bob x
Well-Known Member
Honesty is also important. I only stepped into this one because of the extent of his lying."Considerate" in terms of debating means that we discuss logically; it does not mean we try to please others with our thoughts.
Honesty is also important. I only stepped into this one because of the extent of his lying."Considerate" in terms of debating means that we discuss logically; it does not mean we try to please others with our thoughts.
I can't believe this is happening, but I'm going to have to chime in on Soleil's side this time.
But I'm not on Soleil's side in this one;
Come on, Marsh........... I think you cannot have it both ways
Would you agree that when straights and homosexuals are together, there are protocols that need to be observed?
Honesty is also important. I only stepped into this one because of the extent of his lying.
I find that simply treating others with common courtesy and respect, tends to generate the same back, regardless of the situation.Would you agree that when straights and homosexuals are together, there are protocols that need to be observed? I am not asking anyone to lay them out right now, but I think knowing how to respect others is important. It is more science than art. Right now it is a foggy area that needs some basic sense filled in if gays are really going to fit into a straight society. For respect, there must be a channel. Also, if Christians are ever really going to dialogue a working coexistance model would help bring them to the table. We have a straight society, and there needs to be some sense of direction to keep straights from panicking. Some ground rules would give people a game plan for how we can all fit on the same planet. 1. Workplace manners 2. Living space manners.
I think relations have not been going well. Laws aren't enough and sometimes are too much. Shock value has no value.
With over 40% of children born out of wedlock, 50% divorce rate and all the data on the subject, there are reasons to panick.
The Russians do not need to take our bibles away. We are doing it to ourselves
Naughty, naughty, Avi; don't be takin' my words out of context like that. I was on Soleil's side when I was defending Soleil's freedom of speech, not when Soleil was asserting that Christianity is at war against homosexuality. Read my initial post in this thread to see where I stand on this idea.
By the way, with "literary" skills like that you should think about getting into Canadian politics...
Soleil thinks that homosexuality is not the normal state of affairs. I agree with that.
I'll stick to engineering, thanks.By the way, with "literary" skills like that you should think about getting into Canadian politics...
There are exceptions to every rule. The Bible states (as does Christ), that infidelity is a cause for divorce. Now infidelity is a multifaceted stone. It means to be "un faithful", to one's vows for another. That includes abuse, cheating, anything that would disrupt a marriage when one partner becomes selfish rather than considering the other partner first...(ouch, that means alot of people are in a state of infidelity everyday).I'm coming in a bit late here but Christianity does not create a family. Alot of people have lost faith even if they claim to be Christian. Alot of them like someone said earlier, use the religion as a form of social standing.
The fact is that there are plenty of families that keep their family values and go on to be successful. Every family goes through tough times and there is no such thing as a perfect family. There are no reasons to panick.
There will be a constant ebb and flow of family values. Although divorce means literally that the family is separated, there's no reason why you can't still be a family... I'll explain this better;
At the age of 7 my parents divorced due to certain problems. We still managed to get together on Bonfire Night and I still saw each parent regularly. If it hadn't been for that divorce though, I wouldn't have the wonderful family I have now. My Mum has remarried, as has my Dad. My family get on well and holidays together (such as Yule/Christmas) are extremely special. It was actually as a result of my parents divorce that I learnt to appreciate the people I have around me. I would never want my children (whenever they arrive) to go through a divorce. But my family stuck together, we stayed strong and are stonger today. Incidentally, my sister was born out of wedlock and she is very much part of the family.
So my point is, being a family is not about what religion you are, or whether your parents are divorced or if you're born out of wedlock. You are a family because you love those closest to you and because you make the effort (even when you are apart) to be close.
Sounds soppy but it's true. I'm a very lucky lady to have the family I have and I count my blessings. But it has not been plain sailing because life never is.
God may have ordained it in his book that families must stay together by marriage but society has changed immensely and some of the Bible just doesn't apply anymore. People are more free-spirited - sometimes this can end badly, sometimes in a good way.
I ask you this though, would it have been better for my family to have stayed together, for my parents to have stayed married to each other, even though my father was physically abusing my mum. Should she have stayed?? Kept herself and my sister in danger??
I can guarantee that staying would have scarred me more and I would be so damaged... and more seriously, my mum could have ended up dead.
Sometimes there are good reasons for families being broken...
Glad things worked out for your family. I dispute this claim some people make that marriage is an epoxy of souls. Depending on your situation it may not matter to you now, however marriage and divorce in the Bible are actually supposed to work just like they did for your family. Would it help you to know that both Judaism & Islam allow for a divorce and many Christians as well? We talk about Biblical divorce in the forum from time to time. Start a thread or bump an old one if you're interested in this topic.Snugglepuff said:God may have ordained it in his book that families must stay together by marriage but society has changed immensely and some of the Bible just doesn't apply anymore. People are more free-spirited - sometimes this can end badly, sometimes in a good way.
Honesty is also important. I only stepped into this one because of the extent of his lying.
I was not lying.
I'm coming in a bit late here but Christianity does not create a family. Alot of people have lost faith even if they claim to be Christian. Alot of them like someone said earlier, use the religion as a form of social standing.
The fact is that there are plenty of families that keep their family values and go on to be successful. Every family goes through tough times and there is no such thing as a perfect family. There are no reasons to panick.
There will be a constant ebb and flow of family values. Although divorce means literally that the family is separated, there's no reason why you can't still be a family... I'll explain this better;
At the age of 7 my parents divorced due to certain problems. We still managed to get together on Bonfire Night and I still saw each parent regularly. If it hadn't been for that divorce though, I wouldn't have the wonderful family I have now. My Mum has remarried, as has my Dad. My family get on well and holidays together (such as Yule/Christmas) are extremely special. It was actually as a result of my parents divorce that I learnt to appreciate the people I have around me. I would never want my children (whenever they arrive) to go through a divorce. But my family stuck together, we stayed strong and are stonger today. Incidentally, my sister was born out of wedlock and she is very much part of the family.
So my point is, being a family is not about what religion you are, or whether your parents are divorced or if you're born out of wedlock. You are a family because you love those closest to you and because you make the effort (even when you are apart) to be close.
Sounds soppy but it's true. I'm a very lucky lady to have the family I have and I count my blessings. But it has not been plain sailing because life never is.
God may have ordained it in his book that families must stay together by marriage but society has changed immensely and some of the Bible just doesn't apply anymore. People are more free-spirited - sometimes this can end badly, sometimes in a good way.
I ask you this though, would it have been better for my family to have stayed together, for my parents to have stayed married to each other, even though my father was physically abusing my mum. Should she have stayed?? Kept herself and my sister in danger??
I can guarantee that staying would have scarred me more and I would be so damaged... and more seriously, my mum could have ended up dead.
Sometimes there are good reasons for families being broken...
I personally think "selfishness" is the number one cause of divorce. Whether by one partner or both, when one stops pulling at the yoke, the burden to support the marriage doubles, and then exponentially increases.Quite a good set of points - what's interesting to see is how marriage has changed as a concept from ancient to modern times - and as I've seen with my own parents, how divorce can free people.
Perhaps rather than that people state that marriage is required, perhaps we should be asking:
a) how should marriage be recognised
b) why should marriage be recognised
The divorce rate seems awfully high at present - is this because marriage isn't working as an institution, because there is too much pressure to be married, or because increasingly life spans means that modern families endure extra pressures for an extra long period of time that was far less known in the ancient world? Or perhaps other causes (selfishness, greed, peer pressure, religion demands, etc)?
Glad things worked out for your family. I dispute this claim some people make that marriage is an epoxy of souls. Depending on your situation it may not matter to you now, however marriage and divorce in the Bible are actually supposed to work just like they did for your family. Would it help you to know that both Judaism & Islam allow for a divorce and many Christians as well? We talk about Biblical divorce in the forum from time to time. Start a thread or bump an old one if you're interested in this topic.
Indeed, my ex-wife, is still biblically considered my "sister". And she (fortunately) is treated as such...surprised?I never really saw that in the Bible. At my old church, I was generally told that divorce was frowned upon. I need to re-read my Bible though... my memory is rusty.
I was very much unaware that it was accepted completely... I knew the Anglican and Methodist church "approved".
Indeed, my ex-wife, is still biblically considered my "sister". And she (fortunately) is treated as such...surprised?