If the Scottish government decides to make gay marriage legal, "the freedom to express our opinion in public might be restricted. We do not know whether we can freely state that marriage is only the union between a man and a woman, without being charged with a crime". This is what Mgr. Philip Tartaglia, new archbishop of Glasgow, says to SIR Europe (click here) about his concern for the Scottish government’s intention to make gay marriage legal. According to the prelate, that would endanger religious freedom. He supports his assumption with the opinion of a human rights lawyer, Aiden O’Neill, who thinks "there’s a good chance priests and teachers may be indicted under the human rights act if they say anything against gay marriage. We might be fined or otherwise prosecuted". That is why today "relations with the government are tense. We asked a few questions, but we received no adequate answers. There have been only rage and accusations on the press. The emotional level rises when we ask these questions, and the Church is condemned because they say it is not too charitable, that it is homophobic. There is not a debate, there is a fight". Regrettably, he concludes, "the government says this is a matter of equality and speaks of Scotland as of a liberal country, but it is under the pressure of some lobbies".
