Jesus said, "'No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit.'" Luke 6:43,44a (NRSV)
I would suggest that celibacy or more accurately the sexual abstinence of male priests in the Catholic Church has produced the fruit of child sex abuse.
Likewise the literal interpretation of passages in the Bible which relate to homosexuality have led to persecution and violence against gay people.
Belief in the Rapture, Judgement, Satan, Hell, and the End Times have all produced bad ethical outcomes.
"'each tree is known by its own fruit.'" Luke 6:44a (NRSV)
To judge doctrines and dogmas by their ethical outcomes rather than their Biblical inclusion is the first step to discrimination.
And discrimination is an essential part of spiritual growth.
[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.]
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