By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
With all constituencies reporting, the Irish citizenry approved a constitutional amendment recognizing gay marriage: Yes 1,201,607; No 734,300.
The Constitution of Ireland permits amendment only by popular vote. A vote of the people for such amendments can provide more legitimacy and acceptance by the public and judging by the margin gay marriage will probably gain acceptance more readily. Nevertheless it does not necessarily engender full acceptance of such partnerships as over seven hundred thousand voters chose otherwise. Some institutions in Irish society will struggle to come to terms with the new direction Ireland is pursuing.
Change has been underway with the Irish government’s approach to the issue. Ireland decriminalized homosexuality twenty two years ago and later in 2010 the state voted to permit same sex civil unions to have same legal status as heterosexual couples. Yet there existed considerable debate as to whether a full marriage would be permitted. In 2013 a constitutional convention formed to explore the possibility of amending the Irish Constitution to allow the right to marriage regardless of gender of either party. In 2014 a referendum was drafted to be posed to the people. Voting occurred yesterday.
Probably the most visible unresolved question will be that of the Catholic Church which is not legally bound presently to perform gay marriages by its clergy or within its facilities. The vast majority of Irish are of the Catholic religion which might put more tradition minded church leaders against a younger demographic which sided with the Yes camp in greater proportions. The higher age demographic was more likely to belong to the No camp.
The issue has the potential to cause a schism within the church because doctrine disallows such marriages and the church’s hierarchy answers to the Vatican which ultimately could set policy contrary to that of Catholic Church in Ireland. The issue of gay marriage has caused fragmentation of protestant churches in the United States.
It is likely that in the afterglow of the passage of the referendum Ireland will experience strong debate while it tries to understand and embrace this change. Time will be ultimately the deciding factor. The younger generation embraces gay marriage. Eventually it will not be a significant matter for controversy but like most controversies first generation likely will be the one to struggle the most.
By Darren Smith
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
http://youtu.be/62Qfbrc1jdo
homosexuality is a revolting, shameful sin…sodomy is so grave a sin, “it cries to heaven for vengeance”!…yet these degenerates flaunt this ignominious behavior wearing pink feathers and marching down the street almost naked…basking in there shame!…debauched and contented
Oh sorry, didn’t know the picture would be so, um… Huge.
Stanton, yes indeed, these scary pink feathered savages are going to be out roving for guys who’s name begins with “The Great”. Make sure to wear your Under Armour long johns if you must go out into the streets.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81d8O1KAv9L._SL1500_.jpg
Pope Paul the VI declared in 1972, that the “smoke of satan” had entered the Church…the windows and doors are opened, and the stench and smoke is slowly clearing…
David
1,200,000 to 734,000, a little defective? It seems that that is as strong a statement that should be needed to change any constitution, well over 2/3.
One law for one and another for the other? It is the only law that matters, the civil law. The religious laws mean something only to the members of this or that particular club. You seem to have taken no small amount of offense at this awakening in Ireland. Seems somewhat telling.
issac wrote: “1,200,000 to 734,000, a little defective? It seems that that is as strong a statement that should be needed to change any constitution, well over 2/3.”
Something is wrong with the way you do math, issac. For you, 2 + 2 = 5. The percentage is 61.2%, less than 2/3rds, which would be 66.7%.
issac wrote: “One law for one and another for the other? It is the only law that matters, the civil law.”
Civil law should apply equally to all, regardless of religion. When a law exempts a religious class of people, that is an unequal law. What if the law exempted Presidents, Congressmen, and all politicians? Would you be okay with that too? What if a law exempted all Muslims? This is a corrupt system that passes laws by exempting the very people who would vote against that law. It is a fraud of democracy.
My guess it is legal to vote drunk in most places. But if our historian’s point is that he believes Ireland is part of the UK, he is mistaken.
gay Priests have been rampant in the Church since the close of the second Vatican Council…these vermin have been a cancer and grave scandal in the Church for decades and this pernicious, spiritual cancer has slowly and inexorably been excised, since the last Pope began instrumentally weeding these queen’s out of seminaries
turn to Saint Pio…look at this man…look at his life…he could read souls in the confessional…could even bi-locate…his holiness was only possibly eclipsed by his humility…
Airidog
I defer to your illustration of ‘self defined’. Self defined but still rigid. Along with self defined and rigid, the Irish also have a historical knowledge of homosexuality in their culture. It is there as part of literature and art as much as it is there as something despised. Perhaps this places the Irish a bit ahead of other English speaking nations as not as hypocritical. Perhaps this self definition will define the rights of homosexuals to be Catholic and set an example for Rome.
look at the “pink freak-show”!…my goodness people have a moment of clarity!…these are savages, pure and simple!
those who seek validation from the Church are barking up the wrong tree…maybe the mormons will embrace them…the mormons are as loony as they come
soadomited…LOL!…I meant sodomites
Sodamites. They worship Coca-Cola…
Dave is spewing more of his loony “mumbo-jumbo”…The Catholic Church will NEVAH marry soadomited senor…NEVAH!…these evildoers will have to look elsewhere for acceptance with there putrescent lifestyle…
I’m still waiting on the sober/drunk exit polling. It is legal to vote drunk in UK.
David
Yes, I do know that the religious run businesses. I don’t think the United States should regulate commerce to allow discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, gender, political affiliation, sexual orientation, class, etc.
But whatever…
I’m not going to get into a discussion about equality and American law with the guy who doesn’t think women should have the vote and in fact doesn’t think much of universal sufferage.
Feel free to find someone else to lecture. You’re too far off the rails for me.
Wadewilliams wrote: “I’m not going to get into a discussion about equality and American law with the guy who doesn’t think women should have the vote and in fact doesn’t think much of universal sufferage.”
I can’t let you get by with misrepresenting my views. I believe women should vote.
I also am supportive of universal suffrage, but not universal and EQUAL suffrage. Nevertheless, I can just as easily support a system of non-universal suffrage because I do not perceive voting to be a fundamental right. Voting is a privilege whereby government can assess the consent of the governed.
This vote took place right before the 2nd (or used to be 2nd) most significant religious holiday: Pentecostal Sunday.
Happy Early Pentecostal Sunday, too all.
At least the Irish got to vote on the question. That will never happen here.
If only we lived in a democracy.
If you don’t think the next move is that there be the dispensation of the Sacrament of Marriage to a same sex couple then you have not been paying attention.
It is coming soon.
The only religion that will be exempt will be the Muslims as the gays are afraid of them. That is why they would rather attack bakers and jewelers instead of the people that throw gays off roofs or stone them to death.
I expect a test case as soon as the Supreme Court rules on gay marriage. If as expected it is five to four in favor of same sex marriage then I expect a test case against the Catholic Church within the year.
The Catholic Church isn’t going to change its core teachings. The Irish who can’t accept those teachings can become Protestants. More likely, they will become agnostics, or perhaps they already are. I don’t know whether the CC accepts people who profess to be Catholic on Sunday, but are politically correct liberals on the other six days of the week. If Anthony Kennedy and John Roberts vote in favor of gay marriage, I suppose they can continue to consider themselves Catholic, and perhaps even continue to attend mass. But will the CC fully accept them? I don’t know enough about Catholicism to answer that question….