Thanks to the work by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, whose mission is “creating a fairer Britain,” Christian registrars can no longer opt out of gay marriage because they are public officials and not private. Although the commission defends any public official’s opinion on the gay marriage topic, it also denotes that religion is a “qualified right” that the state can tamper with in the right circumstance.
The Government’s same-sex marriage legislation makes it clear that it will not infringe on the religious freedoms of clerics and priests but it does not apply to public registrars. The EHRC notes that there are some exceptions to existing registrars that may be able to opt out as long as their colleagues can perform the ceremony, but this will not be the case for civil registrars employed in the future.
What do you think? Is this an infringement on religious rights?
Read more: telegraph.co.uk
