By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, May 4, 2023: The Syro-Malabar Church, a prominent Catholic group in India, says it opposes legalizing same sex marriage, as it is “a denial of human nature and an injustice to the family system and society.”
“Legalizing same-sex marriage could lead to calls for the legalization of sexual perversions such as attraction to children, attraction to animals, and attraction between blood relatives,” says a May 4 press note from the Church’s Public Affairs Commission, based in Kochi, Kerala.
The commission was responding to the federal government that has sought public responses to a petition in the Supreme Court on same sex marriage.
The apex court has requested for the government position on the matter.
The press note, signed by commission secretary Father Abraham Kavilpurayidathil and assistant Father James Kokkavayalil, says the Church has communicated to the Indian president its position on the matter.
The Kerala-based Oriental Church says it appreciates the federal government stand in the Supreme Court that in Indian culture marriage is a relationship between two persons of opposite sex and family consists of a biological man, a biological woman and the children born to them.
“The church, which adheres to scripture, tradition and church teachings, holds the same moral view and opposes efforts to legalize same-sex marriage. Because same-sex marriage violates the right of children to be born and raised within a marriage. It is a denial of human nature constituted as male and female. It is also an injustice to the family system and society,” the press note says.
While asserting that same sex marriage should not be allowed, the Church says it treats those with mental and physical deviations at the level of sexuality with compassion and opposes discrimination against them.
At the same time, the Syro-Malabar Church “unequivocally declares the position that marriage is a relationship between a woman and a man.”
Meanwhile on May 3, the federal government told the Supreme Court that it will form a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary to address “human concerns” of same-sex couples without legally recognizing their relationship as a marriage.
A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, welcomed the “very fair suggestion,” and said if what the government says goes through, it “will be a substantial advancement over what we have today” and a “building block for the future” of the movement for gay rights.
The apex court asked the petitioners if, at this stage, they would still like to stick to their demand for a declaration that they have the right to marry under the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954.
The court on May 3 said it does go by either “popular morality or segmental morality” but what the Constitution mandates.