Your right is absolute.

Homosexual "marriage" is of course not an option, yet, but this country led most of the world in recognising that homosexual couples should be given some legal entity and that is all that the civil registry ceremony offers, a legal title.

.... And there lies the key. Why such reverence for a book written by scientifically unenlightened men ?
Which version of the bible incidentally ? And do YOU take it all literally or are you selective with it so that it sits better with your own personal comfort or agenda ?

Anyways each to their own....

.....as for the chimps, as long as there is mutual adult ~consent~ go for it

What has science got to do with it?

I do take what could be labelled as a 'literal stance' on the Bible, but it is actually impossible to read the whole thing literally. The Bible is a compendium of many books, of different genres, written by different authors over 1500 years. For example, the NT uses a lot of imagery and metaphorical language, (especially the Book of Revelation, which is just mindbending stuff if taken literally) and when John referred to the 'lamb' it is clear that he was not referring to a literal animal, but Jesus Christ.

A good Bible believing church can help guide you through Bible study, if you're interested in this sort of thing.

Its actually quite a good book to read, as a historical book, I find myself sitting around in hotel rooms from time to time (quite legitimately I add) and sometimes idly flick through the Gideons book that seems to be obligatory in most hotels (what do muslims think of that ?), you can actually find some interesting stories in there.

Incidently my wife works in a hotel and their group is driven by what idiots write on TripAdvisor (personally I'd ignore most of the rubbish that gets put on there), the other day someone gave the hotel a one star rating because there was no bible in the room, FFS, if you're so desperate and upset at no access to a bible then bring your f'kin own with you.

What a load of nonsense. As an active Christian with a gay spouse, I find these attitudes offensive. You are as likely to change your race or any disabality you may have through the Holy Spirit as you are your sexual inclination.

Well done to the club for supporting any campaign to combat such archaic thought.

The likelihood of something happening is not relevant. In any case, the Bible does not command us to change our inclination, but to resist temptation. As a Christian, you should know that homosexual acts are sinful. I'm not saying this out of hate, but love (Ephesians 4

People are free to believe whatever they want. I really do hope that the club is not going to enforce the 21st Century, politically correct dogma of telling people what to think.

Like I said in a previous post, bullying is not on. But the club (and the government) cannot tell people what to think.

Simply science continues to compell bible believers to wriggle and reinterpret their dogma.

Thanks for the offer but I prefer to read books on evolution, geology and other such factual books. Jejune stories about Noah and his ilk I prefer to leave to others.

You object to equal status for homosexuals I object to state, tax funded catholic schools presenting books to impressionable kids that make statements like " we know " that god made us and the earth.
My primary school teacher, wife, struggles every day with that one and tends to insert the more accurate " some believe ".

And yes ....securing a job was the motivation rather than "supporting the catholic ethos ".... Our taxes should not be used for such, or any other, indoctrination.

Will you attend any games where the shirt is worn ?

I think you're both looking at things too literally. Perhaps read the bible stories as just that. As McF has said, Kings and Queens have and still do use religion to control the masses. Why do you think it's called the King James Bible?

The stories of Jesus' are moral ways of living. The underlying theme is to treat other people how you wish to be treated - equally, with love, respect and forgiveness. Matthew 25: 31-46 sets the bar to what is morally right. The fact that the bar is compared against Jesus is only because he was revered. Personally, I think it's more about being at peace with ones self and others and leading a moral life, rather than entering the gates of heaven.

Apply this theory to people of any sexual orientation and you should be quite happy to let it be.

Whether people are born gay, or choose to be gay is a difficult one. I don't think people are born gay. I think childhood is a very influential time and can affect much more than just the sexual orientation of somebody.

Well that's me up the Kyber pass on Boxing Day. Not only will I not be able to wear my new Champions limited editions shirt, I won't be able to indulge in my usual growler and peas with mint sauce from the Wilsons van! Furthermore I'm going to be looking like a cross between JJB anf Eric Grothe Snr come Grand Final. Pesky religion.

Firstly, can I congratulate you for holding a relatively informed view on dispesationalism. Most non-Christians are very ill-informed when it comes to such matters.

I agree, we are not bound by the law of the Old Testament, because Jesus fulfilled it. However the New Testament does tell us that homosexual relations are wrong. Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians are quite clear that such deeds are sinful. Moreoever, beyond the NT, it is clear from the OT that God intended marriage to be between one man and one woman. We need only look at Genesis 1&2 to see that this is God's plan for us.

I'll repsond to your point about civil partnerships later tonight, I'm snowed under at work at the moment

From my religious background, (though I'm not what you'd call a practising Christian, I still have my beliefs) I think the position that the CofE had in recent years about gay members of the Clergy was that they were fine to be homosexual, but that engaging in sexual activities outside of wedlock was considered a sin. The place this gets inconsistent is that there is no possibility for a homosexual man to marry his partner. Its almost like saying that its ok to eat Pork, but only with you right hand (thereby depriving amputees, stroke victims etc who may otherwise be totally religious, the fair opportunity to eat something everyone else can through no fault of their own)

I think the root of this is that the modern church (I'm only really familiar with CofE) probably accepts the evidence that people are born straight or gay, but religion in general is a very slow moving thing, and I wouldn't expect it to catch up with something like Gay marriage any time soon.