Today the Government announced, as part of our commitment to advancing equality for lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGB&T) people – that religious buildings will be allowed to host civil partnership registrations.
The change, which will be entirely voluntary and will not force any religious group to host civil partnership registrations if they do not wish to do so, is being introduced as part of the Equality Act. It will give same-sex couples who are currently prevented from registering their civil partnership in a religious setting – the chance to do so.
As the Home Secretary says: ‘This Government is committed to both advancing quality for LGB&T people and ensuring religious freedom of religion for people of all faiths -which is why we will be allowing religious organisations to host civil partnership registrations if they choose to do so’.
The government’s LGB&T action plan, which was published last year, included a commitment to look at next steps for civil partnerships, and giving religious organisations the right to host registration is the first stage in that process.
We have also identified a real desire to move forwards to equal civil marriage and parnerships, and will be consulting further as to how legislation can develop, working with all those who have an interest in the area.
Over recent months I have spoken to many LGB&T people and campaign groups, and it quickly became clear that there is a real desire to address the differences between civil marriage and civil partnerships.
I have always been completely clear that equal rights means exactly that – the same rights not different rights.
So I am very, very pleased to be able to announce that we are going to be the fist British government to formally look at what steps can be taken to address this.
Lynne Featherstone 
I am gay and my boyfriend of five years recently accepted my proposal of marriage. I asked him if he would marry me, because marriage is what I want and feel for us, and using the term civil partner did not feel right. I think the introduction of civil partnerships was a positive step forward, and now it is time to take the subsequent steps to have equality in civil marriage. I am not religious but I think it important that religious establishments have the right to hold same sex marriages if so desired, by its leaders or congregation. My boyfriend and I are getting married in June 2012. As it stands, the piece of paper we sign will be that of civil partnership. I do very much hope and expect that the adjustments in legislation to rectify the inequality will permit my boyfriend and me to sign marriage papers at our wedding.
It is time to make same-sex ‘marriage’, same-sex marriage.
Thank you to all the supporters of this step towards equality.
What homosexuals need is therepy not society bending over backwards trying to make these freaks equal.
And regarding homosexual marriage then this should be banned – God hates the idea and in his church only the holy should be married.
If it goes through then every Bible believing Christian should rise up and use civil unrest to disrupt sodomites and lesbians from church building abuse.
What about Christian rights – why do pervert Lib Dems want to trample over our values?
Ban the bum marches should be announced.
Lib Dems always want Gay promotions by coming up the back passage – it is disgusting.
I am a homosexual man living in the UK, I look forward to the day when I can propose to the man I love and know that a full proposal is what I can offer them; not merely the same rights with a different wrapper.
I think it is fantastic that civil unions came in to play for people like me however I do not think I am being ungrateful or unfair when I ask that I be able to marry the man I love in a church surrounded by my friends and family;
I do not think that I am unjust in wanting the legal right to have a husband and not a “civil partner”.
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In regards to the comment left by Ray Crossman, I do not believe in attacking a person’s faith nor causing petty arguments over polls such as this however I found, upon visiting this particular poll; that your comment was upsetting, hypocritical and downright insulting.
I am a human, I am Christian – It is not your place to say if I am “good” or “bad”, if by your belief I am being immoral or perverted in God’s eyes then surely the almighty can cope with it and, in my opinion, he certainly doesn’t need petty people such as yourself to fight his battles. I love God, I love my family and I love a man from the deepest core of my heart and I will never allow people like you to tarnish that love.
Sodomy (derived from the biblical portrayal of human behaviour in Sodom and Gomorrah when man threatened to “know” male angels) – My opinion of this is that the immorality of the act was that the men wished to rape and sexually abuse the angels, I certainly do not believe that they wished to develop true love with and marry them.
On a separate note, you claim to be so holy and in a very specific example from the bible itself; “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”… Throw your stone at me and when the end comes you will see that you merely throw that stone at yourself.
The work that is being done by the Lib Dems, again this is only my opinion, shows that the party seems to be the only one with the proverbial balls to back such “drastic” change – I hope that you come to see that multi-sexual marriage is not a sin nor something you should judge as wrong for anyone other than yourself.
I am a gay Christian that believes in forgiveness, compassion and that I have the God-given right to love a man and call him my husband without interference from people like you.
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Moving on, I would just like to say belated congratulations to Alexander Clay and his (what I consider to be) husband – I’m sure that you’ll both be very happy and God bless! 🙂
What a surprise, the lib dems think by just changing the name they are actually making a difference. No new rights or benefits for the gay community. No closer to equality in reality and a major slap in the face for us who blazed the trail with civil partnerships. In other words once again the Lib dems trying to con and pull the wool over the publics eyes. Guess what you have been sussed! We have had gay marriage for years so do us all a favour and stop trying to con us! What you are doing is getting the backs of the majority of the gay community up! You are just relabelling and claiming credit that is not yours to claim.
My name is Iulen and I’m from Spain. I totally agree with gay marriage because love has not any frontier, aned every people should marry the person who loves freely. It doesn’t matter the sexual orientation, the only thing that is important in a married couple is respecting each other, hapiness, and obviously, love.
In my country, centre-right wing government party People’ Party (PP), unfortunately took to the Constitutional Court (the highest court in Spain) a resource of inconstitutionality about same-sex marriage ihn 2005. Nowadays, 50000 homoparental families are still waiting for its decission. There are two possible ways: yes or not. I’d be so happy if the judges said ”yes”… But if thay say ”no”, 50000 families (often with children) will be broken due to that… And the PP posibility to ban same-sex couples to adopt children. PP has 186/350 seats at the Lower House.
Holly Britain, in where people is about to let the same-sex marriage stay, even in churches! In Spain we’re coming back to the 70’s, and marrying in a church is almost impossible for same-sex couples!
Transformation.
Practicing homosexuality is a sin. It says so in the Bible.
But wait – are we all sinners? yes…even most hetrosexuals would agree they have gone against God’s will sexually.
So what are the options? Firstly one can stay in sin continue to practice un natural sex or for homosexuals keep sinning in adultary, promiscuity and buggery. Judgement will then come when we die and our eternal futures may well be in the lower plave – Jesus spoke about it many many times.
Jesus offers us all salvation – not by our own strengths but by allowing him to act for us and within us to be holy.
It comes with prayer and love for him, so let us be humble.
This life is all but a twinkling of an eye – there is an eternity to look forward to so let this distraction of “marriage” not become a demi God.
When jesus returns he wants a form of marriage called the wedding of the lamb with us – don’t miss the chance – Repent and ask him to come into your heart – see what happens it’s so exciting.