Gay marriage plans in England and Wales a 'shambles'
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has described the Government's plans for gay marriage as undemocratic and a "shambles".
Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols made the comments in an interview with the BBC.
He said there was no mandate to enforce same-sex marriage laws.
He said: "There was no announcement in any party manifesto, no Green Paper, no statement in the Queen's Speech.
"And yet here we are on the verge of primary legislation.
"From a democratic point of view, it's a shambles.
"George Orwell would be proud of that manoeuvre. I think the process is shambolic."
The religious leader claimed that during a "period of listening", those who responded were "7-1 against same-sex marriage".
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Mr Danny Apap
Dec 25th 2012, 20:49
@ Gordon Fulton
No one is born gay! Being gay is self sexual desire, if God created gays He would have giving Adam a male and not a female for his sole mate. And its not just the Catholic Church is against gay marriages, but also The Muslims, Jews, and the Orthodox and most of the C of E. So where did you get the majority in the UK?
Luke Lanzon
Dec 25th 2012, 22:13
You're so naive........ you probably don't even know that there are loads of gay animals do you, 1 tip start watching more national geographic and discovery channel, maybe who knows you can learn some basics of the world around us.
Mr Danny Apap
Dec 26th 2012, 09:38
Mr. L Lanzon
I do Not consider myself equal to an animal! But if you do consider yourself as one that’s up to you, for God created the human being to be master of animals not to act as one! Who is being naive?
Joseph Aquilina
Dec 26th 2012, 11:48
@Luke Lanzon
I am afraid you are even more native then Mr.Apap. Animals are just animals, when in heat they will mate with anything ... a curtain, the leg of a chair or even your leg if that is the closest thing they find. There was a penguin which the whole world wide hailed as gay ... they placed him with a female penguin ... guess what happened next!
Martin Saliba
Dec 27th 2012, 19:58
Dont be stupid danny , at least 10% of the world population is gay . Sometime those who are mostly against is because they themselvese are gay but are in denial .
A.f Ellul
Dec 25th 2012, 20:33
The world has changed ,but the laws of GOD are still there,If we do good things God reward us in this world but if we do wrong , God punish us in this world.After all what we do ,God do to us..Don't risk.
Mark Anthony Fenech
Dec 25th 2012, 22:52
Your God is such a tyrant is he not?
I Bugeja
Dec 25th 2012, 20:20
This legislation should give gays and lesbians the opportunity to marry in churches should they decide as long as the church officials agree to it.
Thus this cannot be enforced.
I can't be troubled about it in an age when the importance of the church is diminishing daily. Even straight couples are abandoning the church; all i need is the recognition from the government!
David Seychell
Dec 25th 2012, 19:27
Marriage is a Universal Human Right intrinsically related with procreation and the rearing of children. In fact, the Universal Human Rights, in the same sentence, declare that men and women have the right to marry and have children. You can't introduce same-sex marriage without automatically granting same-sex couples a Human Right to have children together.
George Camilleri
Dec 25th 2012, 19:06
Birds have feathers. Marriage is between a man and a woman.
Stannis Baratheon
Dec 25th 2012, 14:57
Why is the church so against gay marriage? Weren't we thought that God loves us all and EQUALLY? Why is the church insisting on putting aside people who were born gay?
Emanuel Muscat
Dec 25th 2012, 20:17
Some people maybe are also 'born' killers: does that mean we will condone murder?
Some people are fond of bestiality: in time do we have to condone 'marriage' with animals?
And if you tell me definitely No, tell me why not?
Then read the Kinsey sex report and see the great variety of sex orientations!
In time the chromosomes of Man will be be modified to accomodate a lot of 'choices'!
Kurt Waschnig
Dec 25th 2012, 12:43
Gay marriage will become a reality in life. Gays and lesbians can be very proud of their democratic, legal and peaceful fight for their civil rights. No hierarchical institution like The Church in England can stop a natural wish of gay people to get married. In the near future gay marriage will be possible all over Europe. Perhaps one day in Malta. I hope it will happen.
Martin Saliba
Dec 25th 2012, 12:13
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales is twisting the truth. The English goverment dose not need a mandate from the electorate , all they need to do is see what JPO did .
Joe Sultana
Dec 25th 2012, 20:17
Who is running away from the obvious and natural truth? Marriage is between a man and a woman.
Martin Saliba
Dec 26th 2012, 13:39
Mr. Sultana , marriage has been around longer than any religion and befofe anyone knew there was a god . Evolution dictates nature ant the other way arouind.
Kenneth Grima
Dec 25th 2012, 11:52
as he mentioned George Orwell according to Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols we are all equal but some (the catholics) are more equal then others. Shame on you.
Anthony Galea
Dec 25th 2012, 12:19
Until 1829, Catholics were second-class citizens in Britain and could not hold any public office. What are you talking about?
I Bugeja
Dec 25th 2012, 20:14
Galea, it seems they would rather see others as second class citizens now in 2012!
Times change let's hope the few can't dictate for many and these times change too!
Anthony Galea
Dec 25th 2012, 21:50
Rubbish. A Catholic and a homosexual are equal under the law. This is a moral issue, with differing interpretations as to whether marriage should be based on opposite genders or not.
Giorgio Greco
Dec 25th 2012, 11:00
"The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has described the Government's plans for gay marriage as undemocratic and a "shambles"."
So providing rights and promoting equality, in the same time battling discrimination, ignorance and bigotry.... is being undemocratic?
Gordon Fulton
Dec 25th 2012, 12:25
The majorty of people in the UK dont oppose same sex marriage, the church however dont want same sex marriages to be in held church's this government have said that churches can opt out if they want "a ban", however most people think that when it gets the go ahead gays will appeal to the court of human rights saying the ban infringes there human rights, then it will all kick off, whos right?
Pule' Carmel
Dec 25th 2012, 10:19
Titles as Marriage, Professorships, Doctorate and PhD and Bsc and Msc and other titles as Ministers, Judges and Magistrates and Priests have all lost their values. WE are using these titles for other situations which were not originally designed in the true value of the titles. What a pity as much of the original substance involved a disipline and a value that need so much effort to earn it.
Please choose the reason of your report below: