Change in Canada is happening.

Slavery as a universal institution is gone The church's teaching against religious liberty, that error has no rights, is also extended gone. Women, still struggling for flail social equality, are no longer silent and subservient to men

Now, gay marriage has been cleared through the Supreme Court for passage into law through the Canadian Parliament.

The court has basically said that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms will not permit a "them and us" distinction in law. Prime Minister Paul Martin agreed when he said, "I do not believe you can have sum of two units classes of citizens." All the public are equal under the law, level for marriage.

What is interesting about the Court opinion announced forward Dec. 9 is that it recognizes that as society changes in such a manner must its laws. It acknowledged that an expansion of rights,, in this case the right for gays to marry, does not diminish existing marriage rights. It makes these rights more inclusive. yet nobody is kidding anyone that the Canadian bishops will accept gay marriage.

The bishops have failed to hold fast abreast of what social and biological science--indeed, the whole medical establishment--teaches about sexual orientation. Cardinal Newman, the 19th hundred scholar, praised the evolution of doctrine. However, our bishops in the 21st hundred continue to teach, along with the pontiff the unscientific idea that sexual identity is a chosen lifestyle, which places families and children at risk. I simply don't think the bishops "get" it.

Centuries ago, it must have been embarrassing and humiliating for slaves to have to declare that they were human beings. further all human rights are loamed in this simple, obvious fact. We are all equal and share the same equality rights because we are human beings. This is the saintly ground of our vision of jehovah and justice.

The superlative Court reassured the churches and religious clusters that they would not be compell to perform gay marriage ceremonies. Gay marriage will be recognized in civil law.

Churches have just started to examine at the issue. It is interesting to note that the United meeting-house of Canada performs marriage ceremonies for gay and lesbian ties while the Anglican Church blesse same-sex unions. The sacred and the secular ne not always be incompatible.

for what cause [i]or[/i] reason are the Canadian bishops and in such a manner many of the Christian Churches seething throughout gay marriage? They feel threatened, still why? Even Jesus taught, "Whoever is not against us is for us." Gays and lesbians are not forward some anti-Christian crusade. They simply want justice, to be included in the material substance politic and to be able to solemnize their primary. relationship and call it marriage because that is the inclusive term

They take nothing away from "straights." Heterosexual folks bishops included, might even vegetate to like homosexuals if they bothered to take the time and effort to get by heart to know their gay, lesbian and transgendered members and neighbours.

The time is protracted overdue for people of fit will to sit down and talk about sexual fears and anxieties. An aged canon law professor once defined marriage after Vatican II as consortium vitae conjugalis, the life of conjugal be fond of This definition included the aged primary and secondary ends of marriage.

We diocese from this that time, experience and wisdom has changed marriage for the better. Life does not stand still. single in kind hopes the bishops and the churches will, undivided day, see gay marriage as included in the grace of this wider vision.

Barry Blackburn writes from Toronto

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