Straight couple who pledged to divorce if SSM passed no longer committed to their vow
Image: Image: Facebook / Nick Jensen.
Sarah and Nick Jensen, the Canberra couple who famously said they would divorce if marriage equality ever became law in Australia, have broken their commitment.
The couple were recently asked if they were going to follow through on their promise but said they were waiting to see the shape of the legislation before deciding.
At the time, Nick said that “marriage is the union of a man and a woman before a community in the sight of God.”
“The marriage of any couple is important to God regardless of whether that couple recognises God’s involvement or authority in it.
“My wife and I, as a matter of conscience, refuse to recognise the government’s regulation of marriage if its definition includes the solemnisation of same-sex couples.”
Lawyer Michael Tiyce recently said he would provide the couple pro-bono legal assistance in the execution of their divorce.
But today, the day after marriage equality legislation passed, the Jensens released a statement breaking off their impending divorce, Junkee reported.
“My previous public comments regarding civil divorce never envisaged me separating from my wife, but rather our marriage from the state,” he said in a text message.
“The legislation currently makes it untenable for us to do this under the law. The point we were highlighting and that still stands however is the fact that a redefinition of marriage changes the agreement under which we were originally married.”
“We will be making no further comment,” said Nick, who has been heavily involved with the Australian Christian Lobby.
Here’s hoping Nick and Sarah Jensen are better at remaining committed to their marital vows than they are to the outlandish ones they make to the press.
The No campaign will never end is right, if they adopt the tactics of the “Christian” right in the US: they’ll just keep chipping away with lawsuits and “religious freedom” laws.
As for this couple, their whole publicity stunt was nothing more than bull-pucky to begin with.
And the definition of marriage hasn’t changed: it’s still the recognition by the community of the establishment of a new household.
Did they mean it or were they just looking for an excuse to divorce because their marriage was already in trouble and this was their way to avoid admitting they had both made a mistake in marrying in the first place?
The “Age of Responsibility” is long since past. Just look at our politicians and how they behave when something doesn’t go their way or they get caught out doing something, or failing to do something. They simply refuse to take any responsibility.
Methinks this couple is no different. One or other, despite the dinky little “Happysnap” above, wants out so rather than accepting they are responsible for the failure they want to blame someone, something, anything.
Their so-called “Vow” shows just how seriously they took their original, presumably Religious, Marriage Vows.
Though legal in the Secular World, Divorce is still frowned upon and not permitted in the Religious World – at least in the Christian Religious World. Under Christain Religious Law when you take that vow “To have and to hold, till Death do us part” it is taken 100% seriously. It means exactly what it says and it is further endorsed when any clergy states to the congregation ” Marriage before God is a sacred act and let no man/woman put it apart”.
By golly the list is getting long. The No campaign promised us so many things would happen which just don’t seem to be shaping up.
Obviously, these clowns have backflipped on their promise at the first opportunity as if they never intended to keep it, how Christian of them. Then there’s Christmas going ahead despite the promise by Margaret Court that it wouldn’t. Then there’s various pollies who promised to support the result of the survey in Parliament who went on to not do so (Zed whatshisname and Tony Abbott, for example).
The No campaign lies will never end.