Should bad religion, religion that promotes bigotry and prejudice, be tolerated?
At what point does neutral/good religion tip the scale into bad, and who should decide such a thing?
(Scoffs) I'm afraid I have to be the bearer of bad news.
"Bigotry" and "prejudice" are buzzwords. I have been to Catholic churches, Baptist churches, Methodist churches, and Episcopal churches.
Not one of them says "Black people are scum" or "women are second-class and should be subservient". I went to like the most backward South Carolina Baptist church that talked about "other religions" like Methodism and still didn't hear this kind of talk.
What you are hearing is actually
sour grapes from people who deeply hate the church (because they believe themselves unforgivable), and especially the church that won't lie to them and tell them they did not sin when they murdered that child via operating table (abortion is murder) or tell them that sodomy is perfectly safe and they shouldn't feel guilty about giving people STDs. Are all of these things bad things to be doing? Oh, but I must be bigoted if I point them out. No I'm pointing them out because THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES. They are sins. But we are able to be forgiven. Always, even from that one you thought up to personally make me mad at you. I'm still gonna be mad at you about that, I may even Ignore you, but I'm unlikely to tell you "I will never forgive you."
We have responsibilities to each other, and this starts with a very firm sense of what is sinful. It just doesn't
end there. We also have grace, and it is important that people understand that sin and grace are important parts of each other. If we claim to be without sin, this itself is a sin (delusion), but accepting that one is flawed is the first step towards receiving grace.
But the people tossing around words like bigotry, are ones that expect the church to coddle their delusions. I'm sorry, but people don't have to do that. Maybe you will have to go to the courts and privately marry your girlfriend because Methodism won't go along with your lesbian wedding. You know what? Deal with it. Not every church will tell you it's okay. But alot of churches will love you despite your sins.
But while we're on topic of bigotry, there is at least one person online who thinks those calling others "bigots" are far bigger bigots.
Liberal Bigots, Preach Hate... - www.HNewsWire.com
So ummm, pot, meet this kettle. I know it's black and all, but uhhhh...