Same sex marriage is completely ridiculous

SIR – In the forthcoming marriage referendum, had the question been phrased differently, i.e. ‘Do you reject the traditional concept of marriage in favour of the secularist, liberal anti-Catholic view of marriage which has nothing to do with procreation, children or family, but is solely concerned with lovey-dovey companionship?’, the resounding no would have been deafening.

But they have made it a human rights and equality issue with particular emphasis on gay and lesbian couples. The question is asked; if they love each other why shouldn’t they marry?

Thus having given the debate an overdose of sentimentality, we are led to believe that all the nice, kind compassionate people will vote yes and all the political engineering; Dr Goebbels couldn’t have handled it better.

But let us suppose that all the countless generations, down through the ages, in various creeds and cultures, where marriage is seen unquestionably as between a man and a woman, are right and that the recently-hatched secular concept is wrong. That is very hard for some politicians to accept, but, as I say; let us suppose.

Marriage is to do with procreation and, if the referendum is passed, same sex couples will have the same rights as opposite sex couples. Procreation to most opposite sex couples is a fairly easy affair, merely doing what comes naturally. It can happen quite by accident and often does.

But to same sex couples procreation is fraught with difficulties. Left to themselves it is impossible; they have to employ a third party, either a surrogate or a sperm donor. Only one parent is a blood relative and only one name goes on the birth certificate.

Child psychiatrists differ as to the desirability of a boy being raised by two women or a girl being raised by two men, and when children become curious as to their biological origins many difficulties can arise.

So, what is very easy for some is very difficult for others. Gay marriage is supposed to bring about equality. If passed it will fall very short of the mark.

There is one solution. All the resources of medical and scientific research must be brought together, all other research shelved, this is after all, about equality which must override all else. A means must be found where a woman is able to father a child in the same way as a man, and a man is able to conceive and give birth to a child in the same way as a woman. Not until same sex couples can procreate as easily as opposite sex couples can it be said that genuine equality has been achieved.

Of course what I am suggesting is completely ridiculous and utterly absurd, but then, in the seventy odd years I have lived on this planet, I have rarely heard of anything as completely ridiculous or as utterly absurd as a woman getting married to a woman and a man getting married to a man.

Yours faithfully,

John Streeton,

Lisalohorig,

Skibbereen.