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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 1419 Views
*NM* - 11/05/2011 06:10:26 PM 314 Views
I am happy to see this. *NM* - 11/05/2011 07:22:59 PM 356 Views
Homosexuals must die! - 11/05/2011 08:25:25 PM 1083 Views
I agree! This sort of behavior can NOT be excused!!! - 11/05/2011 10:38:16 PM 733 Views
Yay!!. - 11/05/2011 10:38:51 PM 915 Views
Glad to hear it. *NM* - 11/05/2011 10:46:39 PM 411 Views
Well done. *NM* - 11/05/2011 11:07:22 PM 359 Views
What's the language? Did they at least TRY to give a doctrinal justification? - 12/05/2011 02:10:46 AM 941 Views
Thank you for that rousing argument against married priests. - 12/05/2011 03:36:51 AM 904 Views
Why ARE you letting women into the priesthood? - 12/05/2011 04:16:50 AM 852 Views
Because Episcopalians don't listen to the Bible much. - 12/05/2011 05:47:03 AM 794 Views
That's just fine as far as I'm concerned - 12/05/2011 02:23:44 PM 801 Views
Yes, I suppose a church could go that route. - 14/05/2011 07:38:02 AM 761 Views
I'm not attempting to impose a dichotomy on the Bible. - 14/05/2011 03:25:30 PM 834 Views
I don't even know what following the Bible in its entirety means. - 14/05/2011 09:09:10 PM 1002 Views
As an exercise, I tried to think of how I would justify allowing homosexuals as clergy. - 14/05/2011 04:19:43 PM 812 Views
Wow. - 20/05/2011 10:15:21 AM 832 Views
Thanks (I'm actually OK with women priests though). - 12/05/2011 07:09:11 AM 887 Views
It's more a question of interpretational standards. - 12/05/2011 02:29:43 PM 773 Views
Agreed. - 14/05/2011 01:17:45 AM 845 Views
They did so, via negativa. - 12/05/2011 04:22:17 PM 941 Views
Your church has a constitution?! - 12/05/2011 03:36:41 AM 806 Views
My Church has a congress! *NM* - 12/05/2011 03:37:52 AM 395 Views
Haha no way! *NM* - 12/05/2011 03:46:32 AM 349 Views
We have a General Assembly and a Moderator. - 12/05/2011 04:18:34 PM 901 Views
I had no idea the US was based on that system. - 12/05/2011 06:22:58 PM 734 Views
It is pretty common practice - 12/05/2011 06:54:02 PM 772 Views
Oh I'm sure it is with newer churches. - 12/05/2011 10:49:11 PM 826 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 996 Views
Every direct reference to homosexuality in the Bible is a reference to rape. - 12/05/2011 04:12:43 PM 824 Views
Every single word that you wrote in your response is complete bullshit. - 12/05/2011 05:50:07 PM 954 Views
Knock off your eisegesis, try some exegesis - 12/05/2011 07:02:45 PM 873 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 841 Views
There are cases in which hypocrisy is far better than the alternatives. - 12/05/2011 10:04:32 PM 918 Views
Hypocrisy is better than, say, setting gays on fire, yes. - 12/05/2011 10:10:40 PM 894 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 891 Views
I strongly and vehemently disagree with your position. - 13/05/2011 10:21:10 PM 758 Views
Oh, is that how we're playing this, then? - 13/05/2011 06:29:31 PM 847 Views
Re: Oh, is that how we're playing this, then? - 13/05/2011 07:02:35 PM 817 Views
I'm not playing. I'm pointing out some glaring errors on your part. - 13/05/2011 07:25:08 PM 739 Views
Danny will correct me if I'm wrong, but... - 13/05/2011 09:55:14 PM 948 Views
Danny persistently refuses to say that - 13/05/2011 10:13:55 PM 877 Views
You're a fucking moron. *NM* - 15/05/2011 11:11:08 PM 383 Views
You make a very important but too often overlooked point. - 14/05/2011 01:54:40 AM 881 Views
??? the bible was harsher on homosexulaity than on rape - 12/05/2011 06:56:43 PM 806 Views
Read Judges. - 12/05/2011 07:17:29 PM 806 Views
Another example... - 12/05/2011 09:19:52 AM 740 Views
That's what people said about churches opposing slavery. - 12/05/2011 04:06:26 PM 797 Views
I rest my case *NM* - 12/05/2011 04:48:32 PM 345 Views
That is a false dichotomy and we both know it. - 14/05/2011 02:07:19 AM 795 Views
If you claim to follow the entire Bible, then you are completely correct. - 12/05/2011 06:04:38 PM 737 Views
On the contrary, this move will take some butts out of the seats. - 12/05/2011 07:16:22 PM 781 Views
We both know that isn't the case - 12/05/2011 07:55:41 PM 884 Views
Whatever your issue is, get over it. - 13/05/2011 06:17:26 PM 755 Views
You'd be a lot more effective... - 13/05/2011 06:45:31 PM 860 Views
You haven't adequately expressed your theology - 13/05/2011 07:28:54 PM 855 Views
Cool cool. I have a question on a semi-related note, about Protestant Gospels - 12/05/2011 05:33:49 PM 844 Views
Since I haven't gotten around to asking yet... - 13/05/2011 07:14:01 PM 757 Views
Re: Since I haven't gotten around to asking yet... - 15/05/2011 03:18:23 PM 1162 Views

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