I did promise myself that I would steer clear of the gay marriage debate, but after reading the submission of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales (there is a link to it here ), I find myself driven to comment once more. The first point the Bishops make is an excellent one:
6. The burden of proof for serious changes to the law falls to those proposing the innovations. The radical change in social policy being proposed by the government requires very careful thought and analysis. The government’s proposals for such change and innovation in marriage should be open to extensive discussion and debated thoroughly, prior to the announcement of its determination to instigate legislative change. 7. It is of serious concern to the Bishops therefore that this proposal, which has the potential to impact so immensely on the social stability of our society and which has significant implications for the unique institution of marriage and of family life, appears not to have been subject to such careful study and analysis. The proposal for same-sex marriage legislation is based only on two very brief Party Conference announcements. There has been no Royal Commission, no manifesto commitment, no Green Paper and no White Paper.
