So, are we to consider an inaccurate, contradictory, poorly supported group of arbitrary documents as the sole proof of the existence of a supernatural sky god? Why is the bible considered more accurate than the masses of other books that claim to be divinely inspired? If we have the ability to decide what is best, independent of the doctrine, then what is the purpose of scripture at all? Either the scripture is the word of god or it isn't. Either god is omniscient (see here) or he isn't. Either god exists or he doesn't. There is no gray area.
"God created man in his own image. And man, being a gentleman, returned the favor."
-- Rousseau
4 comments:
I find it almost humorous the phrase that most Christians "hide" behind: "Love the sinner, hate the sin." I lived by this at one point in time, that is until I realized the blatant bigotry and contradiction that ensued in my world. This past election solidified the fact that pure acceptance and equal rights do not exist in Religion. I know that the bible was written long before it was discovered that there was a "gay" gene. So why is it that (in mormonism) it is now okay to drink caffeine, but it's still not okay to be gay? Bigotry? How much longer will people be discriminated for something they cannot control. hmm.
@jasonP
I think the fact that polygamy is no longer allowed even though it used to be required to get in to the celestial kingdom is a good example to show how invalid the mormon doctrine is.
Hate the game not the playa'
Let's not pick on Mormons alone. Other Christian religions are just as guilty of changing as Mormons.
The only time a Mormon authority has said anything about caffeine was when Hinckley was on Larry king live. Hinckley stated that, "we don't drink caffeine." that statement has not been refuted by any authority in the religion. However, caffeine consumption will not keep a Mormon from participating in all church functions including the temple.
Other policies have changed. Alcohol consumption became a practice that would keep a Mormon out of the temple during prohibition, African Americans were permitted to hold authoritative positions in the Mormon church long after the civil rights movement, and polygamy was taken out of official practice after the US government forced the church to comply by law. So we do see that the religion does change and does follow the voice of the American people. The religion does claim continued modern revelation of scripture and therefore it's a fluid and changing cannon. This allows for such change. Is the change convenient? Is the change what is seen as conservative among US citizens? Yes to both. Whether you believe the decision to make the changes is based in analytical reasoning or pure revelation direct from God is up to you.
Jason: To say there is a "gay gene" is a gross oversimplification, so much so that it's really not true. But it IS true that homosexuality is almost always a biological fact, not a choice.
The issue is bigotry. There's a very hairy philosophical problem here, regardless of your beliefs:
Who decides what's right and what's wrong?
Many people cannot change their inclination towards pedophilia. Are we discriminating against them because they can't control it? Ok, but gay marriage doesn't hurt anybody, and pedophilia does... what about simulated child pornography? That's illegal. What about bestiality? It's illegal in many states; a civil rights issue? Suicide: for many it's hard-wired into their brains due to insanity, but it's still illegal. Polygamy: it's illegal, but who decided it was wrong? If all are consenting adults, aren't we "discriminating" against them by denying them the right of marriage too? Why don't you get all fired up about that one; as far as I can tell, no state has rounded up several hundred children of gay couples and given them away to straight families [not that I have polygamous sympathies, by the way]. Calling the anti-gay-marriage movement bigotry is at best a poor choice of words and at worse, well, bigoted. It's claiming the right to pass moral judgment on others without allowing them that right themselves.
Simply: If it's the voice of the people who decide morality--nobody likes polygamy so it's "wrong" but everybody is ok with [to name a formerly illegal hot-issue] interracial marriage, so it's "right"--then there is no bigotry unless you line up against the overwhelming majority of the population. Anti-blacks are bigots because explicit racism is very rare now; they were not bigots when it was the cultural norm. If you don't believe the voice of the people decides morality, then what does? God? Academics? Each man for himself? In these cases there is ample room for disagreement and there is no bigotry, only doctrinal, philosophical, or personal preference. [for the record, public morality in the US constitution is given to the people, so given that the vast majority do not support gay marriage [yet!] then the bigotry argument is pretty thin].
And, for the sake of being precise, technically it is completely ok in Mormon doctrine to be gay. But not to have gay sex. It is also not ok for unwed heterosexuals to have sex. [Is that also bigotry?]
Jon: polygamy is no longer allowed because it is illegal. The church wouldn't exist if it still practiced polygamy. I think the argument is that God can be as practical as he pleases. And Mormon doctrine still includes the possibility of plural marriage after death, so technically the doctrine hasn't been changed. Only a couple percent of all LDS members practiced polygamy when it was legal, so it never was a universal rite like baptism.
Jack:
The LDS church is run by a bunch of old, white, extremely conservative old men. Who receive guidance by the Spirit. I don't think the point is that it's a "fluid and changing canon" as much as it is that the actual canon is very simple and very basic, and unchanging. All of this ancillary stuff--the word of wisdom, blacks and the priesthood, caffeine, gay marriage--is completely out of the range of the doctrine of the church. It is the POLICY of the church. And unless I'm much mistaken, it's the old white dudes who are responsible for the policies and God who's responsible for the doctrine. Nobody ever said God RUNS the church, only that the guys who do run the church are approved by God.
ptr, in need of catching up at work now
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