Re politicians have no place telling those of ANY faith what to believe? xxxxxxxxxxxx I don't think Bernadette it is a question of politicians telling anyone what they should THINK, which would be impossible anyway. Politicians have the right to legislate for certain behaviours in society and the traditional situation hails back to the time and place of a theocracy where the persons running the country were the priests etc, not a healthy situation, as we find even today in countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia where the laws laid down by the religiosi are enacted and which make our flesh creep, including the archaic treatment of women. The PM must get involved, it is a civil matter and which has already been discussed and legislated for in many other countries, albeit Western ones. Sadly, the three Abramic religions have a lot to answer for in the "persecution" of mankind, not only in body but in mind as well. And of course, animals have not done too well either, who have as much right to this earth as we do. On the question of who can marry whom, as far as I am concerned if two people of the same gender wish to do so, who am I to try to stop them. The history of religions is one of telling/ curtailing people in what they want to do. It seems unbelievable, but it was only 50 years or so ago that if two persons of the same gender were suspected of having some form of bodily/sexual contact, the Police would burst into their homes, prosecute them and imprison them, and for what most now regard as acceptable behaviour between consenting adults. Poor Mrs T was very anti gay and said Rabbi Jakobovits ( Chief Rabbi of the UK and Commonwealth ) was her favourite head of religion, because of his stance and views on such matters, and the very next day Israel announced that persons of the same gender from the age of 14 could legally engage in consensual sex. There was a good example of the State over ruling the hitherto dictat of the religious order. And should be so now as then, in my opinion, and so it seems in the thinking of the vast majority of people, especially the younger ones. The ironic situation is the first two Abramic religions allow sex by an adult to a child and which we regard as horrific ( Talmud says down to as low as 6 months I think!! )so they are by no means any good yardstick by which to judge or follow.
Tony Price ● 4749d