A Sikh Peer and a senior Jewish rabbi have both spoken out against redefining marriage as opposition continues to mount against the Government.
Lord Singh and Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet’s concern comes in the wake of the Government launching a consultation on redefining marriage last week.
There has also been a warning that redefining marriage could open the door to polygamy from Reg Bailey, who chaired a Government-backed review on child sexualisation last year.
Dilute
Lord Singh, the head of the Network of Sikh Organisations, said under the Government’s plans marriage would be changed “for no real gain because the law rightly gives every respect to a civil partnership”.
He added: “It is more of a sideways assault on religion, that ‘we can dilute your beliefs and values’, and I find that concerning.”
He told a Sunday newspaper that he would vote against same-sex marriage legislation in the House of Lords.
Hallmark
Rabbi Schochet described the proposals as “pure politics”, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
The rabbi, who in the past has been considered a front-runner for the next Chief Rabbi, said: “The hallmark of Judaism is the family. The traditional family – a husband, a wife and children.
“Ultimately, of course, it’s not for me to dictate to government and start telling them what to do, I can just simply decry what is going on on the basis of what I consider to be, from a religious biblical perspective, an assault on religious values.”
Sham
And Mr Bailey said: “If you say it can be two men and two women, why can it not be a man and two women or a man and three women?”
He also reportedly added that people may even call for two brothers to be allowed to marry if marriage is redefined.
The Government’s consultation on redefining marriage was described by one pro-marriage group as a “sham”.
Although the consultation includes a question on whether respondents agree with the idea of redefining marriage, sceptics say ‘asking’ is not the same thing as ‘listening’ – especially when the Government is saying it will go ahead whether the public like it or not.