It's Time

When will monotheistic religions take steps to end sectarian strife?

When will monotheistic religions of "The Book" acknowledge that their scriptures were written at a specific time and for people living in specific circumstances? And the writings should be viewed as Philosophical guides, not laws for modern times.

When will religious educators inform students of, and stress, the metaphorical nature of scripture?

When will All religious leaders condemn violence which is inflicted in the name of the deity?

The time was yesterday. The time is now!

Eleanor McCullen--A Lover? Of what?

Eleanor McCullen has made quite a name for herself. Her little journey to the Supreme Court has certainly stirred emotions across the land.

To watch her television interviews on the day of the oral arguments makes one wonder about the degree of certainty with which she sails forth declaiming "love" several times in the broadcast clip. How can she be so certain that God is on her side in this discussion?

Richard Rodriguez, in Darling, writes: “The blasphemy that attaches to monotheism is the blasphemy of certainty. If God is on our side, we must be right. We are right because we believe in god. We must defend God against the godless.” p 46.

"The blasphemy of certainty" is quite a pregnant phrase. It encapsulates the usually unspoken question, "How do we know what God wants? Scripture? Are we sure about that? We are implying that God has never again  "spoken" to believers since the Bible has been closed to change, that words to Muhammed were the last uttered in revelation, that the Torah has existed for three thousand years as the ultimate Word. 

How do we know there has not been revelation since? Can God not add to what has been written? Are we so sure of the silence--that it has been and will forevermore be as it was hundreds of years ago? 

Is is not blasphemous to proclaim that the Divinity has decided enough has been revealed? How does one know the mind of God? 

If it is not blasphemy then it certainly is arrogance.

"Love," Ms McCullen? How can you be so certain?

Not out of step…

Technorati Tags: Religion,Same-Sex Marriage,Conservatives,Culture Wars,Marriage Equality

Here’s an interesting article about same-sex marriage.

Here’s an interesting quote from that article: “…same-sex marriage, has shocked conservatives. But this innovation has moved so far so quickly only because it is not at all out of step with the institutions and ideas of our time.”

The author of the article is Andrew Sullivan; the author of the quote is “Marriage equality opponent Daniel McCarthy.”

The article is brief; it is well worth your time, as will be the discussions the article will engender.

Really? Still?

 

Technorati Tags: Benedict XVI,Religious,Marriage in the Priesthood,Women Priests

One would think, in the 21st century, after all the progress mankind has made in understanding creation, that statements such as this quote would not make it into the media at large.

 

In taking stock of the progressive stance of many in the United States, the pope issued a statement.

The pope promised…not to impose his own will on the church but to rather listen "to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by him, so that he himself will lead the church at this hour of our history."

Does anyone remember the skepticism, if not scorn, which greeted the public announcement from Salt Lake City telling us that the Elders of the Mormon church had prayed and received the OK from God to admit Blacks into congregations?

How does  this from Benedict XVI not merit the same reaction?

Jesus is really going to tell the pope that it’s OK to treat women as lesser creations?  Or that gay men and women cannot validate their love and commitment in the secular world?

Bad move. Jesus’ actions belie that.

Hope for Islam?

Technorati Tags: Religion,Islam,Marriage Equality

Try this news article.

It deals with a marriage between two gay members of the religion of Islam.

Interesting paragraph:

According to Al Arabiya, a gay Mauritian imam named Jamal presided over the marriage of Ludovic Mohamed Zahed, a French man of Algerian origin, and Qiyam al-Din in Din’s native South Africa earlier this year.

Love is everywhere, and so are gay people.

A question...

Why do you suppose that "Thou shalt not kill" is so difficult to understand for extremist religionists? How can fundamentalists of all the "religions of the Book" slaughter other human beings in the name of their particular understanding of the Deity?
Have they no fear of their own belief?

Really?

How does any religious leader justify a death as a recompense for the burning of a book? Books are metaphors and, sometimes, symbols; people's lives are real.

Surely the deity does not condone such actions.