Wednesday, 27 April 2011
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John Corvino hits it out of the park
John Corvino's most recent article focuses on how all Christians read into the bible things that aren't there, utilizing the unspoken to confirm their own opinions. It is a spectacular piece.
I don’t like picking on my allies. I’m sure some readers will think, “If such beliefs make liberal Christians feel better, why not let them slide?”
Because the gay-rights battle isn’t freestanding, that’s why. It’s tied into other debates about freedom, religion, rationality, the role of government, the justification of moral norms, and so on. It’s not only our conclusions that matter, but also how we arrive at them.
Bingo.
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Comments (6)
yes.
But it's easier to legalize gay-marriage than it is to turn everyone atheists.
Yes, exactly.
The point is that holy books aren't a reliable source of information. It always annoys me when people get into the "God hates gays"/"God loves gays" debate. Neither side actually knows God's opinion, and neither side's religious beliefs should influence laws.
I think a similar argument can be made for the evolution "debate". Although there are plenty of people who accept theistic evolution, that doesn't mean that their other beliefs (e.g. miracles performed by Jesus) should not be criticized.
@Ani Sharmin - Yes, exactly.
The point is that holy books aren't a reliable source of information. It always annoys me when people get into the "God hates gays"/"God loves gays" debate.
This doesn't mean that the debate isn't resolvable.
Despite the persistance of Christianity, the country has long settled the God condones slavery/ God hates slavery debate. Even the norms and moral sentiments of the theist evolves with time. Christians, like anyeone else, is influence by society and culture in general.
I think a similar argument can be made for the evolution "debate". Although there are plenty of people who accept theistic evolution, that doesn't mean that their other beliefs (e.g. miracles performed by Jesus) should not be criticized.
If the Catholic Church can get over Ptlomey, then it can also get over YEC.
@Celestial_Teapot - I definitely think the argument is winnable, in that I think in the future most Christians will reinterpret the Bible to support equal rights for gay people. I think the point is that, in the bigger picture, it's better if people don't make the initial decision based on the holy book, because whether or not a holy book says something is not a reliable way to figure out if something is correct.
@Ani Sharmin - I think the point is that, in the bigger picture, it's better if people don't make the initial decision based on the holy book, because whether or not a holy book says something is not a reliable way to figure out if something is correct.
As a fellow secularist, I'd agree. But weening off Western Civilization (or even America) off Judeo-Islam-Christianity would be a slow and draw-out process. It's simply not feasible to push this rhetorically with the religious.