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Speak Up for Marriage > marriage Debate > What is missing from Bill Shorten’s latest SSM bill? > b-shorten

admin September 13, 2016

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  • Archbishop Stylianos and other church heads pen open letter over same-sex marriage bill fears to Malcolm Turnbull December 2, 2017
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  • Before the vote Turnbull quote: ‘Religious protections are more important than SSM…’ After the vote: legislate SSM now and worry about freedoms later! November 18, 2017

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Consequences of redefining marriage


It will impact on freedom of religion:
Did you know that this will affect what faith leaders will be able to preach, what schools will be able to teach, and how everyday Australians will be able to conduct their businesses in accordance with their beliefs?


It will impact on education:
You will not be able to oppose radical sex education programs like ‘Safe Schools’. If marriage is redefined, there are consequential changes in education programs and policies in schools, and parents are increasingly excluded from having a say in the sex education of their children. Canadian Greek parent Dr Steve Tourloukis’ request to remove his children from these lessons was refused by the school and the Supreme Court.


It will deprive children of a mother or a father:
If the definition of civil marriage is changed to include same sex marriage, this sends the message that it is acceptable for children to be raised without the presence of a mother or a father.


It will impact on freedom of speech:
In countries where marriage has been redefined people have been taken to court or lost their jobs for standing up for marriage as it has been understood until now. In Australia Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous was referred to the Anti-Discrimination Commission for teaching traditional marriage.

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Orthodox Marriage

The institution of Marriage and the Orthodox Christian family is foremost a course of love, secondly a course of common spirit and common exercise, thirdly a course of creativity, common creativity and continuation of life, and, fourthly a common course toward heaven, toward the heavenly kingdom. It is a calling of God, it is a joining of diversity that leads to perfection, and, therefore, the spouses become also joint heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3: 7).


His All Holiness
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew


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Our Orthodox view is contrary, not because we have hostile feelings towards our fellow citizens who think or decide differently, but because the proposed alteration to the traditional form of marriage, (between a man and a woman) is diametrically against the sacredness of marriage and of the family, as taught by the Christian faith and Greek Orthodox Tradition.


His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos


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Our purpose is not that government legislation should become a ‘tool’ to impose Christian ethics upon fellow citizens who do not share our beliefs. This of course would not be legitimate, given that we respect the free will of all. Rather, our concern is that the very institution of marriage, which has a Christian tradition of two entire millennia, should remain as it is, and not be confused with the political debate concerning the legal status of same-sex unions. However, marriage is much more than a legal convention or social tradition.


Episcopal Assembly of Oceania