A warning for those who want to establish Christianity as an official state religion -

[hedgehog]

The Anglican Church held a recent conference and failed to approve the practice of ordaining women as bishops by a slim margin. Setting aside the question of women bishops, there is now a possibility that politicians will attempt to force their opinion on the Anglican Church:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/26/church-radical-strategy-female-bishops-memo

When religion gets tied to the state, the state controls religion.

[edhopper]

1. Bringing up an interesting question

how far should governments be allowed to interfere with religions, if that religion is discriminatory and violates equality laws.

If any secular organization would not be allowed to keep women from any upper post in it's hierarchy, should a religious inst. be allowed to do the same.
What about for Blacks or Hispanics?

Something to think about.

[snooper2]

2. It might be helpful for folks to undertand How it all Started-

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&feature=plcp

[malaise]

3. But the Anglican church is the official religion in Britain

There is no separation of state there

[hedgehog]

4. That's my point - because it's an established religion, Parliment is making noises

about meddling in church affairs.

[malaise]

7. But both Parliament and the Anglican church have perfected

patriarchy - I wish Parliament had condemned the vote

[RoccoR5955]

5. Aren't they both about control any way?

One by fear in a supreme being,
and the other by fear of leaders, or others that would attack our tribe.

[noel711]

6. As a raging feminist preacher...

(who was once declared a bishop of a territory but I digress..)

I say: stay out of it.

When your enemy (patriarchal hierarchical clerics and layMEN)
start shooting themselves in their feet, stay out of the way.

Let them... we on the 'inside' know what they did was suicide.
And the real church will pick up the pieces.. and go forward into
the future as the spirit lead us to do the work we were put here to do.

Those who are literalists, fundamentalists, bigoted, limited and hate-filled
shall diminish...and love, inclusion and freedom will grow.

[Marrah_G]

8. An even better argument

Ask the person suggesting it should be established " Which branch of Christianity should we all have to follow? Catholicism? Mormonism? Baptist? Lutheran? Congregational? Unitarian? and then there are the 100's of thousands of Independent churches, Tens of thousands of self professed Evangelical churches......

[FarCenter]

9. Making Christianity the state religion would be good -- it would be mostly irrelevant

In European countries, the state established church is ignored by most people. It is mostly a quaint cultural artifact.