Hi Foxy,

Good topic, I haven't checked my E-mails for the ttbn approval as required by the grand wizard himself, but here's what I think.

Often we tend to criticize the institutions of religion, rather than the teachings of the religion itself. As with the criticism of the Catholic Church and its response to child sexual abuse within the organisation, nothing to do with the religious teachings as such, but more the actions of clerics given charge to "do Gods work" on behalf of the institution.

The other line of criticism comes when the religious enter the debate on a moral issue in the public arena, example the gay marriage debate. It was reasonable for the religious to oppose gay marriage, they had a right to do so, but when they tried to strength their argument by referencing religious text, then that text become fair game for those that opposed their view.

CM,

Freedom of speech is the main thing, and there will always be disagreement. But I feel that people are too frightened to say what they think these days - for obvious reasons, and that’s why we will eventually lose the right to speak freely. We all need to remember that the threat comes from a crank minority, and that Western society is dangerously into minorities because of the absurd guilt complex those minorities have given them via constant carping, half truths and downright lies. Minorities have rights, too, but no more than anyone else. And, before we take against minorities, we need to realise that the cranks are a minority of the minorities. Most people who have some connection to long gone aboriginals just want to live their lives and be left alone. The same applies to all other minorities, religious, cultural and ethnic, in Australia.

Minorities, like the rest of us, are being used by Marxists, as a way of dividing an conquering; and it's working because of most people's unwillingness to speak up.

See that you-know-who is draping her words with quotation marks this morning. Who is she quoting? She doesn't say. Perhaps she is quoting herself, which points to a serious problem. She could of course be using a tablet because her internet is down:). That's been one of her excuses in the past.

Out of respect for the Three Stooges, I have decided to think of her and her two sidekicks as the Three Cranks.

Whoops. I have to retract, so predictable is she, and so boring, I just skimmed what she said. She is quoting William F Buckley - a CONSERVATIVE, which shows how desperate she is. I think Buckley might just have been referring to people like her, not his fellow conservatives.

Dear Paul,

We need to keep in mind there are internet trolls out
there today (used to be called ferals and deranged,
in the past) looking for the next victim. These people
like to stir things up hiding behind their keyboards.
In the past people like these would pick fights in
pubs - today - they're on social media. Best to scroll
past their rants. Though it's not always easy.

Most people avoid expressing deliberately offensive
opinions and name calling and most posters do fact-check
before posting and do give links to back up their claims.
Most posters try to be nice - not nasty. But it all
depends on one's upbringing and culture. Not all are
fortunate in those areas.

It is difficult walking the line between those who
would prefer to close down discussions around
issues that they don't approve of and those who would
happily use the debate about religion to further their
illiberal and racist agendas.

Personally I believe in a twin commitment to freedom of
belief and the right to criticize belief. The two may
at times conflict, but they could not exist without
each other.

I was raised as a Catholic. My religion to me is a private
matter. I would not try to convert anybody else. However
I do seek the problems that the church has, especially
with child abuse and other issues. I can still remember
when Cardinal Pell was in charge in Sydney at St. Mary's
Cathedral - denying communion to gay people. That I found
to be a sinful act and not worthy of a follower of Christ.
But I certainly did not blame the religion for this man's
actions.

Foxy holds the current family structures as satisfactory for a good functioning society. I do not. She rather than deal with the destructive forces that injure children and their identity and security, just passes them off to other structures as acceptable.
[my figures were short we actually fostered not 135 but rather 153 from three weeks to 12 years.] Any child not living with its birth mother and father and placed into other structures suffers from the behaviors of parents and the disruption of identity.

There is something wrong in human behaviors and society that needs change - The Values System.

Josephus,

You are entitled to your opinion.
What You are not entitled
to try to enforce it on others.

You can practice your beliefs
in private as long as they don't harm anybody else.
But there are laws that we all have to abide by -
whether we like them or not. That applies to us all,
and to religious institutions as well. However such is
the beauty of religion. It seeks maximal protection
for its narrative whilst openly discriminating against
others in endless ways. That's one of the reasons
perhaps why so many are leaving churches in droves
seeking solace elsewhere. And that's why cults to some
are becoming more and more attractive (unfortunately).

We can only hope and trust that things will eventually
improve and change for the better. That the true teachings
of Christ will eventually be practiced - as they currently
are by a few religious teachers and churches.