Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2015 8:12:20 GMT -5
This is my favorite internet exchange of the week:
Couple Threatens to Divorce Over Same Sex Marriage
A Canberra Christian couple who have vowed to divorce if same-sex marriage is legalised may not be able to follow through with their plan due to the legal prerequisites for divorce.
Director of the Lachlan Macquarie Institute and former ACT director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Nick Jensen, said he was prepared to divorce his wife of 10 years in protest if same-sex marriage is legalised by Federal Parliament.
Mr Jensen said he planned to continue living with his wife Sarah and be married "under God", but divorced in a legal sense.
"It's not extreme in our eyes, it's simply a natural consequence of our conscience," he said.
"When we signed the contract 10 years ago we made a contract with the state about what marriage is, which was husband and wife, fundamental order of creation, part of God's intimate story for human history, man and woman for the sake of children.
"So if the state then goes and changes the terms of that contract, then that's something we can no longer partake in, it makes the contract null and void essentially."
But the Family Law Act states that an application for divorce will only be considered if the parties had separated and lived separately for a continuous period of at least 12 months.
Family lawyer Denis Farrar said the court also needs to be satisfied that there is no reasonable likelihood of cohabitation being resumed.
"It surprises me that any sensible person would make such a threat, because you can't get a divorce unless you've been separated for 12 months," he said.
"It doesn't sound like Mr Jensen could truthfully swear that those facts are correct. And in that case he may apply for a divorce, but he won't get it unless he lies."
'It would be ironic if we could not divorce'
Mr Jensen conceded the Family Law Act may throw a spanner in the works.
"There will be issues around the fact that we would have to prove that our marriage was irreconcilably broken, which it isn't," he said.
But Mr Jensen said he and his wife could look at a legal challenge, which would leave them effectively fighting for their right to get divorced.
"It would be quite ironic if the state wouldn't actually allow us to get divorced," he said.
"If a group of people got together and said 'actually, we want to take this to the courts', then maybe that would be something we'd be involved with.
"It's something we take very seriously, and we feel in our conscience that we can't actually partake in any redefined marriage."
But Mr Farrar said the couple would not have a leg to stand on in any court challenge.
"The Marriage Act covers marriage, the Family Law Act covers divorce. And there is one and only one ground for divorce," he said.
"It's not a question of a contract with the state, it's not even a contract between the husband and the wife."
Mr Jensen said he believed the prospect of divorce was still far off, and he was focused on preventing marriage equality from becoming law.
"It's not a protest in my eyes, we're not just threatening to do this. It's just something we're explaining is the consequence of any change in legislation," he said.
mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-11/christian-couple-vow-to-get-divorced-in-face-of-gay-marriage/6539412
Couple Threatens to Not Give a Shit if Couple Divorce
In response to threats from a Canberra couple to divorce were equal marriage laws to pass, a local couple in a committed same-sex relationship have in turn threatened to absolutely not give the slightest shit were that to happen.
Local couple Brett and Harry have said that while they are not heterophobic and do their best to be open to all different kinds of views if this divorce does go ahead they will have no choice but to go on with their lives completely unaffected by such a dumb stunt.
“You know, it’s kind of like equal marriage laws themselves,” said Harry. “It absolutely does not affect anyone except the people directly involved. This couple divorcing because we have equal rights makes about as much impact on the rest of our lives as if they decided to wear big novelty hats if same sex marriage passes. The only difference being big novelty hats are fun and this threat is just kinda pathetic.
“It’s truly surprising that they expect other people to give the slightest shit about their relationship when clearly they don’t. If you’re willing to throw away your ten year marriage because a bit of legislation you don’t like passed maybe the thing you’re really unhappy about is your terrible marriage.
“Honestly, imagine the moment you suggest that you should break up over a piece of legislation and your partner immediately, emphatically agrees. If that happened to me I’d think we were divorcing no matter what and this is just a bit of convenient press.”
The Canberra couple are sticking to their threat saying it’s an important statement about a cause they strongly believe in.
“The only way to prove the sanctity of marriage is by threatening a frivolous divorce. By showing over what petty crap we’ll give up our own marriage really hammers home how much marriage means and how we’re the prime example of its importance.
“It reminds me of our wedding day when I looked deep into her eyes and told her that I would love her for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, provided that gay people can’t also do that.”
In response to threats from a Canberra couple to divorce were equal marriage laws to pass, a local couple in a committed same-sex relationship have in turn threatened to absolutely not give the slightest shit were that to happen.
Local couple Brett and Harry have said that while they are not heterophobic and do their best to be open to all different kinds of views if this divorce does go ahead they will have no choice but to go on with their lives completely unaffected by such a dumb stunt.
“You know, it’s kind of like equal marriage laws themselves,” said Harry. “It absolutely does not affect anyone except the people directly involved. This couple divorcing because we have equal rights makes about as much impact on the rest of our lives as if they decided to wear big novelty hats if same sex marriage passes. The only difference being big novelty hats are fun and this threat is just kinda pathetic.
“It’s truly surprising that they expect other people to give the slightest shit about their relationship when clearly they don’t. If you’re willing to throw away your ten year marriage because a bit of legislation you don’t like passed maybe the thing you’re really unhappy about is your terrible marriage.
“Honestly, imagine the moment you suggest that you should break up over a piece of legislation and your partner immediately, emphatically agrees. If that happened to me I’d think we were divorcing no matter what and this is just a bit of convenient press.”
The Canberra couple are sticking to their threat saying it’s an important statement about a cause they strongly believe in.
“The only way to prove the sanctity of marriage is by threatening a frivolous divorce. By showing over what petty crap we’ll give up our own marriage really hammers home how much marriage means and how we’re the prime example of its importance.
“It reminds me of our wedding day when I looked deep into her eyes and told her that I would love her for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, provided that gay people can’t also do that.”
www.sbs.com.au/comedy/article/2015/06/11/same-sex-couple-threaten-not-give-shit-if-other-couple-divorces
Couple Threatens to Divorce Over Same Sex Marriage
A Canberra Christian couple who have vowed to divorce if same-sex marriage is legalised may not be able to follow through with their plan due to the legal prerequisites for divorce.
Director of the Lachlan Macquarie Institute and former ACT director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Nick Jensen, said he was prepared to divorce his wife of 10 years in protest if same-sex marriage is legalised by Federal Parliament.
Mr Jensen said he planned to continue living with his wife Sarah and be married "under God", but divorced in a legal sense.
"It's not extreme in our eyes, it's simply a natural consequence of our conscience," he said.
"When we signed the contract 10 years ago we made a contract with the state about what marriage is, which was husband and wife, fundamental order of creation, part of God's intimate story for human history, man and woman for the sake of children.
"So if the state then goes and changes the terms of that contract, then that's something we can no longer partake in, it makes the contract null and void essentially."
But the Family Law Act states that an application for divorce will only be considered if the parties had separated and lived separately for a continuous period of at least 12 months.
Family lawyer Denis Farrar said the court also needs to be satisfied that there is no reasonable likelihood of cohabitation being resumed.
"It surprises me that any sensible person would make such a threat, because you can't get a divorce unless you've been separated for 12 months," he said.
"It doesn't sound like Mr Jensen could truthfully swear that those facts are correct. And in that case he may apply for a divorce, but he won't get it unless he lies."
'It would be ironic if we could not divorce'
Mr Jensen conceded the Family Law Act may throw a spanner in the works.
"There will be issues around the fact that we would have to prove that our marriage was irreconcilably broken, which it isn't," he said.
But Mr Jensen said he and his wife could look at a legal challenge, which would leave them effectively fighting for their right to get divorced.
"It would be quite ironic if the state wouldn't actually allow us to get divorced," he said.
"If a group of people got together and said 'actually, we want to take this to the courts', then maybe that would be something we'd be involved with.
"It's something we take very seriously, and we feel in our conscience that we can't actually partake in any redefined marriage."
But Mr Farrar said the couple would not have a leg to stand on in any court challenge.
"The Marriage Act covers marriage, the Family Law Act covers divorce. And there is one and only one ground for divorce," he said.
"It's not a question of a contract with the state, it's not even a contract between the husband and the wife."
Mr Jensen said he believed the prospect of divorce was still far off, and he was focused on preventing marriage equality from becoming law.
"It's not a protest in my eyes, we're not just threatening to do this. It's just something we're explaining is the consequence of any change in legislation," he said.
mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-11/christian-couple-vow-to-get-divorced-in-face-of-gay-marriage/6539412
Couple Threatens to Not Give a Shit if Couple Divorce
In response to threats from a Canberra couple to divorce were equal marriage laws to pass, a local couple in a committed same-sex relationship have in turn threatened to absolutely not give the slightest shit were that to happen.
Local couple Brett and Harry have said that while they are not heterophobic and do their best to be open to all different kinds of views if this divorce does go ahead they will have no choice but to go on with their lives completely unaffected by such a dumb stunt.
“You know, it’s kind of like equal marriage laws themselves,” said Harry. “It absolutely does not affect anyone except the people directly involved. This couple divorcing because we have equal rights makes about as much impact on the rest of our lives as if they decided to wear big novelty hats if same sex marriage passes. The only difference being big novelty hats are fun and this threat is just kinda pathetic.
“It’s truly surprising that they expect other people to give the slightest shit about their relationship when clearly they don’t. If you’re willing to throw away your ten year marriage because a bit of legislation you don’t like passed maybe the thing you’re really unhappy about is your terrible marriage.
“Honestly, imagine the moment you suggest that you should break up over a piece of legislation and your partner immediately, emphatically agrees. If that happened to me I’d think we were divorcing no matter what and this is just a bit of convenient press.”
The Canberra couple are sticking to their threat saying it’s an important statement about a cause they strongly believe in.
“The only way to prove the sanctity of marriage is by threatening a frivolous divorce. By showing over what petty crap we’ll give up our own marriage really hammers home how much marriage means and how we’re the prime example of its importance.
“It reminds me of our wedding day when I looked deep into her eyes and told her that I would love her for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, provided that gay people can’t also do that.”
In response to threats from a Canberra couple to divorce were equal marriage laws to pass, a local couple in a committed same-sex relationship have in turn threatened to absolutely not give the slightest shit were that to happen.
Local couple Brett and Harry have said that while they are not heterophobic and do their best to be open to all different kinds of views if this divorce does go ahead they will have no choice but to go on with their lives completely unaffected by such a dumb stunt.
“You know, it’s kind of like equal marriage laws themselves,” said Harry. “It absolutely does not affect anyone except the people directly involved. This couple divorcing because we have equal rights makes about as much impact on the rest of our lives as if they decided to wear big novelty hats if same sex marriage passes. The only difference being big novelty hats are fun and this threat is just kinda pathetic.
“It’s truly surprising that they expect other people to give the slightest shit about their relationship when clearly they don’t. If you’re willing to throw away your ten year marriage because a bit of legislation you don’t like passed maybe the thing you’re really unhappy about is your terrible marriage.
“Honestly, imagine the moment you suggest that you should break up over a piece of legislation and your partner immediately, emphatically agrees. If that happened to me I’d think we were divorcing no matter what and this is just a bit of convenient press.”
The Canberra couple are sticking to their threat saying it’s an important statement about a cause they strongly believe in.
“The only way to prove the sanctity of marriage is by threatening a frivolous divorce. By showing over what petty crap we’ll give up our own marriage really hammers home how much marriage means and how we’re the prime example of its importance.
“It reminds me of our wedding day when I looked deep into her eyes and told her that I would love her for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, provided that gay people can’t also do that.”
www.sbs.com.au/comedy/article/2015/06/11/same-sex-couple-threaten-not-give-shit-if-other-couple-divorces
