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.
Presbyterian Church (USA) passes Amendment 10-A.
- 11/05/2011 05:39:29 PM
1518 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
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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
Thanks (I'm actually OK with women priests though).
- 12/05/2011 07:09:11 AM
983 Views
There's ample precedent for female religious leaders, even within the bible.
- 12/05/2011 06:51:05 AM
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Since when is Moses' society the be-all end all?
- 12/05/2011 07:12:41 PM
881 Views
Since never, which is why I referenced five other eras you completely ignored.
- 14/05/2011 01:11:30 AM
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They did so, via negativa.
- 12/05/2011 04:22:17 PM
1065 Views
Sorry for the delay, particularly since it looks like I'll be spending a fair amount of time here.
- 14/05/2011 12:31:33 AM
871 Views
Your church has a constitution?!
- 12/05/2011 03:36:41 AM
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My Church has a congress!
*NM*
- 12/05/2011 03:37:52 AM
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*NM*
- 12/05/2011 03:37:52 AM
444 Views
Haha no way! *NM*
- 12/05/2011 03:46:32 AM
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Well, we have one group of laity and one of bishops, so it is only mildy utter chaos.
*NM*
- 12/05/2011 05:51:09 AM
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*NM*
- 12/05/2011 05:51:09 AM
438 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
Oh, is that how we're playing this, then?
- 13/05/2011 06:29:31 PM
944 Views
I'm not playing. I'm pointing out some glaring errors on your part.
- 13/05/2011 07:25:08 PM
850 Views
The Bible says what it says. The problem... people like to tell us just what else it's saying.
- 13/05/2011 05:31:29 PM
916 Views
You don't reconcile... you pick the parts you like and adjust the rest to suit you.
- 13/05/2011 09:33:54 PM
836 Views
Another example...
- 12/05/2011 09:19:52 AM
840 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
Cool cool. I have a question on a semi-related note, about Protestant Gospels
- 12/05/2011 05:33:49 PM
950 Views
No Protestant denomination has added so much as a word to the Bible
- 12/05/2011 05:58:16 PM
839 Views
So, everyone hates Judith, then?
- 12/05/2011 06:40:11 PM
911 Views
The Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Churches accept Judith as part of Scripture.
- 12/05/2011 07:51:27 PM
854 Views
Does the Eastern Orthodox Church also segregate deuterocanonical works like Roman Catholicism does?
- 14/05/2011 02:19:03 AM
1172 Views
The Eastern Church bases everything on the Septuagint.
- 14/05/2011 02:34:41 AM
911 Views
That sounds appealing, and makes sense.
- 14/05/2011 02:44:56 AM
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Oh, I just enjoy calling Protestants "heretics" to remind them not everyone agrees with them.
- 14/05/2011 03:25:42 AM
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Re: Cool cool. I have a question on a semi-related note, about Protestant Gospels
- 12/05/2011 08:52:48 PM
894 Views
The NIV is terrible. The NASB has the best translation I have found (of the NT, at least).
- 12/05/2011 10:43:58 PM
1042 Views
I find this really weird, to be honest
- 13/05/2011 05:48:28 AM
945 Views
Well, it wasn't just Athanasius. But yes, we are lucky in that respect. *NM*
- 13/05/2011 06:32:48 AM
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Athanasius's list reflected the victory of Pauline Christianity
- 13/05/2011 02:52:53 PM
859 Views
There's a school of thought that says that's a strong vindication of Athanasius.
- 14/05/2011 02:37:49 AM
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- 14/05/2011 02:37:49 AM
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*NM*