Several West Berkshire churches urge parishioners to sign anti same-sex marriage petition
The Coalition for Marriage (C4M) campaign recently launched an online petition with the aim of stopping the Government's proposal to redefine marriage to include same-sex marriage.
On March 5, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, likened the idea of same sex marriage to slavery and said that Prime MInister, David Cameron’s, pledge to legalise homosexual marriage, was "madness" and "grotesque".
Newbury Methodist Church printed a two page appeal to its parishioners in its parish magazine to sign C4M's petition online, which currently has 191,310 signatures opposing the plans.
The article in this month's (March) edition of the newsletter said: "If marriage is redefined, what is to stop it being re-written in other ways?
"Will the legalisation of polygamy be next?"
It went on to ask people to pray for the protection of marriage and for people to forward the information onto family and friends as it was aiming to have 100,000 signatures by Easter.
The Rev. David Crowther and his wife Sally (pictured right), at Thatcham Free Church, have started a petition at the church in Green Lane.
Mrs Crowther claimed that the legalisation of gay marriage could lead to an increase problems in the country such as the riots of last summer.
She said her main concerns were the effect it could have on family life and the effect it could have on children.
She said: "We believe marriage is instituted by God between one man and one woman.
"It's part of the history and heritage of this country.
"The vast majority of people don't what this change."
She added that she was concerned at what the redefinition could meant to the future of the institution.
Reacting to comments made by Cardinal O'Brien she said that she agreed with what he had said.
She added: "My feelings are as strong as that.
"We don't want to be persecutory of those who see a deviant way as the right way but we feel very strongly about it."
The Rev David Taylor from Thatcham Baptist Church said he had signed the petition and was encouraging others to do so.
He said: "We feel that to redefine marriage in that radical way is unnecessary - it would change the whole nature of what marriage is.
"We believe that marriage is for one man and one woman.
"In the bible homosexuality is mentioned [about seven times] and every time it's in a negative context.
"We don't feel we can condone same-sex marriage - heterosexual marriage is what the bible shows us."
Commenting on Cardinal O'Brien's views, he said he would not compare gay marriage to slavery, adding, "These (homosexual) unions are mostly relationships of love and commitment and it's easy to see them the same as heterosexual marriage but, for me, it's more about what the bible says on this issue."
However, the Rev. Mark Bennet from St Mary's Church, Thatcham, said that the issue was not one which had been discussed at his Church Gate church.
He said: "St Mary's is a church for the whole of the Thatcham community.
"Debates of this kind, which tend to polarise opinion, are not always the best way to discuss issues which are significant to people."