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Dear INSERT NAME,

Re: proposed amendments to the Marriage Act

Thanks for all you do in your demanding role as an elected representative in our federal parliament. At our church, we continue to pray for you to navigate the complex issues in the proposed redefinition of marriage, in a way that balances the rights and beliefs of various people in our community. May I also repeat that as Christians we always stand against the bullying and abuse of any with whose lifestyle or moral choices we disagree.

As a practising Christian, I restate our conviction that marriage is the life-long union between one man and one woman. Indeed, we believe this relationship reflects the nature of God’s love for his people. To us, it reflects the gospel truth that as a loving groom, Jesus laid down his life for his beloved bride, the church.

However, marriage is not owned by any religion. It should be protected by the law, but is not created by law. Rather it is a universal, foundational institution, which has always included the core purpose of bearing and rearing children. This something a same-sex partnership can never do by itself. But even when a man and a woman cannot have children, they can still naturally model such a dual-gendered partnership.

Surely the state’s business in regulating marriage is children’s welfare, not to validate adult sexualpartnerships. Marriage harnesses a mother and father to monogamy, for the optimal raising of their children. Kids deserve to be raised by their own mother and father wherever possible. This is denied to any children brought into a same-sex parented family.

Therefore we believe that rewriting the Marriage Act does not simply extend marriage to worthy new participants, but actually radically redefines it. Of course, as Christians we’re called to honour those in authority. So we promise to keep doing that even if your vote in parliament institutionalisesin our nation something we believe is a mistake.

Nevertheless, if you do choose to support same-sex marriage legislation, please include robust protections for the legitimate freedom of conscience, not only for ministers of religion, and religious institutions like schools, but also for providers who service the wedding industry. Some such bakers, photographers, jewelers and printers, etc., as well as civil celebrants, feel they cannot in good conscience help celebrate same-sex unions, for religious or other reasons. But overseas experience shows they are being targeted for expensive litigation for such refusal to service such an event.

Thanks for reading and for your willingness to consider the views of your constituents.

Yours faithfully,

INSERT NAME

INSERT ROLE IF RELEVANT