Even Sweden’s churches are better than ours

What’s not to love about Sweden? It has a good socio-economic status, sports solid education and healthcare systems, possesses laws that are more reasonable than in most other places (I’m looking at you, Nanny State of America), its population is generally well educated and rational and has a great pro-science leaning, it has legalized abortion and gay marriage, its people carry a general (and healthy) disdain for religion, and they are regarded as those who are the most satisfied with their quality of life on the planet.

So, yeah, they pwn our asses.

And now, even religion in Sweden seems to be heading down the right path: the Lutheran Church of Sweden has decided to allow gay couples to marry within its churches. Now, if that ain’t progress, I dunno what is.

Gay marriage became legal in the country on May 1st, allowing couples to wed in religious or civil ceremonies.

Until now, the church had not decided whether to allow them to marry in church.

In June, the church board submitted a petition to the Church of Sweden synod. The synod announced the decision this morning.

According to The Local, some small changes will be made to current church regulations, such as replacing “man and wife” with “lawfully wedded spouses” when gay couples marry.

In January 2007 the church, which was disestablished in 2000, began offering religious blessings to gay unions and actively welcomed LGBT clergy.

[…]

The proposal passed with a 261 to 22 vote and 16 abstentions.

Maybe, when I say that the church is evil, I should add, “except those in Sweden”.

And, guess who were opposed to this measure? And guess which chief argument they brought up?

The only party to oppose the ruling were the Christian Democrats, who said they wanted to maintain "a several hundred-year-old concept" of marriage.

Maybe they also want to reinstate the several-hundred-year-old concept of slavery, or racism, or depriving women of the right to vote. Makes just as much sense, given the (non-)argument they use.

(via @religionnews)
Technorati tags: gay marriage · gay rights · Lutheran Church · Sweden · Christianity