Gay marriage would ‘fly in the face of God’

GAY people should not be allowed marry because it would “fly in the face of God” and recognise “evil practices,” an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.

It was the fourth day of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution’s public hearings on family rights.

The groups also opposed gay adoption, with one saying a child could be adopted by a homosexual couple for “pervert reasons”.

These views were rejected by the Gay Catholic Caucus, who called on the committee to recommend the Constitution be changed to allow gay couples to marry and adopt children.

Muintir na hÉireann told the committee that gay marriage would “fly in the face of God”.

“Homosexuals by their relationship itself cannot produce children, therefore they have no need of marriage,” Muintir na hÉireann spokesman Richard Green said. The group also said gay people should not be allowed adopt. “It would mean a 16-year-old who was homeless could be adopted by a homosexual couple for pervert reasons,” Mr Green added.

A second group, Brethren, who described themselves as a Christian fellowship, also said gay people should not be allowed marry.

“To put natural and unnatural immoral relationships on the same level as marriage would be an affront to God and would undermine the whole moral foundation of society,” Brethren stated in their submission.

The Gay Catholic Caucus said these groups were basing their arguments on the premise that God says homosexuality is bad.

“But being gay is good and my experience is that God has created me as good,” Gay Catholic Caucus spokesman Thomas Giblin said.

Mr Giblin rejected the claim that gay couples could adopt children for “pervert reasons”.

“If that happened it would be disgraceful and it is unfair to put this tag on gay people because it just instils fear and prejudice,” Mr Giblin added.

Meanwhile, committee chairman Deputy Denis O’Donovan confirmed gardaí were investigating the harassment of committee staff.