thought of the day.363

2009 was a very good year. :) May 2010 be even better....

thought of the day.362

To believe God answers prayer is to believe one shares in omnipotence — perhaps the grandest of all delusions.

thought of the day.361

The journey is the destination. Enjoy the route.

thought of the day.360

We can’t answer the question of whether or not a god exists, but we can answer the question of whether or not there is any evidence of one. That answer is a shout from the rooftops, NO!

thought of the day.359

“I absolutely believe what Ellie [Arroway, the atheist astronomer in the movie "Contact"] believes--that there is no direct evidence, so how could you ask me to believe in God when there's absolutely no evidence that I can see? I do believe in the beauty and the awe-inspiring mystery of the science that's out there that we haven't discovered yet, that there are scientific explanations for phenomena that we call mystical because we don't know any better.”

~ Jodie Foster

thought of the day.358

Beware of Cynicism

"Cynicism and doubt are not the same experience. Cynicism is a state of disbelief, an active act of not believing. Doubt raises questions, but it is not closed-minded. Cynicism shuts off possibilities; doubt leaves room for hope. Cynicism leads to pessimism; doubt leaves room for optimism. Cynicism contracts; doubt expands. Doubt confronts the world full throttle and dares faith: Go ahead, show me! Cynicism turns its back and slowly wanders away."

~ Arthur P. Ciaramicoli and Katherine Ketcham, The Power of Empathy

thought of the day.357

New Testament “events” not substantiated by any historian. Hmmmm.

1. SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS Mt 2:16
How is it that all the young boys throughout a region can be pried from their hysterical parent’s arms and murdered on orders from a king and yet no historian makes note of it?
Perhaps because it was a myth just like Jesus.

2. LIGHTS OUT Mk 15:33
How is it that a country can suddenly be blanketed in darkness for three hours in the middle of the day and yet no historian makes note of it?
Perhaps because it was a myth just like Jesus.

3. ZOMBIES Mt 27:51
How is it that the earth can shake and hordes off rotten bodies can crawl out of their graves and walk throughout a bustling city like Jerusalem and yet no historian makes note of it?
Perhaps because it was a myth just like Jesus.

4. MIRACLES GALORE
How is it that a man can perform miracle after miracle for some three years including flying into the clouds (and continuing through the Milky Way one assumes) for all to see and yet no historian makes note of it?

How is it that all these things and more could happen and yet not one historian alive at the time Jesus supposedly lived records his existence? Not one.
Perhaps because all these events were but myths just like Jesus.

thought of the day.356

A collection of comments (sure to grow) taken from conversations I have had with Christians about the bible. Though I strive to keep my comments focused on the bible itself, I find believers often shift the focus from the bible to me and my shortcomings.

Apparently, the reason that I criticize the immorality of the biblical God is not because it is justified but because...

I AM ANGRY
“It is clear ... you are in active and often angry rebellion against God”
“Why so angry at God?”
“Rage if you must, just please take it somewhere else”

I AM BITTER
“you are a bitter person”

I HAVEN’T READ THE BIBLE
“You don’t know scripture”

I HAVE NO MORALS
“folks of your ilk are always looking for an moral out, but always have strength enough to lift your fingers and point to those like me who actually have moral convictions.”

I AM A FUNDAMENTALIST
“Atheists are just like fundamentalists...taking scripture out of context and translating verbatim.”
“I think if you stop behaving like a fundamentalist...”
“You obviously come from a very fundamentalist background.“

I NEED TO BE PRAYED FOR
“Ill pray for you John!”
“I’ll light a candle for you too John at mass on Sunday.”
“I'm STILL praying for you John.”

I TEAR PEOPLE DOWN
“...you John tried to tear those people down. You diminished their faith to rape and your ignorance of scripture. You tried to tear me down but you lost. You lost big and for that I am so sorry such scripture inspired you to tear someone down... God is Good!”

I AM A FOOL
"Only a fool says there is no God"

I AM HELL BOUND
“At the judgement, there will be weeping and nashing of teeth and men crying out that they did this and they did that in His name." His reply will be, "Depart from me, for I never knew you". Enough said. Ask yourself, "what if I'm wrong". It's better to bet on a God that can love Mary Magdalene, than one who puts a woman in a sack (Allah) or one who doesn't exist. When you're waiting to die, who are you going to turn to? There are no Atheists in Hell.”

I AM OUT OF MY PLACE
“you all are doing an excellent job putting John in his place.”

I AM GUILT RIDDEN
“ you must feel guilty for being blessed with such an artistic ability.”

I AM NOT NICE
“It's so much easier to be nice. Try it sometime.”

I WAS NEVER A REAL CHRISTIAN

I MAKE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE IDIOTS
“You sure do know how to make a person with faith look like an idiot. Thanks John.”

I FEEL THE NEED TO PUT PEOPLE DOWN
“I never put you down for your "lack" of faith in God though you sure felt it nexcessary to do that to me.”

I RUIN PEOPLE’S DAYS
“No more comments please, you have totally ruined my day.”

I AM AN IDOLATOR
“John, I would suggest you are an idolator and your idol, the thing you place your faith, hope, and trust in, is science.”

thought of the day.355

Any being that would create a place of eternal torture is a demon not a god and worthy of condemnation not praise.

thought of the day.354

A beautiful garden requires both sowing and weeding.

thought of the day.353

Religion vs. Spirituality

"Religion involves creeds and catechisms. Spirituality involves feelings and experiences that transcend mere words. Religion is imitative and comes from without; spirituality comes from within; spirituality comes from "my strength, hope and experience." Religion is "left-brain"-it is rooted in words, sacred texts, and culture. Spirituality is "right-brain"; it transcends the boundaries of body, language, reason, and culture...Most religious beliefs involve dogma. Spiritual trust involves metaphor. So what is the difference between dogma and metaphor? Metaphors are open-ended and playful; dogma is rigid and serious. Metaphors mean "analogous to" and "as if"; dogma conveys "so I've been told" and "it's right there in the Bible..." Metaphors allow the truth of our dreams to become clearer with every retelling. In contrast, dogma may insist that heretics be executed....Dogma retards science;metaphors advance science."

~ George E. Vaillant, MD, Aging Well, 2002 pg 260

thought of the day.352

“The belief that there is only one truth and that oneself is in possession of it seems to me the deepest root of all evil that is in the world.”

~ Max Born

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“Why go to the Bible [about woman suffrage]? What question was ever settled by the Bible? What question of theology or any other department?

The human mind is greater than any book. The mind sits in judgment on every book. If there be truth in the book, we take it; if error, we discard it. Why refer this to the Bible? In this country, the Bible has been used to support slavery and capital punishment; while in the old countries, it has been quoted to sustain all manner of tyranny and persecution. All reforms are anti-Bible.”

~ William Lloyd Garrison, Oct. 18, 1854.

thought of the day.350

The sound of a soft rain, the feel of a cozy sweatshirt on a cold morning, the smell of coffee, the sight of ten times ten thousand things around me that are so rarely ever seen. Mindfulness.

thought of the day.349

“Reason can wrestle terror, and overthrow it at last.”

~Euripedes

thought of the day.348

“Prayers are to men as dolls are to children. They are not without use and comfort, but it is not easy to take them very seriously.”

~ Samuel Butler, "Unprofessional Sermons," 1912

thought of the day.347

Gentleness is stronger than fury.