Australia votes to legalize same-sex ‘marriage’

Australia votes to legalize same-sex ‘marriage’

CANBERRA, Australia — More than 60 percent of Australians voted in favor of legalizing same-sex “marriage,” according to results from a national postal survey.

And as politicians are expected to follow through with the people’s wishes, churches are voicing concerns for the preservation of free speech and parents’ right to choose how their children are educated on the matter.

“Parliamentarians must recognize and respect the concerns of the more than 4.8 million Australians who opposed a change to the definition of marriage by putting in place strong conscience and religious freedom protections,” said Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Denis Hart, referring to the 38.4 percent of respondents who voted against the proposed change.

Lyle Shelton, a spokesman for the Coalition for Marriage, said the organization, which led the campaign to keep marriage as strictly one man and one woman, is “naturally disappointed” with the outcome of the vote.

“We will now do what we can to guard against restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of religion, to defend parents’ rights and to protect Australian kids from being exposed to radical LGBTIQ sex and gender education in the classrooms,” said Shelton, according to The Christian Post. (TAB)