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| Gay marriage proposal rejected by Stormont assembly members | Gay marriage proposal rejected by Stormont assembly members |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Assembly members have rejected a proposal that same-sex couples should have the right to marry. | Assembly members have rejected a proposal that same-sex couples should have the right to marry. |
| The motion was proposed by the Green Party and Sinn Fein. | The motion was proposed by the Green Party and Sinn Fein. |
| The DUP had tabled a petition of concern ensuring that the motion would have to command a cross-community majority to succeed. | The DUP had tabled a petition of concern ensuring that the motion would have to command a cross-community majority to succeed. |
| While 45 assembly members href="http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/plenary/details.aspx?&aff=2482&per=307&sel=1&ind=0&prv=0&doc=141962&pn=0&tab=5&sid=ms&cid=&cn=" >voted to back the move, only three in favour were unionists - UUP MLAs Michael Copeland, Danny Kinahan and Basil McCrea. | |
| Green Party MLA Steven Agnew said the motion was "simply about equality". | Green Party MLA Steven Agnew said the motion was "simply about equality". |
| Ahead of Monday's debate, the Presbyterian Church had written to all assembly members stating its opposition to any change in the current legal definition of marriage. | Ahead of Monday's debate, the Presbyterian Church had written to all assembly members stating its opposition to any change in the current legal definition of marriage. |
| In its letter, the Presbyterian Church said it was "not merely an issue of conscience for Christian people and churches, but a very significant one for the whole of society". | In its letter, the Presbyterian Church said it was "not merely an issue of conscience for Christian people and churches, but a very significant one for the whole of society". |
| It said gay marriage would "effectively demolish generations and centuries of societal norms established on Judaeo-Christian values". | It said gay marriage would "effectively demolish generations and centuries of societal norms established on Judaeo-Christian values". |
| "The steady erosion of such values, with minimal debate about the worldview replacing them, causes us the very greatest concern," it added. | "The steady erosion of such values, with minimal debate about the worldview replacing them, causes us the very greatest concern," it added. |
| The church argued it was not an equality issue, "as all of the significant legal benefits and rights available through marriage are already equally available through civil partnership". | The church argued it was not an equality issue, "as all of the significant legal benefits and rights available through marriage are already equally available through civil partnership". |
| However, Mr Agnew said gay Christians were being "denied rights and religious freedoms". | However, Mr Agnew said gay Christians were being "denied rights and religious freedoms". |
| "As the law stands at the moment, a couple without faith can get married in a church while a devoutly religious couple of the same sex cannot," he said. | "As the law stands at the moment, a couple without faith can get married in a church while a devoutly religious couple of the same sex cannot," he said. |
| "Whether a religious institution performs same-sex marriage ceremonies is a matter for the church involved, not the state. | "Whether a religious institution performs same-sex marriage ceremonies is a matter for the church involved, not the state. |
| "This is actually an extension of rights to religious institutions to make their own decisions on this issue. | "This is actually an extension of rights to religious institutions to make their own decisions on this issue. |
| "Therefore, the law preventing churches performing same-sex marriage ceremonies should be removed and instead legal protection should be given to churches to allow then to determine what they define as marriage." | "Therefore, the law preventing churches performing same-sex marriage ceremonies should be removed and instead legal protection should be given to churches to allow then to determine what they define as marriage." |
| Westminster is consulting on whether to allow gay couples in England and Wales to marry, while in Scotland the SNP government has announced plans to bring forward a bill on the issue. | Westminster is consulting on whether to allow gay couples in England and Wales to marry, while in Scotland the SNP government has announced plans to bring forward a bill on the issue. |