In 2015, Nick and Sarah Jensen publicly swore that their religious beliefs would force them to divorce in protest if Australia enacted marriage equality laws that allowed for same-sex marriage. This week, Australia passed such legislation, but the Jensens were evidently lying, and now Nick Jensen told the press (by text-message!) that they meant their “public comments regarding civil divorce never envisaged me separating from my wife, but rather our marriage from the state.”
Prior to Australia’s absurd referendum on marriage equality, the Jensens published remarks stating that they had insight into the mind of the almighty and He didn’t want queers to marry: “Marriage is the union of a man and a woman before a community in the sight of God. And 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.”
Later, Nick Jensen told a Buzzfeed reporter, “We’ve made the decision. We’re hoping to never have to do that, [but] that is what we’d do.”
“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.”
The Couple Who Pledged To Divorce If Marriage Equality Was Legalised Have Chickened Out [Rob Stott/Junkee]
(via Reddit)