Thanks for your reply. Here are my responses:

1. You do not answer my main point which was that your acceptance of the Bible [as you interpret it]as your sole criteria for what is right and wrong neglects your conscience as another and, you surely think, God Given, source of information about right and wrong. One way to ask what a particular passage means might be to look at what your conscience says about the matter.

2. Small minority to be saved? Yes, every sect and tiny branch of Christianity says or has said this. No doubt it provided great comfort when you find that few agree with you. Trouble is that it takes a lot of 'pride/temerity' to assume that YOU are the minority referred to and all the others are mistaken. Particularly when they say the same thing.

3. Potters and clay. I have never been impressed by this argument. If a powerful being brings me to life that does not mean that whatever that being requires me to do is good. It is possible for God to be omnipotent and bad surely? IF there was a God who had made us and who commanded us to hate each other, would you say that this was therefore right? I know you do not think that God is like this but if he were you would not agree that 'whatever he said was right because he made us' so it cannot be that THAT is the reason we ought to obey him.

3. Erotic love within a relationship between two adults who love each other expresses that love and indeed is a part of it. We are a mind and a body and you cannot slice off the bodily part of love and put into a separate compartment. To deny physical love to committed gay partners is very wicked and a case where your old fashioned view of the bible is silencing the voice of your conscience.

4. Certainly, if God exists, my disbelief will not alter that. However if he makes himself so obscure that honest people cannot see his existence then I am sure he will not complain if some cannot believe. And as I am sorry for wrong things I have done I am sure he would accept my repentance. He would be a monster otherwise.

Best wishes

Laurie

Email: mgt.harris@btinternet.com