I have this friend — an Indian guy — who likes Italian food, but isn’t fond of lasagna. He’s all for it in theory — cheese, noodles, sauce, great — but it’s it just isn’t for him. This leads me to believe that the majority of Indian people don’t care for lasagna. Which seems pretty sound.
That’s essentially the argument that the head of the Church of Ireland, the Archbishop of Armagh Richard Clark, is making against gay marriage.
See, he knows this gay couple in England. They have a civil union, and aren’t interested in marriage.
“They have been together for 40 years and are in civil partnership but don’t like the nomenclature of marriage” he said. I can understand that. They would have said when I was with Linda, ‘You two are married, we are not married’ – they can understand the difference between equality and equivalence.”
Well, I’m convinced, I don’t know about you. Guess we can finally shut the book on this one.
Or perhaps more likely Mr. Clark can’t quite grasp the difference between idiocy and tradition.
Lvng1tor
Maybe the conversation was had over a delicious chicken sandwich!
Cam
1. Hmmm, Well I have read about a clergyman from the Church of England that was a rapist. I guess that means they all are.
2. It is irrelevant if people want or will use their rights. Just because you happen to know a woman who doesn’t vote, it would be beyond stupid to say “Therefore women shouldn’t have the right to vote.”
3. That guy couldn’t look more gay if he had a dick in his mouth.
hyhybt
I don’t see how even faith plus knowing a couple that feels that way could genuinely lead to the conclusion he reaches. That so many would put so much effort over so long a period of time to get something they don’t want is absurd on its face.
Qjersey
I knew this priest once…who spent his free time on his knees in the local cruising park. Obviously priests don’t want celibacy.
I knew this other priest…he got convicted for child sexual abuse…
you get the drift
mcflyer54
It’s possible the Archbishop just misunderstood. Because I too do not want “gay marriage” I want marriage equality. I don’t want my same gender marriage to be gay, straight or anything other than marriage. Plain and simple, nothing extra, nothing special (except my super special partner), nothing different than every other marriage in entitled to.
gaym50ish
The gay couple in the UK can be happy with their civil union because in their country it comes with ALL the rights and privileges of marriage — and in fact it will soon convert to marriage anyway, in June I believe.
It is different here, because no civil union in any state in the US is equal to a marriage. Only marriage qualifies you for all the federal benefits under Social Security, tax law, military and veterans benefits, etc. Even in states that have “everything-but-marriage” civil unions, they are not recognized in every other state nor by the federal government.
It’s one thing to be happy with a civil union in the UK, but quite another in the US.
RomanHans
I’m lost. What’s the difference between equality and equivalence? Is he saying gays should settle for equivalence because we don’t deserve equality? He should share this view with his gay couple “friends.”
hyhybt
@RomanHans: It’s hard to tell, but I *think* he’s using “equality” to mean the separate institutions, and “equivalence” to mean treating two men or women as being the same as one of each.
pattygale
Hate to tell you, but if you had a conversation with ME, I’d tell you I don’t want heterosexual marriage and I’m straight…. Oh did I add that I meant FOR ME, because what possible impact should my opinion carry for all the other heterosexuals in the world who DO wish to marry? I mean, all those nasty divorces, kids being shuttled from one parent to another for holidays, having to get used to new mothers or dads, often a succession of them. Yep, marriage can be a real mess. To be fair, if gay people think they can do it better, well, let ’em try. They sure couldn’t screw it up any worse than we have. One last thought, I’m old enough to remember when some people wanted “separate but equal” education for blacks and whites. Hmmmm, too bad that didn’t work, either. Until the time comes that every single person on the planet is given the exact same rights as every other person, equality is just a buzz word.
Cy
Well, I guess my husband and I were completely mistaken in our desires. I’ll be sure to let him know on our 25th wedding anniversary.
toberlin
I shouldn’t ” tired “comment this ,so just a short cut : In Germany you can say we have same sex unions NOW because of Hitler.In our constitution “marriage” is per Definition between a MAN and a WOMAN and under special protection.There are a lot of legal barriers to change something in our constitution.Because Hitler just needed one law(“Ermächtigungsgesetz”) to put an end to democracy (“Weimarer Republik”).Maybe one day you will get a legal majority her to change the unions to marriage.Same sex unions are on equal terms with marriage beside (and for men who are gay important!) full adoption rights.Full adoption is anyway not easy in Germany (google it!).So the conservative party /Merkel blocked it.The SPD (second strongest party) is for Full Adoption rights for same sex couples.