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My statement is that, from a pragmatic point of view, hypocrisy shouldn't be discouraged too much. Legolas Send a noteboard - 13/05/2011 10:05:39 PM
However, it's still hypocrisy. People should be willing to be honest. Say, "I'm not going to listen to every silly word in the Bible". Most people do that already anyway - how many women go to church with their heads covered, for example? All Christians do it based on Paul's statements about circumcision and the like, which led to a complete rejection of Jewish cultural practices set down in the Old Testament. Any Jew who shaves does it.

It is very tempting to decry hypocrisy in believers, and I've done so loads of times myself, particularly when doing so could serve as an argument against their intolerant views.

But what you seem to be doing here is criticize someone who's tolerant in spite of his stated beliefs (or beliefs as you interpret them, anyway; I hardly think of Danny as a Bible literalist), for being hypocritical. Implying that you'd respect him more if he stuck with the Bible's homophobia. That seems to me, as I said, to be a case where hypocrisy shouldn't be condemned but rather celebrated.
If your statement is that hypocrisy is better than intolerance, I wholeheartedly agree. However, that doesn't make hypocrisy a good thing.

The perfect is the enemy of the good, as they say. No doubt a world without religious literalists would be preferable, but since that won't happen, I for one think religious literalists should be encouraged to be hypocritical, if it's in the right ways and on the right topics - because encouraging them to cease being literalists is a lost cause most of the time.
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Presbyterian Church (USA) passes Amendment 10-A. - 11/05/2011 05:39:29 PM 1518 Views
*NM* - 11/05/2011 06:10:26 PM 371 Views
I am happy to see this. *NM* - 11/05/2011 07:22:59 PM 398 Views
Homosexuals must die! - 11/05/2011 08:25:25 PM 1181 Views
I agree! This sort of behavior can NOT be excused!!! - 11/05/2011 10:38:16 PM 835 Views
Yay!!. - 11/05/2011 10:38:51 PM 1106 Views
Glad to hear it. *NM* - 11/05/2011 10:46:39 PM 454 Views
Well done. *NM* - 11/05/2011 11:07:22 PM 398 Views
What's the language? Did they at least TRY to give a doctrinal justification? - 12/05/2011 02:10:46 AM 1089 Views
Thank you for that rousing argument against married priests. - 12/05/2011 03:36:51 AM 1020 Views
Why ARE you letting women into the priesthood? - 12/05/2011 04:16:50 AM 935 Views
Because Episcopalians don't listen to the Bible much. - 12/05/2011 05:47:03 AM 874 Views
That's just fine as far as I'm concerned - 12/05/2011 02:23:44 PM 916 Views
Yes, I suppose a church could go that route. - 14/05/2011 07:38:02 AM 855 Views
I'm not attempting to impose a dichotomy on the Bible. - 14/05/2011 03:25:30 PM 932 Views
I don't even know what following the Bible in its entirety means. - 14/05/2011 09:09:10 PM 1098 Views
As an exercise, I tried to think of how I would justify allowing homosexuals as clergy. - 14/05/2011 04:19:43 PM 923 Views
Wow. - 20/05/2011 10:15:21 AM 946 Views
Thanks (I'm actually OK with women priests though). - 12/05/2011 07:09:11 AM 983 Views
It's more a question of interpretational standards. - 12/05/2011 02:29:43 PM 869 Views
Agreed. - 14/05/2011 01:17:45 AM 942 Views
They did so, via negativa. - 12/05/2011 04:22:17 PM 1065 Views
Your church has a constitution?! - 12/05/2011 03:36:41 AM 927 Views
My Church has a congress! *NM* - 12/05/2011 03:37:52 AM 444 Views
Haha no way! *NM* - 12/05/2011 03:46:32 AM 402 Views
We have a General Assembly and a Moderator. - 12/05/2011 04:18:34 PM 1026 Views
I had no idea the US was based on that system. - 12/05/2011 06:22:58 PM 868 Views
It is pretty common practice - 12/05/2011 06:54:02 PM 898 Views
Oh I'm sure it is with newer churches. - 12/05/2011 10:49:11 PM 961 Views
I'm happy to hear this, personally. I also wonder how you reconcile this with the Bible. - 12/05/2011 04:11:31 AM 1097 Views
Every direct reference to homosexuality in the Bible is a reference to rape. - 12/05/2011 04:12:43 PM 924 Views
Every single word that you wrote in your response is complete bullshit. - 12/05/2011 05:50:07 PM 1056 Views
Knock off your eisegesis, try some exegesis - 12/05/2011 07:02:45 PM 969 Views
I'm trying to figure out just what your "gifts" are, because I don't see any. - 12/05/2011 07:30:39 PM 935 Views
There are cases in which hypocrisy is far better than the alternatives. - 12/05/2011 10:04:32 PM 1016 Views
Hypocrisy is better than, say, setting gays on fire, yes. - 12/05/2011 10:10:40 PM 998 Views
My statement is that, from a pragmatic point of view, hypocrisy shouldn't be discouraged too much. - 13/05/2011 10:05:39 PM 1012 Views
I strongly and vehemently disagree with your position. - 13/05/2011 10:21:10 PM 862 Views
Oh, is that how we're playing this, then? - 13/05/2011 06:29:31 PM 944 Views
Re: Oh, is that how we're playing this, then? - 13/05/2011 07:02:35 PM 925 Views
I'm not playing. I'm pointing out some glaring errors on your part. - 13/05/2011 07:25:08 PM 850 Views
Danny will correct me if I'm wrong, but... - 13/05/2011 09:55:14 PM 1048 Views
Danny persistently refuses to say that - 13/05/2011 10:13:55 PM 985 Views
And with respect to your textual point, once again you're wrong - 12/05/2011 07:44:10 PM 1072 Views
You're a fucking moron. *NM* - 15/05/2011 11:11:08 PM 426 Views
You make a very important but too often overlooked point. - 14/05/2011 01:54:40 AM 1050 Views
??? the bible was harsher on homosexulaity than on rape - 12/05/2011 06:56:43 PM 909 Views
Read Judges. - 12/05/2011 07:17:29 PM 917 Views
Another example... - 12/05/2011 09:19:52 AM 840 Views
That's what people said about churches opposing slavery. - 12/05/2011 04:06:26 PM 905 Views
I rest my case *NM* - 12/05/2011 04:48:32 PM 394 Views
That is a false dichotomy and we both know it. - 14/05/2011 02:07:19 AM 892 Views
If you claim to follow the entire Bible, then you are completely correct. - 12/05/2011 06:04:38 PM 835 Views
On the contrary, this move will take some butts out of the seats. - 12/05/2011 07:16:22 PM 890 Views
We both know that isn't the case - 12/05/2011 07:55:41 PM 990 Views
Whatever your issue is, get over it. - 13/05/2011 06:17:26 PM 854 Views
You'd be a lot more effective... - 13/05/2011 06:45:31 PM 972 Views
You haven't adequately expressed your theology - 13/05/2011 07:28:54 PM 952 Views
Cool cool. I have a question on a semi-related note, about Protestant Gospels - 12/05/2011 05:33:49 PM 950 Views
Since I haven't gotten around to asking yet... - 13/05/2011 07:14:01 PM 861 Views
Re: Since I haven't gotten around to asking yet... - 15/05/2011 03:18:23 PM 1270 Views

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