Stories tagged with: gay marriage

• Ontario turns parenting into a group affair

  by Samantha Gobba, posted Thursday, December 01, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Image: iStock

  ONTARIO, Canada (BP) -- Children in Ontario, Canada, may now have up to four legal parents, none of which must be birth parents, under a bill passed by the legislature Tuesday (Nov. 29).

  Under the All Families are Equal Act, same-sex couples or a group of up to four adults who agree to have a child, whether through a surrogate mother or artificial insemination, will be legally viewed as parents without any adoption process. They simply must sign a contract to co-parent before the child is conceived. Read More

• Zales gay marriage ad harms families, 1MM says

  by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, November 30, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- A lesbian couple's exchange of vows in a Zales Jewelers television commercial is harmful to families and inappropriately introduces gay marriage to children, One Million Moms (1MM) proclaims in its latest campaign to block offensive advertising.

  As Christmastime shopping is well underway, the advocacy group is urging Zales to discontinue the commercial. Read More

• Thousands protest same-sex marriage bills in Taiwan

  by Angela Lu/WORLD News Service, posted Monday, November 21, 2016 (7 years ago)

  TAIWAN (BP) -- Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets in front of the Legislative Yuan on Nov. 17 to protest a set of bills that would make Taiwan the first Asian government to recognize same-sex marriage. By the end of the evening, the protesters had gained a victory: The legislature decided to allow two public hearings before voting on the law.

  Wearing white shirts and carrying signs that read, "Let the people decide on marriage and family," and, "Stand up for the happiness of the next generation," the protesters -- including families with young children -- showed up at 7 a.m. to ... Read More

• Trump rebukes alleged racism among supporters

  by David Roach, posted Monday, November 14, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Screen capture from CBS News

  WASHINGTON (BP) -- In his first major interview since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump said he is "saddened" by reported incidents of racial harassment committed in his name and urged perpetrators to "stop it."

  Trump also commented on potential Supreme Court nominees, abortion and same-sex marriage among other social issues.

  When interviewer Lesley Stahl of CBS's "60 Minutes" asked Trump about reports of African Americans, Latinos and homosexuals being harassed in his name, Trump ... Read More

• Irish court: Christian bakers must bake pro-gay cake

  by Kiley Crossland/WORLD News Service, posted Thursday, November 03, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  BELFAST, Northern Ireland (BP) -- A Northern Ireland appeals court has upheld the conviction of a Christian-run bakery accused of discrimination for refusing to bake a cake supporting gay marriage.

  A ruling by a three-judge appeals panel has upheld a 2015 decision by a lower court finding Ashers Baking Company guilty of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Read More

• Federal judge: Iowa churches safe from anti-bias law

  by Lynde Langdon, posted Tuesday, November 01, 2016 (7 years ago)

  DES MOINES, IOWA (BP) -- An Iowa church is dropping its lawsuit against the state and the city of Des Moines after a federal judge issued a ruling protecting the church's religious liberty. The District Court judge has ruled that churches do not count as "public accommodations" under the Iowa Civil Rights Act and are not subject to censorship of their views on marriage and sexuality. Read More

• LifeWay pulls Hatmaker books over LGBT views

  by Diana Chandler, posted Thursday, October 27, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Photo from Twitter

  AUSTIN, Texas (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources has discontinued resources featuring bestselling Bible study author Jen Hatmaker just days after she voiced approval of gay marriage and the gay lifestyle.

  "In a recent interview, [Hatmaker] voiced significant changes in her theology of human sexuality and the meaning and definition of marriage -- changes which contradict LifeWay's doctrinal guidelines," LifeWay told Baptist Press today (Oct. 27). "As a result, LifeWay has discontinued selling her resources." Read More

• InterVarsity fellowship reaffirms sex theology

  by Diana Chandler, posted Monday, October 10, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  MADISON, Wisc. (BP) -- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA has reaffirmed its longstanding theology limiting sexual relations to heterosexual married couples, and said gay employees and others who disagree theologically will likely feel compelled to leave the ministry.

  But Greg Jao, the interdenominational college student ministry's vice president and director of campus engagement, said a Time report of people being "fired" for disagreeing with the policy was misleading. Read More

• Pew: Americans divided over religious liberty

  by David Roach, posted Thursday, October 06, 2016 (7 years ago)

  

  Graphic from Pew Research Center

  NASHVILLE (BP) -- A Pew Research Center report suggesting deep division between Americans who support religious liberty and those who support so-called sexual liberty has drawn critique for its framing of issues related to contraception, same-sex marriage and transgenderism.

  At the same time, the report has drawn praise as generally reflective of the cultural moment.

  A survey released Sept. 28 found 67 percent of the 4,538 Americans polled said employers with religious objections to contraception should nonetheless be required to provide it in their employee health insurance plans. Approximately half (49 percent) of those surveyed said wedding-related businesses should be required to provide services to same-sex couples even if the business owners possess religious objections. A similar percentage (51 percent) said transgender individuals should be allowed to use restrooms corresponding with their so-called gender identity. Read More

• CCCU adopts new membership policy

  by J.C. Derrick/WORLD News Service , posted Monday, October 03, 2016 (7 years ago)

  ASHEVILLE, N.C. (BP) -- The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities has adopted new guidelines to address evolving differences among member schools on the definition of marriage.

  "We believe that this document rightly articulates both the core and the breadth of the CCCU in a way that will make us the most effective witness and advocate for Christian higher education," board chairman Charles Pollard, president of John Brown University, wrote to CCCU presidents in a letter dated Sept. 22. Read More