mmmm One of my entries seems to have gone missing! A pity as it wasn't a bad one and hopefully didn't set out to offend. If anybody else has suffered this, do say as if a lot go missing, no wonder the thread seems a bit disjointed!
One main problem with this and indeed any thread where religion is involved is that people try to make rational debate in an area where reason packed it's bags and went for a fortnight in Skegness. If you try to question the role or right of religious leaders, you are accused of being a hate merchant, Dawkins fan or troll. None of which is helpful.
The Pope does have a job on trying to keep superstition relevant, as more people realise how absurd the whole concept really is. Sorry if I (and the vast majority of people) fall into the category of questioning the influence of something based on fairy stories and cast as fact, but whilst it may float many peoples' boat, that doesn't mean it should have a voice outside of it's own pulpits.
The Pope is meeting with Irish Bishops as I type, and the subject matter makes perpetuating superstition through organised methods even less wanted by society.
I don't resent people being religious, I don't want them to stop using scriptures as their moral code. Just don't be offended when I and many others feel it is an irrelevant cause when using it to make a point to the rest of us.
It is quite obvious that if there is grand design, it doesn't have a white beard or indeed a belly button.... And it's so called representative on Earth makes himself look silly claiming he knows the dude's mobile number.
Probably this one, deleted because it was anonymous. -Joe-
UserName ThreadName Subject Posted GUEST BS: At last a Pope talks some sense RE: BS: At last a Pope talks some sense 12-Feb-10
Bryn Pugh has had an experience that would shake the faith of any God botherer.
Sadly, there is something bad about democracy. if more than 50% of the public don't think that religions prey on the weak and exploit people to their own awful ends, then they are free to carry on playing with peoples' minds in the way less recognised cults are prosecuted for.
You see, the problem is that religions still have such a hold. It is easy to be rational in all things and still defend imaginary friends, enforced moral codes and clinging to "facts" that are knocked down by science on a daily basis. if religion peddlars accepted that their stories are, as many theologians agree, allegories, then all would be not so bad. BUT they want us to accept them as sincere whilst asking us to believe things that are not possible, such as age of the earth, made in God's image, a virgin birth via angels, rising from the dead, conjuring tricks etc etc.
And that's before we get the old testament!
Sadly, if you point out the fallacy they are asking us to buy into, you are accused of knocking religion. Quite.
And, he says, coming off the fence properly this time, I for one resent having our law making structures influenced by an ex member of the Nazi Youth who tries telling us what equality means......