Taiwan Church News 3220 Edition November 11 - November 17, 2013 Church Ministry News Taiwan Churches in Angst About Diversity Family Bill Around The Corner Reported by Lin Yi-yin Due to a series amendments and legislature about family or marriage civil code, proposed recently by lawmakers or radical pro-LGBT groups, causing a wave of woe and angst among Christians and families. Taiwan Churches are now extremely wary about the would-be damages and chaos caused by the legislation of these radical civil codes, as it seems these bills are just around the corner. Taiwan Domestic Partner Task Force, a radical pro-LBGT group, launched recently a so-called Diversity Family Bill lobbying congress to accept gay marriage, partner family and poly-partners relationships. Such radical voice caused a big concern from the Alliance for Protection of Family, a Christian religious group stressing the traditional values and social order, denouncing these new bills would only have multiple devastating results for the spouses and the innocent children, as no sexual loyalty would be required between the couple then. Further, chaotic family relationships and even incest could be incurred. November 8 at PCT R&D Center, Ms. Tseng Chau-yuan, Deputy Office Director of Lawmaker Yu Bi-lu, was invited to explain the current situation of Diversity Family Bill. Tseng explained that, up to date, only the amendment article 972 of Civil Code passed the first read, which approves a marriage should be "the two parties involved" instead of "the man and the woman invoilved" as initially stipulated. Yet, this amendment is not finally settled, as the result of a second and a third read are still unknown. As to the bill about "partner family" and "poly-partner relationships", Tseng expressed that they are not even allowed to enter into the deliberation agenda of law making yet. In addition, KMT caucus has clearly said no to these bills and Christian Lawmaker Lai Hse-pao had also switched his register into Juridical and Legal Committee trying to stop these bills, Tseng said it is unlikely these bills will be passed under current atmosphere. Tseng remarked that there are many social panic, incorrectly caused by the biased media propaganda from the Alliance for Protection of Family, reminding her lawmaker office that more public hearings should be held to let these bill be discussed and understood correctly. In order to keep away distortion, confusion and misunderstanding, PCT R&D Center urged more frank dialogue to carry on and stay focus on the issue whether gay marriage should be approved, as this is the only bill passed the first read requiring public opinions. Translated by Peter Wolfe |