Marriage wherever it takes place can only be between a man and a woman

The first is to refer to ‘equal civil marriage’. Marriage between a man and a woman was given for all humankind and not just those who are Christian or religious.

The distinction proponents of same sex marriage like Colin make between civil and religious marriage is in fact a false distinction.

If a heterosexual couple marry in a hotel without a religious officiant they are as much married in the sight of God as a Christian couple in a church building. Marriage wherever it takes place can only be between a man and a woman. God has defined marriage and only He can redefine it. We can’t.

To limit opposition to homosexual practice as Colin seems to do to the book of Leviticus is also misleading.

There are a number of references to homosexual practice in both OT and NT and none are favourable to it e.g. Roms 1 vs 24-27; 1 Cor. 6 vs9.

Some people say that Jesus never condemned homosexual practice yet in Mark 7 vs20-3 Jesus makes it clear that ‘sexual immorality’ is one evil among others. The word Jesus uses for ‘sexual immorality’ i.e. porneia refers to all sexual acts outside the marriage bond of a man and woman and the overwhelming weight of biblical scholarship supports this interpretation.

In reference to the Supreme Court’s declaration, to state that gay couples are ‘condemned to live in loneliness’ if they cannot marry is simply a misnomer. Gay couples have never been prevented from living together.

One could also ask – what about those who are heterosexual and have chosen to be single for various reasons? Is their choice a condemnation in loneliness? I certainly don’t think so. Society has sold the lie that to be single is to be condemned to loneliness and to be unfulfilled.

Some of the most fulfilled people I know are those who have chosen singleness.

Finally concerning a family member being gay, the true Christian response is always to love. I know a number of Christian parents whose son or daughter has lived in a sexually active relationship with their partner to whom they are not married and they have treated their off spring with the utmost love and concern.

The agape love of which the Bible often speaks (1 Peter 4 vs8) will always win others.

D. Howard Gilpin, Moira