Same sex marriage and the Cardinal

Cardinal O'Brien, Scotland's leading Roman Catholic cleric, has made some rather sweeping statements in an article in The Telegraph today in which he uses rather inflammatory language and compares same sex marriage to an evil such as slavery.?He says of "gay activists"?(does he mean David Cameron, I wonder?) "Their attempt to redefine reality is given a polite hearing, their madness is indulged."??He also says that?gay marriage?, "would create a society which deliberately chooses to deprive a child of either a mother or a father", rather a curious argument given that IVF treatment and adoption rights are already available to same sex couples, or indeed to single people,?and so?nothing would change in this respect. We have been here before with Cardinal O'Brien. In 2004 he opposed civil partnerships, stating that,
?The empirical evidence is clear, same-sex relationships are demonstrably harmful to the medical, emotional and spiritual well being of those involved. No compassionate society should ever enact legislation to facilitate or promote such relationships."
These claims are simply not accurate. On the contrary,? interventions such as reparative therapy have been shown to be? deeply damaging to the well being of those involved. Jeremy Marks in his 2009 book Exchanging the Truth of God for a Lie?outlines how he came to change the focus of his ministry from ex-gay to gay affirming after witnessing the harm caused to those he was ministering to. In the book Marks describes?a man he calls Robert who, after being on the programme, carried out? a second ?"massive suicide attempt". Robert left the programme and began a relationship with another man. As Marks writes, "within a year of their meeting, Robert's health had recovered, defying the prognosis of the doctors." He continues, "Robert's story is one of any number I could tell."
Celibacy is an option for some people, others?are not fitted for singleness. As an?extremely?devout, evangelical, single gay?friend said to me, "I have a heart for loving and don't think I can live without at least the hope of such a relationship being possible."?Marks himself is gay, married and committed to that marriage but, although a mixed orientation marriage can succeed when the relationship is strong,?the majority?do not survive and the costs and pressures for both partners?are usually?immense. I have to say that the people I know ?who are in stable same sex?relationships seem as happy and fulfilled as those friends I know in opposite sex relationships and I believe that?a fulfilling relationship?is the best context for anyone? who would not voluntarily choose celibacy.
I have no problem with any representative of the church expressing the view that is opposed to same-sex marriage, I do understand that this is an issue?that is causing?anxiety to some. I am not sure that is an excuse for this kind of talk though and I?do think that inaccurate or inflammatory?statements should be challenged. To paraphrase?Cardinal O'Brien himself, I?am not sure?his attempts to redefine reality should be given a polite hearing. I am not sure his madness should be indulged.? More seriously, I worry about the effect of O'Brien's remarks and those like him on those?in same sex relationships. The impression given is that Church has no place for such people and comparisons of gay marriage to slavery and the use of adjectives such as "grotesque" do not elevate the conversation. Churches rarely consider that gay people or?same sex relationships might be a gift or that the Church has much to offer to, and indeed much to?learn, from the LGBT community.

The British Government remain committed to introducing same sex marriage. I feel that there may be more of this kind of thing to come.

Source: http://suem-musingaloud.blogspot.com/2012/03/same-sex-marriage-and-cardinal.html

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