Fundamentalist Christians believe that they are in ‘the end of days’.
Apparently the Anti-Christ and Jehovah are ready for a re-match.
Well on this island I hope we are witnessing the death throes of faith authorised homophobia.
Only today a judge ruled in Northern Ireland that a ‘Christian-run bakery’ discriminated against a gay customer.
The Antrim based Ashers Baking Company was taken to court by Gareth Lee after the baker refused to put a message on a cake supporting same-sex marriage.
Of course, I’m sure that the folk at the bakery would say that they were not motivated by homophobia.
On Friday in this republic, the citizenry will get an opportunity to make grá the law.
I’m edgy about the ‘silent No vote’, and I think it will be a close run thing.
However, if we the people decide to pass the Thirty-Fourth Amendment to Bunreacht na hÉireann then I will be a happy citizen.
I hope that we will be able to look back at the passing of the Marriage Equality Bill of 2015 and see it as a major step forward to cherishing all the children of this nation equally.
I’m proud that my brood are all voting YES.
The Big Trinity Fella has arranged a postal vote, and it was Tá from him
Number One Daughter is making the five-hour journey up from Dublin on Friday to make the vote, and I’m driving the baby of the clan to the polling station that morning.
This is the first time my youngest has ever voted, and we followed the paperwork through the Donegal County Council functionaries to make sure that she was on the electoral register.
As I was writing this Madam Rusty helpfully announced the arrival of the postman in her singular way.
It was the Polling Card for our youngest, her first ever.
I get the feeling that she has been gently berating some of her classmates who, in her words, ‘can’t be arsed voting’.
Ok, so the ‘gently’ bit is probably inaccurate…
Over the last couple of weeks on the drive back from school she has had steam coming out of her little ears about the apathy of some of her Leaving Cert contemporaries.
She’s an engaged citizen of this republic.
I blame the parents.
Of course, other kids have been reared with a different parental message.
It must be strange to live your life like you’re in the final twenty minutes of ‘The Omen’.
Moreover it probably doesn’t aid self-reflection if the main political party in the local polity has had an environment minister who has expressed the belief that the earth is only a few thousand years old and that baby Jesus had a pet brontosaurus.
Ok, ok, he didn’t specifically mention the dinosaur, but you get the idea…
After that, they made him the health minister and he banned blood donations from gay men.
Edwin Poots was succeeded at Health by Jim Wells, and he has recently espoused some bizarre ideas about gay families and the prevalence child abuse.
Thankfully he resigned after his rant was posted online.
Not surprisingly these biblical types in Norn Iron are not really with the LGBT programme.
It is worth noting that, sadly, in the land of the Bible it is still a serious health hazard to be openly gay.
Although not a matter of life and death, it must still be difficult for a gay person to come out among the Fleg Folk with all that Scripture stuff going on.
Here in the Republic of Ireland ‘pro-family’ Catholic groups are advocating a NO vote on Friday.
Bishops have written to their ‘flocks’, but these days there are precious few sheep to belt with a crozier.
It is clearly observable that the dynamism and momentum are clearly with the Yes Equality campaign.
This is what history feels like.
Here on this island religiously motivated homophobia is clearly fighting a rear-guard action, but for them I really hope that it is the end of days.
