#c4em

--------

Dear Jon,

I hope you are well and enjoying the sun.

I just wanted to send you a short email to express how shocked and appalled I was to be told by my parents that you handed out a leaflet entitled '10 Reasons Why The Government Is Wrong To Redefine Marriage' in Church a few months ago. 

I would go through the leaflet point by point, completely deconstructing the incredibly weak arguments, but that seems unnecessary after the law for Same Sex Marriage was finally passed earlier this week. 

The leaflet is not even religion-based, so I can't understand why you would have felt compelled to distribute it unless your faith is ultimately homophobic and you are trying to cover that with secular arguments.

As a bisexual woman in a same sex relationship, who studied theology at university and wrote their dissertation on homosexuality and the Church, I am deeply saddened to see my childhood Church distributing homophobic propaganda like this. Is this really the views and beliefs of Trinity Church? I would be interested to learn how the Church members collectively agreed this. 

Subtle homophobia, such as the distribution of this leaflet, is the the fastest way to isolate young people within Trinity Church who may be confused about their sexuality. When I was 14/15 and questioning my own sexuality, I desperately wished that Trinity was somewhere I could turn, but having received no positive or supportive messages from them with regards to sexuality, I felt unable to do so. I am deeply concerned that you are now sending out negative messages, far worse than just silence. 

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on all this.

Best wishes,

The Bill is published, now they just have to vote right! Have your say. 

The Coalition for Equal Marriage never started out as a real coalition. It was set up by two guys, Conor and James, in response to a much-publicised campaign attempting to derail the government’s plans to move toward greater equality for LGBT couples.

Step One - Sign the Petition

Step Two - Write to your MP

HELP COALITION FOR EQUAL MARRIAGE GET THEIR VIDEO INTO CINEMAS!

"Our campaign video has been entered into the Virgin Media Shorts 2012 video competition! We've got our little fingers crossed that it'll get into the 13th place for the most online social media shares, with a chance to be shown in cinemas up and down the country. Imagine that!? That's definitely one way to raise awareness!"

All you have to do is click here and share the video through any or all of the social media links below the video.

If you agree, heck if you don't. Please feel free to reblog and add more, or edit your own list. Because one thing that IS fine, is discussion and differing views.

Things that should be fine

women in the military

gays in the military

same-sex marriage

women bishops in the CoE

women Cardinals in the Catholic Church

gays in football

Having news in a newspaper

Politicians or celebrities having lives away from the limelight

Whistleblowing

Things that should NOT be fine

Rape in the military

Church in the state

Church in the schools

violence in football

Gossip, rumour, and celebrity stalking in a 'newspaper'.

Apathy for politics - sure, everyone knows Politicians lie - but rarely does the average citizen research for themselves to find out which words are the lies.