To Peter Sellick.

I'm still scratching my head over theological reasons for divorce. Reading your next article on marriage, and when it's failed. I'm still not seeing a justification for divorce. Only a rationelle that if the couple stop journeying together then their marriage is over. I might be summing up that rationelle wrong as well. It felt like you were trying to write to scholars instead of to married couples. Please consider this question, Peter. When is divorce looked at as a justified option, and when should a couple buckle down and stick with it even in the hard times? Before I gave some examples of where divorces happens and it might be more justified. Like with an abusive relationship or with adultry. Should I also give an example of when it looks unjustified? When one person should stay married to their husband or wife, and stay with their kids (all who appear to love eachother). Then here is my example for divorce for dubious reasons. One person I know left her family to rediscover herself. Her husband and two kids were left behind as she left without any known reason. Then she marries again has two more children, and is again ready to leave.

For those who are serious in both their faith,many serious in their marriages, there are examples of married people divorcing for hard life realities, and there are divorces for people on the whim who "fell out of love," or seemed to leave their family for a better catch. But stuck in the middle of these examples are the justifications for sticking together or justifications to leave. Most of these justifications come from a variety of secular philosophies. But if there are theological approaches to justify divorce, then please point out what they are. Or point to a book or a web article if it's already been articulated. Divorce is a serious matter. One that some people enter too easily, while others don't consider even in the mists of physical abuse.

To David F.

Your experiences with going to a university might be something different then my own experiences around the academic world. If Australian universities can accomplish an education without leaving the students in a massive debt to slave under, then that is a real accomplishment for that approach to finical support of education. In the US, colleges only get more expensive every year. Exponentially more expensive in fact. And the loan system has a high intreast rate that often swamps people into a debt they can't keep up with. It is based on this that I've deemed that colleges and universities have out placed their usefulness. Education is important, I agree with that. But it's important in a simular way that having food or shelter is important. Important in a way to be accessible to the public. Not something to rob the public with because it's valued.

I honestly hope your experience in a university is like the experiences in universities today in Australia. Where you can go to get further education, get a better job, and be able to pay it all off without difficulty (regardless how long it takes).

That said. The other side of the coin is that an education is not required to live in today's world. That philosophy is false, but still believed by many. In fact many jobs that require a higher education, shouldn't require it. Their pay and the scope of the job aren't something worth demanding more education. Expecially if the work is trained on the job anyways.

To Banjo Peterson. The bible verses you Refrences actually are in context to address both homosexuality and pedophilia. In Romans 1:18-32. Paul goes into detail how when people turn away from God, He gives them over to to the lusts of the world. And if they don't see their error by this time, God will give them over to even worse evil natures. From this perspective having pedophiia in your mists should be a sign that something is wrong and to have turned away from God. In this way I think the Catholic Church should put a spotlight on themselves to root out their issues, instead of (if the accusations are true) instead of hiding the wrongs done by the priests and other catholic leaders and protecting them from facing justice.

The uncomfortable part is that this logic still applies to homosexuality as well. Either indivually or as a society that people have turned away from God, so God has given them over to harmful lusts that will hurt themselves.

I hope this isn't universally true, but I've heard from one source that I've heard is that the homosexual community is not as innocent as it lets on. Instead from the inside of it there are many abuses that homosexuals put themselves through. From a higher drug use scene, to being materialistic and uncaring, to a higher rate of verbal and physical abuse. These were the experiences of one person I've met who's gay and distanced himself from the homosexual community. It is enlightening to hear, but still hope it is just that person's experience instead of that the homosexual community as a whole is really that toxic.

As for what a gay person should do. I'd recommend to do what the person I know tries to do. They aren't trying to change who tgeir attracted to, but instead given up on finding a partner and remains celibate.

Dear NNS,

To be a tradie, to have a business or to work in many jobs one need not have a university education.

I was in WW2. Since I was a veteran of that conflict the US government paid for my education. It cost me nothing. I have 3 bright children. They all got scholarships to university and graduated. The total cost of their education to me was $285. It is much harder for many people to get a university education.

I have been a design engineer and a professor of mathematics and computer science. My older son is a professor of anthropology. My younger son is a biochemist heading a group which develops pharmaceuticals and the technology to manufacture. My daughter decided to turn down various prestigious jobs to run reading programs for culturally disadvantageous children.

In addition to my education in science I have an education in the humanities which I greatly appreciate. It has brought great joy to my life. My children and I would not have the lives we’ve had without university educations.

If all your university education does is to get you a better job I agree with you. Try to get a better job some other way.

Dear NNS,

I see no reason why a homosexual person should be celibate any more than a heterosexual person should be celibate. Whether or not the Bible considers it a sin, I see no reason why one should be guided by the Bible unless one chooses to be so guided. We live under civil law, and that is the law we have to obey or suffer the penalties. The division between religious and secular law has been supported by clergy on the grounds that sin and crime are not identical. Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury said, “In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes. Man’s ultimate responsibility is to God alone.”

To David F. That's great that you and your family have the education you've had. And it's encouraging that the cost of it was so low for your kids. Maybe there's hope for it yet. Admitedly I'm a bit angry at the education system that I was exposed to, because as a kid out of highschool your encouraged to go to college. Even if you don't know what to go there for. Then in the after math comes the bills. It's not just the education system that has me bitter to it though. The so many things designed for debts to pay them off, as well as expensive housing markets, which are bad enough on their own without considering the parallel renting costs that go up and push people out to either be homeless or always moving because their home gets too expensive.

When it works out though. Like for you and your kids, it's inspiring and encouraging.

As for homosexuality. I wasn't saying to ban it as a criminal offense. But if a person does want to guided by the bible, then they have to come to terms with God rejecting homosexual sex. On that note though, sex outside of marriage is rejected by God also. So being in a culture that can't say no to sex is worth noting that we should be more celibate as hetrosexuals as a general rule too. To those who are homosexual and not attracted to the opposite sex, the only recourse I have to offer those who want to be faithful to God is to be celibate. To those who are not Christian but are gay, I'd recommend them to seek God (as anyone should) but also keep an eye on their community. See if they see warning signs of a destructive eviornment among gay peers, and if so get out. This is the sort of thing that they would only likely be able to see and confirm or reject if it is a toxic atmosphere. So keep an eye on it for their own benifit.