25th August, 2011
KATHERINE SPACKMAN

It's been seven years since the Marriage Act was changed to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Up until that time it was taken for granted that marriage was defined as between a man and a woman. To celebrate the anniversary of the Marriage Act being changed in 2004, about 1,000 people gathered in the Great Hall in Parliament House earlier this month to show support for marriage to be continued to be defined in that way.

The event, which lasted for two hours, was addressed by family advocates and politicians. The Australian Christian Lobby's managing director Jim Wallace told the audience that there was a need to end the pejorative language framing the debate as exemplified by a comment by an audience member on the Q&A show Monday night who said: "The criticism of Senator Wong is based on the homophobic idea that children are entitled to both a father and a mother..."

"That this debate should be framed in this preposterous, pejorative rhetoric, should alert us all to the fact that as precious as children are, the most precious, their care and nurture one of our most sacred responsibilities, that what we are dealing with here is perhaps even more important in at least the short term, and that is a battle for truth in the public square," Mr Wallace said.

"Why won't we admit, even in the same way demand, that as a child cannot be brought into this world without the involvement of a man and a woman, that nature prescribes that a child must be nurtured, and grow with that same equal involvement, wherever humanely possible."

"We have to let political parties know that the definition of marriage is not lightly held by us. And that for millions of Australians, especially ethnic communities it is important for cultural reasons and that it is for faith communities so deeply held as to be sacred, and we will not compromise truth for this selfish agenda."

The event was also addressed by the member for Menzies, Kevin Andrews, who told the crowd that although many Christians would have a theological understanding of marriage, the understanding of the purpose of marriage is much older.

"It was Aristotle who rejected the Socratic idea of a breeding elite in which neither parents nor children knew their biological ties," he said, "And I quote: 'Whereas in the state having women and children in common, love will be watery, and the father will certainly not say "My son" and the son "My father". Of the two qualities that chiefly inspire regard and affection that a thing is your own, that is your only one, neither can exist in such a state as this'".

He said attempts to label marriage as simply as a religious issue is misplaced which drew a loud applause from the audience. It was Aristotle who said "Man is by nature more inclined to live as a couple than to associate politically. Since the family is something that precedes and is more necessary than the state."

The National Marriage Day Rally coincided with a Galaxy Poll showing '53% of Australian Christians support same-sex marriage'. It should be noted that this poll was commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality and simply asked people "What is your religion, if any?"

However, as Mr Wallace points out "Certainly my work with Evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox churches leaves me in no doubt that the great majority of their adherents don't support same-sex marriage."

• The Australian Christian Lobby recently set up an electronic petition about keeping the definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Tabled in the Senate this week, it included more than 52,000 signatures.

Katherine Spackman is the media officer at the Australian Christian Lobby. Excerpts from the National Marriage Day Rally can be found on the ACL website here.

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