It was a splendid opportunity to again observe how people's perceptions and impressions of the same thing differ. While this man had been a second father to me, I had known him entirely in the context of our relationship. His relationships with others were entirely different. Of course, I could have claimed to have been the “keeper of the truth”, one who knew him best and so therefore discount the other versions as false, or incomplete. This, of course, would have been madness. Each person present at that funeral had been touched by this man in a different way, and so each version was “the truth”. And nothing short of arrogance would motivate questioning the legitimacy of each different portrayal.

As obvious as this is when diverse people get together to speak of someone's impact upon them, this reality becomes totally lost when applied to life in general. We each go through life starting from a different point, raised with different values and encountering different obstacles. These and other factors colour how we view the world. Sadly, over the past couple of decades, there seems to have been a strong force for individuals to impose their values upon others.

Don't get me wrong, the fundamental core of my very being is respect for others, and an appreciation that there is no one “right” way. 

There is much in the movement towards equality to be lauded, but it feels as if now the point is being missed and there is political correctness simply for the sake of it. 

Marriage equality is a debate which could have been conducted rationally, but has degenerated into an emotionally-driven fracas, full of irrelevancies and fear mongering. 

Sadly, many people are still made uneasy by homosexuality. I don't give a damn what a person's sexual orientation is – it's none of my business, no more than their politics, religion or salary. But there are very few people totally free of prejudices and biases. 

But there seems to be a fervor towards making others think the same way as we do, and with something such as marriage equality there can never be a resolution under these conditions.

The choices a person makes are theirs to make alone, according to their conscience, and if it hurts no one, then what is the problem? By hurt, I do not include “offend”. People are too quick to be “offended” by anything which does not agree with their values or beliefs. Get over it. The world is a diverse place, and you will come across differing points of view. Unless it harms you leave it alone, as judgement cuts both ways.

If you believe same-sex relationships are sinful or offensive, then don't have one. Otherwise, how can it hurt you? You have the right to believe it is wrong, but not the right to impose your beliefs upon others. In this way, should marriage equality go through, individual ministers should be able to choose who they do and do not marry. I think it sad some ministers will choose not to acknowledge the legitimacy of same-sex marriage. But why force them to act against their religious conscious? Forcing one's views upon another is not an expression of political correctness, but thought control.  

The one aspect of the debate I find most alarming is the idea “my opinion counts”. Why should I have any say in who does or does not get married? It is none of my business. Were it up to random strangers or my neighbours to decide who I could marry, I would leave the country. It is not a free society where a person's personal and private life is decided by strangers.

Irrespective of your beliefs, marriage equality laws will clarify the legal status of children raised in a same-sex relationship. This is important, and in all the rhetoric and ballyhoo about the meaning of marriage, this can be lost. Children's rights are those needing to be protected, and this can best be done by protecting the children of same-sex couples. The innocent here are being overlooked as people attempt to impose their views on each other and make decisions about others well beyond their jurisdiction.