The Voice of The Argus (December 30) asks if there is any reason why gays and lesbians should be excluded from marriage.

The answer is because the Bible says "the man will be united to his wife and they will be one flesh" (Genesis 2) and "they are to be fruitful and increase in number" (Genesis 1). This is the natural order of creation.

Neither of these conditions can be met by same-sex couples so it is impossible to see how they can qualify for marriage in the biblical sense.

However, the new bill coming before Parliament does not talk of marriage but civic partnerships, which is something entirely different.

The point at issue is, as I understand it, the value put on marriage as against civil partnerships.

There is no equality between marriage, with all the responsibilities it entails for bringing up children and the stability it brings to society, with co-habitation of same-sex partnerships.

In any sane country marriage should be encouraged by the tax system.

-Alan Nunn, Hove