Muslims demand Gay Marriage exemption

Afrik Update

               

Muslim leaders have demanded the same legal exemptions as the Church of England in legislation to introduce gay marriages.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), with more than 500 affiliated mosques, charities and schools, said it was "appalled" by "utterly discriminatory" legislation on same-sex marriage set out by the government.

The proposals would allow faith groups to conduct gay marriages but would ban the CofE and the Church in Wales from doing so.

The Equality Act 2010 would be amended to ensure no discrimination claim could be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple. 

The legislation will also explicitly state that it will be illegal for the CofE and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples, she said. As the established church, CofE vicars must marry any eligible couples regardless of their faith.

Under the Church of England's canon law, marriage is defined as between a man and a woman. Any change to this to introduce same-sex unions would have to be approved by the General Synod of the Church of England.

Source:Guardian