BELOW is a selection of comments made by readers during the past week, reprinted as they appear on the BDN website and Facebook page.
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Same-sex marriage
I guess your church your choice. Thats true I guess. But you are turning people away because they are same sex couple wanting to be married. I'd expect the people you turn away won't be attending the congregation. I think the church should not ever turn people away. Everyone has their own beliefs.
Sharon Troy
Churches are fast becoming a thing of the past. Marriage equality is about civil rights and equality, not religion.
Cris Wagemans
You won't marry same sex couples but you are happy to demonstrate discrimination.?
Noel Wardle
This is fine, provided that they also refuse to marry divorced women: Mt 5:32
Paul Murray
Church is a place for religion , there is no religion that I know of that accepts gay marriage. So therefor a church would be off limits. I'm some what Christian but I have mates that are gay I don't see the problem ,, each to there own I say
Andrew King Salter
I guess the Church story revolves around Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. So if homosexual couples wish to marry they should do it else where. Fair enough I think.
Tamsin Webber
No. No change. Have always disliked "Any Church" always far too political for me. Wouldnt expect anything less from religion. So much for God creating all people equal. We know thats not true
Jacki Rogers
It's attitudes like the ones our local church leaders eschew that make their institutions irrelevant. Rev Ross says gays are welcome, but he won't officiate in their expression of love. Well what gay would want to go their under those circumstances? Jesus must be turning in his grave. Three things my Christian upbringing taught me 1. God is Love 2 Judge not lest ye be judged, and do unto others as they do unto you.
Wendy Hunter
this is so wrong! love is love no matter what genders! Bega needs to step up!
Katelyn Renee
Down with those who would judge love!
Jamie Forbes
Intelligent responses from our Valley's Christian fellowship. These are Godly people who love and respect all people. Difficult situation here!
Laura Austin
It is a well balanced article and churches do need to treat everyone equally as stated in their own beliefs. It's not just Bega that has this stance and like everything it takes time for change to occur. The church's are not going to change their belief systems quickly after thousands of years of operating that way. They have a lot further to go sadly
Simone Villarroel
This is an excellent and balanced article that I fully support. We should all think very carefully before we leap in and change a definition of a word like "marriage"
Ross Taylor
Get married in a park, or a beach. A wedding doesn't have to happen in a church, doesn't make it more valid.
Amy Sass
There are plenty of other places to marry other than churches. The same way we need to respect the rights people to marry whom they choose, people need to respect the church's beliefs and rights to act accordingly. This is equality!
Laura Wilcox
If you want to refer to the bible for the definition of marriage but ignore other parts to be more accepting (and I'm not saying thats a bad thing, I love that the church has evolved enough to accept people of all sexual orientations) then are you not in a sense creating a double standard? One of the reasons I walked away from the church, too much contradiction.
Sarah Betts
That's a good move churches are for a man and woman simple if same set couple want to wed they don't have to do it in a church one would think if they respected the churches beliefs the people might respect same set couples choices
Dave Clark
I congratulate The Churches of Bega. It is written in black and white no same sex marriages, that's why God destroyed Soddom and Gormorah.
Narelle Gould McIlhagga