Otago Daily Times 9 February 2014
Bob McCoskrie has resigned as a marriage celebrant because he rejects the state definition of marriage, and says others have done the same.
Mr McCoskrie, national director of Family First NZ, posted the announcement on his blog.
Referring to the Marriage Amendment Bill which legalised gay marriage, the post said the “act of cultural vandalism” rammed through by politicians had prompted him to resign as a state-sanctioned marriage celebrant.
He would still perform marriage ceremonies for couples, but they would have to go to a local registry office to make the union legal.
“But it would be wrong of me – and perhaps even hypocritical of me – to allow myself to be appointed by the state to carry out that duty while rejecting the distorted definition that the state has adopted,” he said.
“In my view, marriage will always maintain its cultural, natural and historical definition of the lifetime commitment of one man one woman. The real meaning will never change.”
“I’m not against anybody. I’m simply FOR the institution of marriage which has stood the test of time – and which we ‘play with’ at our peril.”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/290977/family-first-head-resigns-marriage-celebrant
