Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramrod
I'm not shifting onto new ground. I have been saying all along that religious fundamentalism can lead to religious extremism. You cannot exhibit extremism without first being a fundamentalist ( I believe) and at that point you are both...
The 'good' bishop is heading towards that end of the scale....imo
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The bishop fundamentally believes that God brings 'punishment' to ill-doers and to people who disregard his commandments. There are accounts in both the Bible and the Koran of this happening. So I think all he is doing is re-iterating/preaching what he (and as have countless of people ) read in the Bible, and what he believes in. I do not thing that is extreme. Im sure it happens in Churches all the time as it does in Mosques over the world.
Now in this instance his audience has been Christians and non christians alike, and some non CHristians have taken offence. I can see the point that both Russ & Chris have made, if you don't believe in it why would you get upset by it. Yes the bishop is blaming gays for the floods but he's reciting his fundamental belives. He's not saying that gays should be shot/killed/stoned etc etc etc. All he is saying is that this is what the Bible says. Should we ban the bible? or Just ban people from reciting it in public (which Im sure would contradict how Jesus wanted Christianity to spread).
If you take a wander down Croydon on a saturday you will sometimes see a couple of tables put up where young muslim men selling books based on verses/passages from the Koran. Read a few of these and there will be articles on the punishment in the hereafter for gays/adulterors/non belivers of God/Idol worshippers etc etc. A lot will also be citing 100s of natural distasters as 'God's punishment'. Most people walk straight past because they don't believe in it. They simply see it as a trio of nutters preaching some religion that has nothing to do with them so they dont bother getting upset. The only people that take stock of whats said is muslims.
All I'm trying to say is that if you dont believe in it I dont see any need to get upset by it. Its not like people in liberal Britain will suddenly make homosexuality illegal, or start to attack or blame homosexuals/non believers for natural calamities. We're not living in the Dark Ages are we? It's more likely that the Church will lose some more credibility amongst the 'non-believers' which will work against it in the long run. (This problem of spreading religion without losing credibility also occurs in Islam)