Same-Sex Marriage was NOT passed in the UK

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill will now go into Commons Committee Stage and is likely to progress to the House of Lords after the Queen's Speech, expected in early May.
There will be a tough battle in the House of Lords. The size of the Commons majority seen last night was much larger than for most normal Government business – making it very difficult for peers to suggest that the Bill should be rejected.

I lifted this very useful 101 from a Homosexual web site, Corrected a few very minor mistakes and added a bit.

Same-Sex Marriage was NOT passed in the UK; UK legislative procedure 101

The first thing that needs to be mentioned, is that the Bill that came before Parliament is NOT a bill that would affect the whole of the UK. This Bill, if passed will affect only England and Wales; both Scotland and Northern Ireland have devolved legislative bodies that would pass there own legislation on this matter. In Scotland, there are currently plans to bring in same-sex marriage, but there are NO plans to bring any such bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Now, here’s where it get a little complicated. In the UK Parliament, there are two houses. The Lower house is the House of Commons, and the Upper house is the House of Lords.

The House of Commons is full of elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and the House of Lords is full of unelected Lords and Ladies ( and bishops from the Church of England).

Due to the fact that they are completely unelected, “Parliament Acts” have been passed. These Acts mean that the House of Lords do not have the power to completely reject a Bill. If a Bill us voted down in the House of Lords, it can be reintroduced in the next Parliamentary session (the next year) and they are forced to approve the Bill.

Now, for a Bill to become a law, there is a pretty strict procedure that it needs to follow. The vast majority of Bills, and the Marriage (same-sex couples) bill is one of them, will firstly be brought to the House of Commons. There are five stages that a Bill must go through in the House of Commons:

1) The First Reading:- this is where the name of the Bill is read out in Parliament. There’s no debate here at all. At most someone will make a 10 minute speech. There is then a vote. The same-sex marriage bill has passed this stage.

2) The Second Reading:- This is what happened yesterday. There is a big debate on the broad principles of the Bill. A vote is then taken. The Same-Sex marriage Bill passed this.

3) The Committee Stage:- This is a detailed look into the technical aspects of the Bill by a committee. The broad morality of the Bill will not be considered but witnesses are brought before the committee to give evidence into the Bill’s technicalities. The committee will then make any amendments necessary.

4) The Report Stage:- The committee reports back to the House of its finishing and any amendments it has made. The house then votes on those amendments. If the amendments are rejected, then the the Bill goes back to committee to reconsider.

5) The Third Reading:- This is normally ceremonial. The name of the bill is read out again and another vote is taken. If a bill has passed all the other stages, it is unlikely to fail here. (But it CAN)

If a Bill passes all the above stages it is then passed to the House of Lords. The Bill goes through the same stages in the House of Lords. However, if the committee in the Lords makes amendments ( and they are approved in the Lords’ report stage) it is passed back to the House of Commons for them to vote on again.

If the Lords add amendments the Government dislikes it may try to force the Bill through by using the "Parliament Act" overruling the House of Lords Amendments.

Once a Bill has passed the Lords, it is then passed to the Queen to receive “royal assent”, which means the Queen’s signature. Although she does technically have the power to reject a Bill, it won’t happen. (Interesting Point; will She?)

As the Same-sex marriage Bill has only got up to the Second Reading in the House of Commons, it still has a very very long way to go. Particularly because, as I’ve mentioned, there are CoE bishops in the Lords who are guaranteed to vote against (pray they will ,no guarantee ).

To conclude, STOP SAYING THE BILL HAS PASSED.

The 3rd FORGE School of Faith : 5th Oct - 5th Nov 2013

* DATES:
5th - 19th October 2013 (Wales) / £200
20th Oct - 5th November 2013 (the Middle East: Intercessory Mission Exposure) / £300 + airfare (to the Middle East ?) – optional

* WHO: Whoever wants to be part of laying the faith foundation to redeem and restore the inheritance of Rees Howells. (If you are a couple, you may not have your own room. It will depend on availability of accommodation )

* LANGUAGE: mainly in English

* CONTACTS: Qday LEE
(+44) 7870653157 (mobile)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.theforgewales.org.uk
12 Ropewalk Road, Llanelli, Wales, SA15 2AL, UK

* The second DEADLINE will be 31st August 2013 and there are only 2 places. Also when you send your application form, could you enclose £100 deposit please? (Cheque payable to “The Forge” or transfer as follows: )

- Bank Name: NATIONWIDE Building Society
- Account Holder Name: Mrs C. Mooney
- Sort code: 07-02-46 
- Account number: 30461609
- Branch prefix: 0404
- IBAN: GB52
- NAIA: 0702 4630 4616 09
- BIC: NAIAGB21
- SWIFT INTERMEDIARY BANK: MIDLGB22

* Application Form download (click here)

God has called us to redeem the inheritance of Rees Howells the intercessor. We started this journey January 2009 and the 1^st School of Faith was December 2012 for 2 weeks and the 2^nd School of Faith was April and May 2013 for 4 weeks. God has envisioned, encouraged, challenged, healed and united us as the family of God. We foretasted a little of his full picture of a movement with a lifestyle of community, worship and intercession.

“A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.” (Genesis 2:10) A few months ago, God really encouraged me through this scripture to extend this school to go out to the nations from Wales. Therefore we are going to hold 'The Forge School of Faith-3' for TWO WEEKS in Wales and for TWO WEEKS in the Middle East; an exciting opportunity!


. Sharing in community living
. A lifestyle of prayer and intercession
. Bible meditation and listening to God's heartbeat
. Exploring God's divine purpose for Israel and the nations

Faith & Finance for Others : In order to cover expenses, and give everyone an opportunity to exercise our faith and provide not only for our own needs but also for others! We are asking everyone who wants to come, including members of The Forge team, to contribute. (There may be fasting.)

Pray for Iranian Presidential Election! : 14th June Friday 2013

Pray for Iranian Presidential Election!

The eleventh election of the President of Iran is scheduled to be held on Friday, 14 June 2013. If no presidential candidate polls 50 percent of the vote on the first round, a run-off will be held on 21 June. It will elect the seventh President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 700 candidates have been winnowed down to eight men. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election.(Candidates' Profiles: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22611601)

As we interceded for Iran from the Forge school in April, let God send the spirit of confusion to Iranian Moslem leaders and the spirit of clarity to Christians.

Iran's role is so crucial in the Middle East and beyond, like North Korea. God has been raising Iranians inside and outside Iran for the Kingdom of God, although their current leaders are against Israel and Christians.

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria--a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25)

3 Day Fast & Prayer for Iran and Iranians

Please stand together with Iranians this time. Esther stood together with her maids for her own people. This presidential election is very important not only for Iranians but also for Israel and the rest of the world. Some of us going to stand with fasting for three days. 12th - 14th June 2013

1. Pray that God may send spirit of confusion to Iranian leaders.
2. Pray that God may release signs, wonders, visions, and dreams more to Iranians.
3. Pray that God raise Iranian young people to build the Highway and the Kingdom of God.

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him. (Esther 4:14-17)