CathNews New Zealand

In Scotland, the government’s plans to change the law to allow same-sex marriages has created an unlikely partnership. The local Muslim and Catholic communities have united to fight the proposed legislation.

Muslim and Catholic leaders in Glasgow have been meeting to challenge what they see as a major threat to the institution of marriage. Despite the differences between the two faiths, they see this issue as one they can unite behind.

“We are working with the Catholic community because our opinions are the same on this issue,” said Bashir Maan, the spokesman for the Glasgow Central Mosque, the largest mosque in Scotland.

“The main point we want to make when it comes to defending marriage in Scotland is we’ll work with anyone. If individuals of other faith groups, organisations of any kind are willing to stand up and defend the long understood definition of marriage – one man and one woman – we’re happy to collaborate with them,” said John Deighan, the parliamentary officer for the Catholic Church.

“And the Muslim community here in Scotland have been quite clear that they too want to defend marriage,” he added.