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15 Jul 2016

Hong Kong’s church opposes bill’s LGBT amendment

Christian groups spoken out against a city lawmaker who has proposed including same-sex couples married overseas in the definition of 'relative'

A lawmaker's proposal to amend a law so that same-sex couples married legally overseas can reclaim the ashes of their deceased partner from a columbaria (a place where urns are stored) has met with criticism from Hong Kong diocese.

Cyd Ho Sau-lan, a lawmaker from the Labour Party, proposed an amendment to the Private Columbaria Bill on July 6 as the bill only allows "relatives" to retrieve ashes from a columbaria.

Ho has suggested an amendment that would allow same-sex spouses married outside Hong Kong to be included in the definition "relative."

"It is already very painful to be widowed. Why should anti-gay people suppress the right of a same-sex spouse to handle his or her partner's ashes? Why do anti-gays have such hatred?" Ho posted on Facebook July 6.

Both the The Hong Kong Catholic Diocese and the Society for Truth and Light promptly spoke out against the lawmaker’s proposal, seeing it as a move towards same-sex marriage in the city.

“The issue itself reflects how discussions on LGBT issues have turned irrational," a church worker told UCA news.

Reader's Comments

1. 2016-07-15 18:11  
Some churches do not preach love and or compassion for others. Prejudice causes them to lack compassion for people of a different belief. Hate is powerful in the realm of many religions!!!!!
2. 2016-07-15 20:51  
Mostly, I agree with indingoeyes. With one change, "Hate is powerful in the realm of MOST religions."
The world would be a significantly better place with all religion relegated to the position of an after-thought. There should certainly be a curtailment of religious intrusion into the political & governmental spheres.
3. 2016-07-16 04:33  
Lol. If this Ho character goes around calling people "anti-gay", what does he expect?

The proposal isn't for the church to vote on. He knows this. He's looking to further stir things for his own end. The UK labour party tried this in the 70s and 80s. Look where they are now.

Engage with the people. They aren't dumb.
Comment #4 was deleted by its author on 2016-07-16 06:21
5. 2016-07-16 06:16  
Many churches leaders and denominations are so slow to catch up but continue to live in the distant past -- unlike progressive denomination and movements. No wonder they are loosing their congregations as they die off in groves. Poor, poor dears.
Comment edited on 2016-07-16 06:20:49
6. 2016-07-17 18:33  
I had two very good friends living in HK, one from Hong Kong and the other French. The latter was well accepted by the former's family. The friend from HK got a devastating form of cancer (maybe liver, I don't remember); he was gone in a few weeks. His family's attitude towards his French bf immediately changed: they kicked him out of the apartment, took all belongings without discussing how to sort them out and (I think) banned him from the funeral ceremony. They even had the cruelty to take away the deceased bf's voice recording for their answering machine. So my French friend was left with absolutely no material memory of his bf.

His saving grace came from Yves Saint Laurent, who had been my HK friend's employer. They learnt about it and helped my French friend to put his affairs in order before going back to France. They really showed compassion and he was grateful to them for that.

I will never forget the suppressed pain he was failing to hide when he told me of the ordeal he had been through.
Comment #7 was deleted by an administrator on 2016-07-20 15:37
8. 2016-07-20 13:31  
Imagine that. The church taking a stand against gay people. Who'd have thunk it.
9. 2016-07-22 20:25  
Yes the congregations in Catholic churches is shrinking in Canada here Thank goodness which i hope will weaken their Anti Gay stance!
10. 2016-07-22 20:32  
The Pope who is just a Puppet figure must be a worried man these days when he notices his Congregations shrinking.
11. 2016-08-06 03:17  
So much for loving ones fellowman in Religeons!

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