There’s a new development in the strange tale of the Canberra Christian couple Nick and Sarah Jensen who have threatened everyone that they will get a divorce if the Federal Government allows same sex marriage to take place in Australia.
It seems not all of their acquaintances agree with this startling proposition; a woman who says she knows the couple and attended their heterosexual Christian wedding has uninvited them from her own forthcoming nuptials.
Writing for news website news.com.au, Annie Haggar said: "Ten years ago, I went to Nick Jensen’s wedding. My fiance was there, too. We were both there with other people — our partners of the time. We had all been to high school together and were still close.
"After publishing his now-infamous diatribe, Nick texted my fiance to see if he was still invited."
She went on to say that the Jensens were no longer welcome at her wedding.
“Well, Nick, I’m sure you’ve come to appreciate over the past 48 hours that it’s not just changes to legislation that have consequences. Newspaper articles do, too. And here’s one of them, albeit a small one — I don’t want you anywhere near my wedding. You and your views are not welcome, because you’re right — the institution we’re marrying into isn’t the same one you think you’re in," she wrote.
What the Jensens make of this remains to be seen.
Earlier this week, the Canberra couple threatened to divorce if same sex marriage is legalised in Australia.
"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.
"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.
If the divorce does go ahead, the Jensens, who have just celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary, say they will continue to live together and refer to each other as husband and wife.
