Common Ground

[squeakus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6293115.stm

The Church of England has backed the Catholic Church in its bid to be exempt from laws on adoption by gay couples.
Catholic leaders in England and Wales say its teachings prevent its agencies placing children with homosexuals and they will close if bound by the rules.

Archbishop of Canterbury

Comments

[tomfranklin]

However, I dont think that we can accept their argument. If it is true that "rights of conscience cannot be made subject to legislation, however well-meaning" then churches which believe in burning witches must be allowed to, those that believe in so called "female circumcision" must be allowed to; those that demonstrate that god supports genocide or slavery (and god tells the israelites to several times in the bible and has lots of laws covering how slavery works) should be allowed to.

Because you believe that somethig is true does not give you the right to practice it on other people. Freedom to act ends when it is reducing the freedom of others. The right not to be unwillingly at the receiving end is stronger than the "right" to do. John Rawls has interesting things to say about that.

[adentheblack]

according to an email i got from Stonewalls CO Ben Sumerskill, we're claiming victory for gay rights on this issue