Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life. For example, the Catholic Church in its hum...
Rome has intruded into the marriage business in various countries over the years creating a litany of unfairness. Currently Chile is one of about three countries in the world which still does not have a law allowing divorce. As a result there are many broken families where people have different partners and as a result have children which are illegitimate. This has implications also regarding child support and custody.
ReplyDeleteAbout 5000 people in Chile a year are able to get an annulment which the government recognizes. But in order to get it, witnesses must follow a torutuous process and testify falsely that there was something defective in the original marriage. This has been described as a comedy show. And about 370 pounds must be paid or five times the minimum monthly salary.
Presently the government is considering bringing in a change to the law to legalize divorce. Opposing this is the considerably influential hierarchy of the Catholic Church plus a society which claims to defend family values. Although certain elements of the government are determined to bring in divorce laws which would protect particularly women's and children's rights, it remains to be seen which way Chile's laws go and whether divorce will be legalized, which would help to bring some order out of the current chaos.