Politics
Tuesday November 18, 2008
Leftist Party in Sweden Proposes to Force Christian Pastors to Perform Homosexual 'Weddings'
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By Jonquil Frankham
SWEDEN, November 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Sweden’s Left Party, which holds 22 out of 349 parliamentary seats, is advocating legislation that will force pastors to perform homosexual “marriages,” should homosexual "marriage" be legalized in the country.
Sweden’s coalition government is currently in negotiations over a new marriage law. Under the proposal, Swedish pastors and other officials will be permitted to refuse to perform "marriages" for homosexual couples. Lars Ohly, leader of the Left Party, however, has said that this arrangement is unacceptable.
“In the long run it’s inappropriate to allow discrimination like this. We don’t think that someone should be allowed to refuse to wed same-sex couples,” said Ohly.
Current Swedish law does not permit homosexual coupes to have church “weddings,” but does permit so-called “civil unions.” So far, the Christian Democrat Party, which forms part of the coalition government, has held firm in opposition to a gender-neutral marriage law.
The parties composing the coalition government, with the exception of the Christian Democrats, will table their marriage bill shortly. Should the legislation be passed, same-sex “marriage” would be permitted in Sweden beginning May 2009.
According to Sweden’s The Local, the Lutheran Church in Sweden will bless civil unions between homosexuals, though it will not call these unions “marriages.” Under Ohly’s proposal, a pastor or official who refused to “marry” a homosexual couple could have his right to perform weddings removed entirely.
For more on this issue, see:
Left Party: 'force pastors to perform gay weddings'
http://www.thelocal.se/15612/20081111/
Government remains divided over same-sex marriage
http://www.thelocal.se/15484/20081105/
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Sweden Considers "Gender Neutral Marriage" Law
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08110610.html
Sweden Mulls Law Allowing Gay-Marriage in Civil and Religious Ceremonies
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jul/07070307.html
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