Tuesday December 18, 2012, 5:26 am
Thought that they were planning on exempting their own churches, but not others?

Tuesday December 18, 2012, 8:16 am
Actually, in a very odd way....I agree with them.

Any church should be able to "opt out" and not marry a same-sex couple.

BUT....same-sex marriage should be legal and free of discrimination.

Sounds as if THE RELIGION OF THE PERPETUALLY OFFENDED is tooting its horn again.

Tuesday December 18, 2012, 8:44 pm
Thanks Cal for the link to the article. I have no idea why they are raising such a stink about this. They have the right to "opt" as the bill plainly states and not marry same sex couples. Read and noted.

Tuesday December 18, 2012, 11:24 pm
This figures. I am so sick of religion.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 12:06 am
Thanks Cal.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 12:37 am
Noted - thank you!

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 2:42 am
Noted, thanks.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 5:28 am
The Muslim Council seem to want a LAW that makes it ILLEGAL for Muslim mosques to marry Gay couples - not just to be able to "choose" not to marry Gay couples! as far as I can tell...

This would preclude that some day, there might BE a LIBERAL MOSQUE that would WANT to marry Gay couples. Heck, there could be such a liberal mosque even NOW - one that is NOT a "member" of the Muslim Council!!!
Many individual Muslims are much more progressive in their thinking, than the reactionaries of their religion. {Just like many Catholics don't at all agree with the Vatican or with the Conference of Catholic Bishops.}

So it is not beyond reason, that some day, in the UK, there would be a Muslim Gay couple who would want to get married, AND some progressive Muslims who would LIKE to marry them in a mosque!
As far as I can tell, the reactionaries want a law to PREVENT that from being able to happen...
WHAT BIGOTED JERKS!!!!!

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 5:46 am
"But the Culture Secretary has made it expressly illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to conduct same-sex weddings."

In other words, in the UK by 2014, Gay Marriage will be LEGAL - but the Church of England {a State Church, remember, something we don't have in the U.S.}, will be FORBIDDEN to perform one! Other churches, ok, a Justice of the Peace, ok, other religions, if they want to...
It is a bit unclear what the Muslim Council wants, so I am interpreting, above.
I think they want what the Church of England has! licensed bigotry!
"The Muslim Council of Britain, which represents 500 mosques and community organisations throughout the country, claimed the law was "utterly discriminatory".They insisted that mosques and other religious centres under its control should be exempted." So, what exactly do they MEAN by "exempted"???

There may be, and probably are, OTHER MOSQUES AND RELIGIOUS CENTERS IN THE UK, WHICH ARE NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE MUSLIM COUNCIL. Islam is de-centralised, NOT like the Catholic Church, or the Church of England for that matter, who both have a central Hierarchy.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 9:13 am
Ugh

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 12:43 pm
Once again, religion shows the fastest route to ignorance and stupidity.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 1:56 pm
Just asking....why do some move into someone elses culture and then try to change it to replicate their's. Isn't that rude.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 2:36 pm
The law of any country is binding and -all citizens should abide by them -you cannot live under a dual system and function properly -especially the cruel law's of Sharia.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 4:44 pm
The bill already contains the opt out clause from what I can tell. Then again homosexuality does occur in Islam; even among those who are married. It's a double standard. Maybe they should put their own house in order before trumpeting how righteous they are.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 5:45 pm
Yet another thing these bigots have in common with America's own RWNJ's: Objecting to gay marriage based on their own narrow mined and bigoted 'religion'.

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 5:51 pm
In "the Telegraph," alongside the referrred to article, was one on panic spreading across the world regarding the Mayan Apocalypse.
This imbecility, and gullibility, are the kinds of things responsile for the likes of Scientology, born of science fiction, via a scince fiction writer, Mormonism, born of the science fiction of a conviced con-man, Joseph Smith, and so much more.
See Karen Armstrong's "A History of God."

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 5:55 pm
noted

Wednesday December 19, 2012, 7:31 pm
Probably want exception to wife beating too.

Thursday December 20, 2012, 2:17 pm
I think churches and other religions should be given the choice to hold gay marriages, however there should not be exemptions to every religion. There are churches in the Christian religion who are angry that they are banned from performing gay marriages. Give every place of worship the right to choose for themselves. It is time to accept gay marriage and for people to treat everyone with respect and for the law to be equal. Marriage isn't the property of religions. Atheists marry in registry offices and other places nowadays and without any religious element.

Thursday December 20, 2012, 9:11 pm
If they are allowed to opt out, which obviously they should be, then it would seem that should be good enough.

Friday December 21, 2012, 2:07 am
I think that Muslim leaders should take an exemption from the UK. Pack the bags and go somewhere that suits the mindset of those stuck in the dark ages. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Sunday December 23, 2012, 4:29 pm
The Muslims take their religion seriously. Wish people took Christianity seriously.

Tuesday December 25, 2012, 4:39 pm
BMutiny is right. This campaign is to make ALL mosques not being allowed to conduct same-sex marriage.

Wednesday December 26, 2012, 8:31 am
Perhaps the real solution is to eliminate marriage.

Wednesday December 26, 2012, 10:46 am
The first HUGE mistake Britain made is allowing a "Muslim Council" Who ever heard of giving immigrants any other rights than the rights of the country they CHOSE to live in?
If the right people were in power, this would have never gone this far. If Maggie Thatcher had any idea what has happened to her country, she would be rolling heads quicker than Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I combined.

Wednesday December 26, 2012, 7:26 pm
Thanks

Thursday December 27, 2012, 5:28 am

Noted

Monday December 31, 2012, 12:00 am
B Mutiny is correct in that the Church of England and the Church in Wales are not allowed to perform same-sex marriages. It's not that they can opt in or out. Why is that? Has somebody got their knickers in a twist?

All churches should be equal under the law with an opt in/out option. But likewise, marriage equality is a must. Marriage is not a religious rite. It can be performed civilly.

Tuesday January 1, 2013, 9:25 am
noted