Marriage Equality

Down here in Australian, we are currently being asked to vote on marriage equality, and it is really causing quite a stir.

In a nutshell, although same sex couple have the same rights as defacto couples, the big difference is that married couples enjoy additional legal rights. Defacto couples have the choice of marrying or not, whereas same sex couples cannot.

Here’s a post I put on Facebook earlier, and I thought I’d open the question to all my wordly Sotonians for their views.

WARNING ### This is a long post and may offend those of you with a sensitive nature, and if that is the case I wouldn’t advise reading the rest of the post…

Now, virtually all of my facebook posts are non-offensive or encouraging (or at least I try to be), so I apologise if this offends anyone (feel free to delete me if it does), but for the sake of my sanity, can somebody PLEASE tell me a verifiable, rational reason (not just some random youtube video or the rantings of a lunatic or bigot) for the NO vote?

I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion regardless of my own views, but some of the reasons I’ve seen so far have been, quite frankly, ludicrous. Opinions seem very divided, but for the life of me, I have yet to see any honest or genuine ones. If you are homophobic, just say so. To date, I’ve not seen one person who has aired that viewpoint (which would be very brave in the current climate, I agree), but some of the ones I have seen (and I’ve probably missed some others) are:

* The “No” camp are bullying me into voting their way and have threatened violence against people who vote “Yes”.

  • Yes, I have to agree there are some extreme people out there. However, they are in both camps but because you already have a tendency to vote “No”, you aren’t looking for any examples of violent or threatening people who want to vote “yes”

* the “No” camp sent me a text message I didn’t want.

  • fair enough, that is a bit annoying, but the government also sent you a postal vote you probably didn’t ask for either. It’s also quite likely that in the next election you will get spammed both electronically and via snail mail from pretty much everyone. It’s also illegal not to vote, so that’s going to put you in quite a dilemma!

* “marriage” is a sacred christian word. -

  • Please. Firstly, the word didn’t originate within Christianity, so no, you can’t claim it!
    You make a fair claim about the sanctity of the christian marriage ceremony if that is your faith, but the actual WORD is used by multi faiths (including those that permit multiple partners), and is also used to describe the joining of inanimate objects. If your faith objects to the ACTUAL ceremony - you needn’t be concerned as your faith will not be forced into any ceremony that is against its beliefs. The vote for marriage equality is a legal entity NOT a religious one.

* Schools will enforce a sex ed program that shows children dildo’s and will teach them all about gay sex and to experiment with their own sexuality

  • Whether schools do that or not is an issue that I can see may cause offence (and if that is the case, then protest against that as vigorously as the law allows) , but it has nothing at all to do with marriage equality!

* The government has a hidden agenda and that the next step is to make paedophilia legal.

  • I can’t believe the stupidity of some people. Just as a reference here - both paedo’s and murderers already have the “Right” to marry (as long as they chose a partner of the opposite sex of course). Even if the Government DID have that in their minds (I can’t believe I even had to say that - be sensible, people), rest assured if that ever comes to a vote it will most definitely be a NO result!

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@smiler you Posted that on Facebook ?

and expected no Backlash ?

I am now out of this thread with wonderous ???

Pain and suffering should be available to everyone regardless of which side you bat for.

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I never said I wasn’t expecting backlash! Lol

Every example I mentioned could be found amongst other “friends” posts. I actually keep my Facebook friends list pretty tight, so I was quite surprised at the general naivity amongst people I thought I knew better.

And possibly made compulsory for a minimum mandatory timescale so everyone can understand the misery…

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Wow. Where to start in this debate. But well done Smiler for pointing out a lot of nonsense.

I have strong views on the subject globally (which I will get to later).

The PROBLEM with Marriage Equality (and Gay Marriage in general) is very very simple. The People of this Planet follow a Doctrine of Beliefs - it’s called religion, and it has driven humankind since the year dot.

The problem is that mainstream Religion “preaches” that Marriage is a Holy Union (and derivatives of that).

So to be “In favour” of equality means you have to “rebel” against the teachings of your religion - and for MANY people that means their core beliefs.

You cannot dismiss a NO vote and claim it is only about Legal Equality, they are mutually exclusive. To a “Believer” Marriage Equality is not allowed (at best) or to be punished by Stoning or Flogging (at worst).

The Law defies God then it is a bad law. Sorry, it is not debatable.

Now, some Religions can find “work-arounds” down here we are used to that every day when we go drink a beer or watch some decent shagging on Narcos or GoT. But my Mother is a devout Christian and still goes to Church (about 10 times a day tbf as she has Alzheimers and forgets she’s been) but she still has nightmares about John Inman. To her it is WRONG and the Law is WRONG. And she is right. FFS The Pope is only now letting believers use Condoms to stop Aids whereas Poland is now restricting the sale of them and banning abortions and jailing any Citizen who leaves the COuntry to have one NO MATTER WHAT the circumstances.

And you want a LEGAL RIGHT? Not a BELIEF?

But then, luckily I am a believer in the “Unifying Force” of Something out there, but I am NOT religious. I understand the value of Religion but I do not need their PROCESS in my life.

I am fully in favour of Equality in Marriage, and I fully understand that “The Unifying Force” or Nature or whatever determines some people are different and so why the hell shouldn’t they be allowed to Marry and be Equal under Law.

I’ve watched many posts from Aussie FB pals and the problem you lot have is Brexit. Politicos make decisions about their position based on what would be best to keep their job. It means they spout bollocks.

Seems to me from what I have read is that neither side have made a clear and simple case and no doubt at some point an Aussie Politico is gonna paint the side of a Bus with the amount of Tax Credits they can give back to Education by Voting no.

Enjoy your fucking mess and I’m sure the Barmy Army will offend everyone with songs about it all in a few weeks

This is such a simple issue for me as non-religious…if you want to marry, marry. Legally, everyone should have equal rights under the law.

If you’re religious and you object, OK…but personally I think you should just go fuck yourself.

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Mrs BS reckoned that when same sex marriage was introduced into the UK, it was all a money-making scam. She reckoned that all those couples who had had civil partnerships and lavished a load of money of the ceremony would do the whole thing again but thios time to get ‘married’.

All are equal, laws are above God, that is all there is to it.

Other than our law book was written in the main by God botherers in Victorian times and still have that element of thinking in them.

When I got my first mortgage back in the 70s married couples were given a tax break. Now, of course, that is discrimination and used to really piss me off as I wasnt married and didnt get the benefit (as didnt those who lived together but chose not to get married). Eventually that perk was abolished and the tax break was dropped. Yay. Bottom line is total equality. If two people want to get married it is of no business of anybody else (so long as they are of age). You dont have to get married by a church ceremony anymore so it has nothing to do with religion. If a same sex couple want to get married in church they should be allowed to do so. People who think otherwise need to realise that we are living in the 21stc, not stuck in some Amish time warp.

WHta’s gobsmacked me the most about @smiler 's post is that it’s illegal NOT to vote!!

How the fuck are they going to enforce that? Fines? Jail time?

I can see a lot of spoiled ballots.

I like that idea as long as there is a box for “none of the above.” We assume that when people dont vote that they cant be bothered or are withholding a vote in protest. At least we would know for sure the numbers who were voting against the candidates as a whole. If the voting majority came out against any of the above perhaps they might consider reforming the electoral system!!

(Yes I know, not going to happen)

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This vote is not compulsory, and is totally anonymous (which also opens itself up to manipulation), but I was referring to general elections where it is compulsory and people do get fined if they fail to vote.

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Ah right @smiler , thanks.

This is what my Aussie cousin posted on his FB page last week…

25 Logical Reasons To Vote No!

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