The same-sex marriage referendum debate

[muppet]

In fairness, on that one surely you are entitled to withdraw services if they decide a couple doesn't meet the criteria? For example if a couple of Bible Thumpers from Armagh wanted Sean Brady to celebrate their ceremony in my house, would I have to acquiesce?

If you make your house available for weddings, and Seán Brady is in the business of being a registrar, then you and he can't turn down a gay couple on the basis that they don't meet the criteria. I'm assuming here the criteria is being heterosexual. That defence doesn't work for B&B owners, and it won't work for churches if they want to fold civil services into church services.

I see your point, but what if a Muslim/Jewish etc couple want a wedding in a Catholic church?

[Rois]

I see the Church out scaremongering again this morning (What the Church scaremongering? That's never happened before).

Obviously the Yes vote means that Accord have had their funding cut... If we're going to deal in facts let's not talk about the fact they cost €200 per couple and are a pile of absolute shite then!!

No money better spent than listening to a celibate tell me how communication and compromise will be the two most important things in my relationship... aye big lad I can read books too and I'm actually in a proper relationship unlike yourself!!!

have this shite to do myself in a couple of months but ours is 120 euro. Between that and registering out intent to marry we are out 320 quid for no good reason. And thats before we even borrow the church for an hour. Another 350 quid!!

Now you see why Eamon Martin's threat of not facilitating the civil registration at church marriages, will never happen.

Also why should the State pay for a course, forced upon couples by the church, in return for allowing the couple the privilege of renting a church?

In France you can't have the legal ceremony in a church - it has to be at the town hall.  Works fine.

My Accord class last year was taken by two lay people, not a priest in sight, and Catholic teachings were mentioned but not dwelled upon.  I was pleasantly surprised - that was the Accord course in Ardmore in Derry. 

[muppet]

I see the Church out scaremongering again this morning (What the Church scaremongering? That's never happened before).

Obviously the Yes vote means that Accord have had their funding cut... If we're going to deal in facts let's not talk about the fact they cost €200 per couple and are a pile of absolute shite then!!

No money better spent than listening to a celibate tell me how communication and compromise will be the two most important things in my relationship... aye big lad I can read books too and I'm actually in a proper relationship unlike yourself!!!

have this shite to do myself in a couple of months but ours is 120 euro. Between that and registering out intent to marry we are out 320 quid for no good reason. And thats before we even borrow the church for an hour. Another 350 quid!!

Now you see why Eamon Martin's threat of not facilitating the civil registration at church marriages, will never happen.

Also why should the State pay for a course, forced upon couples by the church, in return for allowing the couple the privilege of renting a church?

In France you can't have the legal ceremony in a church - it has to be at the town hall.  Works fine.

My Accord class last year was taken by two lay people, not a priest in sight, and Catholic teachings were mentioned but not dwelled upon.  I was pleasantly surprised - that was the Accord course in Ardmore in Derry.

Was it compulsory though?

[whitey]

Any opinion polls recently or due? Would have thought YES would have been 80-20 at least a few weeks ago but can see it being a little bit more twitchy as it gets closer....silent NO vote might be larger than anticipated.

I know some people are getting fed up with having the viewpoint of the Yes campaign rammed down their throats at every turn (no pun intended). 

Anyone who dare express a dissenting viewpoint is shouted down or ridiculed.

There are lots of older people who are silently planning to vote no and are saying nothing publicly, but they're all speaking privately with like minded folks.

Anyone who thinks this is a foregone conclusion is only codding themselves. Referenda typically have had very low turnout and no one can take this for granted

[AZOffaly]

I predict 65 - 35 yes.

I still haven't found out what rights we will be giving gay couples mind you. Either I'm thick, or this is like the third secret of Fatima.

[screenexile]

Any opinion polls recently or due? Would have thought YES would have been 80-20 at least a few weeks ago but can see it being a little bit more twitchy as it gets closer....silent NO vote might be larger than anticipated.

I know some people are getting fed up with having the viewpoint of the Yes campaign rammed down their throats at every turn (no pun intended). 

Anyone who dare express a dissenting viewpoint is shouted down or ridiculed.

There are lots of older people who are silently planning to vote no and are saying nothing publicly, but they're all speaking privately with like minded folks.

Anyone who thinks this is a foregone conclusion is only codding themselves. Referenda typically have had very low turnout and no one can take this for granted

I agree that it will be closer than the polls are making out but I can't see any way that the No vote wins.

"Children Deserve a Mother and a Father Vote No"

Came across this nonsense as I'm working in Dublin for a few days... sorry neanderthals this is a vote about Marriage not children!!!

[AZOffaly]

What rights would a gay couple gain that they do not already have?

[Old yeller]

I see the Church out scaremongering again this morning (What the Church scaremongering? That's never happened before).

Obviously the Yes vote means that Accord have had their funding cut... If we're going to deal in facts let's not talk about the fact they cost €200 per couple and are a pile of absolute shite then!!

No money better spent than listening to a celibate tell me how communication and compromise will be the two most important things in my relationship... aye big lad I can read books too and I'm actually in a proper relationship unlike yourself!!!

have this shite to do myself in a couple of months but ours is 120 euro. Between that and registering out intent to marry we are out 320 quid for no good reason. And thats before we even borrow the church for an hour. Another 350 quid!!

Dont get married in the church then if you dont want to pay ffs. I got married in the church because the wife wanted to, we didnt have to pay but if we did I wouldnt have complained. Id say you are paying a lot more to the hotel for the reception! 
As for the pre-marital course, I haven't heard of one being run by a priest in years. Either way,  if you want to get  arried in the church you have to do it. If you dont want to, you can get married somewhere else, simple.

[armaghniac]

Came across this nonsense as I'm working in Dublin for a few days... sorry neanderthals this is a vote about Marriage not children!!!

I think this illustrates the nature of this campaign, the notion that children are in any way connected to marriage being characterised as Neanderthal. Whatever the outcome of this referendum, great damage has been done as we have the leader of the country promoting the ideas that adults just suit themselves and that children are irrelevant.

[foxcommander]

Is this whole thing a definition issue?

I'd consult the Oxford Dicktionery

[muppet]

Any opinion polls recently or due? Would have thought YES would have been 80-20 at least a few weeks ago but can see it being a little bit more twitchy as it gets closer....silent NO vote might be larger than anticipated.

I know some people are getting fed up with having the viewpoint of the Yes campaign rammed down their throats at every turn (no pun intended). 

Anyone who dare express a dissenting viewpoint is shouted down or ridiculed.

There are lots of older people who are silently planning to vote no and are saying nothing publicly, but they're all speaking privately with like minded folks.

Anyone who thinks this is a foregone conclusion is only codding themselves. Referenda typically have had very low turnout and no one can take this for granted

When were you last in Ireland?

[whitey]

Any opinion polls recently or due? Would have thought YES would have been 80-20 at least a few weeks ago but can see it being a little bit more twitchy as it gets closer....silent NO vote might be larger than anticipated.

I know some people are getting fed up with having the viewpoint of the Yes campaign rammed down their throats at every turn (no pun intended). 

Anyone who dare express a dissenting viewpoint is shouted down or ridiculed.

There are lots of older people who are silently planning to vote no and are saying nothing publicly, but they're all speaking privately with like minded folks.

Anyone who thinks this is a foregone conclusion is only codding themselves. Referenda typically have had very low turnout and no one can take this for granted

When were you last in Ireland?

August 2014

[screenexile]

Came across this nonsense as I'm working in Dublin for a few days... sorry neanderthals this is a vote about Marriage not children!!!

I think this illustrates the nature of this campaign, the notion that children are in any way connected to marriage being characterised as Neanderthal. Whatever the outcome of this referendum, great damage has been done as we have the leader of the country promoting the ideas that adults just suit themselves and that children are irrelevant.

It illustrates the nature of the No campaign! The reality is they have no argument based in fact other than they don't like the gays and they know the general populus aren't pro gay but if it doesn't affect them they'll probably say "oh well it's no skin off my nose if gay people want to get married let them at it"

The no campaign sat and thought... "How can we win over/scare the crap out of the average person to convinve them that this is bad. . . I know we'll bring the kids into it". Now if gay people are allowed to marry, children all over Ireland are going to grow up abused either by their parents or the mean people who make fun of and bully those with same sex parents!!!

AHAAAAAA now there's an argument that will scare the shit out the average joe and get him to vote no!! QED

[muppet]

Any opinion polls recently or due? Would have thought YES would have been 80-20 at least a few weeks ago but can see it being a little bit more twitchy as it gets closer....silent NO vote might be larger than anticipated.

I know some people are getting fed up with having the viewpoint of the Yes campaign rammed down their throats at every turn (no pun intended). 

Anyone who dare express a dissenting viewpoint is shouted down or ridiculed.

There are lots of older people who are silently planning to vote no and are saying nothing publicly, but they're all speaking privately with like minded folks.

Anyone who thinks this is a foregone conclusion is only codding themselves. Referenda typically have had very low turnout and no one can take this for granted

When were you last in Ireland?

August 2014

And when did you speak to the above people?

[Eamonnca1]

The point is of course that these legalities could easily be added to civil partnerships if they is case for them or civil partnership itself could be added to the constitution. But this is not so much about getting things for homosexuals as taking things from everyone else.

For the billionth time, exactly how is marriage equality "taking things from everyone else?"