The fact that fifty years on [after the decriminalisation of homosexuality] the Church is seen as enemy No 1 of gay people is a disaster, both for our own morale and for our mission to the country. We have become the last refuge of prejudice.”
Dr Jeffrey "Elton" John, Dean Of St Albans.
Quoted in The Times.
They don't say so, but I get the feeling* this must come from a talk he's given/giving, but it's currently UnGooglable.
It's a quiet day in the papers for once on the gay marriage front - thank feck - though it leads The Guardian letters page.
One reader brings up what I'm now calling "The South African Option";
"It involves two changes. The first would be to remove all legal significance from the word marriage and the second would be to make civil partnerships the only union recognised by the state. Those in such partnerships (a man and a woman, two men, or two women) would gain the present advantages given to those now married under the present system.
"The word marriage could then be defined and used by any of the groups without any conflict with a legal definition. Christian marriage and gay marriage are two possible usages that spring to mind, but the only relationship with legal significance that could be had would be a civil partnership. Each side would feel that they had lost something, but it could not be denied that there would be equality."
This is essentially what they did in South Africa - the oft-repeated claim that they introduced "gay marriage" is not strictly true.
I increasingly believe this would be the best option.
It's not a compromise - it just takes the matter out of the hands of both God and the state.
* Not least because The Times mentions the story about John suing the Church of England for discrimination - something he has never said - and don't ask about it.
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