From: ralph@eddlewood.demon.co.uk   
      
   Today we (humanists) are in the strongest position I can ever remember.   
   In the UK we have a stream of archbishops, mullahs and rabbis queuing up   
   to deplore the secularization of society, and the need for organised   
   religion to fight back. In the US churches are beset by scandals and   
   clashes of dogma, with the religious right reeling after the mid-term   
   elections.   
      
   And what happens on this buzzy discussion forum? Pretty well nothing.   
      
   Do we think that we have won, and can now sleep forever?   
      
   Do we think we have no more to say about global warming, terrorism,   
   Darfur, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, globalisation, charitable   
   giving, education, same sex marriages, abortion, the basis of humanist   
   morals, or anything else?   
      
   May I suggest a discussion on how far we should take tolerance? Our   
   general stance is that people should do what they wish as long as it   
   does not harm others. I feel that children are particularly vulnerable   
   to harm, and will suffer it if we allow same-sex couples to bring up   
   children, however they may be obtained.   
      
   There is overwhelming evidence that children growing up in stable   
   bisexual relationships are healthier, happier, educationally and   
   economically more successful than those who do not. Although same-sex   
   "parents" may do no harm to "their" children, harm will nevertheless   
   result simply from the domestic background in which they grow up.   
      
   There are doubrless examples of same-sex couples doing a magnificent job   
   of rearing children, but they will only illustrate the richness of human   
   kind: they will not change the odds materially.   
      
   Anyone out there agree, or even disagree?   
      
   --   
   ralph   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)