People are not required to be perfect in order to say "amen" as loudly as they want to. No one is instantly cured of their sinful behavior patters just by showing up to church one time. Sometimes it takes many visits and many amens before a person's personal sense of morality becomes informed with a solid enough foundation in order to be reflected in their life's choices. You (anyone) are free to consider family values, respect for one's marriage and respect for children's dignity to be "inert" concepts, but if you are being realistic you will admit that those values are held by many people in this wide world and showing no respect for the values held by the other members of your community is likely to result in a person being alone and friendless in their old age, like you and Manny seem to be. If that (or prison or suicide) is what people want for themselves then they should follow your lead, but if they want to live to a ripe old age surrounded by loving friends and family they should consider respecting the values held by their local family, church and community. ![]() |