salsa-king

Me thinks you're living in the wrong country. When you moving to the U.S David?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

No - not kidding - if the Royals are able to bring in so much as you say then it would be no problem to make it self-financing.

As for Presidents - certainly the US - POTUS has significant influence but power is a difficult thing as you have to align the Senate and the House of Representatives - a tough job for anyone as Bush and Obama have both found out!

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

Interesting debate - I stand firmly in the believer camp that there is a supreme, omnipresent being, who created the world that we live in and remains in control of all that happens around us. Some people call it fate because they believe that is what it is, I believe it to be something else simply because that is what I believe.

tony de wonderful

Get a grip. So now being opposed to gay marriage is comparable to wanting to execute gays?

tony de wonderful

You could say the same for many professions such as Teachers, Doctors, Politicians etc etc. There are hypocrites in all walks of life. You are way off the mark tarnishing a whole class of people by the behavior of a few.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I think the problem is (and people would probably still have the same hatred in those situations you mention if the same info was unearthed) the covering up and protection of people committing such acts.

I think it's totally unfair of anyone to claim all priests are child abusers (and I'm sure that is not the case) or that the religion itself is to blame. However, like other professions, it gives these people access to children and the worst part is the protection of these people, for whatever reason. If such cover-ups go on within other professions, it is equally as sickening, but it is this one that has been outed.

If I was to know a paedophile and stood back and let them get on with it, I would be as bad as them as I knew about it, could do something to stop it and didn't. Effectively, I would be guilty of letting it happen. It would be worse still if I kept moving them on, so they could continue and have even less chance of being caught.

I am not for a second saying this sort of thing doesn't happen in various walks of life, and I am not saying the religion itself is to blame, but people right up the chain of power have not only turned a blind eye, but facilitated the behaviour. If that goes on elsewhere, as I've said, it's equally as sickening.

tony de wonderful

This behavior goes back decades, the church is necessarily a conservative institution and it has not always been 2010 where pedophilia was front page news.

jonc

The pope is a homophobe and has publically attack gays as threat to the survial of mankind, that homosexual sex as sinful and a insult to god and they would go to hell. He would treat homosexuals and transexuals like witches and burn them at the stake if he could!

Miniman

iTrader: (2)

And if he could still burn people, a load of you lot would be standing there with them being burnt for denying God exists and heresy.

DoZZa

iTrader: (4)

No, I did!!

Leslie

I thought that the Royals paid their taxes though.

Les

jonc

..unless of course if you were a cute and innocent little boy.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

This reminds me of a few years ago when my daughter came home from school saying pretty much exactly the same thing - except she questioned it because she already knew that she, the Earth and the Sun are made from 'stardust' and this originally came from the big bang.

She is told by me that god and the bible is just a story, as are the other religions that are recognised at the school. I tell her that nobody knows how it all started, some believe the God story, others (daddy included) believe the big bang story. At this stage thats all she needs to know, excpet that later on R.E. lessons are great for doing homework in.

Isn't Santa a nordic figure by the way and originally nothing to do with the Christian faith?

Geezer

I believe that Santa Claus is just St. Nicholas, and was a pronunciation mistake by American children.

I could have dreamt it though

Geezer

jonc

I see no mention of Lapland of helpful Elves in the Bible. But that's not to say he doesn't exist because you can't see him or prove he exists. Just like Jesus who fed 5000 people with a basket of fish, Santa can make a lot of children happy with the contents of his sack.

britishbulldog

iTrader: (1)

do we all agree that the dinosaurs existed?

do we all agree they were here long before humans?

so did god make the dinosaurs?

and to believe that "god made man in the image of himself" or whatever bobbins the bible says is imho arrogant beyond belief

Leslie

Very unfair to make such comments and you have no justification for such accusations.

Homosexual activities are regarded by the Catholic Church as an unnatural act and therefore an abomination. Sexual intercourse is regarded as primarily for procreative purposes. That is the Church's official attitude.

To say that homosexuals and transexuals would be executed is quite ridiculous, Rather than that, the Church would offer all the help that they felt they needed just like any other Christian organisation would do. Christian religions exist to help people, not to throw them to the wolves! You should understand the situation before you start making wild accusations.

Les

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Here you go regarding Santa, usual Wiki caveats apply

Numerous parallels have been drawn between Santa Claus and the figure of Odin, a major god amongst the Germanic peoples prior to their Christianization. Since many of these elements are unrelated to Christianity, there are theories regarding the pagan origins of various customs of the holiday stemming from areas where the Germanic peoples were Christianized and retained elements of their indigenous traditions, surviving in various forms into modern depictions of Santa Claus.[15]

Odin was sometimes recorded, at the native Germanic holiday of Yule, as leading a great hunting party through the sky.[16] Two books from Iceland, the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, describe Odin as riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances, giving rise to comparisons to Santa Claus's reindeer.[17] Further, Odin was referred to by many names in Skaldic poetry, some of which describe his appearance or functions. These include Síðgrani,[18] Síðskeggr,[19] Langbarðr,[20] (all meaning "long beard") and Jólnir[21] ("Yule figure").

According to Phyllis Siefker, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw, or sugar, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy. This practice, she claims, survived in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands after the adoption of Christianity and became associated with Saint Nicholas as a result of the process of Christianization and can be still seen in the modern practice of the hanging of stockings at the chimney in some homes.[22]

Geezer

Maybe not executed (though if we lived in Taliban equivalent of Christianism....), I can't imagine they would offer much help.

The bible says it's wrong, so what help exactly would they offer? Homosexuality is not a life choice, so the church couldn't convert them, so I struggle to see what they would do

This is the problem with the church/religion whatever. Their views are not in tune with modern society, which accepts (on the whole) homosexuality, equality, liberalism. They should not accept any of this, there is no provision in the bible, yet if they don't they will fade away. What sort of message is that?

The church tries to modernise, but either doesn't really, so that's hypocritical and lacks the ***** to stand up and be counted, or it has really modernised and so cannot really believe what is in the bible. Where exactly does that leave it?

I think that falling church attendance and the growth of atheism kinda answers that one.

Geezer

jonc

Les,

Read my comments again, surely you can tell it was meant tongue in cheek, and agree he probably wouldn't execute them let alone burn them at the stake! But that's not to say he doesn't have pretty strong views against homosexuals. There is no denying some of the things he's said has caused a lot of outrage in the gay community around the world. Besides, if really fit bikini clad gorgeous girls can't convert a gayer, what chance does an old duffer in a white robe have?

Leslie

Well it looked a bit unfair when I read it.

I would expect him to have strong views against homosexual practices since that is what his church says is wrong. I would also think that he would not necessarily dislike the homosexuals because of the way they are, but that although he cannot condone that behaviour, he would be prepared to offer them help should they feel they need it. I doubt that he would expect to convert their inner feelings of course.

All any religious organisation can do after all is to offer help and advice and advice and it is up to the individual to accept it or not. it would be quite wrong to denounce them personally of course and I would not expect to see that happening. The best he could hope for is if they decided to refrain from homosexual relations.

Les

Trout

iTrader: (1)

EFA

tony de wonderful

Being a homophone is not a crime unless you believe in thoughtcrime. If Christians want to believe that being gay is wrong then that is their right. It's A LOT different from believing that homosexuality is wrong to actively liquidating homosexuals.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Does a homophone have like lots of gay numbers in his mobile?

Other than that you are a moron in amongst all the studious language that you use, it really is an empty barrel sounding out.

Saint AAI

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11383620

Leslie

As ever, its all down to good timing.

Les

jonc

Oh please!, where did I say it was a crime or that it's wrong for christians to believe otherwise? Read my replies to Les!

tony de wonderful

How am I wrong?

Trout

iTrader: (1)

The indoctrination continues as he is being taken to the local Church on Thursday to celebrate Harvest Festival!! Well I suppose it is pagan festival anyway.

He will be singing I love God, God loves me, God made me, God made the world type songs though!!

salsa-king

david, I take it you spoke to the skool and he's having the day off tomorrow then? lol