So...

[ShadowHM]

Now that you have come around to agreeing with what I said, thank you!

And quit the condescension, thank you very much !

I have indeed read the entire Bible, albeit long ago. (I admit to skimming the begats. :P ) You were the one who cited the letters of the Apostles, not me.

The multiple schisms in the church were part of why I suggested that there was not necessarily a 'powerful spiritual' bond between man and woman as the basis for marriage in all of those 2000 years you spouted off about. When there is no monolithic structure then each parish and diocese gets what the local church heirarchy decides is important.

I have heard of Protestants. Or did you bother re-reading my post before you hurried to show off your erudition again? I failed to mention the schism that started the Greek Orthodox church in order to keep some brevity to my response.

And parish priests, of course, are not and were not clones. I suspect you overstate their literacv and erudition over those 2000 years by a long shot, though. And I further believe you do not know your history as well as all that, if you think the Franciscans started with erudition.

This sub-thread has gone on long enough. I have to frame a response to city hall about yet another change to my neighbourhood they are contemplating and need to spend energy on it. Have a Guiness. I will crack open a Crystal and we can sip our beer together for a moment before I tackle city hall.