Written by Serkan Ozturk | 25 May 2011

LGBTI activists are appalled at recent comments by the NSW Council of Churches suggesting same-sex marriage would “potentially harm children in terms of the natural and deep link between parents and their biological children”.

The comments were made by Rod Benson, the public affairs director of the NSW Council of Churches, as he was interviewed by former One Nation party leader David Oldfield on 2UE Radio on Monday, May 16.

During the interview, Benson continually insisted that marriage was a union between a man and woman, and claimed that changes to the Marriage Act allowing same-sex marriage could threaten religious freedom as same-sex issues may have to be discussed in faith-based classrooms.

“It is very much a symbolic issue, a symbolic move, and if they were to have the law changed in the Federal Parliament it would be a very big symbolic win for same-sex couples, and of course same-sex marriage.

“But I guess if we’re committed to the wellbeing of the Australian community as a whole we just can’t sit idly by as Christians and watch the institution of marriage being disintegrated and pulled apart,” Benson said.

Anthony Venn-Brown, the co-founder and Convenor of Freedom 2 b[e], a support group for LGBT people from Christian backgrounds, believes the statements made by Benson are very offensive.

“Marriage as we know it today has evolved over the centuries. It was once defined by ownership of women (plural) and children (as many as possible).

“Benson’s comments do nothing more than reveal his ignorance and the reality many gay and lesbian people live in today; they are in long term committed relationships and have children,” Venn-Brown said.

Alex Greenwich, convener for Australian Marriage Equality (AME), said Benson’s comments imply that people fighting for the right to be treated equally by the law are being selfish.

“Most people would argue it is more selfish to force your own ideology over others,” he said.

Late last week, AME announced a series of workshops across Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart in June and July, designed to skill and empower supporters of equality.

“Because of the misinformation being perpetrated by people like Benson, it is essential that as many people as possible write to their MP in support of marriage equality, and attend one of our workshops to skill them in becoming a ‘local voice’ for marriage equality,” Greenwich said.