An education minister in the United Kingdom has warned that school teachers could be punished for not teaching pro-gay topics, should the British government follow through with plans to redefine marriage.
The comments were made by Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of the Department for Education, and warned that there were far-reaching consequences for redefining marriage for those who work in education, churches, hospitals and various public offices.
Aidan O'Neill, an expert on human rights, recently published a review of the pending law and concluded that school officials could be able to suspend or dismiss staff members who choose not to use materials that support homosexuality.
"The fact that they have not been rebutted when we are so far down the line- the consultation will be coming out within the next weeks and no doubt the D of E has been consulted- now does raise more questions than answers," O'Neill wrote in a statement.
"There is a big and serious question that gay marriage will undermine the liberty of conscience, that's a big question that will hang over the legislation," he added.
Catholic Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor warned those who are encouraging the passage of marriage equality that there are unintended consequences of such actions that would reverberate throughout society.
"Any legislation that supports the family and marriage, I will support. Anything that diminishes it, I will oppose." O'Conner told The Telegraph. "Most people in this country don't really want gay marriage on the statute."
The Cardinal also argued that it was not the government's place to determine what marriage should be, adding that it was the "bedrock of our social life and culture".
The former head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales also accused the government of pushing through an agenda that is controversial, and claims that recent polling showed that the majority of those in government do not want to see legislation concerned with the redefinition of marriage.
