Scottish Catholic Observer

Although the deputy First Minister may claim no decision has yet been made, the fact that the consultation document says the Scottish Government is minded to support marriage between homosexuals makes that somewhat hard to believe.

Especially when one recalls the tidal wave of abuse received by SNP MSP John Mason from politicians of all stripes and the media for daring to put forward a parliamentary motion that said people should not be forced to endorse marriage between homosexuals against their will.

It is a sad fact that the demonisation of Mr Mason will likely discourage any other Scottish politician who may not be comfortable with this development from making their voice heard in this debate.

For surely there should be debate. After all what the Scottish Government seems to be proposing is a radical form of social engineering that will overthrow thousands of years of traditional marriage. Yet there seems to be little or no consideration of this or indeed anything but appeasing the rabidly aggressive homosexual lobby.

The Bishops of Scotland rightly point out that: “No government can rewrite human nature; the family and marriage existed before the state and are built on the union between a man and woman. Any attempt to redefine marriage is a direct attack on a foundational building block of society and will be strenuously opposed.”

Though marriage between homosexuals may be flavour of the week at the moment ultimately it is just a fad and it is only the true marriage between a man and a woman that will ultimately endure.

Though many in the Church are right to fear that our political classes have been bought and paid for by the homosexual lobby, and this public consultation is mere window dressing, ultimately we must assume the government is operating in good faith.

To that end, the Bishops of Scotland are right to take part in the public consultation and deliver strenuous opposition to this radical reshaping of family life in Scotland.

Indeed all Scottish Catholics should follow their example and make their own submissions to the consultation, submissions that detail the truth of Catholic teaching on marriage.

It should not be forgotten that the Catholic Church in this country won a mighty political victory last year in defeating Margo MacDonald MSP’s plans to legalise assisted suicide.

The lessons of that victory should not be forgotten as we take on this new threat.