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St. Paul's Church
Dear Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel,
In response to your call for evidence on the draft marriage law, I would like to submit that I am against any proposed changes to the marriage laws. Specifically, because there are no provisions in the proposed changes which would protect private citizens, government employees or businesses who are conscientious objectors to same-sex marriage.
In communities where same-sex marriage laws have been passed, without appropriate protection for conscientious objectors, individuals and businesses have been targeted and intimidated simply because they choose to live by their moral convictions and cannot participate in a Same-Sex wedding. These convictions cannot be written-off lightly, since they are shared by billions of people around the globe and are articulated in nearly every major faith traditionincluding that of the established church here in Jersey.
I should add that rather than send you a longer letter, I simply would broadly support the letter sent by Rev. Drew Waller, the pastor of the Jersey Baptist Church, which I have seen.
Before this drastic change to the definition of marriage is debated in the States, protections for conscientious objectors should be included. I would support the draft language that has been published by the Christian Legal Centre (which I understand has been submitted to you), or something similar that gives the protections I am talking about.
Thank you for your consideration of my view.
Yours faithfully,
Paul Brooks
Minister of St. Paul's Church, Jersey & Vice dean of Jersey