thought of the day.426

The Magic Blue Monkey

Would you believe me if I told you there was a Magic Blue Monkey that made the world, loves us and has a plan for us to come join him on his magic planet when we die?

I suspect not. And you would be completely justified in your refusal to believe my proposition. In fact, you would be less than rational if you did so....

What if I were to say the evidence of the Blue Monkey’s existence is all around us and explain that he shaped the first man and woman and all the animals out of dirt about 5,000 years ago and furthermore, I, and countless others have for 2,000 years, personally experienced the presence of the Blue Monkey?

Still not buying my story? Good. You shouldn’t. I have offered no evidence to back it up and science contradicts several of my assertions with compelling evidence.

What if I were to say, we have a book that explains all this. It is a special book. A divine book. A book inspired by the Blue Monkey himself? It is full of wisdom and tells—with eye witness accuracy — the historical account of the Blue Monkey’s precious child coming to earth in the form of a man to die for us so that the Blue Monkey would not have to throw us all into his chamber of horrors. Isn’t that wonderful?! Isn’t that loving?! All you have to do is “believe”.

Still not convinced? But why? I have given all kinds of evidence and besides, what do you have to lose? If you do believe and there is no Blue Monkey and torture pit then when you die you’ll have nothing to worry about. If I’m right though, won’t you be glad you believed?! Of course you will! You would be foolish not too. Yes, it will demand many hours of your time and yes, we give 10% of all our money to the Blue Monkey Brotherhood but the sacrifice of time and money is so worth it.

Boy, still not willing to accept the Blue monkey into your heart and make him Lord and Savior of your life? You are being close-minded. You must open your mind and your heart. The Blue Monkey loves you so much and wants to have a personal relationship with you. I promise you, he will change your life!

I have provided multiple reasons for you to believe and yet you don’t. You know, you actually have just as much faith as we believers do. You cannot possibly know that the Blue Monkey does not exist for you are not all-knowing. You have faith that he doesn’t. Seems we are both believers but I have the benefit of a Blue Monkey that loves me, has a plan for my life, will cuddle me forever when I die and you my friend, will become a human candle.

Well, it’s not really my job to convince you but simply share the good news. The Holy Monkey Spirit must come upon you. I will pray every day that it does.

thought of the day.425

“Pretending to be someone or something else is just another alienating message to your soul, your psyche, your essence. Every time you deny who you are becomes a little death. I say, choose life and suffer the consequences.”

~ Dean Wrzeszcz

thought of the day.424

Christians praise a God who had a plan for every child throughout the Bible. The children of Noah’s time? Drown them. The children of Sodom and Gomorrah? Burn them. The first-born of Egypt? Kill them. The children of the Anakim? Annihilate them. The children of the Amorites? Erase them. The children of the Amalekites, Canaanites, Hittites? Butcher. Butcher. Butcher. The children of the Perizzites, Hivites, Horites, Jebusites, Zamzumim? Destroy without mercy. Disobedient children? Stone them. Innocent children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of wrong doers? Curse them.

Gn 7:21-23, Ex 19:24, Dt 7:16, Dt 2:20-22, Js 11:21, Dt 20:17, Dt 25:19, Dt 12:29

thought of the day.423

Evidence Christianity Warps Common Sense/ Child Slavery

Christians worship a God who thought so little of children that he allowed them to be enslaved for life. Need some extra cash? Sell your daughter to the horniest/highest bidder!

Leviticus 25:44-46, Deuteronomy 20: 10-14, Exodus 21:20-21, Ex 12:29, Tit 2:9, Eph 6:5, Ex 21:4, Col 3:22

thought of the day.422

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Religious Terrorism

Christians praise a God who demanded a man bash in the skull of his beloved wife and turn the smiling face of his brother, child and neighbor into an unrecognizable hunk of bloody flesh for merely suggesting worshiping another god. Note: For large scale religious terrorism, God prefers the sharp edge of swords over stones.

Dt 13:6-15, 18:20

thought of the day.421

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Violence Against Women

Christians praise a God who promised to have pregnant women ripped open with swords; made rape victims marry their rapists; demanded hordes of men stone women unable to prove their virginity and allowed men to beat women to death without punishment as long as the women suffered a day or two before expiring.

Dt 22:20-21, Dt 22:28, Ho 13:16, Ex 21:20

thought of the day.421

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Animal Sacrifice

It was asked, “Could a being create the fifty billion galaxies, each with two hundred billion stars, then rejoice in the smell of burning goat flesh?” Christians certainly think so. They praise a God so pleased by the smell of burning flesh that he demanded a daily sniff for all time. Ah, but don’t dare offer an animal whose testicles have been “crushed, cut, bruised, or torn off” — this God demands his genitalia intact.

Lv 4:27-31, Lv 1:14-17, 1K 8:62-63, Lv 22:24, Lv 4:4-12, Lv 1:5-9, Lv 7:31-35

thought of the day.420

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Disease

Christians praise a God who promised to torture children with horrible diseases and cause flesh, eyes and tongues to rot away.

Dt 28:56, 2 S 24:1-16,Zec 14:12, Nu 25:7-9, Lv 26:15-16, Is 10:16, Zec 14:15, Ex 9:10

thought of the day.419

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Cannibalism

Christians praise a God who’s idea of a good punishment is to starve people to the point that parents eat their children, children eat their parents, and mothers eat their newborns — afterbirth and all.

Ez 5:9-10, Dt 28:56-57

thought of the day. 418

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Killing Children

Christians praise a God whose “holy” book demands that parents stone, burn and stab their children to death. Any wonder why there’s more child abuse in Fundamentalist Christian homes than atheist’s?

Dt 21:18, Lv 21:9, Zech 13:3

thought of the day.417

Evidence that Christianity Warps Common Sense / Human Sacrifice

Christians praise a god who ordered a child sacrifice, accepted a child sacrifice, used child sacrifice as punishment, collected a “tax“ of virgins who are either sacrificed or enslaved and made human sacrifice a law.

Gn 22:2,12, Jg 11:30-39, Ez 20:26, Nu 31:25-41, Lv 27:28-29

thought of the day.416

Wanting to keep abreast of the latest nonsense spewed by the enemy, I tuned my car radio to one of the conservative Christian radio stations. Thoughts on forgiveness were being delivered by a Dorothy Bennett who apparently has been enlightening her listeners for three decades now. During Ms. Bennett’s “Daily Devotional” she mentioned spousal and child abuse. What wisdom had she garnered from a lifetime in the ministry? What insights had she gained from speaking with her LORD? Reading her holy book? Christian Conferences? In a nutshell...abused wives should forgive their husbands and ask God to do the same. Likewise for abused children. No suggestion that the behavior should cease. No suggestion that justice be sought. Just a message of submission, forgiveness and obedience. Just poison.

thought of the day.415

Following the Argument Wherever it Leads

Excerpt from a tribute about Antony Flew, 1923–2010

“As a species our hunger for answers is insatiable. So desperate are we to understand the universe around us that for untold centuries we have refused to accept any “gap” in that understanding. Unexplained phenomena are the spawning grounds for ghost stories, sea monsters, grassy knolls, and a Divine Mind.

Antony Flew understood this as well as anyone. He devoted a lifetime of vigorous intellectual argument against presuming God. Today we are asked to accept that he has changed his mind. With asterisks in hand, we accept.

Could we make a cogent argument “pointing to” his age and capacity as factors that might mitigate a change of this magnitude? We could. Are there uncertainties that could warrant a tenable challenge to the motives of those individuals surrounding Flew, with regard to his “conversion” and the curiously construction and authorship of the book? There are. Should the publishers bear any responsibility for preventing misperceptions concerning the disclosure of would-be ghostwriters? They should.

There is little hope of ever reconciling the Antony Flew of 87 years with the Antony Flew of 27 years. Did he change his mind, or did his mind change him?

History will record Antony Flew as a deist; Annis Flew confirmed that for us all. History, I fear, becomes an unwitting conspirator, forever defiled.

With so many varied aspects to this story, it is easy to forget that which matters most. Antony Garrard Newton Flew, philosopher, professor, author, atheist pioneer, and devoted husband, is now gone. For more than 60 years this thinker, this man of great intellect, marched to a different drum and followed the argument. We owe him much.

The last of the old guard, Professor Flew’s festschrift deserves to be written with admiration and respect for a distinguished philosopher. As Annis said to me, her accent reminiscent of British Royalty and her voice never wavering, “I am so very proud to have known him.”

~ Kenneth Grubbs

thought of the day.414

Christians I have spoken with have suggested atheism leads to Stalinesque mass murder. That it requires belief in God to be good. But unlike Christianity whose scriptures reveal a God who commits, condones, or commands ecocide, genocide, infanticide, murder, rape, slavery, destruction of property, torture, and so on, atheism is simply the lack of belief in such a wicked character. Seems praising such a character as holy and perfect is much more likely to lead to similar acts.

thought of the day.413

“There is not sufficient love and goodness in the world to permit us to give some of it away to imaginary beings.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

thought of the day.412

While conversing about the believer’s trauma of abandoning the practice of praying to a deity, my friend Stephen Marley noted the benefits of a “Transition from begging for guidance or favors from a mythological hero to an act of pure introspection and a positive appreciation for the realities of life.” This seems far healthier, more honest and nobler than fooling ourselves into thinking we have the ear of an invisible King of the Universe anxious to use his omnipotence to answer our petitions.

thought of the day.411

Cool thoughts from my forum and fb friend, David L. Allen:

“I took me awhile, but I have come to a place where I feel the presence of a non-supernatural god-type non-being sense of oneness. Ain't that a mouthful?

I can tell you about it, but you can only get there on your own. No one can convince another of what to believe. Right? You either believe something or you don't. The only way to really believe something is to arrive at the conclusion on your own.

Here is my summary of 5 Things. After this list, read on if you want to know how I got there.

1. Everything in the Universe is integrally connected through particle physics and, therefore, is one. The Universe is God. It is both the Creator and the Creation.

2. Our consciousness, as thinking beings, is part of this oneness and compassion is its highest achievement. Our consciousness is the mind of God.

3. Morality is the direct result of the application of compassion. Our compassion is the origin of the Golden Rule.

4. As everything is connected, when I look out at Nature, I see an extension of myself. Every thing in the Universe is worthy of our compassion.

5. By extension, when I take care of others, I am taking care of myself, quite literally, and God (the integrated Universe) is taking care of me.



I believe that everything is physically connected through physics. That is, quantum physics.

On an ordinary level, Newtonian physics, every thing, living and non-living, is treated as a separate object. When the force of one object hits another object, it causes the other object to move, like a billiard ball.

That's our everyday perceived reality. You are an object. I am an object. If I run into you, it will likely hurt both of us.

Instead of thinking of the Universe as a place with a bunch of things floating in it (like a bowl of soup, the Milky Way galaxy would be like a potato in it), I think of the Universe as soap bubble. With the soup, I can take a potato out and look at it. It is a separate thing from the soup, even if it is an important ingredient in making a good soup.

On a soap bubble, we can also see things floating around: rainbow-colored swirls. However, you can not take a swirl off of the bubble and examine it. The whole bubble would collapse. It looks separate. it even seems to move independently, but it is completely integrated. It is all made from the same stuff. Unlike a potato in a bowl of soup, the idea that the swirl is a separate thing is an illusion.

Likewise, all the things in the Universe are completely integrated. Every thing is made of the same stuff.

I am not a human being in the Universe. I *am* the Universe. So, are you. So is this rock and that horse. I can not be taken out of the Universe to be examined by a supernatural being.

In my ordinary reality, I feel pretty lucky to be one of the clumps of particles that reside around here that can think. In fact, I feel a responsibility to take care of the rest our Universe. As a thinking being, I know that animals can suffer and that our well-being relies on the health of other living and non-living things, most of which are incapable of defending themselves. And I don't want others to suffer, because I know that it really sucks to suffer. That is compassion.

The conclusion is that if we are all integrally connected by physics and we are psychologically connected by compassion, then every good thing I do for others, I do for myself. And the Universe. And when my friend does a good thing for a dying child in Haiti, he has done that for me. And the Universe.”

~ David L. Allen

thought of the day.410

Evidence that Jesus is a Myth, Part 1: The Elijah/Elisha Connection
(Revised 3/21/10)

Two thousand years ago, people worshiped Osiris, Glycon, Simon, Apollonius of Tyana, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Dionysus, Zalmoxis, Kore, Samothrace, Attis, Adonis, Horus, Mithras and others. Just like Jesus, these gods’ claims to fame included being born of a virgin, walking on water, healing lepers, raising the dead, turning water into wine, and dying and rising again. However, my argument is not that Jesus was copied from “pagan” religions (though these certainly had an influence) but was largely created from the stories of the Old Testament itself, and in particular, the escapades of the god-like characters, Elijah and Elisha.

Elijah is such an important character that he is mentioned 75 times in the Old Testament and 29 times in the New. God promises to send Elijah as a savior (Ml 4:5), an angel says that John the Baptist would have “Elijah’s spirit and power” (Luke 1:17) while Jesus suggests John the Baptist “is Elijah” (Mt 11:14). Jesus says Elijah (as John the Baptist) was mistreated just as he would be mistreated (Mt 17:11-12), speaks about Elijah coming to get everything ready for him (Mt 17:11-12) and compares himself to Elijah and Elisha (Lk 4:25-27). Elijah even makes an appearance and converses with Jesus (Lk 9:30-31). Some people think Jesus is actually Elijah (Mt 16:14) and as Jesus dies, others think he is calling Elijah and that Elijah may come take him down from the cross (Mk 15:35-36). Even the names mean the same thing — Elisha being “God (Jehovah) is salvation” and Jesus, “Jehovah saves” while Elijah is “my God is Jehovah.”

The New Testament accounts are obviously not word for word copies of these earlier stories, but there are over 50 themes common to both Elijah/Elisha and Jesus. When considered collectively, the following comparisons along with parts 2, 3 and 4, are convincing evidence that the Jesus of the bible was not a historical person, but a literary Frankenstein, cobbled together from dozens of pre-existing myths.

1. MIRACLE BABY
> A woman was miraculously impregnated with a son through Elisha (2K 4:8-17)
> A woman was miraculously impregnated with a son promised to be “like the prophet Elijah” and told what to name him— John (the Baptist) (Lk 1:5-17)
> A woman was miraculously impregnated with a son and told what to name him—Jesus (Lk 1:26-31)

2. FASHIONISTA
> Elijah (Elisha’s predecessor) wore animal skins tied with a leather belt (2K 1:8)
> John the Baptist (Jesus’ predecessor) wore animal skins tied with a leather belt (Mk 1:6)

3. PASSING THE MANTEL
> Elijah passed the mantel to Elisha to carry on God’s work (2K 2:9-16)
> John the Baptist* passed the mantel to Jesus to carry on God’s work (Lk 3:1-22)
*Elijah (Mt 11:14)

4. BEHEADING
> The king wanted to behead Elisha (2K 6:31)
> The king beheaded John the Baptist (Mt 14:10)

5. SAVIOR
> Elijah is sent to save people from God’s wrath (Ml 4:5-6)
> Jesus is sent to save people from God’s wrath (Mk 16:16)

6. GIFTS
> Elisha was given precious gifts (2K 8:8-9)
> Jesus was given precious gifts (Mt 2:9-11)

7. HUNTED
> A wicked king ordered an extensive search for Elijah in order to kill him (1K 18:1-10)
> A wicked king ordered an extensive search for Jesus in order to kill him (Mt 2:3-20)

8. SENT INTO HIDING
> Elijah was commanded by God to travel to another place and hide (1K 17:2-3)
> Joseph was commanded by God to travel to another place and hide Jesus (Mk 1:1)

9. HOLY RIVER
> Elisha received the spirit at the Jordan (2K 2:9)
> Jesus received the spirit at the Jordan (Mk 1:1)

10. FORTY DAYS & FORTY NIGHTS
> Elijah went 40 days & nights in the wilderness without food (1K 19:4)
> Jesus went 40 days & nights in the wilderness without food (Mt 4)

11. MINISTERING ANGELS
> An angel helped Elijah before his wilderness trip (1K 19:5-9)
> Angels helped Jesus after his wilderness trip (Mk 1:12-13)

12. GROUPIES
> Elisha had a group of followers (2K 6)
> Jesus had a group of followers (Mk 13)

13. THE CALLING
> Elisha was busy working when called to stop and follow Elijah (1K 19:19-21)
> Simon, Andrew, James and John were busy working when called to stop and follow Jesus (Mk 1:16-20)

14. GOODBYES
> Elisha said he would follow Elijah after saying goodbye to his parents (plow in story) (1K 19:20)
> A man said he would follow Jesus after saying goodbye to his family (plow in story) (Lk 9:61-62)

15. PROPHET
> Elijah was called a “prophet” (1K 1:3)
> Jesus was called a “prophet” (Lk 7:17)

16. MASTER
> A group of men called Elijah, Elisha’s “master” (2K 2:3-5)
> A group of men called Jesus, “master” (Mk 13)

17. SERVANT
> Elijah is called God’s “servant” (2K 9:36)
> Jesus is called God’s “Servant” (Acts 3:26)

18. YES MAN
> Elijah did as God commanded (2K 1:4)
> Jesus did as God commanded (Jn 4:34)

19. GOD’S SPOKESMAN
> Elijah spoke for God (1K 17:1)
> Jesus spoke for God (Mt 7:21-23)

20. TRAVELING MAN
> Elijah traveled throughout Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Syria going town to town doing God’s work (1K, 2K)
> Jesus traveled throughout Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Syria going town to town doing God’s work (Lk, Mk, Mt, Jn)

21. DRINK OF WATER
> Upon entering a town, Elijah had a woman get him a glass of water, worked a miracle of abundance and the woman called him a prophet (1K 17:10)
> Upon entering a town, Jesus had a woman get him a glass of water, promised a miracle of abundance and the woman called him a prophet (Jn 4:5)

22. CROSSING THE WATER
> Elijah walked across divided water (2K 2:8)
> Elisha walked across divided water (2K 2:14)
> Jesus walked across the top of water (Mk 6:45)

23. SEEING IS BELIEVING
> Elisha made the blind see (2K 6:20)
> Jesus made the blind see (Mk 8: 21-26)

24. HEALING THE LEPER
> Elisha healed a man with leprosy (2K 5)
> Jesus healed a man with leprosy (Mk 1:41)

25. FEEDING THE MULTITUDE
> A servant expressed doubt but Elisha used loaves of barley bread to feed a multitude and had left overs (2K 4:42-44)
> A disciple expressed doubt but Jesus used loaves of barley bread to feed a multitude and had left overs (Jn 6:1-13)

26. VINEYARD MAYHEM
> Elisha says a king will be killed as punishment for wanting to take over a vineyard after the owner was murdered (1K 21:1-19)
> Jesus says tenants will be killed as punishment for wanting to take over a vineyard and murdering the owner’s son (Lk 20:9-18)

27. ARMY OFFICER
> Elisha helped an army officer (2K 5:1-15)
> Jesus helped an army officer (Mt 8:5-6)

28. SUPERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE
> Elijah knew details of a person’s private life (2K 6:12)
> Jesus knew details of a person’s private life (Jn 4:17-18)

29. SUPERNATURAL SIGHT
> Elisha could see a man in another place (2K 5:26)
> Jesus could see a man in another place (Jn 1:48-49)

30. IMMINENT SEIZURE
> Elisha knew he was about to be seized (2K 6:30-32)
> Jesus knew he was about to be seized (Jn 6:15)

31. COMMANDER OF THE ELEMENTS
> Elijah controlled the weather (1K 17:1)
> Jesus controlled the weather (Mk 4:39)

32. AUDIENCE OF THOUSANDS
> All of Israel gathered to hear Elijah (1K 18:19-21)
> 5,000 gathered to hear Jesus (Mk 6:30-44)

33. JARS OF WATER
> Elijah instructed people to fill 4 jars with water as part of a miracle (1K 18:33)
> Jesus instructed people to fill 6 jars with water as part of a miracle (Jn 2:7)

34. LEGACY OF THE 12 TRIBES
> Elijah used 12 stones to rebuild the altar (1K 18:32)
> Elisha used 12 teams of oxen to plow (1K 19:19)
> Jesus used 12 disciples to build the Church (Mt 10:1)

35. FAMILY MATTERS
> Elijah will be sent to unite the family (Ml 4:5-6)
> Jesus came to divide the family (Mt 7:36)

36. AT THE FOOT OF THE MASTER
> A distraught woman held Elisha’s feet (2K 4:27)
> A distraught woman held Jesus’ feet (Lk 7:36)

37. SIGN OF SUBJECTION
> A man bowed down before Elijah (1K 18:7)
> 50 men bowed down before Elisha (2K 2:15)
> A man knelt down before Jesus (Jn 9:38)

38. HEARTLESS DISCIPLES
> Elisha’s servant wanted to push away a mother distraught over her dead child but Elisha worked a miracle (2K 4:27)
> Jesus’ disciples wanted to send away a mother distraught over her suffering child but Jesus worked a miracle (Mt 15:21-28)

39. MAGIC MOUNTAIN
> Elijah experienced a supernatural change after he and a servant climbed a mountain (cloud in story) (1K 18:42-46)
> Jesus experienced a supernatural change after he and 3 disciples climbed a mountain (cloud in story and Elijah appears) (Mt 17:1-13)

40. WORDS FROM ON HIGH
> Elijah climbed a mountain where God spoke (1K 19:9)
> Jesus climbed a mountain where God spoke (Mt 17:5)

41. FINANCIAL WIZARD
> Elisha worked a financial miracle (2K 4:1-5)
> Jesus worked a financial miracle (Mt 17: 24)

42. SAVIOR OF THE PARTY
> Elisha transformed food for a group of people (2K 4:38-41)
> Jesus transformed water for a group of people (Jn 2:6)

43. GO IN PEACE
> Elisha said “Go in peace” (2K 5:19)
> Jesus said “Go in peace” (Lk 7:50)

44. PROPHET OF DOOM
> Elijah saw the future and told of coming horrors (2K 8:12)
> Jesus saw the future and told of coming horrors (Lk 21:10-33)

45. CURSE OF DEATH
> Elisha’s curse caused death (2K 2:24)
> Jesus’ curse caused death (Mk 11:21)

46. RAISING THE DEAD I (The Widow’s Son)
> Elijah raised a widow’s dead son, gave him to his mother & was called a prophet (1K 17:21)
> Jesus raised a widow’s dead son, gave him to his mother & was called a prophet (Lk 7:11-16)

47. RAISING THE DEAD II (The Child)
> Elisha raised a dead child in a home (2K 4:27-37)
> Jesus raised a dead child in a home (Mk 5:22-43)

48. RAISING THE DEAD III (The Man in the Tomb)
> Elisha’s bones raised a dead man in a tomb (2 K:21)
> Jesus raised a dead man in a tomb (Jn 11)

49. FIRE FROM HEAVEN
> Elijah called down fire from heaven to kill people (2K 1:10)
> Jesus’ disciples asked to call down fire from heaven to kill people (Lk 9:54)

50. DUPLICITOUS UNDERLING
> Elisha’s duplicitous servant asked for 3,000 silver coins & suffering followed (2K 5)
> Jesus’ duplicitous disciple accepted 30 silver coins & suffering followed (Mt 26:14)

51. TROUBLEMAKER
> Elijah was considered “the worst troublemaker in Israel” (1K 18:17)
> Jesus was considered the worst troublemaker in Israel (implied) (Jn 2:13-18, 19:6)

52. WANTED MAN
> The Jewish people wanted Elijah killed (1K 19:10)
> The Jewish people wanted Jesus killed (Mt 27:20)

53. HEAVEN BOUND
> It was revealed Elijah would soon ascend to heaven (2K 2: 1-12)
> Jesus revealed he would soon ascend to heaven (Jn 20:17)

54. ANGUISHED PRAYER
> Afraid for his life, Elijah went off by himself, sat and prayed for God to take his life and was then strengthened by an angel (1K 19:3-6)
> Afraid for his life, Jesus went off by himself, knelt and prayed for God not to take his life (but that his will be done) and was then strengthened by an angel (Lk 22:39-43)

55. PLEDGE OF LOYALTY
> As Elijah’s “death” approached, Elisha swore he wouldn’t leave him—twice (2K 2:4-6)
> As Jesus’ death approached, Peter swore he wouldn’t leave him—twice (Mk 14:4-29-31)

56. MOCKED
> Elisha was made fun of (2K 2:23)
> Jesus was made fun of (Mk 15:20)

57. DEATH CRY
> As Elijah “died,” Elisha cried out, “My father, my father!” (2K:2:12)
> As Elisha died, the king cried out “My father, my father!” (2K 13:14)
> As Jesus died, he cried out, “My God, my God...” (Mt 27:46)

58. TORN CLOTH
> Upon Elijah’s death, Elisha tore his cloak in two (2K 12)
> Upon Jesus’ death, the Temple’s curtain tore in two (Mt 27:51)

59. UP, UP AND AWAY!
> Elijah was visibly taken up to heaven (2K 2:11)
> Jesus was visibly taken up to heaven (Lk 24:51)

more to come...

IN CONCLUSION
The True Believer may rationalize all of this away, but there’s no disputing that there is clearly little about Jesus that is unique. Further study of comparative religions reveals Christianity took all of its ideas—from the virgin birth to Jesus’ prophesied thousand year reign—from “pagan” religions. In fact, Christianity IS a pagan religion. It simply has outlasted most of its competition, aided by two millennia of persecuting them.

Further evidences that Jesus is a myth can be found in Part 2: Likely OT Sources, Part 3: Indisputable OT Sources and Part 4: Extra-Biblical Sources.

thought of the day.409

Toxic Power of Christianity

“Sadly I can not express my true religious beliefs on Facebook as I would lose 75% of my clients, [it] makes me a coward, but I do have to feed my family. So, I will live behind your strength, just know you are soooo not alone....Peace Brother.....”

~ A friend

thought of the day.408

Reason is a “Whore”?

"Reason should be destroyed in all Christians."
— Martin Luther

"Whoever wants to be a Christian should tear the eyes out of his reason."
— Martin Luther

"Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God."
— Martin Luther

"Reason is the Devil's greatest whore; by nature and manner of being she is a noxious whore; she is a prostitute, the Devil's appointed whore; whore eaten by scab and leprosy who ought to be trodden under foot and destroyed, she and her wisdom ... Throw dung in her face to make her ugly. She is and she ought to be drowned in baptism... She would deserve, the wretch, to be banished to the filthiest place in the house, to the closets."
— Martin Luther, Erlangen Edition v. 16, pp. 142-148

"Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God."
— Martin Luther