“Our message to our 250-strong congregation is that if you know the rules then you must vote no. We tell them that if you read your Bible then you know that it is against Christianity to see the same sexes marrying . It is the same in churches like ours all over the country – 100% no to this.”

— Pastor Mike Garba, of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles church in Dublin, regarding this Friday’s historic vote to legalize same-sex marriage in Ireland this Friday. If it passes, Ireland will become the first country in the world to pass marriage equality by popular vote. Hence, many evangelical and Pentacostal pastors are mobilizing their congregations to vote no on the referendum.

Among the hellfire and brimstone predictions many of these preachers are making, Father Brian D’Arcy, a Passionist priest and popular columnist and broadcaster based in Northern Ireland, stands out as a rare voice of reason from the religious community.

“It will not be an apocalyptic day for marriage or the family,” he told Britain’s The Guardian.“We would be simply redefining marriage in a different way. And a yes vote would not change the sacramental meaning of marriage inside a church or holy place at all.”

[ninja-inline id=73197]