Christian couple say they will divorce if same sex marriage is legalised

Update: Since Jensen published his story, it has come to light that under Australia's Family Law Act, a couple can only be considered for divorce if they have lived apart from more than a year.

Because they treasure the sanctity of marriage so highly, a Christian couple in Australia have vowed to, um, get a divorce if the country legalises same-sex marriage.

Nick Jensen, who has been married to wife Sarah for over a decade, has taken to the Canberra City News to write that, as Christians, they believe "marriage is not a human invention".

The couple allege that if the state decides to "change the definition of marriage" then marriage will "have an altogether different sense and purpose" and is one in which they cannot partake.

Same-sex marriage is in the spotlight in Australia after the opposition Labour Party rushed through a private members' bill following the recent referendum in Ireland.

Although many of the country's conservatives are opposed, prime minister Tony Abbott included, the government recently opened the door to a possible law change later in the year.

Something Jensen is unhappy about:

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...

If our federal parliament votes to change the timeless and organic definition of marriage later on this year, it will have moved against the fundamental and foundational building block of Australian society and, indeed, human culture everywhere.

Jensen, who is the director of a Christian lobby group, believes that many people feel the same way and may follow in their footsteps.

The couple say they will continue to live as a regular married couple would, calling each other "husband" and "wife" and explain that they hope to live together for many years to come.

The decision to divorce is not one we’ve taken lightly. And certainly, it’s not one that many will readily understand.

Well, amen to that last point.

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