Balancing the same-sex marriage debate

On the ABC’s Mediawatch, Paul Barry questioned whether the opponents of same-sex marriage (SSM) were getting a fair hearing after several media outlets chose not to run an ad arguing for traditional marriage.

To provide balance across the media spectrum and to help Barry and Mediawatch rest a little easier, here are the top five arguments against SSM by Peter Kentley from Christian Federation, who was the only one nice enough to make the time for a sitdown at a moment’s notice.

1. A husband and wife is the foundation of the family.
   “Historically, for thousands and thousands of years, a family relationship between a husband and wife has been the basis for the procreation of children and for the establishment of the family as a nuclear basis of developing a nation. So,with same-sex marriage you disrupt that husband and wife relationship which societies have been built on for thousands of years.”
2. A child has a right to know who they are.
   “It’s tremendously important that people and children know who they are and who their biological mum and their biological dad is. Recently when Kevin Rudd was prime minister we had apologies for the stolen generation and yet now people are proposing to bring in new legislation which will take children, by surrogacy or by adoption, away from their biological parents and we’re just going to create another stolen generation of children disconnected from their biological parents.”
3. Biological love is better.
   “There is no substitute for the love that comes from the biological parents. A biological mum and a biological dad always have a much greater degree of love, affection and care for children than a step-father or step-mother or a homosexual person who comes in to a family relationship, in a blended sense, who is not biologically connected with the children.”
4. Traditional marriages are more secure.
   “Studies have established that in homosexual relationships the number of relationships that a homosexual person will have with people of the same sex is vastly multiplied compared with the normal relationship you have within a monogamous relationship. So, where ever possible – of course we’re never going to achieve perfection – but for wherever possible, we need to encourage monogamous relationships for children rather than children growing up in homes with multiple relationships.”
5. For the sake of our democracy.
   “We know from 10 years of experience in Canada, where same-sex marriage has been legalised, they have moved again and again towards human relations commissions where people who speak or use any language which is politically incorrect, according to the dogmas of same-sex marriage, can be fined. They can be even jailed. It’s even gone as far as schools carrying out audits of children of what language the parents are using at home. And so we lose in our democracy freedom of speech and freedom of religion if same-sex marriage becomes the new dogma of society.”

So, there you have it. The next time Paul Barry or anyone else tries to tell you that those opposed to SSM are never given a voice you can forward this article on to them.

It should be noted that there was an editorial request for balance in this piece – a counter and balancing voice to Kentley. Well, it would have just doubled the word count, so instead, please enjoy a video of a black pastor preaching about the dangers of discrimination.

Watch the video and leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Pastor Dewey Smith – Homosexuality

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