Why I am for same sex marriage.

So, there’s been a lot of debate in various countries about allowing same sex couples to marry. As usual, the religious fundamentalists are coming up with all kinds of stupid and illogical reasons why it will destroy the world as we know it.  The wonderful folks at the Coalition for Equal Marriage have produced a brilliant flowchart refuting pretty much every argument against it, and I urge you to look at it. They summarise the arguments far more succinctly and humourously that I could ever hope to.It can be found here: http://www.c4em.org.uk/wp-content/themes/c4em/assets/images/ssm.png

To summarise: If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get one. But don’t use your religion as an excuse to deny others equality. I’ll actually respect you more if you have the guts to say “I don’t want marriage equality because I think gay people are icky and they’ll pass their gayness on to me.” rather than hiding behind your religion and saying “God doesn’t like it.” How do you know what God likes? Have you asked him? I thought not…

About me and my blog.

I am a female, heterosexual, left wing atheist. I was raised as a Church of England Christian, but I have, for several years now, thought that organised religion and belief in a higher deity is nonsensical and absurd. However, I will respect your right to believe in whatever you want, provided that you don’t use your religion as an excuse to be a bigot and prevent others from having equal rights, or to start wars just because you think another group of people are heathens. Most religious people I know are sensible, rational and lovely people, but as usual, a vocal, idiotic minority give them a bad name.  Last time I checked the Bible, I’m pretty sure one of the 10 Commandments was “Love thy neighbour as thou loves thyself.” Anyone who uses the Bible to preach hatred, is failing pretty spectacularly at

To summarise my beliefs:

I am pro abortion. If you don’t like them, don’t get them, but don’t stop other people having them. I think the so called “pro life” protesters who harass vulnerable women outside abortion clinics are some of the lowest scum in society.

I am pro same sex marriage. No religious organisation which doesn’t want to bless same sex marriages should be forced to, but just because some religious organisations think gay people are icky (which is the truth, if we’re being honest) doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be allowed to get married. As before, if you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get one, but don’t use your religion to stop other people getting married.

I believe in the separation of Church and State. State sponsored religion is unequal by its very definition.

I believe in equality for all regardless of gender, skin colour, disability, sexual orientation, faith or lack of and pretty much anything else you can think of.

I am anti “faith schools” If parents want their child indoctrinated into a religion, they should do that in their own time. Schools should be a place to learn in an unbiased fashion about all religions.

Things I like

http://www.humanism.org.uk/home – The website of the British Humanist Association.

www.c4em.org.uk – Coalition for Equal Marriage. Pushing for marriage equality in England and Wales. The Scottish sister campaign is at www.equalmarriage.org.uk

www.secularism.org.uk - Campaigning to end religious privilege in the UK.

www.reverendsue.com – A wonderful American interfaith minister, who respects everyone’s beliefs, Christian or not, and campaigns for LGBT equality. Find her on Twitter: @ReverendSue