Why should the church be exempt?

Just another point,it really doesn't matter about other cultures and thier views at the end of the day when you are dealing with the Bible,the Bible was (old testament) written for the Isrealities (jews) the commandments were giving to them,what was going on round about is clear,of course homosexuality and peadophilies have always existed,if they didn't why would God destroy sodom and gomorrah?

 

On the subject of the Bible...

 

A very good question Isaac.I think the answer lies in money and votes ie a very powerful political lobby.Anyone takes them on will lose the next general election

 

I always find it odd how in Biblical times God used to pop out from behind a thunder cloud and destroy things with a bolt of holy lightning and yet in modern times we never witness sight nor sound of Him

 

that's because it's all a big fairy tale!

 

In fact, the sin of sodom was inhospitality, not sodomy (sic).

 

No it wasn't at all,it was a mixture of things,certainly not inhospitality being the main reason.

 

Nice list. It does reflect one major mistake people makes when they read the bible. They see everyone sins. However, they do not recognise their own.

 

I think you are saying that when people read the Bible, they seize on anything that reinforces their own beliefs and prejudices as absolute truth while ignoring the remainder as irrelevant nonsense.

On what basis is one really supposed to decide whether a statement in the Bible is truth or nonsense.

Surely it is either all truth or it is worthless as we have no way of knowing which statements are truth.

I think it would be better to throw away the Bible (and most other holy texts) and start again.

 

But what will happen in 2000 years time?

 

Yes and no. Anyway, this is an interesting point. I am lead to believe we have already started to write our own Laws. Problem is the moment the book of laws is written the human race will certainly try to re-interpret it the way that benefit them. They are people who make a profession out of this to trying to convince judges that the laws could be interpreted in more ways then one.

 

And a woman is not capable of being a Roman Catholic priest.

Paul

 

Well of course not. She would be a priestess!

Granted I'm not an expert on the ways of the Roman Catholic Church, but nothing I have ever heard on the subject leads me to believe that there is any function performed by a Roman Catholic Priest that could not equally well be performed by a Roman Catholic Priestess. Or am I missing something here

 

Yes Chris
You are missing one very important point.
A Priestess can not b***** a choir boy.

 

Apart from actually being a Roman Catholic priest...

Paul

 

Why does the church get away with such things?

Easy.. because to condemn it for them would be considered a breach of their freedom of religious expression.

Unfortunately, (IMHO), liberal societies are heading towards a war with more conservative religions because the very liberalism that they hold dear prevents them from sticking to their own principles against religious doctrine that they find abhorent. Just look at the problems the French have been having recently. Case in point. How can a secular society that believes in equality and liberty co-exist with stauch reactionary religions??

GTM