Holyrood’s Shame

20 November 2013

Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament has debated and voted on the SNP Government’s Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill.

Stage 1 was the opening debate in the Scottish Parliament, with a vote in principle to progress legislation to redefine marriage to include homosexual couples.  It was passed by 98 votes to 15, with 5 abstentions.

Most supporters of redefining marriage put it within the context of equality.  This is not new.  Not only did George Orwell demonstrate in Animal Farm how equality is used as the methodology for change, but it is as old as the Bible itself, in which people complained that God’s laws were not equal.  The Lord’s response is that their ways were not equal, and so the rebellion against God’s laws continue to the present.

Alex Neil, the Minister who introduced the Bill, thought that this was one of the most wonderful debates in the Scottish Parliament.  He denied that it redefined marriage, but that it extended the eligibility of marriage to those who had been denied it.  Newspeak is much in evidence.  Jackie Baillie, a Labour MSP, called it “an idea whose time has come”.  Two Church of Scotland elders spoke in favour of the change.  Referring to the Bible, John Lamont, MSP,  said that we had moved on from Mark’s opposition to divorce and Timothy’s prohibition of wearing pearls or gold.  There is much to lament in Lamont’s interpretation of Scripture; and why did he not plainly say that it was Jesus’ teaching on divorce?  Some argued that we need to “accept people the way they are”.  This undermines the message and aim of the Christian Gospel, which teaches the need for people to change - to be born again in order to repent through faith in Jesus Christ.

If Christians wonder why we need specifically Christian MSPs, they might consider the number of homosexual MSPs who spoke in favour of redefining marriage.  Patrick Harvie, MSP, argued that “we” (he didn’t explain who these were, but it seemed to be the Holyrood Parliament, which he was addressing) should confront and defeat the arguments against homosexuality.  He said that he did not regard marriage to be the gold standard relationship.

The homosexual lobby want to take matters further.  Marco Biagi, MSP, said that this Bill is not the last stage in this debate because of transgender issues.  If Christians are unsure what this means, they may note that on BBC’s Question Time programme on 31/10/2013, one of the panelists was introduced as advocating “the right to change one’s gender”.  This goes beyond the question of identifying one’s biological gender, but to change one’s gender.

Highland MSP John Finnie’s support for redefining marriage included dismissing the conscientious objection of Registrars opposed to homosexual partnerships and saying that they “need to get on with it”.  No Highland MSP raised their voice in support of real, or traditional, marriage.

Several MSPs referred to the spirit being adopted towards those who opposed redefining marriage, and Elaine Smith, MSP, said: “Since indicating that I did not intend to support the redefinition of marriage, my religion’s been disparaged, I’ve been branded homophobic and bigoted, I’ve been likened to the Ku Klux Klan and it was suggested that I be burnt at the stake as a witch.”

Scotland will learn the hard way.

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