Catholic Church Dismisses Claims of Gay Marriage Support in Scotland
The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland sees flaws in a survey that claims over two-thirds of Scots believe religious organizations should have the right to conduct same-sex marriage if they want to.
Released Sunday, a poll of 1,003 Scots conducted by British market research company Ipsos Mori said as many as 68 percent of those questioned believe that religious organizations should have the freedom to conduct gay marriages. It also claimed 64 percent support for same-sex marriage.
However, Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, told BBC the poll, commissioned by the gay rights group Equality Network, was "deeply flawed."
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"The public in general are very wary and unlikely to suggest a person shouldn't have a right," he said. "When you begin your question by saying should someone have the right to same-sex marriage you automatically have distorted the result."
Kearney said he would rather believe in the three-month-long consultation that took place late last year showing the vast majority opposing redefinition of marriage.
The survey results come as the Scottish Government, which is being asked by gay activists to change the marriage law that currently disallows two people of the same sex from getting married, is due to publish its consultation on the issue this month. Gay rights groups are also demanding that faith groups be allowed to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies if the religious institution gives consent.
The Church of Scotland, the Council of Glasgow Imams and the Episcopalian Church are also opposing the proposed change in the marriage law.
Tom French, from the Equality Network, says support for gay marriage is increasing all over the world. "It's supported in parliament as well, last week we announced that a majority of MSPs [members of the Scottish Parliament] have signed our equal marriage pledge saying that they will vote for this," he was quoted as saying.
On the issue of same-sex marriage, the Church of England said last week: "Such a move would alter the intrinsic nature of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, as enshrined in human institutions throughout history."
