Written by: Errol Naidoo
Article source: familypolicyinstitute.com
Parliament’s ‘Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs’ kicked off public hearings on the gender-neutral “Single Marriage Bill” in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, West Rand and Sedibeng on 18 – 19 Nov 2024. Public hearings on the Bill will commence in all other provinces in 2025.
The “Single Marriage Bill” replaces the existing marriage laws, “The Marriage Act of 1961,” “The Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998” and the “Civil Union Act of 2006.”
Former Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi tabled the “Single Marriage Bill” in the 6th Parliament in 2023. Motsoaledi claimed the purpose for the new “umbrella” marriage policy is to harmonise the existing marriage laws in SA and create a unified marriage system.
Significantly, however, the primary goal of the gender-neutral “Single Marriage Bill” is to redefine marriage in law by equating same-sex and transgender unions with man, woman marriage in every respect. In fact, the Bill will abolish the unique definition of man, woman marriage in law simply to appease sexual rights radicals represented by UN agencies.
Marriage between a man and a woman is a God-given institution that served countless nationalities and cultures for millennia. It is a bedrock social institution, the very foundation of human civilisation. No government has the authority to alter what God has established.
Tampering with God-ordained foundational institutions like marriage and the family will be catastrophic for society. The consequences of broken marriages and dysfunctional families are tragically apparent in SA where single parent homes outstrip two-parent intact families.
If passed, the “Single Marriage Bill” will be disastrous for the Christian Church. The Bill recognises monogamous marriages as opposite sex, same-sex and transgender unions. It views the ancient institution of man, woman marriage as a discriminatory assault on same-sex “marriage” – in existence for about 23 years and recognised by only 38 countries.
Religious marriage officers will have no legal recourse to conscientiously object to solemnising same-sex and transgender unions on religious grounds. The Bill provides no such leeway. Christian wedding venues and related businesses have no legal protection.
In 2006, LGBTQ activists demanded government amend The “Marriage Act of 1961” to recognise both opposite sex and same-sex marriages. However, as a result of intense pressure from the Marriage Alliance of SA, “The Civil Union Act” was enacted to recognise and regulate same-sex (and opposite sex) civil unions leaving “The Marriage Act” intact.
The ANC eventually surrendered to LGBTQ demands and formulated the “Single Marriage Bill” to abolish the unique definition of man, woman marriage in law. LGBTQ activists labelled the “Civil Union Act” “ discriminatory” because it implied same-sex unions was inferior to man, woman marriage. The “Single Marriage Bill” aims to solve this problem.
LGBTQ citizens enjoy all the rights and privileges of marriage under the “Civil Union Act.” So why do they label it discriminatory? The answer is; the goal of “marriage equality” is not about equal rights at all – but the destruction of the God-ordained institution of marriage.
The Christian Church and civil-society must lead the charge to defend and protect the Biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Besides the obvious legal ramifications of the “Single Marriage Bill,” the Church is duty-bound to defend and protect the God-ordained foundations of society – because it is a common good for all people.
The “Single Marriage Bill” includes noble objectives like preventing child and bogus marriages. But redefining man, woman marriage in law will create more social harms than all of the bad laws the previous ANC majority enacted to advance its wicked ideology.
It is significant to note, the ANC no longer has the majority to ram this Bill through Parliament. Your voice and especially the voice of the Christian Church will play a vital role in amending this Bill to protect the unique definition of man, woman marriage in law.
There are 10 political parties represented in the Government of National Unity (GNU). You and I must lobby them and all the political parties represented in Parliament. We cannot allow a corrupt entity like the ANC to subvert an ancient social institution like marriage.
Family Policy Institute will provide further updates on public hearings on the “Single Marriage Bill.” Please read through “FPI’s Submission on the Single Marriage Bill” to familiarise yourself with the implications of the Bill & provide guidelines for your arguments.
Please commit to pray for this process. The God-given and God-defined institutions of marriage and the family are the foundations of our society. You and I must do everything in our power to defend and protect them. If we fail, society fails. You must therefore speak.
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Date published: 19/11/2024
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. Artwork adapted from www.freepik.com
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They’ve gone woke! Can’t he see what’s happening in the US? Broke always follows woke.