Freethought & Rationalism Archive

hinduwoman · 09-18-2004, 09:04 PM

Three cheers for Denmark! :thumbs:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs...620atheist.asp

Quote:

The Lutheran Church in Denmark is not sure what to do with a pastor who has gone public with his atheism. In a newspaper interview, Thorkild Grosboell openly said he believes ‘there is no heavenly God, there is no eternal life, there is no resurrection.’

The pastor’s local bishop, Rev. Lise-Lotte Rebel, felt compelled to suspend him, pending clarification of his views. In response, hundreds of his parishioners rallied to Grosboell’s side, demanding his return.

‘The church must be tolerant!’
‘If there is no place for our pastor in this church, then there is no place for many of us either,’ says the head of the parish council, Lars Heilesen. ‘The Church must be able to tolerate points of view that are not necessarily its own. There must be some room allowed to express one’s doubts openly without being sanctioned.’

Actually, the bishop’s demands were not heavy. She simply wanted Grosboell to clarify ‘that he did not want to sow doubt about the Church's confession but rather trigger a debate.’3 When he would not back down, she suspended him.

Because it is a state church, however, the Lutheran Church cannot defrock Grosboell.

‘Censorship!’
A government committee seeking to clean up the state church from charges of corruption has actually come to Grosboell’s defense, claiming he is a victim of censorship. It has filed a formal complaint claiming a violation of the Danish constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Others are on his side, too. According to an AP report, Mogens Lindhardt, who heads Denmark's Theological College of Education, considers Grosboell’s claims ‘refreshing.’

‘I was just misquoted!’
After his suspension, Grosboell told the press that his words have been misunderstood: ‘I feel that I was misquoted. My statements were presented in a way that was oversimplified and categorical.’ He says he believes ‘in something divine, but not in a God who created man and the ant.’

Creationists seem to be very upset by “interpretation of facts�?.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs...729atheist.asp

What I liked most was the way his parishoners support him. whew! :love:

Ihatecheese · 09-18-2004, 09:46 PM

So hes not a pastor hes an atheist.I would lay my right nut that he finds a way to lick ass all the way back to mainstream

Dru2k · 09-18-2004, 11:51 PM

it's news like this that makes me think theirs hope for the future

Eudaimonist · 09-19-2004, 01:26 AM

Honestly, I think a Church has a right to suspend atheist priests, though the fact that this is a state church does complicate the issue. I guess it serves them right for having a state church.

Ellis14 · 09-19-2004, 05:24 AM

As a discussion, this would be better suited to GRD.

Ellis10
EoG Mod

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09-18-2004, 09:46 PM	#2
Ihatecheese Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: - Posts: 219	So hes not a pastor hes an atheist.I would lay my right nut that he finds a way to lick ass all the way back to mainstream

09-18-2004, 11:51 PM	#3
Dru2k Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Milpitas, CA Posts: 152	it's news like this that makes me think theirs hope for the future

09-19-2004, 01:26 AM	#4
Eudaimonist Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Sundsvall, Sweden Posts: 3,159	Honestly, I think a Church has a right to suspend atheist priests, though the fact that this is a state church does complicate the issue. I guess it serves them right for having a state church.

09-19-2004, 05:24 AM	#5
Ellis14 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: England Posts: 3,934	As a discussion, this would be better suited to GRD. Ellis10 EoG Mod

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