法官方文件将禁用“父母”等字眼

法国政府日前公布一项立法草案，拟在官方文件中禁用“父亲”、“母亲”等字眼，而全部改用“双亲”一词。该草案是法国政府将同性婚姻合法化的一部分。草案指出，“婚姻是两个人的结合，这种结合可以是异性之间也可以是同性之间的”。除规定将用“双亲”一词取代所有官方文件中的“父亲和母亲”这一表述外，草案还规定同性夫妻跟异性夫妻享有相同的子女收养权。这一举动引发了法国天主教徒的抗议，他们表示，同性婚姻合法化有可能导致乱伦和一夫多妻等行为的合法化，最终导致整个社会道德崩塌。法国总统奥朗德对同性婚姻合法化表示支持，该法案将于10月31日提交内阁审议。

France is set to ban the words "mother" and "father" from all official documents under controversial plans to legalize gay marriage.

The move, which has outraged Catholics, means only the word "parents" would be used in identical marriage ceremonies for all heterosexual and same-sex couples.

The draft law states that "marriage is a union of two people, of different or the same gender".

It says all references to "mothers and fathers" in the civil code – which enshrines French law – will be swapped for simply "parents".

The law would also give equal adoption rights to homosexual and heterosexual couples.

Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told France's Catholic newspaper La Croix: "Who is to say that a heterosexual couple will bring a child up better than a homosexual couple, that they will guarantee the best conditions for the child's development?"

"What is certain is that the interest of the child is a major preoccupation for the government."

The head of the French Catholic Church Cardinal Philippe Barbarin warned followers last week that gay marriage could lead to legalized incest and polygamy in society.

He told the Christian's RFC radio station: "Gay marriage would herald a complete breakdown in society.

"This could have innumerable consequences. Afterward they will want to create couples with three or four members. And after that, perhaps one day the taboo of incest will fall."

Leading French Catholics have also published a 'Prayer for France', which says: "Children should not be subjected to adults' desires and conflicts, so they can fully benefit from the love of their mother and father."

And Pope Benedict XVI invited 30 French bishops to Italy to urge them to fight against the new law.

He told them: "We have there a true challenge to take on.

"The family that is the foundation of social life is threatened in many places, following a concept of human nature that has proven defective."

President Francois Hollande pledged in his manifesto to legalize gay marriage. The draft law will be presented to his cabinet for approval on October 31.