i watched a few minutes of an interview with an AJ from utah. the part of the discussion i heard was that polygamy is illegal and some police officers are being arrested. i assume this has to do with the mormon religion, which i assume again, considers polyagmy as a valid doctrine of their religion.

if that is so, how can we make part of someone's religion illegal.

jewish people perform a nasty bit of surgery on the eith day of a boy's life.

catholics eat the flesh of christ and drink his blood.

neither of these practices is illegal, so why are tyhe mormons being picked on.

same thing with native americans and whatever they have been smoking for a long time.

as i said, a query.

Rick, peyote is legal if you are at least 3/4 Native American, and a member of the Native American Church (unless you are in the Military, where zero tolerance means zero tolerance). Eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking His blood, is a symbolic thing, every Christian denomination (not just Catholics) practice communion, and everyone knows it's wine and unleavend bread, not cannibalism. Finally, the Jews have been circumsizing boys since Old Testimate times, and modern science has shown that it is actually a better practice than not hygenically speaking. I still can't answer your question why polygamy is illegal, except that the Mormons were persecuted for it until they "officially" recognized the illegality and "officially" abandoned the practice a hundred years ago, except that it was in a much less "politically correct" time. So while we're on the subject of religeon and banned practices, can anyone explain why the bulk of the Muslim clerics allowed to proseletize in the correctional system are Wahabi Islamics? These are the ones who practice the same bracnch of Isam as the 911 hijackers, and Osama Bin Laden! and we're letting them preach to a segment of our population that already has shown disdain and disrespect for our society and way of life. WTF?

Thank's clive, I needed that.

A lot of things are done in the name of religion. Although I can't quote a source I believe the practice of plural marriage was outlawed simply because it upset traditional values.

There has to be a limit as to what a religion can claim as a basic right of their faith. I know that some religions still practice animal sacrifice and the US courts have upheld their right to do so. On the other hand, if a religious cult decided that beastiality was a major part of their faith, I doubt our government would go along with the practice.

There is no requirement to have a degree or any special training to be a religious leader. Anyone can proclaim themselves self-ordained priest, minister, or grand poobah. Therefore a person could set whatever rules they wish for their religion. The law of the land still has to take presedence over such things.

case in Penzt8's point, the Rastafarian religeon and marijuana!

pabloescobar, needed what???

Plural marriage or polygamy isn't an issue of religious freedom. It's an issue of cultural practice.

Now that you've started the debate, however, I'll ask a paralell question: if polygamy really is an issue of religious freedom that should not be abridged, isn't Christian prayer in public places also an issue of religious freedom?

Just a thought. Thanks for listening.

good point )), but lately it seems that simply practicing the CChristian faith is considered to be imposing something on someone. food for thought

Boy this thread is going to get interesting!!!

Hog

CWFoster

damn, you are smart!

if the jews were mormons, we would have a number of wives as long as only one were jewish,(put two jewish women together and you have defined yentas), in spite of the law, and, i guess if mormans were jews, the covenant abraham made with god, would have been broken.

i don't know how anyone or group can stop any church or lay person from proselytizing. how many crusades were there? how many knocks on the door on a sunday.

a very wise young girl i met once, who was a member of the aimee semple mcpherson, four square church, responded when i asked how she could believe her religion was right and all the other's were wrong,
"for me to believe in my church, i must believe it is the only way. if i accepted someone else's religious views, mine would not be the only way and i must believe it is."

as far as native americans, i've been to 2 "indian" casinos and they don't let you smoke cigars inside, so they can stick there peyote wherever they want.

00camper

there is nothing wrong with christian prayer in public places. it is the orchestrated, organized group prayer in school or catherings of many people of many faiths at a public event.

if i'm in a restaurant, they would have to allow cigar smoking of course, and you and your family pray before you eat, that is none of my business. if the chef comes out and says we will all pray, i'm gone. i know it is a subtle difference if you want to interpet it that way, but it ain't subtle around me.

and that is the difference between what you want as a christian and i don't want as a non christian. all the rest of the discussions are tengential.

Rick, the Casino's on the Indian Reservations in Tucson allowed me to smoke Cigars while playing Poker??

I don't play slots so I wouldn't know about that area of play?? but the poker tables and craps were all lit up...

as far as religion and beliefs... Well it doesn't matter what faith you are or weather you go to church or not... it does matter however your obidience to god...

Rick, you've been posting allot on religion lately.. and a few posts back you posted on some books you've been reading... here's another book that will interest you I'm sure.... the Bait of Satan by John Bever... very interesting reading and makes one think...

I'd send it to you but my Daughter wants to read it next.. but when she completes it your more then welcome??

Hog

usahog

i await the bait.

RICKAMAVEN,

If nobody objects is anybody harmed?

Rick, I'm not sure how to take your post.Are you in agreement or being sarcastic? I would think you would be in agreement since I am advocating the most tolerant viewpoint I can imagine. I may not agree with the practice of polygamy, but if the man, (or men) and the women (or woman) all are okay with it, I don't see how it would have any direct effect on me! The only religeous belief I take exception to is Wahabi Islam, which preaches that the faithful will be guaranteed a place in heaven and 72 virgins if they kill an unbeleiver (that would be me) which potentially has a VERY direct effect on me!

CWFoster

i am not being sarcastic, i am in agreement with you.

were you confused by my little jew and morman reference? it's a little convoluted like most parables, but it will hold up to scrutiny.

00camper

i object.

when i used to go to school meetings and they started it with a prayer and a reference to christ.

i object.

i don't like my time wasted by someone elses beliefs.

pray, please at home or in your car or wherever you wish, but not on my time.

people that believe in a god but not in a christ may object as it suits them. it's not my business.

Rick, I confess that that was where I got a bit lost! 🙂

My mistake I read the title of this post wrong. I thought Rick had finished bashing GW and had started bashing gays. My opologies.

JonR

First you don't smoke Peyote, you chew it or ingest it as a brewed tea. Second you don't have to be 3/4 Indian to be a member of the church.