But the Catholic hierarchy seems to have disproportionate influence with the SNP government.Not who you'd probably first think. The Church's spokesman reaction was also surprising, "spirited", I think, is the best description!
But the Catholic hierarchy seems to have disproportionate influence with the SNP government.Not who you'd probably first think. The Church's spokesman reaction was also surprising, "spirited", I think, is the best description!
8 comments:
The Catholic church have never really played politics too well the few times they have tried to do so. A history of sailing under the horizen without creating too much fuss has created this legacy.
The one big issue where they should have fought harder was over the Catholic adoption agency. One of(if not the) the most succesfull child adoption groupings in the UK was forced to close because they refused to adopt out to homosexual couples. This was not an issue of outright discrimination but of conscience, putting the welfare of the child paramount.
The fact that the Scottish government responded to Tatchel's nonsense only shows that there seems to be heirarchy evolving in society. A kind of equality plus that puts us all to a disadvantage.
Final note regarding the SNP and the Church. If only the church would speak freely on occasion we might not have the mass sheep like voting for labour so prevalent amongst Scottish catholics. As evidenced by the latest result.
I have a lot of respect for tatchell, he lives up to the strength of his convictions, eg his attempt to arrest Mugabe and getting locked up in Moscow aftre the attempted Pride parade there.
But he does use a scattergun approach, case in point when he used an innocous alleged comment by Paul Scholes (called the ref a "poof"!)as a basis to put him though N. Korean style thought training. That's what tatchell has done here, attempted to rattle cages and I think the church and SNP spokesmen fell into the trap to be honest
What measure of influence would be deemed 'proportionate'? Surely the Church hierarchy have the right to lobby and campaign like any other voluntary society. What about the union influence on the Labour PArty?
Seems about right but the crucial question is why! Being gay has been a non issue for yonks, equality is accepted even when(like the Catholic adoption agency) it is not altogether straightforward an infringes on others.
I should add to my earlier comment. I do not advocate any church getting involved in politics per se. when we have people though who believe that they are sticking to tradition that is in the interests of both church and their political party. The church should disabuse them of this perhaps once valid belief.
But how many Scottish Presbyterians favor same sex marriage?
This is simply electoral cowardice on the part of the BNP.
Same sex marriage should be a fundamental human right throughout the EU.
Obviously the catholic church is going to oppose it, but I don't believe that is the reason for this issue.
Rory
Seems that your intentional mixing us in with 'racist nationalist' parties has worked Oneil going by Rory's fruedian.
Ah the power of suggestion, yikes don't tell me...............that is the new Unionist masterplan to hide the obvious lack of argument. Well muddying the waters does get a bit old.
Shane,
They are perfectly free to act as any other lobby group- it's when pressure is put on individual Catholic MPs eg has happened last(?) year over the Embryos' legislation that the line is crossed.
UU
There is an interesting debate amongst the Scottish Presbyterians at the minute re the ordination of gay clergy, if I can get the link I'll post it as it might be relevant to answering your question. And the party in question here is the SNP not the BNP;)
O'Neill, Tony,
I would like to say I was not singling out the SNP for electoral cowardice on this issue. I have not heard any major party in Ireland or the UK come out in favor of same sex marriage. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I don't pay too much attention to any of them.
Rory
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