![]() This web site is biased against African countriesIncoming Email: Your site discusses Female Genital Mutilation in many African countries. But you ignore countries in Europe, the Americas, the Pacific, etc. It seems that you are framing the people of Africa.Our response: We do describe Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in many African countries, such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Sudan. We try to correct a common misunderstanding that FGM is a Muslim practice. In those countries where it is common, parents of all major religions -- Animism, Christianity, and Islam -- mutilate their female children. We do not discuss FGM in Europe, North and South American and the Pacific region because it is not practiced there to any extent. The only North American cases that have been covered in the media have involved immigrants from one of the above countries who have returned with their daughters to their country of origin to have them mutilated. ![]() Who is a Christian?Incoming Email: Throughout your web site, why do you refer to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) as Christians? Both Catholic and Protestant churches are in agreement that Mormons are NOT Christians. Our response: We get lots of Emails from people who say that a specific denomination is not Christian. For example:
There are some religious groups in America which regard themselves as holding the fullness of Christian truth. They regard all other denominations as un-Christian, sub-Christian or even anti-Christian. Some conclude that fewer than 0.1% of American adults are true Christians. At the other extreme, there are public opinion pollsters who accept as Christian anyone who identifies themselves as a Christian. They conclude that about 76% of American adults are Christian. The LDS Church, commonly referred to as Mormons, believe that when the apostles died, the leadership within the various Christian groups started to deviate significantly from the original teachings of Jesus and the apostles. This continued until 1830 when Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church and taught what he believed to be these original teachings. Members of the LDS Church regard their denomination to be the only group in the world today that teaches the fullness of Christian truth. They believe that all other denominations are in error. We do acknowledge that most North Americans and North American groups have a less inclusive definition of "Christian." ![]() Sponsored link. Scientists' beliefs about the theory of evolution:
Incoming Email: One of your essays on
evolution and creation science mentions that the vast majority of
scientists accept evolution. Since when does the majority of any group
automatically make them right? Many centuries ago most "scientists"
believed that the earth was the center of the universe. They were wrong.
There are many conflicting theories of origins:
At most, only one of these belief systems origins can be correct. It is possible that the theory evolution is incorrect. Many scientists accept the theory of evolution as fact, because of what they regard as overwhelming evidence for its validity. At the same time, they admit that there are certainly errors in the details of the theory. There are also gaps in knowledge. In fact, all scientific theories are neither absolutely true nor are they in their completed form. But they feel that the errors are gradually being corrected as new data emerges. The gaps are also being filled in. In doing so, the theory of evolution has guided earth and biological scientists into new directions that have been very fruitful. This is one indicator that has convinced these scientists that the theory of evolution is valid. It is my belief that you are incorrect in stating that most scientists once believed that the earth was the center of the universe. That belief that was developed by early Judaism, Christianity, and other religions during pre-scientific times. People who believed in a geocentric universe were originally theologians, not scientists. It is only after the scientific method was developed that we can meaningfully refer to the work of scientists. Before then, there were only theologians and philosophers dabbling in attempts to understand the universe from their own group's perspective. Sponsored link:How Wiccans and other Neopagans identify themselves:Incoming Email: "...don't make recommendations that encourage ignorance. Pagans are real people and we shouldn't have to rename ourselves because of those who remain unaware and uneducated. Don't support close-mindedness. Making knowledge available is a great thing, but please leave your ADVICE out of it. Let people learn..."
Our response: The facts are that there are at least
17 different definitions for the term "witch"
or "witchcraft." Most of them are negative. There are at least
nine different definitions of the term "cult" --
some positive, some neutral, some very negative. There are at least
six definitions to "pagan"-- all different.
Even words like Atheist, Christian, homosexual, abortifacient,
contraceptive, pregnancy, God, etc, have very different meanings to
different people. In the newsgroup alt.usage.english, terms like this one are often
called "skunk words." They have so many meanings that they
often cause misunderstandings wherever they are used.
People who use a particular definition of "witch" or "cult"
or "pagan" are not ignorant, unaware or uneducated. They are simply
using one of the many meanings which are in current circulation.
Unfortunately, it is often not clear which meaning they assign to the term.
You really have to figure this out from the context. Sometimes this is not
possible. The choice, of course, is up to the individual person. This topic continues in the next essayCopyright © 2002 to 2014 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Tolerance
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