Thursday, January 31, 2008

thought of the day.36

Science and religion are polar opposites in the way information—
or lack thereof—is processed.

Science demands evidence. Religion demands belief without evidence.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

thought of the day.35

We’re all born naked, cold and hungry. And atheists.

We created the gods to mentally clothe, warm, and feed us—
to protect us like a parent in this indifferent universe.

Monday, January 28, 2008

thought of the day.34

As important as justice is, mercy is more so.

thought of the day.33

Once an ordinary city, Jerusalem only became “holy” after the attack and slaughter of its residents by men of God seething with hate. Holiness is often wickedness masquerading as good.

2 S 5:8

Sunday, January 27, 2008

thought of the day.32

There is no single “meaning of life” but countless meaningful lives.

And the more our lives mean to ourselves and others,
the more meaningful they are.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

thought of the day.31

Whether believer or nonbeliever, without compassion we’re lost.

Friday, January 25, 2008

thought of the day.30

Why think that children who have invisible friends are playing “make believe” but adults who have invisible friends are not?

Thursday, January 24, 2008

thought of the day.29

Being Awed by the Common exercise/meditation.

The idea is to focus on one sense at a time for several moments.
Close your eyes and...

1. listen as if you had never in your life heard a sound nor will again.

2. touch something -the hardness of a table, the softness of hair, or feel your breath on your hand-as if you had never felt a sensation.

3. smell something -skin, shirt, bread- as if you had never inhaled an aroma.

4. taste something, anything- as if you had never tasted anything before.

5. open your eyes and focus on the everyday stuff around you as if you were seeing it for the very first time.

It takes some practice but is a simple way to remind ourselves how amazing even the most common things are.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

thought of the day.28

“God” is a stumbling block to understanding the universe in two powerful ways.

1. When sacred myths are understood as literal history they give us a false understanding of reality.

2. Believing “God” did this or that encourages us to be satisfied with untestable supernatural explanations, rather than encouraging us to seek natural explanations.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

thought of the day.27

I’ve sat cross legged and bare foot while taking in the sights, sounds and smells (as well as an incredible Indian breakfast) of a Hindu service. I’ve heard the hauntingly beautiful chants of a Muslim service in which I was mooned by some 400 prostrated men. A yarmulke has kept my bald head warm and the shine from blinding Yahweh while attending a Jewish service. I’ve visited the Church of Scientology and dozens of different flavored Christian churches from tongue speaking Pentecostal to a Cowboy church held in a bar to a Baptist megachurch the size of a mall. All of these services undoubtedly provided the participants with community and a story to build their lives around. But with the good comes the evils of guilt and fear, the sacrifice of intellectual freedom, toxic primitive ideas about the subjugation of women and the earth, and so on. And of course, such belief systems are inherently divisive which breeds all kinds of suffering.

But last night I attended what I “pray” is the church of tomorrow. The preacher preached the holiest message I’ve ever heard in a church. And the bible and hymnal he used was science. Though I would feel better about jettisoning the word “God” altogether, Michael Dowd is pointing us in the right direction with his message of evolutionary theology. I encourage everyone to visit his site: ThankGodforEvolution.com

Monday, January 21, 2008

thought of the day.26

I saw a puppet show yesterday.
The puppet master pulled some strings
and made the puppets stand and sing
lift their arms and close their eyes
and open their wallets while swallowing lies.

Wicked show.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

thought of the day.25

A good religion would work to banish fear not instill it, free the mind not shackle it, and focus on this world and human beings not some otherworld and invisible beings.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

thought of the day.24

If Christianity is true, many billions of people will suffer unimaginable and unending pain in hell. If Islam is true, even more billions will be tortured forever. But if atheists are correct, not a single soul will be troubled in the least.

Doesn’t common decency demand we all root for the atheists?

Friday, January 18, 2008

thought of the day.23

“Sin” is the Christian leader’s most powerful tool. With that little word he can explain away the evils of the world, instill fear of eternal suffering, guilt for life’s pleasures, and move his followers to empty their wallets for the “glory of God.”

Thursday, January 17, 2008

thought of the day.22

Most Toxic Ideas of All Time

1. God has revealed his will to humans.

2. Humans are to rule over the earth.

3. Men are to rule over women.

4. Men may buy and sell humans.

5. Unbelievers will be tortured forever.

These biblical ideas resulted in two millennia of divinely justified torture, rape, murder, war, genocide, oppression, slavery, inequality, battering of wives, sexual abuse, inhumane treatment of animals, pollution, environmental destruction, burning of books, destruction and theft of property, manipulation through fear and guilt and lies, and on and on.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

thought of the day.21

Isn’t it a bit inconsistent to shout the commands of Exodus chapter 20 from the rooftop while sweeping those of chapter 21 under the rug?

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

thought of the day.20

Christianity degrades humanity by condemning us as sinners worthy of hell fire and breeds arrogance by claiming the universe was made just for us.

Monday, January 14, 2008

thought of the day.19

Taking the straight and narrow path to heaven can’t be near the adventure as following truth wherever she leads.

Mt 7:13-14

Sunday, January 13, 2008

thought of the day.18

The core of the Christian message is “think like us or burn in hell.”

Seems "think for yourself and best wishes" would make a happier world.

Mk 16:16

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Thought of the day.17

The death penalty is murder by a different name. It’s not justice but revenge.

Friday, January 11, 2008

thought of the day.16

Denying a woman control over her own body is more immoral than any choice she might make regarding it.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

thought of the day.15

Love is love, whether between homosexuals or heterosexuals.

Denying equal marriage rights is as unjust as denying women the right to vote or racial segregation.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

thought of the day.14

“Zoo” is a cuddly name for animal prison.

No matter how enlightened a particular zoo may be in their education and conservation efforts, their imprisonment of animals is immoral and perpetuates the myth that animals exist for us. We should preserve natural habitats, not incarcerate animals in unnatural ones.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

thought of the day.13

The sacrifice of free thought required of countless Christians for two thousand years seems a far greater sacrifice than their heros’ few hours on a cross.

Monday, January 7, 2008

thought of the day.12

Darkening a child’s mind with the fear of hell is no less child abuse than darkening her body with bruises.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

thought of the day.11

The God of the bible drowns children, burns children, starves children, and infects them with painful diseases. And the Christian calls him “Good”.

He permits the enslavement of children, punishes them for the sins of their parents, and commands their stoning for disobedience. And the Christian calls him “Just”.

He sends wild animals to tear children apart, sends armies to hack pregnant women and their unborn babies to pieces, and “blesses” those who smash babies’ heads against rocks. And the Christian calls him “Love.”

Dt 13:6-10 Dt 28:53-59 Lv 26:22 Lv 25:45-46 Lv 26:27-29
Nu 14:18 Ez 5:17 Ez 9:6-7 Ez 20:25-26 1 S 15:3 Ps 137:8-9 Ho 13:15-16
Ho 9:15-16 Is 14:22 Gn 7:23 Gn 19:23-25 2 K 2:23-24 Ex 12:29

Saturday, January 5, 2008

thought of the day.10

Once the bible is accepted as “The Truth” its content ceases to matter. For the True Believer can reconcile every contradiction, justify every injustice, believe every absurdity, and make holy every horror.

Friday, January 4, 2008

thought of the day.9

Factory farms manufacture suffering and eating their “products” feeds the evil.

www.petatv.com

Thursday, January 3, 2008

thought of the day.8

The “love” shown by the God of the bible is “conditional love”
which is not love at all.

Lv 26:14-39, Mk 16:16

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

thought of the day.7

To praise Jesus, the preacher of hell fire, is to praise inhumanity.
It is to lose one’s “soul” in the attempt to save it.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

thought of the day.6

Where Does Morality Come From?

Morality can be based on the empirical evidence that all life (when in a healthy state) “prefers” well-being and life over suffering and death.

So the desire to foster well-being can be called moral and the desire to cause needless suffering, immoral.