5 live interview with Cardinal Keith

[Squawk]

Best interview I've heard from a religious figure. This interview can't help but have shown the idiots in the church to be exactly what they are, a set of bigoted and outdated morons.

Love the stuff about "natural law", when what he really means is "what my book says". I listened to this live while lying in bed this morning, made me smile all the way to work.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00pq2cq

 

[nudger1964]

the whole debate (wider) seems an aweful kerfuffle about the meaning of a word.
cant common sense prevail...all civil partnerships are the same, a civil marrage...religious institutions have the right to set their own rules for their religious marriage..
job done

 

[Squawk]

The definition of the word marriage is not really the issue with that interview. I've actually spoken in favour of the preservation of the word marriage to refer to a man and woman in the past due to the explanatory power the word marriage actually has (ie, refer to a married couple and you already know what to expect). I've recently changed my mind on the issue, but it's not a big deal for me and never has been.

The argument that swayed my mind was the notion of how one would refer to their current state if in a gay marriage, having previously been in a straight marriage. I could just envisage it going something like:

I used to be married to Bob, but now I'm married to Lauren.

That makes sense, carries meaning, and nobody is left in the dark. Works for me.

The rest of his rant is the best bit.

 

[KittenKoder]

Sorry, but I have to use the exact same argument I do against censorship based on words. A word is only meaningful to the person reading/hearing it. Thus, the word marriage has NEVER meant the same thing to everyone and will never mean the same thing to everyone. There is no redefining it, it's basic definition does not even have anything to do with humans. The original purpose of marriage was to combine to like items together in a strong bond. If you go back to it's most basic meaning, then gay marriage is more pure than straight marriage.

 

[Frenger]

He sounds like a complete maniac and in any other context he would be labelled a moron and treated as such, but wrap him in a cardinal's blouse and all of a sudden he is given a platform to spout this nonsense. The worst part is people will agree with him because their faith says they should.

I think the best way to deal with this is to encourage gay people to marry outside this mans house, naked!