Preserve Marriage “Thankful” For SSM Decision
Preserve Marriage Bermuda said they are “thankful for the decision to reverse the law on same-sex marriage,” and while they do “not condone any legal union which may provide legal footing for same-sex marriage” they “commend the Government on being the first and only government in the world to reverse the laws on same-sex marriage.”
Their statement follows after the Governor gave assent to the Domestic Partnerships Act this week, which will replace same-sex marriages with a domestic partnership which can be entered into by both same-sex and heterosexual couples.
Once approved in both the House [24-10] and Senate [8-3], the Bill went to the UK-appointed Governor for assent, which is normal procedure and generally seen as a formality, however it was a topic of speculation in this case since the Bill was passed in December 2017.
Governor John Rankin put the speculation to rest this week, saying, “After careful consideration in line with my responsibilities under the Constitution, I have today given assent to the Domestic Partnership Act 2017.”
“We are obviously disappointed about the removal of same-sex marriage in Bermuda,” British Minister of State Harriett Baldwin said in the UK House of Commons yesterday, adding that the UK Secretary of State decided “it would not be appropriate to use the power to block legislation, which can only be used where there is a legal or constitutional basis for doing so, and even then, only in exceptional circumstances.”
Preserve Marriage launched a website and petition back in 2015 and strongly campaigned against same sex marriage, however the group has kept a comparatively low public profile in recent months, making limited public statements, and their Facebook page appears to not have been updated since September 2017.
However today they released a statement, which also noted they are “committed to ensuring that the definition of marriage between a man and a woman remains in this country” and have started efforts to change their legal name to “Preserve Marriage and Family.”
Chairman Dr. Melvyn Bassett and Preserve Marriage Bermuda Committee said, “Preserve Marriage Bermuda is thankful for the decision to reverse the law on same-sex marriage. We further wish to thank all who stood with us over the past two years to ensure that the definition of marriage would remain as a sacred union, ordained by God between a man and a woman.
“Although Preserve Marriage does not condone any legal union which may provide legal footing for same-sex marriage, we do wish to commend the Government on being the first and only government in the world to reverse the laws on same-sex marriage.
“Further, we recognise the European Court of Human Rights’ position that the European Convention on Human Rights does not impose an obligation on a government to grant a same-sex couple access to marriage. We also acknowledge that the Domestic Partnership Act satisfies the requirement of the European Court of Human Rights to recognise same-sex relationships.
“Preserve Marriage will continue to educate the public as to the importance and benefits of traditional marriage to the society. We are also committed to ensuring that the definition of marriage between a man and a woman remains in this country.
“Our aim is to continue to support families by working with other community groups that support healthy marriages and healthy families. To that end, Preserve Marriage has begun efforts to change its legal name to Preserve Marriage and Family.
“Once again, we thank all those who supported and sacrificed in any way to the cause of preserving marriage as a union between a man and a woman.“
“[We] commend the Government on being the first and only government in the world to reverse the laws on same-sex marriage.”
I’m speechless….
How’s it going with your disgraced leader?
I wonder if they’ve intervened and are working tirelessly to save his marriage ? ?
Or maybe they realize that they were all played by a snake oil salesman.
You’d have thought they would shut the hell up about how other people should live their lives
Who exactly benefited from this?
Nature. Order. Life.
You’re dumb
“One fundamental premise in social debates has been that homosexuality is unnatural. This premise is wrong. Homosexuality is both common and highly essential in the lives of a number of species,” explains Petter Boeckman, who is the academic advisor for the “Against Nature’s Order?” exhibition.
The most well-known homosexual animal is the dwarf chimpanzee, one of humanity’s closes relatives. The entire species is bisexual. Sex plays an conspicuous role in all their activities and takes the focus away from violence, which is the most typical method of solving conflicts among primates and many other animals.
Some 1500 observed species from mammals l to crabs to worms engage in homosexual behaviour.
Well put Micro. But it’s pointless to try to argue with uneducated, closed minded, self centered people. They won’t change. But they will eventually be dead and progress will be made as younger minds evolve.
Is this a joke? You all are proud of oppressing another group of people, the hypocrisy is unbelievable. Preserve marriage/families? We have a huge issue with single parent situations on island and our focus is to stop potentially loving MARRIED parents from giving children solid stable upbringing because they are gay? Fix the baby mama/daddy situation before we cast another stone shall we?
*Fix the baby mama/daddy situation before we cast another stone shall we?*
The subject that no-one wants to even touch because they can’t spin it into one of those ‘situations’ ,if you know what I mean .
I agree, but we need them because the more straight people we have (no disrespect to the gay community) the better chances of humankind populating.
Just sayin.
We need more illegitimate children? That’s you pearl of wisdom for today, is it?
We don’t need anymore populating. The global population is unsustainable. So your logic is flawed
Global population grows by about 1.1 percent per year. The planet resources are shrinking.
onion juice
that has to be the dumbest 27 words ever put together to make a statement …I have 2 words for you .. Grow Up..
We need more gay people so that there will be less babies by different daddies…like OJ, who was obviously raised by wolves.
Such hate and aggression.
Onion you are an alien …. 0 common sense
hope you are book smart so you can survive
good luck
“Such hate and aggression.”
yes OJ, why do you spew it so often?
You must be sexually frustrated…being forced into the closet by your peers must be hard on you.
Get em Juice. they are the true hypocrites shows every time
You think that none of those children from those ‘unions’ don’t turn out to be gay ? Again , a demonstration of how poorly traveled and enlightened you are.
And I re-iterate , it’s the ‘big conversation’ in the Bermuda context that must be had but you will run away from it every time.
2 Bermudas eh ? Well there’s another one for you .
Yes, we do have a huge problem with single parent families in Bermuda, and it is not the fault of the schools or Government, it all comes down to the breakdown in the family structure. A child needs BOTH male and female role models (on a full-time basis), which a same-sex couple, no matter how loving, cannot provide. We hear a lot about the rights of same sex couples but the children have rights too.
And no one is oppressed here. Same sex couples now enjoy all the same rights and benefits as other married couples, which is what they wanted. If anyone should be celebrating, it should be them.
Yes. They have the right to a stable home life with two loving parents to be preferred over one, regardless of gender.
Also “which is what they wanted”. The epitome of straight privilege – to purport to speak to what others want.
This is completely untrue, oft-debunked nonsense.
Nothing in this post is true, any “studies” that back it up have been shown to be flawed and false.
Please stop spreading lies.
If your position is so strong, why do you have to resort to such dishonest means to back it up?
Not ALL the rights, they no longer have the right to marry. Do you people even think before you open your ignorant mouths and vomit out such rubbish?
Your views project a bigotry adopted from present day Western narcissistic love, which denies the self-sacrificing love of its past. You demand that your pleasures in the bedroom take priority over the right of a child to receive the self-sacrificing love from their biological mother and father. Like the self-centered politicians who expect future children to pay their government debts, it is expedient for you to equate every adult’s right to pleasure as superseding the right of a child to be raised by their biological mother and father. Children do not vote and have no voice other than us to defend their rights. Every civilization on the planet, as most religions, up to 16 years ago defended the right of the child to be in a marriage between a man and a woman. The child’s best interest was recognized by every government as a priority to protect their future civilization. The educated were aware of the history of how empires self-destruct when fidelity to the family was weakened by promiscuity and sexual deviations from the natural purpose of marriage. You are not recognizing the self destructive arrogance of our modern day Western culture. What you call love is narcissistic love that happily denies all empirical evidence of the past that informs us how important it is to preserve the integrity of the family for our future. Somehow, as your argument goes, everyone in the history of the whole world got it all wrong and deserves your contempt. I appeal to your better self to think carefully on which side of history you really want to be remembered: for the destruction of the family already evident in large segments of society or for the preservation of the family. Try to differentiate between your self-love that motivates you to appear as if you have wonderful motives versus the love that is truly for the other, a love that develops insight for others benefit rather than a narcissistic group think, and is an altruistic love that does not collapse under the narcissistic fashions of the times so harmful to children who have no voice to defend themselves.
Well said but still a bigoted comment.
Try respect and empathy for others and not trying to thrust your own world view bolstered by “empirical evidence” as the basis of your argument.
History repeats itself and is not always right.
How does pastor gary feel about this?
I think everyone needs to be very careful about what Pastor Gary is feeling.
Why?! He is the biggest and worst hypocrite and liar that many Bermudians have ever heard of or experienced!!! He should feel VERY badly for spewing hate towards the LGBTQ community in an effort to cover up his own membership! Give me a break!!!!!
Bigotry doesn’t even recognize itself and is self congratulatory.
This really is a warped sense of reality in operation here.
Shameful.
Why are same sex couples clamoring to enter the institution of marriage when so many heterosexual persons are fleeing it? Domestic Partnership offers everything marriage does except the word marriage and a religious ceremony. Marriage, while it has never been an institution that represents mutual respect it does carry the principle underlying the concept of biological family. If you want children, the only way is via a sperm and egg unless we are moving into the realm of clones. If some believe in the right to marry whomever one pleases, does it follow that they have the right to change how children are created? Just asking.
Mmmmm
This starts off irrelevant and moves to the false.
“Biological family” has never been a requisite or stipulation. There has never been a restriction that you have to be able to have kids together in order to get married.
This whole post is false.
This makes no sense whatsoever. You are trying to say that you and your ilk have “saved” gays from marriage now?
Bigots happy when there bigotry is seemingly supported by government. Shocker.
I am so tired of hearing about this.
“we do wish to commend the Government on being the first and only government in the world to reverse the laws on same-sex marriage.”
Regardless of whether you support SSM or not THIS maybe the dumbest statement um ever read in my life!
Everyone that supports Preserve Marriage should be shipped off to an island so they can live happily ever after.
Would cost too much. There is a much much cheaper option. Of course the powers that be hate the truth unless it fits them. It will get reversed tho u just watch lol. In the mean time tho i hope this stings us good and propper where it really hurts. See how well preserve marraige will do then. Bunch of bigotted thumpers.
Such hate and aggression, can we all just get along?
This is just trolling on your part, given all the hate and aggression you’ve posted here.
Onion Juice, “Such hate and aggression, can we all just get along?” what do you call all of the talk you said during the election? Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Especially those paid by the government in power.
Wasn’t that what marriage equality was trying to do? Make it all even so we can just be one? Hard to get along when you promote segregation OJ.
Bermuda bigotry at its best
Young LGBT people have been driven to suicide by the pressure cooker of bigotry
PM are an enabler and fuel that bigotry.
Thank you Governor!
Marriage is a religious institution… and it’s definition is defined and contained therein–i.e., between a man and woman. As “marriage” has since permeated our civil lives and been formalized through legislation, the definition of “marriage” is now stuck in the middle of a debate between “marriage” as a religious institution and “marriage” as a legal status. And herein lies the issue… the foundation of each argument is very different and opponents are not speaking the same language.
The question is, knowing this, why would anyone seek to be apart of an institution that was not created for them?
Civil Unions are the perfect compromise.
A ‘Wedding’ is a religious institution . It’s not a ‘marriage’ until it’s been registered and signed off by the registrar ( government ) .
So much confusion on this . Why ? ?
A “wedding” is a religious ceremony, not a religious institution. And yes, as previously mentioned, marriage has permeated our civil lives beyond its religious foundations. It, however, still remains a defined religious institution. If two people of the same sex want to be together, fine… this is where a civil union comes into effect.
So much confusion on this… why??
I used the word institution facetiously in case you missed it. And no, it’s not me who’s confused by the construct ,it’s you!
this is untrue.
A marriage is not a religious institution. It is a legal construct between consenting adults.
You are spreading lies.
My evidence: I have been married for almost twenty years and there is no religion involved in any way whatsoever.
You ask why there is confusion, while spreading misinformation?
YOUR behavior is why there is confusion.
Why can a ship captain or a Registrar perform the ceremony then? It is NOT a religious institution. I am married and did not get married in a church or by a religious “leader” of any sort. Am I still married? Answer is yes. You are wrong.
True elation oozing from me. Glad it went as it did.
Allow these people to live as they choose BUT keep their way of life to themselves.
Good News!!
How is letting them get married affecting anyone else in any way?
How can they “live as they choose” when they are treated as unequal in the eyes of the law?
The shame in having to be associated with this bunch of hypocrites because i am Bermudian , what a sad day but all of the Bible thumpers in this group will one day have to face the man himself as try to explain how poorly they have treated their fellow brothers and sisters
Well if all Bermudians were gay then we will be extint.
At what part of our Historical Culture can we be ashamed to be Bermudian.
Island with people that think like you.
You keep posting this and people keep pointing out that no one is suggesting that everyone has to be gay, thus proving you wrong, yet you keep spreading lies. When you think about posting this stuff that you MUST know is false, do you ever thing “is this good for Bermuda?”
As for your “Historical Culture” bit of nonsense, it’s been shown to be another hateful, racially biased lie, over and over.
Why do you keep posting lies?
Don’t you have ANY shame?
As the great Antoine Dodson one said ” You dumb. You really dumb!”
“At what part of our Historical Culture can we be ashamed to be Bermudian.”
The day you were born.
Why are you so hateful and aggressive, OJ? Did your mommy or any of your daddies not hug you enough?
The time will come that these lot will be run out of our country.
Nobody should be run out of anywhere. Everyone should live and let live. If two people want to get married, sobeit. Advocating violence is not the right thing no matter which side of the argument you are on.
What a shame. I cannot believe we live in a time period with such bigotry. Wow.
Ignorance and bigotry at its finest. Go back to your church and keep your religious ideologies there with you. No one should force their religious beliefs or opinions on anyone, especially when it has an impact on the rights of others. Sickening to say the least. Got to have sympathy for those type so of people though. They’re so brain dead that they think they’re right hahaha
It is so funny how the supporters are so vocal on this issues but so QUIET when discussing the overt racism in this country and the overt discrimination and unfavorable treatment of black Bermuidans in this country. IF you are SILENT, which most of you tree hugging, animal loving, LGBT supporters are when public school kids have to sit in a mold invested schools, when black males are being violated in your wonderful regiment or when BLACK seniors are being peppers prayed for peacefully protesting, STAY SILENT ON THIS PLEASE!!!!!
#noonecares #youhavebenefits
Seriously….your comment perpetuates the cycle of bigotry and hate.
Love abounds.
So where is the love or support on these issues, topics or concern?????? The comment highlights Bermuda’s truth….We are a racist country where white privilege is abound. Hate is what is being spewed by people who can’t see that given such a divisive topic the outcome was a compromise to both sides. So let the angry ppl continue with their rhetoric!!!!!
How long do I have to wait to cash in on these wonderful white privileges ? Should I hold my breath ?
Please list a few good examples of all this racism while you’re at it .
The mild infested schools are as a direct result of your civil servants not doing their job. The regiment is voluntary, seniors were sprayed as they were ignoring the law. Any other lies you want to make?
Infested. Not invested. Maybe de mold got in your head!!
Dr Melvin Bassett and his group of backwards thinking bigots are as naive as any group of a** H**** to come out of the pumpkin patch. There are more twisted persons in there organization than a dog has flees. I truly hope their conscience will be there guide when they go before there maker
Bible Actually Say About Marriage?
By Greg Carey
When you attend a wedding at church, what passages of Scripture do you expect to hear? Congregations occasionally invite me to speak on the current same-sex marriage debates, and I ask them this question. Their answers are remarkably consistent.
Someone invariably mentions 1 Corinthians 13, the famous “Love Chapter.” Love is patient, love is kind, love never insists on its own way and so forth. Wonderful advice for marriage, but Paul was not talking about marriage. He was addressing a church fight: the believers in Corinth had split into factions and were competing for prestige and influence. We see echoes of this conflict throughout the letter, but especially in chapters 12 and 14, which surround this passage.
Others call out, “Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16; NRSV). Another moving passage, but it’s certainly not about marriage. Ruth addresses this moving speech to her mother-in-law Naomi.
The second creation story in Genesis comes up: “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genisis 2:24). This passage is certainly appropriate to marriage, as it reflects the level of intimacy and commitment that distinguishes marriage from other relationships. Jesus quotes this passage, too, but he isn’t exactly discussing marriage. Instead, his topic is divorce (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:8). When ministers read the Gospel passages at weddings, as they often do, the message seems a little off. I’d rather not hear about divorce at a wedding.
One other passage frequently surfaces in weddings but rarely in mainline Protestant churches, the Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodists and United Church of Christ congregations that invite me to speak. Ephesians 5:22-33 commands wives to obey their husbands and husbands to love their wives. Conservative Christians may try to explain away the offense of this passage, but there’s no escaping its ugly reality. Ephesians calls wives to submit to their husbands just as children must obey their parents and slaves must obey their masters. See the larger context, Ephesians 5:21-6:9.
Not a Lot to Say
The point is, Christian weddings rarely feature passages that directly relate to marriage. Only one passage, Genesis 2:24, seems especially relevant, while other passages require us to bend their content to our desire to hear a good word about marriage. Things are so bad that the worship books for many denominations turn to John 2:1-11, where Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding feast, to claim that Jesus blessed marriage. My church, the United Church of Christ, has developed a new wedding liturgy, but it retains this common formula: “As this couple give themselves to each other today, we remember that at Cana in Galilee our Savior Jesus Christ made the wedding feast a sign of God’s reign of love.”
So we know Jesus blessed marriage because he attended a wedding? That’s the best we can do? No wonder it’s common for couples to struggle over the choice of Scripture for their wedding ceremonies. The Bible just doesn’t have much to say on the topic.
Let’s Be Honest
Unfortunately, many Christians use the Bible to support their own prejudices and bigotry. They talk about “biblical family values” as if the Bible had a clear message on marriage and sexuality. Let’s be clear: There’s no such thing as “biblical family values” because the Bible does not speak to the topic clearly and consistently.
It’s high time people came clean about how we use the Bible. When Christians try to resolve difficult ethical and theological matters, they typically appeal to the Gospels and Paul’s letters as keys to the question. But what about marriage? Not only did Jesus choose not to marry, he encouraged his disciples to abandon household and domestic concerns in order to follow him (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 9:57-62). He even refers to those “who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:10-13). Whatever that means, it’s certainly not an endorsement of marriage. Paul likewise encourages male believers: “Do not seek a wife” (1 Corinthians 7:27, my translation) — advice Paul took for himself. If neither Jesus nor Paul preferred marriage for their followers, why do some Christians maintain that the Bible enshrines 19th-century Victorian family values?
Let’s not even go into some of the Bible’s most chilling teachings regarding marriage, such as a man’s obligation to keep a new wife who displeases him on the wedding night (Deuteronomy 22:13-21), his obligation to marry a woman he has raped (Deuteronomy 22:28-30) or the unquestioned right of heroes like Abraham to exploit their slaves sexually. I wonder: Have the “biblical family values advocates” actually read their Bibles?
Christians will always turn to the Bible for guidance — and we should. If the Bible does not promote a clear or redemptive teaching about slavery, that doesn’t mean we have nothing to learn from Scripture about the topic. The same values that guide all our relationships apply to marriage: unselfish concern for the other; honesty, integrity and fidelity; and sacrificial — but not victimized — love. That’s a high standard, far higher than a morality determined by anachronistic and restrictive rules that largely reflect our cultural biases. Rules make up the lowest common denominator for morality. Love, as Paul said, never finds an end.
We are here we are gay get over it get used to it
Looking forward to a brave politician introducing a bill to ban divorce.
As their next area of focus perhaps PM could tackle the scourge of Bermudian children born out of wedlock.
Also, the terrible practice of Bermudians having extra marotal affairs.
Both cause far more social problems than SSM ever would, and the members of PM would enjoy meddling in people’s personal lives. It’s a win-win.
i love our government, oppressing a minoring group to protect a little group who hates the minority.