posted
*walks away while shaking head and muttering something about paranoia*
------------------ "Arthur hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realised there was a contradiction there and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife."
posted
I know we left this a long time ago, but I think I should comment on something.
"Theory and practice, however, as Institutionalized Christianity has often demonstrated, are quite different things."
First, I think you know this, but don't you remember it has always been the governments choosing the religion and not religion choosing the government. Christianity, and I'm sure most other religions, are at there best when they are not supported by or trampled on by a government.
More importantly, unless you are new here, I would think all of us are sick of the subject. We can't even stay focused on it without talking about other things. Take me for example.
------------------ CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others. --Ambrose Bierce <B>Come Hither and Yawn...</B>
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>"First, I think you know this, but don't you remember it has always been the governments choosing the religion and not religion choosing the government."
The "divine right" of kings. The Church putting kings on the throne and claiming the exclusive right to crown them. The Interdict. The "Holy" Roman Empire. The Crusades.
throughout MOST of medieval history, the Church was the dominant power in Europe, and EVERYBODY knew it.
------------------ Calvin: "No efficiency, no accountability... I tell you, Hobbes, it's a lousy way to run a Universe." -- Bill Watterson
posted
1st of 2: I think you're barking up the same tree, just at a different branch. During that time period, the Church was a form of "uber-government". If the church didn't like the way you ran your kingdom (dutchy, whatever) they'd give special permission for your neighbors to attack you and assure them that they were doing God's work. The Catholic church was more of a government (or racket, to tell the truth) than a religious organization.
--Baloo
------------------ CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others. --Ambrose Bierce Come Hither and Yawn...[/B]
[This message has been edited by Baloo (edited December 30, 1999).]
The point being, though, was that the church pretty much had the ultimate authority over who should rule and who should not. And nobody BUT the church had any authority over who ran the church.
It's like old 1920's Chicago. If the Mob liked you, you got elected. If they didn't, you got whacked. Hence, a lot of people who got elected were beholden to "the family."
Saying "the government chose the religion" is like saying "the aldermen chose the mob." When the machine is the only game in town, you play the machine.
------------------ Calvin: "No efficiency, no accountability... I tell you, Hobbes, it's a lousy way to run a Universe." -- Bill Watterson
posted
They do First; Henry chose to leave the Catholic church and all the the Islamic groups that run Middle Eastern countries choose to make their countries Islamic states. The U.S. chooses not to reconize a religion at all.
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Of course, going by one possible definition of the word, then homosexuality isn't "natural". In that it it's detrimental to the survival of the species, and that the parts don't quite fit.
Well, actually that's a tricky one. Homosexuals could argue I suppose. But first, a serious question. When does a lesbian lose her virginity? At least with male gays there's stuff going in, even if it's up the drain pipe rather than the oven, but women?
------------------ "Obesity. Adiposity. Corpulence. Whatever word you use, it represents one thing: being a big fatass."
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For the added kick of incest and murder plus those kickass little words "based on a true story", may I recommend Sister, My Sister as a good, well dyke flick?
------------------ "Is this real life? Is this just fantasy?" -Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody
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