Catholic Archbishop: Ban same-sex marriage because government should stay out the bedroom
A Catholic Archbishop has claimed that the government needs to “stay out of the bedroom” on same-sex marriage.
The claim comes from the Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher, who has aggressively fought against same-sex marriage in the country.
In a speech, Fisher insisted that government should “keep out of the friendship business and out of the bedroom”.
The claim will be ironic for many given the decades of the Catholic Church’s attempts to regulate people’s bedroom activities – from opposing the use of condoms to condemning ‘disordered’ gay people.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Fisher claimed: “The state has no business telling us who we should love and how, sexually or otherwise.
“The only kind of friendship the state has a proper interest in recognising and regulating is heterosexual marriage, because that’s what leads to children – new citizens – and gives them the best start in life.”
He added: “If overseas experience is anything to go by, if marriage is redefined it will be very hard to speak up for real marriage anymore – in schools, at work, socially,” he said.
“Traditional believers will be vulnerable to discrimination suits and other kinds of bullying for their beliefs. Some may lose their jobs, promotions, businesses, political careers.”
Australia is currently voting on whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.
The result of the non-binding postal vote will be announced next month, with the issue then set to head to Parliament where MPs will hash out legislation on the issue.
There has been a spate of hate crimes in the country during the vote.
Last week a mother in Melbourne was sent a letter threatening her children after she put up a rainbow flag.
Last month a cafe was threatened with arson for supporting the Yes campaign while a 14 year old girl received a death threat for supporting marriage equality on social media.
PinkNews revealed last month that the anti-LGBT Coalition for Marriage is telling activists to play to fears over gay sex and gender issues.
The group bills itself as a “grassroots movement” that will be on “the front line to defend traditional marriage in Australia”.
At an induction session for Coalition for Marriage activists attended by a PinkNews reporter, the group’s campaign leadership told activists to play up fears over “radical gay sex education” and transgender issues.
Three Australian Prime Ministers have been at loggerheads over equal marriage, as anti-gay former PM Tony Abbott viciously mocked former PM Bob Hawke after Hawke criticised the vote called by current Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.
Tony Abbott has become the most prominent voice of the anti-gay lobby as Australia votes on equal marriage – alienating much of his own family in the process.
After Abbott suggested it would be “best” for his gay sister’s children to be raised by a straight couple, his own daughter Frances spoke out for equality, appearing in a TV ad on the opposing side of the debate to her dad.
The ex-leader has taken his opposition to LGBT rights to surreal extremes, lashing out at “transgender marriage” and demanding censorship of a Macklemore performance over gay anthem ‘Same Love’.
The Equality Campaign last month released a video and image of former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, 87, backing the YES campaign for marriage equality.
