IT was inevitable the legalisation of same sex marriages would give that small minority of narrow-minded religious bigots an excuse to trot out how we can’t have gay marriage because God says it’s an abomination, or whatever other theological excuse they feel compelled to use to justify their loopy intolerances.

I feel compelled to write as I am sick and tired of them citing scripture as some reason we should “respect” their bigotry, as if quoting some Bronze Age code of conduct makes it all all right.

They always seem keen to single out passages condemning homosexuality, but are willing to overlook reinstating things like stoning people to death for working on the Sabbath (Exodus 35.2), or selling your daughters into slavery (Exodus 21.7), or orchestrating a group stoning for planting different crops side by side.

Far be it from me to suggest they might just be selectively citing scripture as a smokescreen for their own personal prejudice.

Then there is the “marriage is designed by God for a man and women to bear children.”

Notwithstanding the “patchy” attitude Jesus seemed to take toward filial loyalties when he said his followers should be prepared to abandon their families to follow him?

Where would following this ridiculous logic to its logical conclusion leave childless or infertile couples who wished to marry? Is this on God’s black list too?

I’ve also quite run out of patience with the “concerns” that the Abrahamic faiths might be compelled to hold on same sex marriage despite their opposition to; you know, treating all human beings as worthy of as much dignity and respect as “God’s chosen people”.

All I can say is that all over the world millions have suffered needlessly at the hands of the major religions imposing their beliefs on the rest of us and persecuting those whose faces never fitted.

Perhaps putting the welfare of human beings with feelings and lives just as important and significant as everyone else over the religious opinions of a few who take some old books way too seriously goes a little towards redressing some of the injustices theological intolerance has inflicted upon others.

I doubt this letter will go down very well with some people, but I felt that, due to the nature of some of the rhetoric from the “anti-gay marriage” side, it was important to present an opposing, humanistic perspective.

Name and address supplied