http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

:doh:
Loved reading all the comments, could have writren them myself. :ph43r:

hmmm.....not like the Daily Mail to try and whip up a bit of xenophobia.......much :rolleyes:

bit like the old "rainbow sheep" story



altogether now.......

"It's political correctness gone mad!"

<_<

Sadder still is this one, linked from the above article - couple have to give up as foster carers because they refuse to promote homosexuality http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/fema...in_page_id=1879

not quite....had to give up because they refused to sign a document agreeing "not to discriminate against a child on the basis of race, gender, background, religion, accent or sexuality, among other things." I'd have thought that as practising Christians that would have come naturally........

however...


Interesting spread of views on that story (mostly from folk either in the US or Canada surprisingly)

one of the best was from Sherrie from Canada (presumably some small town where they don't get many visitors)

Teach them "how to be gay"!!!!....perhaps she could also teach them how to be taller, or have bigger ears.



the mail seems even worse than I remember it.....quite a scary read

I wonder how many of these sort of pages they get through in a month....assuming their victims can afford to take it further.....
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

:)

Having had the benefit of listening to this couple interviewed live on BBC Radio 5 Live as well as reading the Daily Mail article the above description of the situation is an oversimplification.

According to the couple in the course of the assessment they were given hypothetical situations and asked how they would deal with them. Whilst disussing these hypothetical situations it was made clear to them by the individual from the council that they would be required to not only not discriminate but also to actively promote being gay. They were also of the opinion that the written agreement required this.

This does not surprise me given the state of Britain today and the way that society's morals and values have been completely turned upside down.

As a fellow Christian, whilst I feel deeply saddened for the little boy concerned and the future children who will miss out on foster care, it heartens me that people like this will stand up for their Christian beliefs. Too many people view Christianity as being in some way weak and Christians themselves as being 'fluffy' individuals who will not stand up to the modern world.

Stories like this remind me that there are still some Christians who are prepared to stand up, say what they believe God's word in the Bible says and stick to their beliefs but to do so in a very dignified fashion.

The people who are condeming this couple should ask themselves why it is ok for a muslim prisoner to sue for what boils down to a misprint or the swapping of a pice of ham for cheese because it is against the basics of their religion but on the other hand it is also ok to essentialy sack a christian couple for standing up for a basic tennent of theirs.

Carnoustie's OH

is probably the key phrase here......

They did not sign the document......I would hazard a guess that there would be other foster carers from other religions (muslim included) who would also not sign the document. They talk of tolerance, but say

"We said we were happy for any biological parent to visit the child, regardless of their sexuality, but not necessarily a gay partner who had no direct connection to the child".
Would they say the same for a heterosexual partner, black partner, fat partner, tall partner, rastafarian/buddhist/muslim partner, etc etc

Many religions talk about tolerance, but have little time for it.
That's the choices we make.......

And yes, it is an oversimplification, but we only have one side of the story.
One has to wonder about the couple, and about their notions of "promoting homosexuality" - was it, as is suggested a misunderstanding - or is there a more sinister political agenda? I note they belong to the "non-conformist South Chard Christian Church", who knows what they believe.....maybe the Fred Phelps variety of christianity...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps
(I had a bit of a smile the other day when I read about a US town where they would fight to the death to help free women from wearing the Hijab - but are trying to pass laws against wearing low-slung trousers.........It'll be back to covering up table legs before we know it)

lastly, let's not forget about one of the world's most famous christians......Ted Haggard....champion of the "do as I say, not as I do" school of thought.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard :)


ps - above is not particularly directed at any previous poster, just adding to the debate :)

To say "we only have one side of the story" and then to list religious nutcases would be to suggest the couple are hiding something much more sinister than their not unreasonable religious beliefs.

Seem's fashionable to snub christians at the minute but if you do it to other religious groups your racist.

If it was a muslim couple fostering kids in the same situation would you have links to osama bin larden below your piece?

Just think it's wrong that certain religions seem to be getting marginalised whilst others are being promoted and thrust forward. (in the uk). :ph43r:


Darren

as I'm sure you are aware, there are many different paths of christianity, as there are many paths of Islam.

I personally don't know whether their beliefs are reasonable or otherwise

just as we cannot say "all muslims are 'bad'".....we also cannot say "all christians are 'good'"....as the recent uncovering of child abuse within the Anglican church over here, (amongst other unsavoury happenings the world over), illustrates.

Now that would surely be an oversimplification, (although many do like it that way)

If some link every muslim to Osama, then surely there must be some who link every christian to Fred Phelps. That would seem fair.....

This is so true Andy , its just that as we all know , there have been lots of reports of muslims being terrorists and suicide bombers , just as there have been lots of reports of peodophilia bieng rife amongst catholic priests. Now the Anglicans over there too :sigh:
It doesnt mean there all at it , but the more reported cases I read about , the more it makes me glad that im an athiest !!
We didnt marry in church, it felt hipocritical , we didnt get the kids christened , much to my parents annoyance , how could we when weve only ever both been in a church for weddings christenings and funerals.

The kids can decide which religion they want to follow , if any , when they are old enough to decide .

Well any religion except muslim !!!

Thats a joke by the way :sign68:

Seriously , though I cant imagine Isabel wanting to :ph43r: up anyway !!
That is unless everyone else is wearing it, which I suppose could be the case in 10/ 20 years anyway if news paper reports are true !!

Bev ;)

Sorry I cant do quotes on this site but if you think you are protecting your children from being abused by being aethiest you are very very wrong!

Having worked for several years in an institute that had a very high concentration of paedofiles I think I can quite safley make one or two comments on the behaviour of these men. I know there are female paedofiles out there but I have never knowingly worked with them.

For all peoples pre concieved Ideas about paedofiles I can safley say that some of the men I met were extremely pearsonable, pleasant and helpfull. They were intelligent bright and very good company, and there in lies the problem!

On the whole I would say that these men were extremely intelligent in a very specific way. They had certain wants/needs that they dont see anything wrong with, and would move heaven and earth to fulfill them. They would spend years groming a child/ children to gain the power they needed over that child and their family. They could also asses a room full of children and say just from looking which children would tell and which wouldnt!

I think that unfortunately this is why some men are drawn to the church. They are put in a possition of power where they can gain easy access to many young chileren. This is not the fault of the church or religion but as with many things in our broken world it is the fault of men. This is why many child sex scandals have also come to light in childrens homes and other such institutions where easy access to children and power go hand in hand.

Religion may give you and your children some tools to help you deal with abuse if it occurrs but will certainly not be the cause of your children being abused!

If you are glad you aren't religious because of all the sex scandals are you going to stop you your children going to school, are you going to stop them going swimming alone, are you going to stop leaving them with your neighbour because these are all situations that abuse can and regularly does take place! Most children who are abused know their abuser very well, for all the publicity these cases get the random stranger who grabs a child off the streets to use and abuse is extremely rare.

If you choose not to be religious thats fine your choice , but please base it on a more solid basis than my child might get abused. I think your wrong,and from the stand pint of someone who does hold religious beliefs I think it may well be the wost desicion you ever make.

However, to sight paedofilia as a reason for not holding religious beliefs is insulting and trite. Paedofilia and religion are not linked in anyway. Nothing could be further frome the truth. To put them in the same sentence in such a derogetary manor is just plain insulting.

However peadofilia and evil men and women are linked and always will be.

And to answer Andys question about tolerance , Yes Christianity does encourage tolerance. Jesus came to work with and help the sick , non belivers and outcasts not the people who had got it! However he did not and the bible never will state that, that means you should condone behaviours and beliefs that the bible states to be wrong. If for example you think it is ok to jump off a 500 ft building I would be quite happy to tolerate that behaviour/belief but you would still expect me to tell you it was wrong before you spread yourself over the pavement like a lump of strawberry jam. Continuous Positive Regard is not a tennent of Christianity but tolerance is.

Firstly.
I didnt say i wasnt religious because i didnt want a priest mollesting my children :loopy:
I am not religious cos i dont believe in god , the devil , budda , life after death , ghosts , fairies , witches father xmas or any other mumbo jumbo.
I did when i was a child , and my own children do now.
Sorry if that offends anyone .
My choice, I dont push my veiws on anyone, certainly not my children.
Thats why its up to them what they choose to believe in , at the moment they believe in god ,
(though im afraid father christmas is out of the window this year!!)
They have assembly everyday at school , do a nativity play every xmas , i suppose that they are lucky than most , in a way , cos there primary school is a traditional old style primary school , they still celebrate easter , mothers day and christmas.
Unlike some in our area that now celebrate , eid , carers day , and happy holidays etc.

Secondly
I think we are all aware that Peadofiles can be both sexes , all colours , in any job, any family member. They walk amongst us .

I was making a comparison, not all priests are peadofiles just like , not all muslims are terrorists .

People always say dont talk about religion or politics its bound to cause arguments,
so true ,but it also spices up a debate.

Gets everyones hearts racing and peoples knickers in a twist.

Ill probably get the racist squad complaining now for mentioning eid, how dare I !!

I must say that I do believe in manners , respect , bieng kind and helpfull and all the usual Christian values .

If i was to meet you and find that you were a practising christian, muslim , jew , catholic , witch or what ever i wouldnt think of offending you by dismissing your believes, unless in a debate , or over a glass or 2 of wine!!
This is a debate , my views only, there just different to yours.

I just think that if there really was a god , he would have put an end to all the s**t that he causes every time there was a war.
Cos lets face it , all the problems in the world have always got something to do with religion hasnt it? War or what ever .
Why does he let thousands starve every year , when he could just let it rain?
I could go on , but i wont , im bored now and sound like im ramming my belief's on folk .

If you want to do a quote by the way , you just click on the quote button. That usually does the trick ;)
Bev :D
Edit my quotes not worked properly now too :D :blink:
Edit, just to fix your quote :D DB

Ted Haggard
Fred Phelps
Spanish Inquisition
The Pope
Matthew Hopkins, The Witchfinder General
Adolf Hitler

Pat Robertson (founder of the Christian coalition in the US)

Randall Terry (founder of Operation Rescue)

etc etc

all read the bible...... all think they had/have it right

all tolerant....?

The thing that concerns me with all of this is that blame apportionment is being initiated by the mass media, which shapes itself on the will of sale and sensation, with the adopted pretext of - 'it's in the public's interest'

Indeed.......we should develop some new phrases for our vocabulary

"A current affairism"
"Today Tonightistic"
"Daily Mailistic"

Nothing to say

Once glimpsed; hate's guise
encircles the soul.
This insidious sentinel
strikes its camp
until mercenary thoughts
like shadows come.

And what deeds are yet
to be done when man
secretes understanding
like the leopard senses
the antelope?

So I have nothing to say about
hatred, as my words are
but a distant murmur -
like a whispered request
for more guns.

Blimey Gonga - thats deep.

it's my bid for the national poetry competition over here in blighty : )