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Gay couples line up at altar as Bill is passed |
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Gay couples are streaming to churches to make their life commitment official. The right of same-sex couples to have their marriages recognised in law has come closer to realisation with the passing of the Civil Union Bill by the National Council of Provinces.
The Reforming Church in Tshwane's schedule is packed tight with gay weddings from the first week of December. Andr้ Muller, the church's reverend, who is also gay was banned from the Dutch Reformed Church 14 years ago. He says gay marriages should have been accepted long ago because before God, everyone is equal.
Muller says: "From the second week of December onwards it is going to be quite busy. I will have a marriage about everyday of the week, sometimes even three marriages per day and there is one interesting case where I have five marriages taking place at the same occasion."
Muller feels strongly about equal rights for the gay community. He says when he was 30-years-old, the Dutch Reformed Church asked him to resign as they said, "it was the honourable thing to do". He says older people can be cruel and conservative, whereas the younger generation accepts gays unconditionally. He praises the South African Constitution for accommodating an array of people in the rainbow nation.
For gay weddings, the marriage formula underwent only a minor change. Muller explains, “The new marriage formula consists of a minor change. As a marriage officer, I am going to address the couple as spouses and I am going to ask them, are you going to take this person as your legal spouse and not as husband or wife anymore.”
Martin van Niekerk and Ben Rootman have been life partners for six years. They welcome government's Civil Union Bill. Van Niekerk says: “It is what we fought for, for a long time and everyone should have the right to marry who he or she pleases and I think it is very positive whether people take it up or not, they have the option if they want to.”
Treat people the same
Ben Rootman says: “This is what democracy means in real terms, figures say 10% of the people would be gay if they have the right to. I have always said in my life, I do not want to be treated differently because I am gay, I just want to be treated as other people are.”
Although some churches and religious groups condemn homosexual marriages, Muller says his church conveys a message of God's love and grace, no matter who or what they are. Source: sabcnews.com |
