Dear Critic,

«Christians can't place an ad or make an offer for employment and say 'Gays need not apply';»

Well why not?

Being gay is a political orientation, not a sexual one - most homosexuals are not gay but rather live their lives peacefully and enjoy their sexual activities without disturbing anyone, whereas most gays are not homosexual and would never in fact even contemplate having sexual relations with their own gender in person.

So what is wrong about an employer telling prospective employees that their radical political ideas and expressions are not welcome in this workplace?

To make this both legal and clear for everyone, an employer could add: "(homosexuals are welcome to apply so long as they are not gays)".

«Likewise non-Christians can't place an ad or make an offer of employment and say 'Christians need not apply'.»

Pity the uninformed Christians: why should anyone want to take up a job in a workplace where they know in advance that they would not be wanted, where their employer would be picking on them for excuses to fire them the following day?

ANYONE should be able tell openly and honestly exactly what they are truly looking for, then honest negotiations can take place and agreement may be reached - or not and then no time and anguish is wasted!

«"Where the religious belief causes people to violate the law of the state, the law of the state overrides religious belief. Where there is a conflict the law of the state wins."

I cant argue with that, you're right.»

But I can:

The law of the state only wins in the eyes of the state and the secular human courts it established.
But what are they anyway? just a bunch of bullies!
Did the state design the laws of the universe? Did they set the planets in motion?
Yes, at present these bullies can destroy your body, but their gains will only be temporary, eventually they will be destroyed, eventually they shall lose and the righteous shall eventually win every time, even if that needs to be past the grave.

Dear David F.,

«We have the New Testament to tell us what Jesus taught.»

No, we have the New Testament to tell us at best, some of what Jesus' disciples understood and remembered of Jesus' teachings and actions, but possibly just what others which the disciples spoke with understood and remembered from what the disciples told them that Jesus taught.

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Dear Foxy,

«I don't go to church regularly and I tend
to live in my own little bubble - where everyone
loves each other. It works for me.»

Good on you!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [John 13:34-35]

May God bless you, Foxy.

Dear Foxy,

Enjoy your little bubble.

I live in a different one. I have become more horrified by religion as I grow older. I regard it as a relic of a pre-scientific age. I look upon Marxism as a variant of Christianity with its belief in a classless millennium and its three stages of human development - Humans living peacefully in primitive communism analogous to Eden - humans living in class struggle analogous to religious struggles where humans don't en masse accept the "true religion" and finally humans reaching the millennium of the classless society in advanced communism analogous to the religious millennium. The idea that we will reach some sort of millennium is a denial of reality.

Humanity will not be free from horrors even if religion and Marxism are discarded. However, I think it best to be realistic. Look not at just the good bits, but try to get a comprehensive view. None of us will get out of this world alive, but we can try to be kind.

Dear Yuyutsu,

You wrote: "No, we have the New Testament to tell us at best, some of what Jesus' disciples understood and remembered of Jesus' teachings and actions, but possibly just what others which the disciples spoke with understood and remembered from what the disciples told them that Jesus taught."

Possibly, there was no Jesus at all. Possibly, he was a composite figure embodying legends that were around in his time. Possibly, I have no business citing an unreliable document. Please forgive me.

Thank you Yuyutsu and David F., for your comments.

They are appreciated.