The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Local church leaders were stressing a need to uphold the traditional definition of matrimony yesterday in light of a potential court challenge to demand Manitoba recognize same-sex marriages. Winnipeg's Karen Busby, a board member of a national gay rights group, has announced that 10 homosexual couples in Manitoba are prepared to go to court over the issue, with court papers to potentially be filed in May or June. The announcement brought home the hot-button debate to Manitobans, who have watched two other provinces, Ontario and B.C., legalize same-sex marriages. "Marriage being a union of one man and one woman for life is a concept endorsed by most cultures, societies and religions in the world," said Pastor Doug Smith of the Flin Flon Alliance Church. "Marriage is a primary building block of the family and the family is the basis of our society as we know it. To try to redefine the definition of marriage to include homosexuals will not strengthen this institution but rather weaken it and cloud its meaning." Aside from going against traditional beliefs, Pastor Smith said same-sex marriages are not supported by the majority of Canadians. One CBC poll found that 45 per cent of Canadians would vote "Yes" in a referendum to change the definition to include same-sex couples. Pastor Smith suggested the government could adopt a label other than marriage Ñ perhaps "civil union" Ñ to differentiate gay unions from traditional marriages. "That's an option that would avoid confusing the institution of marriage and still allow homosexual relationships to be recognized," he said. While adamantly opposed, Pastor Smith doesn't hold out much hope that the traditional definition of marriage will be preserved. Gays and lesbians, he said, have a powerful lobby and as such, their voices are heard much more loudly than those of traditionalists. "My honest opinion is that (same-sex marriage advocates) won't have to fight very hard (in Manitoba)," said Pastor Smith. Whether it's the provincial or federal level, Reverend Mark Ramshaw of the Amisk Lake Christian Fellowship in Denare Beach isn't any more optimistic. "If we look at the present governments that we have, there's only one possible choice who stands against (same-sex marriage), and that's (Conservative Party leadership hopeful) Stephen Harper," he said. Asked whether religious views should have an impact on the debate, Reverend Ramshaw said marriage existed long before government and "transcends something that's either legal or not." Reverend Ramshaw thinks churches may one day be taken to court for refusing to recognize same-sex marriages but said they must stay true to what they believe. In the view of Pastor Brian Gold of the Flin Flon Pentecostal Assembly, older people tend to oppose same-sex marriages more often than younger people, and to him, the older people are the segment of the population that must be heard. "I always ask, 'Where's the wisdom in our society?' It's in older people," he said, adding that the same label should not apply to two "fundamentally" different types of relationships. "It's difficult to explain to my children," added Pastor Gold. "When they hear that two men or two women have gotten married, how do I say that your parents are married and these two men are also married? I think there's going to be a big question raised in the child's head about how can that be." Pastor Dan Brazeau of the First Baptist Church said neither he nor his church supports same-sex marriage or formal recognition of homosexual relationships. "I stand on the position that the Bible holds in relation to same-sex marriages, and I certainly am opposed," he said. Pastor Brazeau said it appears as though same-sex marriages are going to be a reality, like it or not, but believes churches will be able to stand their ground without being ridiculed. See 'Beliefs' P.# Con't from P.# Supporters of same-sex marriages argue that laws against homosexual marriage are a form of discrimination and that religious beliefs have no place in government affairs. Some proponents have compared laws against same-sex marriage to laws that once prevented interracial couples from tying the knot. A successful bid by gay rights advocates would turn Manitoba into the third province in the country to legalize same-sex marriages, after Ontario and B.C. Last September, about 40 residents gathered on the steps of Flin Flon City Hall for a rally in support of traditional marriages. It was part of nationwide demonstrations involving some 370,000 Canadians coast-to-coast. The same-sex marriage debate in the United States took a significant twist this week when President George W. Bush announced support for a Constitutional amendment to preserve the traditional definition of matrimony. The announcement came amid the City of San Francisco's decision to issue marriage license to gay and lesbian couples even though California law prohibits it.
