John, you have just got yourself on the Sunni death list; thou shalt become a Muslim or .......... We wish for England to be the new Jerusalem which is currently about half Jewish and half Muslim so forget Rome.J.R. wrote:rockfreak wrote:Why is anyone still under the assumption that this is a Christian country? Our heritage comes not from Christianity but from the 18th century European humanist enlightenment. Christianity was a pretty gruesome affair until then. Witchcraft and heresy trials, Old Testament fire and brimstone from the pulpit, being fined if you failed to attend church. As Kenneth Clark observed in his memorable Civilisation series on TV all those years ago - after the barbaric wars of religion in the 16th and 17th centuries, people were ready for a bit of peace and quiet. Voltaire et al promoted natural law, natural justice and a greater degree of tolerance of speech and action (and indeed of worship if that's what you wanted). The free speech bit is enshrined to this day in the libel law that says, generally, that there is no libel of a group and that robust comment and even mockery can be justified by the get-out of "fair comment on a matter of public interest". From Denmark came the cartoon of the prophet Mohammed: from the middle-east came the threat to kill the cartoonist. Theocratic states have almost always restricted speech and action. Developed western Europe is a bastion of many different freedoms that we now take for granted. Giles Fraser said that the modern day state-attached Anglican church, by taking God out of religion, had inoculated this country against the genie of religious fanaticism which has now lain dormant for centuries. So when you look at the modern day gentle, liberal, dogma-lite English Anglican church, what you're actually seeing is a church that has learned to wear enlightenment clothes while singing All Things Bright and Beautiful.
Just to get you going again, Freaky.....
We are a Monachy. with the Queen as head of the Church of England.
No, I'm NOT against any other religions. I just don't want them trying to convert me and I wish they would realise where they have chosen to live....
"When in Rome, do as......."
As for HM, she is C of E °° and as you are probably aware, Catholicism is actually illegal because they have refused to obey UK registration law. That is why that faith does not own any assets in the UK - not cathedrals nor churches nor (in theory) bank accounts. It is only in recent years that they have taken to wearing dog collars outside their churches; Mr Plod can still arrest them if they do.
Bible translation.
°° incidentally the Royal Family does not use the usual Bible translation
After stating stated the law, as you are well aware, the authorities flout the law every single day. Judges FAIL in their duty to bind over those found not guilty in court. A senior plod opined that the average person breaks 30 laws (including byelaws) before they get to the office in the morning.
Who arranged the 1953 Coronation, the recent 50th anniversary celebrations? Prominent catholics who no longer need to hide in Priest Holes
As for CH being / not being a "faith school" at least they try to imbue the concept of some faith. I was recently reading an argument about the American Declaration of Independence and the Masons behind it. The argument is that Masons know without doubt that they will have to face a higher Judge when they die so on this earth they will control their actions (an athiest has no such fears). Argue.