16, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Same-Sex Marriage | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

In Australia Today there was an anti-gay marriage rally held. One key speaker was Rebecca Hagelin. In my opinion she provided the perfect example of ignorance to a topic based on fervour and passion, but not facts. And I actually find that to be frightening.

According to conservative American commentator Rebecca Hagelin the “forces of darkness” are trying to destroy marriage. There will be the unravelling of civil society if gay marriage is legally recognised, something that society cannot recover from.

This sounds so over the top, but I’m not making this up. Listen to these two interviews.

More articles on the rally, here, here and here.

By Rebecca Hagelin’s logic apparently “God’s design of marriage is perfect” since the beginning of time, and any change undermines and threatens to destroy marriage.

Let’s have a quick list of the changes to the tradition of marriage through history from its simple beginnings; Read the rest of this entry »

Highlight Link of the Day: Why straight people who CAN marry must stand up for gay people who can’t

Posted: August 14, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Highlighted Websites | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The link of the week is an article from back in August 2010, and written by a Mia Freedman. It does an excellent job of highlighting the similarities of public attitude with interracial marriage back in the sixties and the attitudes towards same-sex marriage today.

Here are a couple of quick quotes:

“when the US Supreme Court legalised interracial marriage in 1967, a whopping 70% of Americans strongly disagreed. It happened anyway.”

“…start making some noise. Heterosexual people and married people and single people need to stand up and say, “I’m secure enough in myself or my relationship not to be threatened by the definition of marriage becoming a little more inclusive of other loving couples.”

Thanks to my sister for sending me this link. It surprisingly ties in well with my topic for the week, which is about the tradition of the Marriage Act in Australia. See ya on Wednesday.

Who Said That?!

Posted: August 8, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Highlighted Websites | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quotes of the last week on same-sex marriages; interesting to read and I’ve thrown a couple in from the opposite side; links to the articles for who said what:

“This conference calls upon the ALP National Conference to amend the platform to support the legal right of all adult couples in Australia to be married if the they so choose, and for that marriage to be registered by law in Australia, regardless of the sexual orientation, or gender of the parties to the marriage.

This conference acknowledges that civil unions of same-sex couples do not deliver the same legal security and social recognition as marriage, and believes that schemes that are separate from marriage makes the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and the intersex community second-class citizens.”

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Highlight Fridays: Gay Marriage Rights in Australia – Facebook page

Posted: August 4, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Highlighted Websites | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

So I’ve been thinking on how to work this blog, and one idea is to post my main article once or twice a week, and on odd days posting an interesting article that I’ve come across. Today I thought I’d highlight a group/website on the current topic I’m covering.

So I’d be amiss not to start first with such a resourced group on Facebook, with over 100,000 people, Gay Marriage Rights in Australia keeps growing. If I’ve missed an article when going through the news media, I know that this group will catch it and post it. They’ve become one of my unofficial favourite media watchdogs with posts that pop up about fascinating stories of the day, loudly but politely arguing for equality.

Gay Marriage Rights in Australia – Facebook page

“A lobby group searching and lobbying for equal rights for lesbians, gays, bi’s, transgenders, intersexed and other queer identifying communities. We’re especially fighting for equal marriage rights.”

Check them out and “like” them if you enjoy daily updates media commentary on same-sex marriage. Also doesn’t hurt to support them if you believe in the cause or would like to hear what the one side is saying.