Catholic Archbishop: Ban same-sex marriage because government should stay out the bedroom

A Catholic Archbishop has claimed that the government needs to “stay out of the bedroom” on same-sex marriage.

The claim comes from the Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher, who has aggressively fought against same-sex marriage in the country.

In a speech, Fisher insisted that government should “keep out of the friendship business and out of the bedroom”.

The claim will be ironic for many given the decades of the Catholic Church’s attempts to regulate people’s bedroom activities – from opposing the use of condoms to condemning ‘disordered’ gay people.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Fisher claimed: “The state has no business telling us who we should love and how, sexually or otherwise.

“The only kind of friendship the state has a proper interest in recognising and regulating is heterosexual marriage, because that’s what leads to children – new citizens – and gives them the best start in life.”

He added: “If overseas experience is anything to go by, if marriage is redefined it will be very hard to speak up for real marriage anymore – in schools, at work, socially,” he said.

“Traditional believers will be vulnerable to discrimination suits and other kinds of bullying for their beliefs. Some may lose their jobs, promotions, businesses, political careers.”

Australia is currently voting on whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry.

The result of the non-binding postal vote will be announced next month, with the issue then set to head to Parliament where MPs will hash out legislation on the issue.