I think the answer is more grey than that.
There are plenty of aspects of religion that should make people angry - teaching kids unscientific stuff in science lessons, anti-gay propoganda etc.
However, treating all religious people as if they are the same and discounting all positive aspects of religion is irrational and dumb.
You are right when you say there are bigger problems, but to re-word your argument "secular institutions perpetuate oppression, erode civil liberties, fight wars for oil and completely screw the economy over, and at whom do the Western world's church leaders vent their frustrations? Gays"
The church does itself no favours by who they have for spokesmen.
Though, to be fair, in many cases (such as this video) neither do atheists.
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monkeon schmonkeon, Fri 13 Jul 2012, 19:53,
Reply)
yeah fair point,
although really, and I've been meaning to say this since our last conversation, church leaders in this country at least tend to be on the whole a good deal more liberal than their congregations, but they're scared of alienating their conservative membership base. It's the laity we really need to worry about, homophobia isn't imposed top-down by the Archbishop of Canterbury on an otherwise tolerant population. Sad but true, so it appears to me. Not sure what to do about it.
Main article: Moral theology of Rowan Williams
Williams' contributions to Anglican views of homosexuality were perceived as quite liberal before he became the Archbishop of Canterbury. These views are evident in a paper written by Williams called 'The Body’s Grace',[33] which he originally delivered as the 10th Michael Harding Memorial Address in 1989 to the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, and which is now part of a series of essays collected in the book Theology and Sexuality (ed. Eugene Rogers, Blackwells 2002).
The conservative churches in the United States, however, are currently going mental over this. They can't even criticise capitalism as an outlet, unlike our lot, so they've got to invent a "gay agenda" instead...
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Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 13 Jul 2012, 20:03,
Reply)
Perhaps they should just stop pandering
to Conservatives and actually preach the mostly-liberal message Jesus had.
If the Christian church has any purpose, surely it is to preach Jesus' words rather than to try and get the numbers up by saying what the audience want to hear.
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monkeon schmonkeon, Fri 13 Jul 2012, 20:20,
Reply)
Maybe they should,
but it's politics, isn't it. It's not that easy to do and keep your job, I guess, ultimately it's the laity who pay their wages. It must be like trying to steer a container ship.
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Moon Girl Technologies horrendous beanbag, Fri 13 Jul 2012, 20:26,
Reply)