Religion told to halt weddings over gay rights
John Bingham ("The Telegraph," July 21, 2013)
Sikh temples have been advised to halt all civil marriage ceremonies on
their premises to protect them from possible legal challenges for refusing to
conduct same-sex weddings.
It is the first example of a religious group altering its marriage
practices to avoid potential litigation based on equalities or human rights
law.
Other groups, including the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church
and the orthodox Jewish organisation United Synagogue, also resisted the
legislation, but they have not indicated that they will go as far as to
surrender their marriage licences.
The Government has given repeated assurances that legal ­provisions
should prevent anyone being forced to act against their religious teachings.
The warning comes in a letter to Sikh places of worship, known as
gurdwaras, from Sikhs In England, a specialist advisory body.
It urges them to consider deregistering as a venue for civil weddings —
which would leave gurdwaras performing wedding rites with no legal force.
Couples would have to attend a separate ceremony in a register office or
other venue recognised by their local council.
Although the advice is not binding, it is understood that it is being taken
seriously.
Lord Singh, the director of the Network of Sikh Organisations, told the
House of Lords that he feared opponents of same-sex marriage would be “coerced”
into accepting the new legal definition of marriage.
The network also advised members that it believes faith groups could end up
being “bullied” into conducting same-sex marriages.
The same-sex marriage Act, which received Royal Assent this week, contains
provisions to prevent individuals and groups from being compelled to carry
out such unions, under a so-called “quadruple lock” of legal protections.
But Sikhs In England has told supporters that such assurances could be
swept away by a challenge in Strasbourg. Harmander Singh, principal adviser to
Sikhs In England, said: “We are concerned that the quadruple lock isn’t
going to be worth the paper it is written on.
“In the longer term, as soon as there is an issue and it goes to the
European Court of Human Rights, no one can be sure, because the quadruple lock
means nothing under subsidiarity.”
In common with many churches, mosques and synagogues, gurdwaras are
registered with councils as venues to conduct weddings.
It enables them to combine the civil formalities of the marriage with a
religious ceremony.
If Sikh places of worship deregister, it would lead to a situation similar
to that in France, where couples have a civil wedding at the town hall with
a church service as an optional extra.
“We have no authority, neither has the Government, to change our scriptures,
” said Mr Singh. “We are bound by our religious teachings and we have
been put in a difficult situation.”
He added: “Civil marriage is, with respect, a paper exercise.”
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