Duck Dynasty discovers intelligent design?

SA, so the pope expects people not to use birth control?

He expects people who embrace Catholicism to follow the teachings of their religion. Not sure why you think that's a problem. Do you expect Orthodox Jews to eat pork?

And there is plenty if examples where the church has tried to influence government policies such that birth control would be difficult to obtain, even by the non-faithful.

You're against people influencing government policies? I think that's the way it works in democracies. Non-believers, activist organizations and people with lots of money influence government policies (and actually create them) which make my life difficult all the time. They're permitted to convince people of things. Silver Asiatic

A_b: I notice, again the dodging of the need to ground OUGHT. The moralising tone above in several of your remarks points to just how hard it is to avoid the premise of moral government. So does the moral yardstick case 1, kidnapping, sadistic torture perverted rape and murder of a young child, which I submit you cannot deny is a great evil. The issue of the IS that grounds OUGHT is therefore on the table however much you wish to side-step it. KF kairosfocus

SA, so the pope expects people not to use birth control? And there is plenty if examples where the church has tried to influence government policies such that birth control would be difficult to obtain, even by the non-faithful. Acartia_bogart

Having an opinion that they expect their followeres to obey, absolutely.

The pope doesn't expect or require Catholics to follow his opinions. Doctrinal teachings of the Church? Yes, even the pope is required to obey those. Silver Asiatic

"A_b: you come across strongly as holding a demand that the world conforms with your (lab coat clad) moral vision." Absolutely not. I have no problem with you holding to your moral vision and living your life accordingly. Knock yourself out. Acartia_bogart

A_b: you come across strongly as holding a demand that the world conforms with your (lab coat clad) moral vision. On evo mat, can you kindly outline or link a frame of reasoning that provides an IS that grounds OUGHT? Apart from, might and manipulation make 'right' and 'truth.' And, speaking as a convinced protestant, I note that the two immediate past Popes were PhD level philosophers as well as well-qualified theologians; both of which mean that they have had considerable exposure to technical ethics. Such men and their circle of advisers, do have prima facie expertise to speak to serious moral issues. (BTW, I believe it is fair comment to note that after centuries of debate there is but one serious worldviews foundational candidate to be an IS capable of bearing the weight of OUGHT, the inherently good creator-God, a maximally great and necessary being who is the root and sustainer of reality. I suggest here on -- please, especially view the video -- as a 101 level way to see a bit of why I and many others hold that the historic Judaeo-Christian tradition is in living contact with precisely this Being. I should add that the very fact that I am alive today to interact with you is a testimony to answer to prayers by that self-same Root of Being.) KF kairosfocus

Ronvanwegen, having an opinion? No. Having an opinion that they expect their followeres to obey, absolutely. Unless you are saying that charity should be conditional on obedience. Acartia_bogart

Acartia_bogart September 17, 2014 at 9:09 pm "Rec, this would be like the Pope providing expert opinion on sex, birth control and marriage. Oh, I forgot, he does." I guess two thousand years of "being with" ordinary people in their lives and deaths and joys and sorrows and running the largest non-government health care system in the world (even before governments existed!) disqualifies the Catholic Church from having an opinion - an "opinion" based on reality not on an ideology that has resulted in the mass murder of preborn children by abortion and now the promotion of sodomy as the highest good. Also, in your system men should never be gynaecologists! What would they know about women-stuff? Have you ever read anything the Church has written about sex and marriage that wasn't filtered by a bigoted left-wing organization? Try Google! I dare you. Read some original documentation from the Catechism. It's free - online! ronvanwegen

If everyone else is a moron, I'm an expert. Mung

Rec, this would be like the Pope providing expert opinion on sex, birth control and marriage. Oh, I forgot, he does. Acartia_bogart

I guess he's also an expert on things like if HIV/AIDS and syphilis are divine retribution for naughty behavior.... REC

"If you’re making or quoting a statement like that, you should mention the field it was in." Bachelor's degree in Phys Ed (I.e., football scholarship) and a masters in education (I.e., teacher's college), which makes him eminently qualified to provide an expert opinion on "science". Acartia_bogart

"friend notes that Robertson, despite his rube image, has a master’s degree" If you're making or quoting a statement like that, you should mention the field it was in. RalphDavidWestfall

Phil Robertson Releases New Book 'Un-PHILtered' - video interview http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/duck-dynasty-phil-robertson-releases-book-philtered-25211879 bornagain77

The Robertsons (Duck Dynasty) - You can only run the ole’ sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll so far - video http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/the-robertsons/ Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson: "Happy, Happy, Happy" - video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jAku3B5vnc bornagain77