Despite widespread opposition to the move, MSPs have voted in favour of legislation to introduce same-sex ‘marriage’ in Scotland.
The Scottish Government’s public consultation produced a record 77,508 responses, with more than two-thirds opposed to the proposals.
But 98 MSPs voted in principle for the Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill in the first of three parliamentary stages, while 15 voted against the legislation.
Insufficient safeguards
Ministers say there are sufficient measures to ensure that churches would not be forced to hold ceremonies for same-sex couples against their will.
But concerns have been raised that the proposed safeguards in the bill are inadequate to protect the religious freedom of those who disagree with the new legislation.
A spokesman for campaign group Scotland for Marriage said: “The Scottish Government’s promise of sufficient safeguards have been shown to be hollow.
“Real safeguards set out in amendments to the legislation are required to protect the rights and civil liberties of the majority of Scots who don’t support this law.”
Branded “homophobic”
Labour MSP Elaine Smith said that she hoped MSPs had not been forced to vote in favour of the proposals out of fear of being branded homophobic.
“Since indicating that I did not intend to support the redefinition of marriage, my religion's been disparaged, I've been branded homophobic and bigoted, I've been likened to the Ku Klux Klan and it was suggested that I be burnt at the stake as a witch,” she said.
“Fall apart”
Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone said that marriage and the family should be strengthened to tackle social breakdown, saying that during his lifetime he had “seen society beginning to fall apart.”
“That's why I would argue that one of the priorities of this parliament should be to strengthen families, to find ways to reinforce marriage and to make sure that we reverse the trends of half-a-century and more, in order to gain that stability,” he said.
“That's why I worry that we are making this a wrong priority at the wrong time.”
Sources: