From Musket: Organised religions can only thrive if they have ownership of this, as then they have ownership of you.

I don't really think that's true, Musket, for the most part. I don't think that most religious groups seek "ownership" of their members. That's building on the "religion-as-mind-control" model, and I just don't think that's a true perception of most religions.

Several of you harp on an on about "rules" about sexual conduct and such. Yeah, religions voice their opinions on various aspects of sexual conduct, but that's only one aspect. And whether or not you agree with a group's views on one or another sort of sexual behavior, I think it's unfair to discount the group entirely because of that. In my experience, for example, most churches don't spend much time opposing homosexuality, even if they don't approve of homosexual sex.

Until quite recently, society in general did not approve of homosexuality. That prejudice is gradually disappearing, but vestiges still remain. I think rather than condemning those who still disapprove of homosexuality and thinking they're horrible, it might be wise to give them a little room and simply consider them "stodgy."

-Joe-