Sweden moves to allow gay marriage
Wednesday, March 21st, 2007 | 
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Posted by John under: Days of Lot
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) – Sweden took a step toward allowing gay marriage Wednesday when a government-appointed committee proposed expanding the rights of same-sex couples.
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. ”
—Luke 17:26-30
Sweden has recognized civil unions between homosexual couples since 1994, but does not permit gay marriages.
If the new law is passed, couples who have entered such unions would automatically be considered legally married, said Hans Regner, who led the committee that presented the proposal.
“Two men or two women should be able to wed, and in the future be called spouses,” Regner said. “All the rules for heterosexual spouses will be applied also to homosexual couples.”
Same-sex marriage is legal in five other countries: Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and South Africa. In the United States, only the states of Massachusetts allows gay marriage.
The Swedish proposal needs parliamentary approval but is expected to pass because gay marriage has widespread support in the Scandinavian country, Regner said.
However, the clergy has been divided on the issue, and the government proposal would allow individual churches to refuse same-sex weddings.
Sweden’s predominant Lutheran Church said last week it would be willing to marry gay couples in church if the law is changed, but that the ceremony would be given a different name than wedding.
Gays in civil partnerships already enjoy similar rights as married couples. One difference is that the age limit of 18 years for civil unions is absolute, while married couples can request an exemption.-AP
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