Should civil partners remain celibate?

THE Church of England is voicing its opinion on civil partnerships, perhaps worried at losing revenue from performing marriages. Why not concentrate on bringing itself into the 21st century by using its vast estate of empty churches to help the homeless? These interfering busybodies should tackle the reasons why the Church’s flock is dwindling instead of telling civil partners to abstain from having sex.

ALAN TOLLEY, Market Harborough, Leics. I AM overjoyed that the bishops referred to the dreadful state of the nation’s morals and the importance of the sanctity of marriage. I’ve prayed a long time to hear words like this. I’ve been married to lovely eileen for 60 years and we have a marvellous family.

ARTHUR H. LOCK, Sandwich, Kent.

THE statement from the bishops coming less than a month after the legal introduction of civil partnerships for all makes the Church of England look even more out of step with the times. It seeks to defend traditional heterosexual marriage, but it is that anachronistic image of a bride being given away by a father to obey her husband as a dutiful wife that set many couples seeking a different path. And for the Church to tie itself in knots over ‘the proper context for sexual activity’ only adds to that disillusionment.

MARTIN LOAT, Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign, London W5.

I’M GLAD that the Church of england has called for couples to wait until marriage before having sex. I know this is sneered at by some, but it worked well for society for hundreds of years and helped protect women and children. Getting pregnant when you are single can cause sadness and result in an abortion or a child growing up without a dad and poverty for the lone mother. Trying to solve social problems is also more costly for taxpayers.

A. WILLS, Ruislip, Middlesex.