General synod.....

[R1Geezer]

On news 24 this morning I'm sure I heard that the synod is the only place other than parliament where laws are made, this horrified me slightly before I though, well there must be limits or we'd all be going to church on Sundays by law. So exactly what laws can they enact?

[naomi24]

Quizmonster, yes indeed.

Steg, insulting me doesn't make your case any more robust or any more plausible. It just makes you look silly. The point is you said you think this country would be better if the church made the laws, and indeed Bishops already sit in the House of Lords and wield their influence. However, since no one can offer the slightest evidence for the existence of any God, tell me why I should accept that these unelected people are qualified to legislate on my behalf? What qualifies them? A belief in a fantasy?

[jackthehat]

They also believed in things like dragons, witches and boggarts...............

I wouldn't want any belief in *them* making a candidate suitable for any sort of legislature.

[nightmare]

The best argument I have ever seen for the non-existence of God relates to evangelical fundamentalist Christians:

No supreme being would ever employ such f*****g deluded idiots to spread his word.

[naomi24]

But of course that's different, Jack. Unlike them, God is a real fantasy and so has to be taken seriously. ;o)

[steg]

naomi I said "probably better place to live "

[Zeuhl]

Interesting thread. One telling post from Steg

<<if you asked me if i believed in god, i would have to say i don't honestly know>>

In one sentence this confuses belief and knowledge

If you asked me if there was any factual knowledge (rational proof) of god, the answer is obviously; No

If you ask me whether for many people there is a substitute for that knowledge in the form of belief - and has been throughout human history - then clearly there has. Many people find that lack of knowledge uncomfortable; where do we come from? how does the world work? why are we here? Combine that with discomfort over the idea of dying and ceasing to be. And add human beings' fantastic ability to invent stories and you have the recipe for religious belief.

There are lots of people who believe things despite a lack of evidence.
That doesn't mean it's a reasonable or intelligent choice.
.

[steg]

there is as much proof that "god" doesn't exist as there is that he does imo

[jackthehat]

So why then, is more creedence given to the moral arbiters who say that 'he does' ?

[jackthehat]

*credence

(I'll miss an 'e' out of a word later to redress the balance).

[steg]

maybe cause i'm Scottish Jack, but i do not understand your question

[steg]

Sorry jack i googled creedence and came up with the singer lol thanks for showing the error

[jackthehat]

Bishops sit in the Legislature and have the power to vote against perfectly respectable and responsible proposals based on nothing more than 'their' belief and society's acceptance of their belief in God.

[steg]

i would have to say jack, i understand the question now, but am finding it hard to answer it. Do you mean by me, or by others?

[R1Geezer]

proof is irrelevant here, you can't prove all of science is correct any more than you can prove that god exists. So we are down to the liklyhood. Given that most of physics are pretty solid theories, experiments, predictions all repeatable with overwealming evidence then I prefer that to some mumbo jumbo that competes with various oither brands of mumbo jumbo, without a single scrap of evidence bewtween them.

[steg]

i go back to what i said earlier Geezer, if "absolute knowledge" was = to all the grains of sand on earth, then human knowledge probably = about one grain of sand

[DrFilth]

>>>jackthehat They also believed in things like dragons, witches and boggarts............... I wouldn't <<<<<<

if we never had any dragons in this country what kind of animal was st george killing up and down the country :)

[jackthehat]

By all means, let the Bishops, et al make their own laws and implement them in their own 'club'.

And butt the heck out of the life of the 'general' populace and leave those laws to our elected representatives.........

[bibblebub]

is that the st george who never visited this country?

[DrFilth]

no passports in them days bibblebub :)

[steg]

i think a lot of mythical creature believes, came from bones of prehistoric animals mixed together