Britain versus The Pope

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm still waiting for the explanation of why the Catholic church manages to avoid problems with all those other abominations when employing people in secular roles.

Because they hire people in line with their values.

[MikeH]

ie. They choose which 'abominations' to discriminate against, because it's bigotry.

[Ben Kenobi]

Well obviously what they are doing is working, because there is greater demand for their service then they can provide.

Perhaps public schools in Britain would do well to adopt a successful model.

[MikeH]

What, public schools should ban gays?

[Elok]

I'm still wondering how many gay Brits want to work for the RCC...

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Because they hire people in line with their values.

So the Catholic church pointedly refuses to hire people who burn incense?

Don't answer that with "Correct. They don't." because it would be both wrong and really silly. Instead, focus on how they appear to be strangely selective over these issues.

[RoboCon]

Jesus fulfilled the law, except for the gay parts and the parts about women keeping quiet.

[Ben Kenobi]

Instead, focus on how they appear to be strangely selective over these issues.

Given how mass attendance is an issue, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

The point that if biblical "abominations" can be enthusiastically embraced by the church even within their religious ceremonies, they need to qualify their attempts to discriminate against homosexuals in secular roles without merely resorting to the Bible.

Otherwise they look like a bunch of hypocrites.

[Zevico]

MikeH, I *hate* to side with Ben in this debate, but noncommercial organisations should be able to discriminate against specific sorts of people as long as they do not obtain aid from the secular government. I'm on the fence regarding commercial organisations in the same position (this sounds too libertarian for my tastes).
People are free to believe anything. Anything, however stupid or illegal that is. They can believe that:
- their religion is the only right one and everyone else will suffer for their wrong beliefs
- homosexuality is a sin
- eating pork is bad
- abortion is forbidden
- Jews must live in ghettoes
- men must sleep with their wives and their horses
- every year you have to share a meal of human flesh with your parish

People can believe anything. What they can't do is follow their beliefs if their actions will infringe on the rights of other people. They can't:
- forcibly convert other people to their faith
- kill gay people
- prevent other people from eating pork
- blow up abortion clinics
- force Jews to live in ghettoes
- force other people to have sex with horses
- kill and eat other people

However, they should be able to:
- preach that their religion is the only right one and everyone else will suffer for their wrong beliefs
- say that homosexuality is a sin and prevent gays from joining their group
- sell no pork in their shops
- excommunicate women who perform abortions and criticize pro-choicers
- preach that Jews should live in ghettoes and live in ghettoes if they're Jews themselves
- sleep with their wives and their horses
- kill themselves so their parish can perform the ritual

I am an atheist myself, but I do not think anyone should force religious people to give up their beliefs as long as other people don't suffer.

Agreed. Apart from that horses part.

[MOBIUS]

I'm still wondering how many gay Brits want to work for the RCC...

You might as well make that same bigoted argument about how many blacks wanted to sit in the front part of a bus in the US in 1955 before Rosa Parks finally did.

[Ben Kenobi]

The point that if biblical "abominations" can be enthusiastically embraced by the church even within their religious ceremonies, they need to qualify their attempts to discriminate against homosexuals in secular roles without merely resorting to the Bible.

We dealt with Iconoclasts in the 7th century. Where does it say in scripture that incense is verboten?

[Ben Kenobi]

So Rosa Parks was applying to work with the KKK?

[Caligastia]

[MOBIUS]

Trust Cali to come out of the woodwork when the merest hint of racism is involved.