Bill Posters Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 If the Bishop has a vote - just what percentage of people believe in god anyway ?
Mission Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 I'm of the opinion that if you can show me God exists, I'll believe. Until then, I don't at all.
Declan Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 But for God to exist you need faith. And faith cannot exist if you have proof. But what do I know - voted total athiest!
shamus Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 This new Bishop is a nice guy. he made a good impression at his first sitting of Tynwald. He accused them of too much waffle and no action. But he should not have a vote. No harm in him being in there though. But as other non-Christian religions grow on the IOM his right to be there to represent supposed religious or divine morality is questionable. But it is nice to see a liberal bishop on the IOM. All the former ones have been too right wing and out of touch with the ordinary folk.
dhone Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 I'm of the opinion that if you can show me God exists, I'll believe. Until then, I don't at all. That's like saying temperature doesn't exist because you can't see it, you can feel it, you can see the effects of it, but you can't see it
Mission Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 Err okay, whatever. I have my view and until proven wrong, I'm sticking to it. Religion means nothing to me. If people want to swallow it, fair do. It's just not my bag, that's all.
Grib Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 The question from Bill Posters really being: If the Bishop has a vote - just what percentage of people believe in god anyway ? This is a non-question followed by - a sort of question. This is good spin and Tony Blair will pay well for this kind of poll. But anyway, the Bishop having a vote does not relate to who believes in God or how many different other religions are present or how important all the self-centred people are on this Island, etc To my way of seeing things, it means there is at least one member of Tynwald who can be relied upon to vote according to quite strict and generally accepted good moral guidelines. Once that backbone of parliament goes in this god-forsaken corrupt and greedy Island the whole shebang will go even further downhill. Who will dictate what is right and what is wrong then? Who says who is good and who is bad? I'll tell thee boy. The CM will. Your CM. Even CMs need guidance. They is not God. Not yet.
Snaipyr Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 Who will dictate what is right and what is wrong then?Who says who is good and who is bad? Religion does not have a monopoly on morality or values.
Declan Posted June 30, 2004 Posted June 30, 2004 As I recall previous Bishops have voted without any referrence to morality at all. For example one fella voted to keep homosexuality criminalised - illustrating an adherence to doctrine and dogma over morality and ethics.
shamus Posted July 1, 2004 Posted July 1, 2004 The new bishop is not anti-gay and said so on Manx Radio. But no priest has a monopoly on the logic of right and wrong, or sexuality, and religion does not dictate the science of logic. Nor morality. But this new Bishop does appear to be a breath of fresh air! I do not think he will stay on the IOM for long. It would appear that our present "system" is already doing his head in. Now that is not surprising is it?!!
Stavros Posted July 1, 2004 Posted July 1, 2004 But for God to exist you need faith. And faith cannot exist if you have proof. But what do I know - voted total athiest! I quite like that! Stav.
puddy Posted July 1, 2004 Posted July 1, 2004 Apart from Christmas, Easter and Pancake Day (big dates in my gastronomical calendar), the best thing about God is the annual Sunday School Picnic (we went to Onchan Park this year). I haven't been to church for a long time (apart from Weddings) but I am going on Sunday (hangover permitting) to watch a Sunday School concert and have a reet good sing. The chapel I go to is in a small village and from what I can see, the chapel and the church are ways in which the local community stays so strong. The adults I used to see going on the Sunday School Picnic and to the concerts when I was a child, still go to this day. I know it's an old fashioned way to live and I'm sure the close community will probably die out with the next few generations but it's so nice to see it still there and sometimes it's nice to feel a part of it too. In this case, I feel that religion is a good thing (apart from when your mother forces you to go to Sunday School against your own wishes that is).
Bill Posters Posted July 1, 2004 Author Posted July 1, 2004 But anyway, the Bishop having a vote does not relate to who believes in God or how many different other religions are present or how important all the self-centred people are on this Island, etcI think it does. The reason for the poll was to gauge just how many people were religious and so felt represented by the Bishop. After all, if you have no religion, his views aren't really going to coincide with yours - so who is he representing. At least the rest of them got in through being voted in or, more usually, voter apathy - either way we deserve them. To my way of seeing things, it means there is at least one member of Tynwald who can be relied upon to vote according to quite strict and generally accepted good moral guidelines. Once that backbone of parliament goes in this god-forsaken corrupt and greedy Island the whole shebang will go even further downhill. But surely the whole raison d'etre of a government is to represent the people. What I am trying to find out is just what proportion of the people he does represent. Consequently I would like to follow this poll with one directly concerning peoples view of the Bishop's place in Tynwald. That way, I think I will have a clearer idea of people's views.
Ripsaw Posted July 2, 2004 Posted July 2, 2004 The reason for the poll was to gauge just how many people were religious and so felt represented by the Bishop. After all, if you have no religion, his views aren't really going to coincide with yours - so who is he representing. At least the rest of them got in through being voted in or, more usually, voter apathy - either way we deserve them.I was brought in a church attending family, I don't go myself. As far as Tynwald is concerned, I think he should retain his vote. He is one of 33 (?) members. 2 represent my area, not one of them represent me as a person. Religion does not have a monopoly on morality or values Maybe not in general life, but this is Tynwald that we are discussing I like to think that I am fairly moral in the way that I think and act in my life. It is maybe ironic that at this moment in time, the Bishop is probably the only one that I would vote for.
the mo beats experience Posted July 2, 2004 Posted July 2, 2004 voted none of the above, to be an atheist don't you have to acknowledge that theres something there in order to not believe in it, if that makes sense. just read it again and it doesn't make sense, but i'll go with it anyway!!!! religion is the most destructive force in the entire world, every nation has its own take on it, many nations have multiple takes on it, it forces families apart, makes enemies out of people that don't have any other reason to dislike each other. causes wars, famine, disease, death and hurt all over the world. if there is a god, then after thinking about what i've just said, is he really worth bothering with? religion should be abolished, along with smoking, adultery, arguing, toothache and spiders!
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.