2Ĭhristian viewpoints Strong opposition to the lowering of the age of consent
1 Corinthians 6 makes clear that some members of the church in Corinth had previously been involved in homosexual activity, but God’s grace had transformed them. Homosexual acts, like adultery and other sexual sins, can be forgiven provided there is faith and repentance. There is no contradiction between the two. The Church must care pastorally for those facing homosexual temptation, but also teach publicly that homosexual practice is always wrong. Pastoral issuesĬhristians must act both pastorally and publicly. Equalising the age of consent with the age for heterosexual activity sends out the message that homosexual activity is morally equal to heterosexual activity. 1 Moreover the signal it sends is also important. Yielding to it is (James 1:14-16).Ĭhristians oppose lowering the age of consent for homosexual activity to 16, since lowering it exposes children to this activity. Sexual temptation, including homosexual temptation is not sinful. Probably everyone experiences sexual temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Sexual acts between men and women before marriage (fornication) or outside marriage (adultery) are also condemned (Matthew 5:27-28). The Bible is clear that the only legitimate context for sex is marriage and that marriage can only take place between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). The historic Christian faith has always affirmed biblical teaching that homosexual acts are always wrong (e.g. The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 reduced the age of consent (heterosexual and homosexual) to 16 in the Province, despite widespread opposition.īiblical arguments The clear teaching of the Bible.Buggery of a female in Northern Ireland was legalised in 2003, under the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003.
All sexual activity with under-16s, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is now covered by the same laws. It is important to note that the 2003 Sexual Offences Act sought to remove any legal distinction in the criminal law between heterosexual and homosexual activity.At the time in Northern Ireland, the heterosexual age of consent was 17, so the age of consent for buggery of a male and homosexual acts in the Province was reduced from 18 to 17, not 16. In January 2001 the age of homosexual consent was reduced to 16 and the age at which girls could be subject to buggery was also reduced to 16. It did not allow any time for the Commons to consider the Lords compromise amendment.
The Government rejected this compromise and invoked the Parliament Acts.In response, the House of Lords passed a compromise amendment which kept the age for buggery at 18 for boys and girls, but left intact the provisions in the Government Bill which permitted other homosexual acts at 16. In the summer of 2000 the Government threatened to use the Parliament Acts to override the House of Lords and force the legislation through.Because of the way the legislation was drafted MPs who voted for the age of homosexual consent to be lowered to 16 were at the same time also voting for the age at which girls could be subject to buggery to be lowered from 18 to 16.The Commons voted on successive occasions for the age to be lowered to 16 but each time the Lords rejected the move. 1998 saw the beginning of a three-year campaign to lower the age of homosexual consent to 16. In 1994 the minimum age (known as the ‘age of consent’) was lowered to 18. In 1967 homosexual acts between men aged 21 or over were decriminalised.First “buggery” (the legal term for anal intercourse) and second “gross indecency” (which covers all other homosexual acts). Until 2003, the homosexual age of consent was composed of two criminal offences.
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