By Tova O’Brien
The Prime Minister won't say whether he'll support a bill allowing same sex marriage beyond its first reading, but says most of his MPs are likely to vote against it.
A leader in the gay marriage movement says it should not be this controversial, as the choice doesn't take anything away from anyone else.
When Evan Wolfson married his partner last year after New York legalised gay marriage, it was a personal and political milestone for the couple.
“Marriage is not about telling any church or temple or synagogue or mosque what they have to do, that’s up to them," he says. "This is about who gets a civil marriage from the Government and is able to enter into the legal union of marriage with all the respect all of us are due.”
Mr Wolfson is known as the father of the gay marriage movement in the United States. He has met with Barack Obama over the issue, and the US president seems to be in favour of gay marriage.
“I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Mr Obama said.
Soon after that, John Key also said he wasn't against gay marriage - though he had opposed civil unions at the behest of his electorate.
Mr Key says he will support a bill allowing lesbian and gay couples to marry to its first reading, but he won't say what he will do after that.
“Probably my electorate would be opposed to gay marriage. I might just decide to make my own mind up on it.”
But Mr Wolfson does not understand why there are any problems.
“It really doesn't need to be so controversial because this is not taking anything away from anyone else.”
Marriage is sacred to Christianity, but when it comes to who should be allowed to exchange vows, the church is divided.
Catholic priest Merv Duffy says homophobia is sinful and silly, but he doesn't want marriage redefined.
“To make babies you need a mother and a father and the best environment for raising children is with their genetic parents living together in love and commitment.”
Margaret Mayman is an Presbyterian reverend in a same-sex relationship and she says it's not up to the church.
“It's wrong for churches to project their views of what marriage is onto a secular society where there's diverse religions, including a huge diversity within Christianity itself."
Regardless of party, each MP will vote for themselves on the same sex marriage bill.
Many National MPs won't say which way they're leaning. It's likely they're watching for the Prime Minister's next move - and he says most will vote against it.
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