For the second (I think) time in my life, I just phoned a radio phone-in show. The story in question is the marvellous news that finally gay couples can have civil unions in registry offices, giving them most of the same rights as married straight couples.
The phone in, on Vanessa Feltz’ show on BBC Radio London was being populated by gay couples delighted at their new found freedom, and bile-ridden hate-filled so-called-christians railing against the evil abomination that they see homosexuality as being.
So, as a christian who a) sees no problem in permanent stable faithful gay relationships and b) recognises that this is fundamentally a human rights issue NOT a theological one, I felt ours was a voice not being heard. So I rang in and had a lovely chat with Vanessa, touching on the ambiguity surrounding the various interpretations of the biblical stuff about homosexuality, the dangers of applying post-enlightenment rationale to a pre-rational text (thankyou Middleton and Walsh!) and the need to uphold the right of self-determination to people with regards to their property after they die.
Anyway, the phone-call was fun, but the change in the law is a fantastic step forward for anyone looking to uphold human rights. It’s decades overdue, and has until today been a blot on British law. Thank God that we’ve now grown up, moved on, and recognised the human rights of gay couples who want to be recognised in law.