A Scottish reverend has called on local registrars in the Galloway area of Scotland to follow in the footsteps of the Western Isles and refuse to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.
The call from Rev. Darryl Abernethy of Stranraer Free Presbyterian Church follows the first two civil partnership ceremonies in the Galloway area of two same sex couples on Wednesday, reports Galloway Today.
Bill Lowe and John Emslie of Doonhill House in Newton Stewart took part in a civil partnership ceremony at the town’s MacMillan Hall Wednesday morning, while Kelly Alexander and Angela Allan engaged in a ceremony in Stranraer registry office in the afternoon.
Mr Lowe said of the ceremony: “It’s been a long time coming. We’ve waited 15 years for this moment; many people have waited a lot longer for a change in the law.”God as the creator, judge and king of all men instituted marriage between men and women at the beginning of time for the betterment and multiplication of mankind.
Rev. Darryl Abernethy of Stranraer Free Presbyterian Church
Rev. Abernethy, however, responded to the events by praising the decision by the Western Isles to refuse to conduct civil partnership ceremonies and called on local registrars to follow suit.
“God as the creator, judge and king of all men instituted marriage between men and women at the beginning of time for the betterment and multiplication of mankind.”
He added: “We call upon all right thinking registrars to adopt the same position as those in the Western Isles and refuse to participate in these nefarious ceremonies."
Councillors in the Western Isles of Scotland voted to officially outlaw civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples which begin in Scotland on 21st December 2005.
