How can you take a church seriously...?

[flobadob]

The church of england is changing the rules to allow female bishops. I'm not saying that I'm for, or against this but what I am saying is how can you take a church seriously if they just keep changing the rules to suit themselves? Surely the way a church lays out the rules at the start should be the way they stay. For example in a few years what's to stop them changing the rules to allow atheists to become bishops?

[Greedyfly]

I never have taken the church or religion seriously. I think it is all a waste of time personally. I have managed my life so without it and I am sure I will manage for the rest of my life without it.

[jackthehat]

I'm not sure quite how many atheists would wish to become bishops, if I'm honest.....

[naomi24]

I suppose they're trying to be seen to be moving with the times, but they're never going to allow atheists to become bishops because atheists wouldn't spread the message they want conveyed.

[Greedyfly]

so far^

[Greedyfly]

so far without it* - me and my sleepy typing lol

[thetruthhurts]

I mean, how can the Church, on the one hand say, "this is gods will" or "it is written" well, female Bishops were not gods idea. And yes, if the church is to base itself on the teachings of the bile, then stick to it and stop adding bits. Me, I couldn't care less,as the Monkees once sang, "I'm a non-believer."

[joggerjayne]

Once the institutional Church recognizes that the function of all formal religion has been to introduce order into society, then atheists would be perfectly acceptable Bishops.

In the meantime, for so long as the Church continues to suggest that the Universe was "created" by a supernatural super-deity known as God, Zeus, Wotan, or whatever ...

... then the representatives of "the Church" must continue to pay a penalty in terms of their intellectual credibility.

[naomi24]

//if the church is to base itself on the teachings of the bile//

Sounds about right to me. (Sorry, couldn't resist it). :o)

[joggerjayne]

I think there should be a capital "B" for The Bile

LOL

[theshedman]

Why all the fuss. As with most jobs if a woman is the best person for the job then they should get the job. The boss of the church is a woman.

[Greedyfly]

I am so used to people being avid non believers that the Bile has not registered to me to mean Bible - lol shows how much faith I have!

[pastafreak]

The Church...in fact almost any religion...has changed over time. It is not the same entity it was 1500 years ago. The basic precepts relating to belief will stay the same,but there are always aspects that will reflect changing times.

[jno]

all organisations change their rules from time to time. I believe women are now allowed into the Long Room at Lord's. Why would this stop me taking Lord's seriously?

[LoftyLottie]

Rules change as society progresses. That's life and the Church should continue to change and adapt to modern life. I agree with Pasta. I am not a religious person by the way, but I do respect others' beliefs.

[LoftyLottie]

Oh, morning jno!!

[pastafreak]

If I am not mistaken-the very early Churches attitude to women may have been comparatively more liberal than today's......go figure!

[RATTER15]

I'm sure Naomi24 will correct me if I'm wrong but I'm fairly sure that the bible says that no Woman shall teach or preach that which is contained in the Bible?
and the punishment would probably be the typical stoning to death!

How can anybody say that Christians should move with the times?
where in the Bible does it say that Gods word can be over ruled or updated to suit modern times, this supposed God could to the updating himself surely, he is still watching over us, apparently!

In my view if you don't live by all the good and bad in the Bible then you are no christian. So next time your child disrespects you, you should stone him or her to death, if you are not a virgin on your wedding night you should be stoned to death!! or is it just easier to pretend this isn't actually written in the Bible?

Hypocrite?

[Greedyfly]

Ratter - you have very strong views on religion!

I am not religious and have my own view on it all but you almost sound angry about it all. =)

[rowanwitch]

Religions rules arise from the times and environment in which they develop, religions from the middle east logically hve lots of dietary rules for example as the climate was hot, and food preservation negligible, the main religions primarily Judaism, Christianity and Islam tend to be patriarchal as that was the type of society in force at the time they began...older religions were frequently matriarchal as birth and creation were seen as solely female things... mating conveyed 'spirit' to the act of a woman becoming pregnant rather than being actually responsible for the pregnancy of itself . there is possibly an argument there is no logical reason to hold onto the traditionalist view of a patriarchal faith as it no longer reflects society...

[thetruthhurts]

naomi24, oops bit of a mistake there..........or was it? ;-)