The Raelian Movement
for those who are not afraid of the future : http://www.rael.org
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Up to 18,000 Finns leave Lutheran Church over broadcasted anti-gay comments
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=up-to-18000-finns-leave-lutheran-church-over-broadcasted-anti-gay-comments-2010-10-18
Monday, October 18, 2010
HELSINKI - Helsingin Sanomat
The Finnish Evangelical-Lutheran Church has seen an unprecedented
exodus of members sparked by a televized debate program, which dealt
with issues such as the right of homosexuals to adopt children and the
establishment of gender-neutral marriage.
The outflow was seen as a reaction to comments by some church
representatives on Network 2 of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, or
YLE, on Tuesday evening last week, the international edition of
Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat reported Monday.
By Friday evening more than 7,400 Finns had cancelled their membership
in Finland's largest denomination through a website set up for the
purpose. The trend continued during the weekend, and by Sunday evening
the figure had reached 18,000. It is estimated that Lutheran Parishes
are set to lose annual church tax revenues worth about 2 million euros
from the exodus.
Reasons given by those cutting their ties with the church included
accusations that the church is intolerant, conservative, and has a
negative attitude toward gays.
"The final straw on the YLE gay evening was the view expressed by the
church on the right to marriage by gays. I do not want to support such
a narrow-minded institution with my membership," one apostate said.
Archbishop Kari Mäkinen issued a statement on Friday saying that he
did not understand why people are leaving the church because of issues
related to homosexuality.
"I understand that many are expecting that the church would more
clearly show that it accepts homosexuality," Mäkinen said.
He said that the church is more pluralistic than it is seen to be in
various heated discussions. "Now would be precisely the time to hold
debate on homosexuality, respecting others and listening to them,"
Mäkinen said.
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WARNING FROM RAEL: For those who don't use their intelligence at its full
capacity, the label "selected by RAEL" on some articles does not mean that I
agree with their content or support it. "Selected by RAEL" means that I believe
it is important for the people of this planet to know about what people think or
do, even when what they think or do is completely stupid and against our
philosophy. When I selected articles in the past about stupid Christian
fundamentalists in America praying for rain, I am sure no Rael-Science reader
was stupid enough to believe that I was supporting praying to change the
weather. So, when I select articles which are in favor of drugs, anti-semitic,
anti-Jewish, racist, revisionist, or inciting hatred against any group or
religion, or any other stupid article, it does not mean that I support them. It
just means that it is important for all human beings to know about them. Common
sense, which is usually very good among our readers, is good enough to
understand that. When, like in the recent articles on drug decriminalization, it
is necessary to make it clearer, I add a comment, which in this case was very
clear: I support decriminalizing all drugs, as it is stupid to throw depressed
and sad people (as only depressed and sad people use drugs) in prison and ruin
their life with a criminal record. That does not mean that there is any change
to the Message which says clearly that we must not use any drug except for
medical purposes. The same applies to the freedom of expression which must be
absolute. That does not mean again of course that I agree with anti-Jews,
antisemites, racists of any kind or anti-Raelians. But by knowing your enemies
or the enemies of your values, you are better equipped to fight them. With love
and respect of course, and with the wonderful sentence of the French philosopher
Voltaire in mind: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death
your right to say it".
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"Ethics" is simply a last-gasp attempt by deist conservatives and
orthodox dogmatics to keep humanity in ignorance and obscurantism,
through the well tried fermentation of fear, the fear of science and
new technologies.
There is nothing glorious about what our ancestors call history,
it is simply a succession of mistakes, intolerances and violations.
On the contrary, let us embrace Science and the new technologies
unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the
myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease,
death and the sweat of labour.
Rael
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