Disestablishment - Now!

[Acrylic-bob]

Here is a sobering little report.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...679824,00.html

What are we to make of a church that is so divided in its beliefs, and can it be right that its Bishops should continue to sit in the House of Lords and vote on legislation that will affect the lives of all of us given that, proportionately, some of them neither believe nor practice what they preach?

[Neil]

I don't believe any religious official ( for want of a better word ) should be permitted to be involved with politics.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Never mind the politics, the bit that puzzles me is - why on earth would someone want to be a vicar if they don't believe in God?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Never mind the politics, the bit that puzzles me is - why on earth would someone want to be a vicar if they don't believe in God?

Never mind the politics, the bit that puzzles me is - why on earth would someone want to be a vicar?

Or for that matter why on earth would anyone believe in God?
I would like to point out that I think there is a difference between wanting to believe and actually believing.
I can see why people want to believe but can't understand why they do when you look at the world around us.

[cashman]

to me anyone that gets ordained and doesn't beleive in god is a freeloader looking for an easy option as opposed to working for a living.

[garinda]

Isn't the supreme head of the Church of England also our Head of State?


Religion does serve a purpose though, like a crutch does for the lame.

[Less]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Never mind the politics, the bit that puzzles me is - why on earth would someone want to be a vicar if they don't believe in God?

1/ A nice detached house that goes with the job.
2/ A one day working week.
3/ An above average earnings, stipend!
4/ You can stand in front of people for over two hours telling them what they should or shouldn't do! (And they can't contradict you).
5/ Decent booze and food after christenings, weddings and funerals.

Hell Fire! For a job like that I could turn quite hypocritical and pretend to believe.

Less looking as holy as he can!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Neil

I can see why people want to believe but can't understand why they do when you look at the world around us.

I do believe in God. I also believe that the state of the world is down to humanity and not to God. The world was created and left in our hands. Look at it as if you bought a house for a child of yours and then gave it to them to live in. What they then do with the house is up to them. They can look after it, keep it in good repair and treat it with respect, or trash it and let it fall to bits. It isn't the fault of the house or the person who bought the house.

OK, that's a bit too simplified but I'm not setting out here to preach.

I do think it's totally unacceptable for C of E vicars to choose to be vicars just for the pay and the pension when they don't believe in what they are preaching. Maybe that's partly to do with the fact the the church I belong to has no paid clergy and that we all muck in and do our bit.

[Bazf]

A Vicar, a Priest and a Rabbi were talking about how much they earned,
The Vicar said "We have a collection and afterwards we divide it so 1/2 goes to the Archbishop to do good works and the rest is divided between the church and Me"
The Priest said "We also have a collection and afterwards we divid it so 1/2 goes to Rome, 1/4 goes to charity and the rest goes to me"
The Rabbi said " We also have a collection and afterwards I go outside and throw it in the air, what God catches he keeps and what falls is mine"

[Neil]

I have been reading A-B's link and found an interesting bit.

From the Times Online

The biggest division comes over the issue of homosexuality. One third of clergy are in favour of the ordination of practising homosexuals as priests, compared with one quarter of laity. Nearly one third of clergy also support the ordination of gay bishops, but among the laity this falls to fewer than one fifth.

Do these religious people not read the book of God - The Bible?

Romans 1:24-27.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.

Timothy 1:9-11

understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, immoral persons, sodomites, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

[big al]

Originally Posted by Neil

I have been reading A-B's link and found an interesting bit.

From the Times Online

Do these religious people not read the book of God - The Bible?

Romans 1:24-27.

Timothy 1:9-11

Simple answer Neil is no because it doesn't back up their lifestyle. But then again the bible says "they will reap what they sow" & receiving in due course due penalty for their error".
What goes around comes around & ignorance will not be an excuse. These people are supposed to be a figure head to their cause but are a disgrace to their profession. But as long as they can get away with tickling peoples ears & getting paid they will continue. None so blind as those who cannot see!

[chav1]

perhaps those who dont belive in god who become vicars are those vicars that like to be near children

[archanagautam]

Infect we use to go in the church. which is so special for me, my interest gonna be very deep usually in this beliefs, and can it be right that its Bishops should continue to sit in the House of Lords and vote on legislation that will affect the lives of all of us given that, proportionately, some of them neither believe nor practice what they preach? May be they are so mysterious, but this is really good to believe on the god.

Meet me at http://www.brickred.com

[Less]

Originally Posted by archanagautam

Infect we use to go in the church. which is so special for me, my interest gonna be very deep usually in this beliefs, and can it be right that its Bishops should continue to sit in the House of Lords and vote on legislation that will affect the lives of all of us given that, proportionately, some of them neither believe nor practice what they preach? May be they are so mysterious, but this is really good to believe on the god.

First published in 1611, The King James Version (KJV) is an English translation of the Holy Bible, commissioned for the benefit of the Church of England at the behest of King James I of England.


We have had the bible in English since then, do you think we could have what you said in a similar language please?


archanagautam

If the above link is you perhaps you can be forgiven for your English, it's got to be better than my Indian!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Neil

Do these religious people not read the book of God - The Bible?

Judging by the fact that many of them don't believe the things that they are supposed to teach from it I'd hazard a guess that the answer to your question is probably in the negative.




(Bit of a thread wander coming up)

Hello archanagautam and welcome to AccyWeb How did you find us? Hope you join in more discussions and enjoy yourself here. It will be interesting to hear your point of view.