http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/drlaura.asp

This ridiculous position appears akin to the position of Jehan Basnayake (commentator above) who appears unable to distinguish the moral difference between pedophilia, crime, murder and consenting love between two adults of the same gender.

Bishop Chickera appears to have an advanced liberal interpretation of Christianity, in my view, which is akin to that of people like the Reverend Michael Dowd and Bishop John Shelby Spong, former professor of theology at Harvard. They attempt to look at a historically accurate reading of the Bible, and use the example of Jesus’s love to give some greater purpose to our lives. Many of those in the Anglican church in the UK and its sister Episcopal church in the USA have similar views.

Anglicans should worship people like Socrates, Albert Einstein, Voltaire, Spinoza, Thomas Paine, Charles Darwin, and Sir Isaac Newton. They are certainly ignoring long passages of the Bible

If the Bishop actually believes this, then he must probably be a secular humanist. Otherwise, how on earth could you believe that the Bible is the word of god.

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Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination.(Leviticus 18:22 KJV)

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.(Leviticus 20:13 KJV)
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So either Bible was not the word of god, but a work of humans (men, not women), in which case you are free to interpret the Bible in any way you like, or it is the word of god and you must put homosexuals to death.

I’m not making fun of a religion. I simply see the dilemma. The world would have a much simpler, clearer and consistent explanation if you get rid of religion.

Jehan Mendis:
“One-upmanship” my foot! Not enough criticism has been directed against the Roman Catholic hierarchy in this country, its Cardinal in particular for his blatant sycophancy which included using Rayappu Joseph, one of his own Bishops, as some kind of sacrificial lamb to the harassment of his “Lokka.”

Bishop de Chickera always seemed, in the tradition of the “two Laks” who preceded him (in Kurunegala) to speak honestly and without mincing his words. I trust we will continue to hear his voice.

As for those Roman Catholics who choose to defend their Sri Lankan hierarchy led by a Cardinal without conscience, I’d suggest they check out Romero and the Liberation Theologists of South America for alternate role models.

It’s pretty obvious to any impartial observer that the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka outshines its Catholic counterpart. I don’t think that there is anything wrong in saying this, because it is the truth. The Anglican Church in Sri Lanka is by all measures more liberal and progressive than the Sri Lankan Catholic Church. Don’t forget the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka:

(1) Was against free franchise
(2) Was against free education
(3) Has pushed the SL government to ban books and films (eg The Da Vinci Code)
(4) Penalizes those who convert out of Catholicism to not only other religions but also to other Christian denominations
(5) Is absolutely political – playing a dubious role in the conflict, siding with the LTTE/government, using the pulpit to ask parishioners to vote for a particular party
(6) Has been involved in excommunicating Sri Lankan priests who have spoken their mind and “offended” the higher ups in the Church.

Contrast the above with the record of the Anglican Church. There is a big difference. Even the Anglican educational institutions in the island are superior than Catholic-run ones, producing articulate and liberal Sri Lankans like Kumar Sangakkara.

Nugera, like I said earlier members of the Anglican Church form a tiny minority in Sri Lanka. They also tend to be from the upper middle class and upper class and hence from a more educated (often English educated) community. If the Anglican Church were as big as the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and contained all members of the hoi polloi you could bet your bottom dollar that they would be in the same boat as the Sri Lankan Catholic Church – politicised, partisan, and filled with controversies. The Anglican Church “cutting across barriers” is negligible given its size in Sri Lanka.

I think this Bishops is just playing safe and saying the popular thing. I do admire the Catholic Church by the way, for standing by its principles.

However, this made an interesting interview and I did enjoy it