Barry Duke, the Angry Atheist

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1. 

   As someone who produced dozens of nativity plays as a teacher and a Sunday School leader, that title ‘A Gay…

2. 

   The defence of a Christian view never seems to be settled by debate: exchange of facts, reference to historical events.…

3. 

   But …… Rwanda is a safe place: Parliament says so.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/8/contentsSafety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 S 2 Safety…

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   Religion can survive only on the most unquestionable assumptions. The statements made on Sundays on the BBC as if they…

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   Yes, if I’ve got anything remotely like a phobia, as an ex-fundy, its bibles, churches, tracts etc. I like to…

LAST month Dignity in Dying pointed out that almost 78 percent of Scots confirmed in a survey that they would support a law proposed by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, above, who has campaigned on the issue for many years.

McArthur, MSP for Orkney, was quoted as saying:

Currently in Scotland assisted dying is illegal, a situation that I believe is failing too many terminally ill Scots at the end of life. It is leaving them facing traumatic deaths that impact not just them, but those that they leave behind.

For many years, polling has consistently shown overwhelming support for assisted dying. I believe we are now seeing the necessary political support, across all parties, to deliver this long overdue reform. The provisions I am proposing would be robustly safeguarded to ensure the process works as intended. Similar laws have been safely and successfully introduced in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States where they continue to enjoy strong public support.

But strong support from all parties for McArthur’s The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill has incurred the wrath of church leaders, according to Premier Christian News.

It reports that Rev Andrew Downie of the United Free Church of Scotland and Rev Bob Akroyd of the Free Church of Scotland have written to all 129 MSPs demanding that they oppose McArthur’s Private Members’ Bill that would give mentally competent adults who have been diagnosed with a terminal condition the right to end their life.

In their letter the church leaders stated:

Supporting the proposed legislation would cross a bright red moral line and mean that Scottish society has lost its trust in the inherent value of all human life.

They cautioned against Scotland “becoming an ethical wilderness,” stressing that “the Scottish Parliament must always maintain that all lives are equally meaningful.”

The leaders also warned that legalising assisted suicide might suggest some lives “have become unworthy of life.”

They waffled on;

We believe, as indicated in the book of Genesis in the Bible, that everyone is created by God in his image—an image that reflects and expresses his equal love for everyone. As a result, every life has equal value—a value which can only be measured by the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross for humanity.

Downie and Akroyd may “believe” this superstitious claptrap but the majority of Scots don’t because religious observance has collapsed in their country.

Their letter concluded with a plea for enhancing palliative and hospice care throughout Scotland.

Society will then continue to recognise these patients as having full worth and value while accepting them, unconditionally, for who they are in compassion and care.

A vote on the legislation is not expected for at least several months.

Premier appends a pathetic prayer panel to all of its news reports.

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