RupertG
Posts: 80
Joined: Nov. 2005
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From The Times :
| Quote | THE Church of Scotland will hire mediators to handle mutinous parishioners clashing with ministers over the interpretation of Christian doctrine.
A third of the kirk's 1,200 congregations are in squabbles between church-goers and ministers, says a report calling for independent “peace-makers” to be used to quell disputes.
The infighting has been blamed on the growing influence of atheist writers such as Richard Dawkins, the evolutionist whose book The God Delusion challenges religious faith and the “irrational” belief in a supernatural creator.
The report, by the kirk's ministries council, says many parishioners no longer accept the authority of ministers “who do nothing to gain the respect and trust of the congregation”.
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The article goes on to say that there are some other effects, with the more evangelical side of the Church causing its own problems, but it's not looking good for the C of S (which has in any case lost 63 percent of its congregation in fifty years).
Cutting response from the Dawk (hm. Is PZ the Deputy Dawk?) at the end of the piece:
| Quote | Dawkins, professor for public understanding of science at Oxford University, who in his book said that religion had inflicted harm on society, last week welcomed the fact that a growing number of parishioners were questioning the teachings of the church.
“When an institution feels threatened by its members questioning or thinking for themselves, it is eloquent testimony to how shallow and empty that institution is,” he said.
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Uncle Joe and Aunty Mabel
Fainted at the breakfast table
Children, let this be a warning
Never do it in the morning -- Ralph Vaughan Williams
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