New Catholic Church/ DUP coalition! Is this they way forward?

[Applesisapples]

Jesus repeatedly advises that sin must be avoided and that repentance is needed.

But where did he say being gay was a sin?

[muppet]

Surely for a Christian  human his or her beliefs are a priority in all aspects of life and it is perfectly reasonable to seek a political party that will protect these via policies?

I was at a Catholic mass in New York where the priest stated that all catholics must vote Republican in the presidential election as the Republican were the only pro life party. Nobody else i was with thought it was as funny as I did.

I mean all those times the Republican presidents repealed all that pro-choice legislation only for the pesky Democrats to reinstate it when they got back in power, how soon they forget...

The Vatican were soft of Godwin's subject as well when it suited them.

[The Iceman]

Politics will shift I think in the US. The Republicans will change their stance on religious issues to win elections and take democratic votes. In the meantime they will lose Catholic and Christian votes in favor of the Green party who will take a hard stance on religious issues. It's all a mess heganboy - the country is great and screwed up all at the same time

[muppet]

Politics will shift I think in the US. The Republicans will change their stance on religious issues to win elections and take democratic votes. In the meantime they will lose Catholic and Christian votes in favor of the Green party who will take a hard stance on religious issues. It's all a mess heganboy - the country is great and screwed up all at the same time

Watching Netanyahu address Congress the way he did was astonishing. Truly astonishing. The Republicans would have had Boehner arrested for treason if the reverse situation applied.

Yes it is a great country and the people in general are great.

But a lot of the politicians are amongst the lowest class of vermin on earth.

[Hardy]

There are many quotes I like about the bible, here are a few of my favorites:

If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.

When I think of all the harm [the Bible] has done, I despair of ever writing anything to equal it.

The word 'God' is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation, no matter how subtle, can (for me) change this.

To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and 'improved' by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries

But this one, this one I really like:

Like the most of you, I was raised among people who knew - who were certain. They did not reason or investigate. They had no doubts. They knew that they had the truth. In their creed there was no guess — no perhaps. They had a revelation from God. They knew the beginning of things. They knew that God commenced to create one Monday morning, four thousand and four years before Christ. They knew that in the eternity — back of that morning, he had done nothing. They knew that it took him six days to make the earth — all plants, all animals, all life, and all the globes that wheel in space. They knew exactly what he did each day and when he rested. They knew the origin, the cause of evil, of all crime, of all disease and death.

At the same time they knew that God created man in his own image and was perfectly satisfied with his work... They knew all about the Flood -- knew that God, with the exception of eight, drowned all his children -- the old and young -- the bowed patriarch and the dimpled babe -- the young man and the merry maiden -- the loving mother and the laughing child -- because his mercy endureth forever. They knew too, that he drowned the beasts and birds -- everything that walked or crawled or flew -- because his loving kindness is over all his works. They knew that God, for the purpose of civilizing his children, had devoured some with earthquakes, destroyed some with storms of fire, killed some with his lightnings, millions with famine, with pestilence, and sacrificed countless thousands upon the fields of war. They knew that it was necessary to believe these things and to love God. They knew that there could be no salvation except by faith, and through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

Then I asked myself the question: Is there a supernatural power -- an arbitrary mind -- an enthroned God -- a supreme will that sways the tides and currents of the world -- to which all causes bow?

I do not deny. I do not know - but I do not believe. I believe that the natural is supreme - that from the infinite chain no link can be lost or broken — that there is no supernatural power that can answer prayer - no power that worship can persuade or change — no power that cares for man.

Is there a God?

I do not know.

Is man immortal?

I do not know.

One thing I do know, and that is, that neither hope, nor fear, belief, nor denial, can change the fact. It is as it is, and it will be as it must be.

We can be as honest as we are ignorant. If we are, when asked what is beyond the horizon of the known, we must say that we do not know. We can tell the truth, and we can enjoy the blessed freedom that the brave have won. We can destroy the monsters of superstition, the hissing snakes of ignorance and fear. We can drive from our minds the frightful things that tear and wound with beak and fang. We can civilize our fellow-men. We can fill our lives with generous deeds, with loving words, with art and song, and all the ecstasies of love. We can flood our years with sunshine — with the divine climate of kindness, and we can drain to the last drop the golden cup of joy.

The best cure for Christianity is reading the bible.
-   Mark Twain

[muppet]

The best cure for Christianity is reading the bible.
-   Mark Twain

Iceman has clearly read up on his faith but the others seem to take a long time to come with the relevant quotes.

[Hardy]

Jesus repeatedly advises that sin must be avoided and that repentance is needed.

Indeed, but you miss his point spectacularly. He's talking about your own sin, not your perception of somebody else's. Not only are you not to concern yourself with the perceived sins of others, you are specifically warned that to do so is possibly the worst sin. The whole point, he says, is faith, hope and charity - "and the greatest of these is charity". He takes great pains to explain what is required under the heading of charity. You must not assume the actions of others to be sinful. You must think the best of people, not the worst. You must not judge or assume yourself to be the arbiter of morality for anybody else. You must only worry about your own morality.

In other words, he went out of his way to condemn people like you. Have you never heard of the Pharisee and the Publican? I have to warn you that if you're basing your whole life ethic and moral foundation on being some sort of teacher's pet or snitch for Jesus, you're going to get an awful gunk when you show up at them gates.

[imtommygunn]

Jesus repeatedly advises that sin must be avoided and that repentance is needed.

Indeed, but you miss his point spectacularly. He's talking about your own sin, not your perception of somebody else's. Not only are you not to concern yourself with the perceived sins of others, you are specifically warned that to do so is possibly the worst sin. The whole point, he says, is faith, hope and charity - "and the greatest of these is charity". He takes great pains to explain what is required under the heading of charity. You must not assume the actions of others to be sinful. You must think the best of people, not the worst. You must not judge or assume yourself to be the arbiter of morality for anybody else. You must only worry about your own morality.

In other words, he went out of his way to condemn people like you. Have you never heard of the Pharisee and the Publican? I have to warn you that if you're basing your whole life ethic and moral foundation on being some sort of teacher's pet or snitch for Jesus, you're going to get an awful gunk when you show up at them gates.

Your first paragraph is excellent and sums up a lot of what is wrong with a lot of self perceived christians. I have a lot of respect for a lot of peoples faith though wouldn't be overly religious myself. The attitude however of the judgemental, e.g. the person who started up this thread, stinks. That is not an attack on christianity. It is what is wrong with *some* christians.

[Maguire01]

Jesus repeatedly advises that sin must be avoided and that repentance is needed.

When was the last time? I must have missed any in the last year or so.

[Maguire01]

At the moment but maybe not so after the Ashers verdict.

The B&B scenario put to you is not the same as the Ashers scenario. Ashers may well win their case, but you wouldn't.

[Maguire01]

Wrong.The Bible is laced with condemnation of homosexuality and fornication,therefore acting upon this belief I would,acting on conscience,prevent any couple,homosexual,lesbian or hetrosexual from using my home for such.purposes.This clearly shows.my sole aim is to prevent sin not discriminate.

So, what way would you screen the heterosexual couples?

[Maguire01]

Your interpretation again.I don't have any prejudices just my own views of what's right and wrong,largely based on religious belief supported by instinct.

And finally we get to it. Religion is basically a cover for your "instinct".

[T Fearon]

So according to Hardy it is an act of charity to facilitate sin under your roof? When will people on this thread differentiate between homesexuals/ homosexuality and the not unreasonable desire not to facilitate sin under ones roof? Such a desire is not a judgement on anyone,it is simply a desire not to facilitate sin.

[muppet]

Jesus repeatedly advises that sin must be avoided and that repentance is needed.

Indeed, but you miss his point spectacularly. He's talking about your own sin, not your perception of somebody else's. Not only are you not to concern yourself with the perceived sins of others, you are specifically warned that to do so is possibly the worst sin. The whole point, he says, is faith, hope and charity - "and the greatest of these is charity". He takes great pains to explain what is required under the heading of charity. You must not assume the actions of others to be sinful. You must think the best of people, not the worst. You must not judge or assume yourself to be the arbiter of morality for anybody else. You must only worry about your own morality.

In other words, he went out of his way to condemn people like you. Have you never heard of the Pharisee and the Publican? I have to warn you that if you're basing your whole life ethic and moral foundation on being some sort of teacher's pet or snitch for Jesus, you're going to get an awful gunk when you show up at them gates.

Your first paragraph is excellent and sums up a lot of what is wrong with a lot of self perceived christians. I have a lot of respect for a lot of peoples faith though wouldn't be overly religious myself. The attitude however of the judgemental, e.g. the person who started up this thread, stinks. That is not an attack on christianity. It is what is wrong with *some* christians.

I agree with this.

Some people have to be Christian against someone or some others.

Many others thankfully do not.

[Hardy]

So according to Hardy it is an act of charity to facilitate sin under your roof?

What? Even you are not that monumentally stupid.