A Canberra couple is threatening to divorce if same-sex marriage is legalised in Australia.
But Nick and Sarah Jensen, who have just celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary, will continue to live together and refer to each other as husband and wife.
"As Christians, we believe marriage is not a human invention," Mr Jensen wrote in the Canberra City News on Thursday.
The couple view marriage as a fundamental order of creation and part of God's intimate story for human history.
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"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," Mr Jensen said.
"If parliament voted to change the timeless and organic definition of marriage, it would have moved against the fundamental and foundational building block of Australian society and, indeed, human culture everywhere.
"Indeed, it raises a red flag when a government decides it is not content only having sovereignty over land, taxes and the military, but words themselves."
By changing the definition of marriage it would, in years to come, have an altogether different sense and purpose, Mr Jensen said.
There has been a furious response to the article from some City News readers.
"The only good thing that will come out of this is that most normal people will be rightfully outraged and disgusted and will push even harder for change," Katrina McLeod posted on the publication's Facebook site.
"Do they realise that the Bible does not allow divorce, so they will be living in sin?" said Michael Milgate.
Sandy Motorino said: "I'm sick of people pretending that there is any intellectual or ethical justification to the argument against marriage equality. If you disagree with it, you're an idiot. And you belong in the 19th century."
But Jo Church thought others were missing the point.
"They'll divorce if gay marriage becomes legal because then they'll be free to follow their hearts!" she said.
