Enlightened by Buckner on Bible?
May 18, 2012 01:09 AM | 783 views | 10 10 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
DEAR EDITOR:

What a paradox to get a lesson on the MDJ oped page on the application of the Bible by an atheist, Ed Buckner, on the subject of gay marriage. I was enlightened and amused by Ed’s choice of what verses to pick out to make his points. Based upon his self serving statements the verses, in his opinion, are not taken out of context. Brilliant! We are going to get the verdict on the issue of gay marriage and on our esteemed president in November and I can’t wait to vote.

Anthony Kirkland
Attorney
Marietta

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Comments
(10)
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J Balfour
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May 28, 2012
The issue of marriage is a legal one; you get a license from the government to enter into a legal contract that requires a court order to reverse. What does religion have to do with that? Nothing! The state doesn't stop you from having a religious ceremony if you want, but it is definitely not a requirement for a legal marriage. All persons deserve the same civil right to enter into this legal contract. If your church doesn't recognize it, so what? You're entitled to your religious beliefs in your church, but you are not entitled to force your religion into the civil code that provided equal rights for all.
Reply
Skeptick
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May 23, 2012
Mr. Kirkland's flippant letter is typical of right-wing evangelicals, lumping in the civil liberty issue of gay marriage with the job performance of the President. All Christian denominations cherry-pick the pieces of their holy texts most compatible with their worldviews, so it's ridiculous for him to attack Buckner on the basis of selective citation. Most atheists arrive at their lack of belief after actually studying religious texts like the Bible and realizing how utterly ridiculous they are.

And I can't wait to vote, either.
Reply
frogbreath
|
May 22, 2012
@ Too Funny

You must be a poofer, then!
Reply
Too funny
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May 23, 2012
Nonsense, only the omnipotent creator of the universe and divine realtor of the middle east has the power to poof things in to existence.
misterbill
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May 18, 2012
Anthony-

I enjoyed your article, however, you must ignore EMBuckner. There is no EM Buckner. It does not exist.The post was evolved by evolution not written by anything hat was created.

Reply
Too funny
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May 18, 2012
Nonsense, the post was poofed in to existence
Oliver G. Halle
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May 18, 2012
I wonder if attorney Kirkland felt compelled to identify himself as a lawyer in order to try an persuade people that he is an authority of some sort. Having cited no facts of his own and resorted to mere name calling, not only does Ed Buckner win this argument by default, Kirkland has exposed himself as a less than worthy opponent to a non-attorney.
Reply
otter357
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May 22, 2012
Yes. I thought to myself:

"This guy is an attorney; and he calls that an argument?"

Also his second sentence suffers from acute superciliousness, especially since no counter argument follows. Just empty, lazy scorn.
EM Buckner
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May 18, 2012
Attorney Kirkland is amused that he's learning about the Bible from a "self-serving" atheist (me) who claims the verses were not taken out of context. I would of course recommend that MDJ readers read my original LTE, in which I plainly said that "And no, these are not verses taken out of context--read them for yourself and the whole book they're found in." So it seems I was not asking theists to take the word of an atheist, but to read and think for themselves. And of course Mr. Kirkland offered no counter-argument at all, no reason to believe the verses were taken out of context (other than his evident distrust of atheists). Readers should decide for themselves not only what the Bible says but who it is who is being "self-serving."

Regards to all,

Ed Buckner
Reply
Devlin Adams
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May 21, 2012
I do not read where Mr. Kirkland said the verses were taken out of context. What he did say is that you picked verses whch support your argument.

Je merely stated that YOU made the claim they were not taken out of context. He did not disoute that claim.

You are tilting at windmills.

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