re: #228 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Conservative baptists… I am not sure all that these guys stand for, but I’ll take a stab… my thoughts in parentheses…

No Gay Marriage (I agree, however I am a strong supporter of equal rights and civil unions)
No Abortions (I have a penis, which removes me from the discussion, IMO, and by the way, IT’S FANTASTIC! {well, I think about and with it all the time})
Bible is infallible (but it’s written by fallible men)
God created (pisses me off that no one will discuss the tools he may have used)

That kind of stuff. Nothing I can’t beat them over the head with (in Christian love)

Ok, cool— thanks for answering, Veggie. ;)

Myself, I think there’s a big difference between not liking abortion and wanting to help ensure there is less need for abortion (by making birth control more available, and also adoption more available)—— versus wanting to ensure that no one can get an abortion, or making it extremely difficult to get one if you want one. I have loads of pro-life friends and acquaintances who all fall into the first category.

Similarly, w/r/t gay marriage— this is something you and I might talk about sometime— you’re a supporter of equal rights and civil unions, and frankly the religious people I talk to who have that position tend to be people who have an issue with the use of the word marriage, or have a fear that ‘gay marriage’ would force their church to perform them or recognise them; they don’t want to prevent people from having equal rights in a gay partnership.

Anyway, I’m an atheist and as you know a filthy lib. But I don’t have a problem with religion per se or religious people, and I think religion has often been a force for good. Plus I know and respect so many people for whom religion is a great thing and a guiding force.
If this church works for you, go for it! best wishes to you both.