Denmark, one of Europe's smallest countries has long been known for it's relaxed attitude towards homosexuality, which was legalised in 1933. In 1997 they introduced and equal age of consent, and in 1989 it became the first country in the world to bring in a same sex civil partnership. Now, according to a recent survey, 63% of the population would be happy for gays to get married in church!
Yes, nearly two thirds of the Danish population would support a change in the law that would allow gay and lesbian couples to be married by the Church. According to the poll for a daily newspaper 63% of Danes would welcome gays getting married at the altar, a quarter said they would oppose the move, while 12% had no opinion.
In a separate poll in the e Berlingske Tidende daily paper, they found that six out of ten bishops from the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church would agree to see gay couples make their vows in Church. But the Danish parliament is currently split over a move by the center-left opposition party who wish to amend the law which will allow religious weddings too. The minister for religion, Birthe Roenn Hornbech, has urged lawmakers to think the question through in depth before reaching any decision.
There is likely to be a further period of consultation before the move is tabled in the Danish parliament and then a further period before the law is introduced.
© 2010 Copyright Jason Shaw
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