[Jon M]

Originally Posted by dr wadd

He's a homophobic bigot, simple as that. I appreciate that the bible, if interpreted literally, supports his statements, but many people have chosen to interpret the bible as something that should be looked upon in a different light depending on the current social climate. If people choose to use a literal interpretation of the bible to justify bigotry then I have absolutely no time for them.

homophobic? He is showing neither fear nor contempt in those statements so no he isn't being homophobic.

bigoted? Up for debate I suppose but as someone who would support the view that homosexual acts and lusts are sinful I don't think of myself as intolerant.. just different in belief systems.

Biblical understanding or interpretation is no tool of bigotry, I believe the Bible is the word of God, and as such anything that is literal in context should be taken as such, nothing wrong with that.
In fact, if you apply cultural or personal interpretation as primary in understanding the bible you will be on thin ice.. because there is nothing then to stop you applying the same process to the whole of it. Who am I to tell God what he is saying to me.

So when the Vatican starts telling people that condoms *never* work we are supposed to accept that. It is propganda and mis-information designed to further their own objectives. Preaching on the basis of religious doctrine is one thing, preaching on the basis of blantant lies should not be accepted.

I agree with that.. I never said I was a catholic did I

*Edit* Strictly speaking nothing can be objectively proved, we have models that explain the behaviour of the universe and rules that have been derived from repeated observation, but none of these represent objective, absolute truth.

Personally, I trust the word of the one who created the entire universe when it comes to explaining both it's function and purpose. Absolute truth is necessary.. how would our judicial system function otherwise?

So yes, something can become "fact" just because enough people believe in it.

**edit .. if in fact Christianity is the worlds biggest religion with over 1 billion followers according to the beeb http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religi...ty/index.shtml is that enough to make it fact for you ??