[Newsbot]

Title: Atheist minister fighting United Church�s effort to fire her
Category: Religion
Posted By: N_Fiddledog
Date: 2015-08-06 15:34:56

[QBall]

Okay NOW I've seen everything.

[DrCaleb]

QBall QBall:

Okay NOW I've seen everything.

Oh, please! I'm sure the United Church has more surprises up it's sleeves. You know, like passing an interac machine around in the collection plates . . .

. . .don't tell them that one, they might do it!

[BartSimpson]

Atheists don't belong in the leadership of a faith they don't believe in. Period.

[BeaverFever]

The title is misleading. Unless I missed it, nowhere does she claim to be an Atheist.

She's a Christian, she just doesn't interpret the bible literally.

[DrCaleb]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

The title is misleading. Unless I missed it, nowhere does she claim to be an Atheist.

She's a Christian, she just doesn't interpret the bible literally.

It was the first sentence there bud.

$1:

An ordained United Church of Canada minister who believes in neither God nor Bible said Wednesday she is prepared to fight an unprecedented attempt to boot her from the pulpit for her beliefs.

[stratos]

Dr. Caleb posted the same thing before I could. Thus removed.

[BeaverFever]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

The title is misleading. Unless I missed it, nowhere does she claim to be an Atheist.

She's a Christian, she just doesn't interpret the bible literally.

It was the first sentence there bud.

$1:

An ordained United Church of Canada minister who believes in neither God nor Bible said Wednesday she is prepared to fight an unprecedented attempt to boot her from the pulpit for her beliefs.

Nope, pay close attention: Those aren't her words, they're the author's.

Lots of Christians don't literally believe that a sentient supernatural being watches and judges us and intervenes in our daily lives. They instead believe in something that's more a "natural force" or even less real, something that is just a source of inspiration.

For example, they still meditate on the "What Would Jesus Do" question without actually having to believe that Jesus was a real person.

As opposed to a literalist who never meditates on the question because they're too busy arguing over what colour sandals Jesus wore on a particular day and what temperature it was, and what the criminal punishment should be for anyone who answers the answer wrong.

Edit: hmm I take it back, her website says she believes in god, but not a being called "God." Which should still disqualify her from using the term "Atheist". But nonetheless refers to herself as and Atheist on her website.

[ShepherdsDog]

Then you'd describe that person as a moral or ethical person, not as a Christian. I know plenty of moral and ethical folks who are atheists. Perhaps this minister should think about a career in social work rather than the ministry

[BeaverFever]

I don't know any Atheists who would ask "what would Jesus do".

Of course, Atheist are not less ethical than religious people, and probably more in fact. "Morals" has little to do with religion or lack of it. Religion is just a vehicle for people to disseminate values, both good and bad.

[Zipperfish]

I would think that faith in the Christian God is a prerequisite for the position.

[Freakinoldguy]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

I would think that faith in the Christian God is a prerequisite for the position.

My guess is that she, like various other clergy had a "crisis of faith" and suddenly decided there was no God but, she liked the money and power to much to give up her position with the Church despite this stunning personal revelation.

[BeaverFever]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

I would think that faith in the Christian God is a prerequisite for the position.

My guess is that she, like various other clergy had a "crisis of faith" and suddenly decided there was no God but, she liked the money and power to much to give up her position with the Church despite this stunning personal revelation.

Why does the narrative have to be that she's a bad person with selfish motives out to do wrong?

[Thanos]

Not surprising that this is once again coming from an institution as wildly off the rails from it's original mission as the United Church now is. Why is it so difficult that to be a member or a leader of a church one should actually believe in the dogma and orthodoxy of that church?

[Freakinoldguy]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

I would think that faith in the Christian God is a prerequisite for the position.

My guess is that she, like various other clergy had a "crisis of faith" and suddenly decided there was no God but, she liked the money and power to much to give up her position with the Church despite this stunning personal revelation.

Why does the narrative have to be that she's a bad person with selfish motives out to do wrong?

Because, if she had any ethics she`d stop taking money under false pretenses.

For example. If you were a doctor and suddenly decided that you`d stop treating your patients with anything but Voodoo should you be allowed to continue practicing under a Medical license and being paid by the Government?

But is suppose in this day and age where everyone can be what they want to be no matter how outrageous, infuriating, insulting or denigrating they are to others, firing her would probably be socially unacceptable.