Peter Jensen: Same-sex marriage will lead to polygamy

The SMH reports Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen’s article on marriage where he claims that same-sex marriages will lead to incest and polygamy. Jensen supports legislation that extended the economic rights of married people to same-sex couples, but said religious leaders needed to defend marriage or risk losing the right to do so.

My problem with same-sex marriage is twofold. First, if marriage is about “love” and not “law,” then what basis do you have for saying “no” to polygamy and incest. In my view, none, and marriage becomes a nebulous name for any partnering of people that you like. Can you imagine a scenario where people marry people already married to other people? If same-sex marriage is legalized that is where we are headed. Imagine a woman discovering that her husband is married to another woman and a man without her previously knowing about it.  Second, what about those who do not recognize either same-sex marriages or multiple partner marriages? Will it be a hate crime or a violation of equity laws if one says in public/media/work place that he or she does not consider them bona fide marriages? Will ministers of religion be allowed to refuse to do same-sex and multi-partner marriages without fear of legal reprisal? To a dark place we are going!