[Russ]

I'm sorry, but that's just dodging the question

Because it's not a question I feel I can answer with a straight yes or no.

It seems you're saying that you will not object to marriages in any churches whose beliefs (or whatever) agree with yours, but (from subsequent messages) you won't recognise *any* marriages (and not just homosexual marriages) as "proper" from *any* Church that you don't agree with (or, indeed, civil ceremonies).

No I didn't say that. I did not say I object to marriages from any church I don't agree with, I'm saying I don't accept civil ceremonies as marriage, or any other ceremony considered as marriage which does not include what I feel 'qualifies' as true marriage.

Now whilst you're entirely free to hold your own beliefs and opinions, don't you think this is just a *little* narrow minded or possibly even arrogant?

You might think so but I certainly don't. However if I discriminated against someone, was negative towards or judged them based on them having such a civil ceremony then you might have a point.

You object to others saying "You're wrong!" yet what you are doing, no matter how politely you care to phrase it, is saying that "we're the only ones who are entitled to call it marriage because we're the only ones doing it right!"

If I was saying it as confrontational as that then you may have a point.

You say subsequenly: "As long as God recognised my marriage, I couldn't care what others thought" but do you think your religion really gives you the right to tell everyone else that, because they haven't got married in a way that agrees with what *your* particular interpretation of what God will recognise, they're actually *not* married at all??

No, my religion does not give me the right to say that, it's my right to have an opinion which gives me the right to say it. This is not about my religion, I've felt this way for long since before I found God.

Oh, BTW, re: "go back and read the thread (something that certain people don't like doing when discussing such matters with me)" Russ, how many times are you going to sling this sort of vague accusation around? If you want to complain about a particular person, please have the good manners, not to mention the courage, to name names.

Believe me Graham, I will name names. I don't fear you in any way and if I have something to say about directly, you can be sure I will say to you.

And, for my part, that viewpoint is one that I am questioning (note, not "attacking"). He states that he will only recognise certain types of marriage, well that's his right, but whilst he has the right to hold that viewpoint doesn't mean that the rest of us should either have to accept it or *not* question it or object to it simply because it's "religious".

I've never said anyone has to accept it. I've said time and time again my view on this is not due to religion.