Gay marriage festering in CA, AL, PCUSA
From churches in California and Alabama to the largest Presbyterian denomination in America, gay marriage continues to prompt concern in the larger evangelical community.
City Church in San Francisco has drawn criticism from evangelicals for lifting its requirement that members with same-sex attraction not engage in homosexual behavior. The church has about 1,000 attendees at two locations and is part of the Reformed Church in America. Meanwhile, Weatherly Heights Baptist Church in Huntsville, Ala., has been disfellowshipped from its local Baptist association after its pastor and an unpaid minister to the community expressed their support for same-sex marriage and the volunteer minister performed at least one same-sex wedding.
Both developments occurred amid a growing push for gay marriage among Christian churches and denominations, with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approving an amendment to its constitution the same week that affirmed same-sex marriage. The amendment changed the PCUSA's definition of marriage from "a man and a woman" to "two people, traditionally a man and a woman." Keep reading
Marijuana dangers can't be ignored, critics say
The growing support for legalizing marijuana among Americans and their lawmakers remains unwise but not unexpected, Southern Baptist ethicists say.
Marijuana's inroads have been demonstrated already in March by a new public opinion poll that shows for the first time a majority in the United States favors legalization of the drug. In addition, Democratic and Republican senators introduced this month for the first time a bill to lift the federal ban on medicinal use of marijuana.
These developments follow the accelerating legalization of marijuana during the last two decades. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, beginning with California in 1996. D.C. and four of those states -- Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington -- also have legalized recreational use of marijuana. Fifteen states -- 10 with legalized medical marijuana and five without -- have eliminated jail time for possessing small amounts of the drug, according to the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP).
MPP, a leading promoter of marijuana legalization, is seeking to end bans on the drug in 12 more states by 2019. It is campaigning to gain approval of legalized marijuana initiatives in five states next year.Keep reading
Is It OK to Have Sex With a Robot?
Some ethicists argue sexbots will improve our lives by ending prostitution and sex trafficking, and by fulfilling human needs. The Christian Post spoke with three Christians who have written on topics related sex and human relationships and technology to get their take on the issue.
The technology required to make a sexbot, or a robot designed for sexual relations with a human, is quickly becoming available, and some companies are already working toward that goal.
First, robotics companies are already working toward designing robots that can move like humans and respond to humans with facial expressions. Second, there are several companies that make "sex dolls." Unlike robots, sex dolls cannot move on their own, but these companies continue to advance their goal of making products that look and feel as lifelike as possible. And third, artificial intelligence will allow computers to interact with humans by making their own choices and learning from experience.
As these three technologies coalesce, manufactures will be able to mass produce robots designed for sexual relations with humans. One New Jersey-based company claims to have made the world's first sexbot, although one enthusiast told Reason the effort "fell far short of expectations." Keep reading
Photo credit: Pixaby, public domain
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