Genesis 1-3 NBT (Non-Believer Translation)
An invisible something called 'God' who existed forever and always as a penis-less Father, a mother-less Son of the Father and a sheetless Ghost rolled into one, yet remaining distinctly three, without shape or substance, decided to make a universe. This God performed ‘his’ first miracle by making light but no light source. More miracles followed when he made mornings and nights without sunrises and sunsets and molded a man out of dirt, shaping each eyelash, each organ (vestigial ones included), and each neuron and synapse with his bigger than life invisible God hands. Perhaps even more miraculous than the dirt-man becoming flesh and blood is that he came to life speaking a language.
After failing miserably at his attempt to find a suitable mate for the man amongst a parade of animals, (not a terribly astute all-knowing being) the invisible God put the man to sleep, knifed his way into his chest and broke off a rib—Ouch! He rubbed his bigger than life invisible God hands on the bloody broken bone and magically transformed it into a woman. Bad move. Should have stuck with an aardvark or sheep as a partner for the man as all hell broke lose when the woman brought death into the world by disobeying the disembodied voice of the invisible God. Soon after, the invisible sculptor/surgeon put on the hat of invisible hunter as he killed some animals (perhaps with a big invisible bow and arrow or maybe he just beat their heads against a rock) and after somehow gutting and skinning them, (maybe Jesus had a holy hunting knife on hand) he replaced his camouflage hat with a tailor cap and used his big invisible bloodstained hands to fashion clothes for his naked Ken and Barbie (needle and thread provided by helpful angels who procured them from a sewing shop just above the clouds no doubt).
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
thought of the day.316
“Man is the only religious animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion—several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat, if his theology isn't straight. He has made a graveyard of the globe in trying his honest best to smooth his brother's path to happiness and heaven.”
~ Mark Twain (1835-1910), Letters from the Earth, "The Damned Human Race," 1909
~ Mark Twain (1835-1910), Letters from the Earth, "The Damned Human Race," 1909
Friday, June 12, 2009
thought of the day.315
“They first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up -
because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up-
because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up -
because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up -
because I wasn't a Catholic.
Then they came for me -
and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
~ Pastor Martin Niemoeller
because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up-
because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up -
because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up -
because I wasn't a Catholic.
Then they came for me -
and by that time no one was left to speak up.”
~ Pastor Martin Niemoeller
Monday, June 8, 2009
thought of the day.314
“I realized early on that it is detailed scientific knowledge which makes certain religious beliefs untenable. A knowledge of the true age of the earth and of the fossil record makes it impossible for any balanced intellect to believe in the literal truth of every part of the Bible in the way that fundamentalists do. And if some of the Bible is manifestly wrong, why should any of the rest of it be accepted automatically? . . . What could be more foolish than to base one's entire view of life on ideas that, however plausible at the time, now appear to be quite erroneous? And what would be more important than to find our true place in the universe by removing one by one these unfortunate vestiges of earlier beliefs?”
~ Francis Crick, What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery, 1988
~ Francis Crick, What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery, 1988
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
thought of the day.312
Vaccinations, Autism and Jesus
Harriet Hall, MD, writes, “During a question and answer session after a talk I recently gave, I was asked for my opinion about the vaccine/autism controversy. That was easy: my opinion is that there is no controversy. The evidence is in. The scientific community has reached a clear consensus that vaccines don’t cause autism. There is no controversy.
“There is, however, a manufactroversy — a manufactured controversy — created by junk science, dishonest researchers, professional misconduct, outright fraud, lies, misrepresentations, irresponsible reporting, unfortunate media publicity, poor judgment, celebrities who think they are wiser than the whole of medical science, and a few maverick doctors who ought to know better. Thousands of parents have been frightened into rejecting or delaying immunizations for their children. The immunization rate has dropped, resulting in the return of endemic measles in the U.K. and various outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. children have died. Herd immunity has been lost. The public health consequences are serious and are likely to get worse before they get better — a load of unscientific nonsense has put us all at risk. ”
This an example of how accepting ideas without evidence often leads to all kinds of negative consequences. Whether the topic is autism, real estate, politics, religion or anything else, it is never a good idea to accept ideas without compelling supporting evidence.
Harriet Hall, MD, writes, “During a question and answer session after a talk I recently gave, I was asked for my opinion about the vaccine/autism controversy. That was easy: my opinion is that there is no controversy. The evidence is in. The scientific community has reached a clear consensus that vaccines don’t cause autism. There is no controversy.
“There is, however, a manufactroversy — a manufactured controversy — created by junk science, dishonest researchers, professional misconduct, outright fraud, lies, misrepresentations, irresponsible reporting, unfortunate media publicity, poor judgment, celebrities who think they are wiser than the whole of medical science, and a few maverick doctors who ought to know better. Thousands of parents have been frightened into rejecting or delaying immunizations for their children. The immunization rate has dropped, resulting in the return of endemic measles in the U.K. and various outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. children have died. Herd immunity has been lost. The public health consequences are serious and are likely to get worse before they get better — a load of unscientific nonsense has put us all at risk. ”
This an example of how accepting ideas without evidence often leads to all kinds of negative consequences. Whether the topic is autism, real estate, politics, religion or anything else, it is never a good idea to accept ideas without compelling supporting evidence.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
thought of the day.311
The difference between Reality and Truth
Reality is the actual state of things independent of our minds whereas “truth” is merely a perception of reality. The closer that perception aligns with reality, the more true it is, but as all perceptions are subjective and incomplete, so is “truth”.
Reality is the actual state of things independent of our minds whereas “truth” is merely a perception of reality. The closer that perception aligns with reality, the more true it is, but as all perceptions are subjective and incomplete, so is “truth”.
Monday, June 1, 2009
thought of the day.310
Death is not Nothingness
There’s no Heaven, no Hell, no eternal bliss, no everlasting torment, no silent oblivion, no black engulfing emptiness. No nothingness. For all these things are something and death is the annihilation of everything—the complete cessation of sense. So there’s no reason to fear death but every reason to suck the marrow out of each and every moment!
There’s no Heaven, no Hell, no eternal bliss, no everlasting torment, no silent oblivion, no black engulfing emptiness. No nothingness. For all these things are something and death is the annihilation of everything—the complete cessation of sense. So there’s no reason to fear death but every reason to suck the marrow out of each and every moment!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
thought of the day.308
Test of Faith. Proverbs
He that loves his children
A. nurtures them like a garden
B. beats them with a rod
To deliver a child’s soul from hell
A. pray for them
B. beat them with a rod
A child learns wisdom by being
A. taught well
B. beaten with a rod
Proverbs 13:24, 23:14, 29:15
“Punishment is embedded in most Christian theology. The threat of future and eternal punishment has provided the ineradicable core of violence, suffering, and pain that has perpetuated anxiety and fear in the minds of vast numbers of people throughout the world for two millenia. Although the Old Testament provides most of the verses and texts used to advocate the physical punishment of children, the New Testament Gospels and Epistles and the Book of Revelation provide the basis for terror contained in a single word: hell.…. Incalculable suffering and pain have been inflicted on children because of the belief in the physical reality of hell. Many Christians have heeded and acted upon the words of Proverbs 23:13-14: “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” The threat of eternal punishment remains one of the greatest sources of anxiety and terror ever known, and must be recognized as a primary basis for the rationales for painful physical discipline and punishment advocated and practiced by so many Americans for centuries.
“Larry Christenson, whose book The Christian Family has sold more than a million copies throughout the world, observes in his chapter “God’s Order for Parents”: God holds you accountable for the discipline of your children. If you discipline and bring up your children according to his Word, you will have his approval and blessing. If you fail to do so, you will incur His wrath.
“Christenson also insists that “The Scriptural method of discipline is simple and unequivacal: the rod.”
“In recent years, however, Benjamin Spock has taken a clear public stand against the practice of corporal punishments. “I hope,” he wrote in 1988, “American parents can outgrow the conviction, which a majority have, that physical punishment is necessary to bring up well-behaved children.” In Dr. Spock on Parenting (1988), Spock acknowledges that:
“In earlier decades–and in earlier editions of Baby and Child Care–I avoided a flat statement of disapproval of physical punishment. I contented myself with the statement that I didn’t think it was necessary. This was because of my belief that it’s disturbing to parents when a professional person appears to imply that he knows better than they. What made me go against my own rule was my growing concern over the sky-high and ever-rising figures for murders within the family,
wife abuse, and child abuse in America, and our government’s enthusiasm for the nuclear arms race and for an aggressive foreign policy. It’s not that physical punishment creates these alarming conditions by itself, but it certainly plays a role in our acceptance of violence. If we are ever to turn toward a kindlier society and a safer world, a revulsion against the physical punishment of children would be a good place to start.”
~ Philip Greven, Spare the Child: The Religious Roots of Punishment and the Psychological Impact of Physical Abuse, 1990
He that loves his children
A. nurtures them like a garden
B. beats them with a rod
To deliver a child’s soul from hell
A. pray for them
B. beat them with a rod
A child learns wisdom by being
A. taught well
B. beaten with a rod
Proverbs 13:24, 23:14, 29:15
“Punishment is embedded in most Christian theology. The threat of future and eternal punishment has provided the ineradicable core of violence, suffering, and pain that has perpetuated anxiety and fear in the minds of vast numbers of people throughout the world for two millenia. Although the Old Testament provides most of the verses and texts used to advocate the physical punishment of children, the New Testament Gospels and Epistles and the Book of Revelation provide the basis for terror contained in a single word: hell.…. Incalculable suffering and pain have been inflicted on children because of the belief in the physical reality of hell. Many Christians have heeded and acted upon the words of Proverbs 23:13-14: “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” The threat of eternal punishment remains one of the greatest sources of anxiety and terror ever known, and must be recognized as a primary basis for the rationales for painful physical discipline and punishment advocated and practiced by so many Americans for centuries.
“Larry Christenson, whose book The Christian Family has sold more than a million copies throughout the world, observes in his chapter “God’s Order for Parents”: God holds you accountable for the discipline of your children. If you discipline and bring up your children according to his Word, you will have his approval and blessing. If you fail to do so, you will incur His wrath.
“Christenson also insists that “The Scriptural method of discipline is simple and unequivacal: the rod.”
“In recent years, however, Benjamin Spock has taken a clear public stand against the practice of corporal punishments. “I hope,” he wrote in 1988, “American parents can outgrow the conviction, which a majority have, that physical punishment is necessary to bring up well-behaved children.” In Dr. Spock on Parenting (1988), Spock acknowledges that:
“In earlier decades–and in earlier editions of Baby and Child Care–I avoided a flat statement of disapproval of physical punishment. I contented myself with the statement that I didn’t think it was necessary. This was because of my belief that it’s disturbing to parents when a professional person appears to imply that he knows better than they. What made me go against my own rule was my growing concern over the sky-high and ever-rising figures for murders within the family,
wife abuse, and child abuse in America, and our government’s enthusiasm for the nuclear arms race and for an aggressive foreign policy. It’s not that physical punishment creates these alarming conditions by itself, but it certainly plays a role in our acceptance of violence. If we are ever to turn toward a kindlier society and a safer world, a revulsion against the physical punishment of children would be a good place to start.”
~ Philip Greven, Spare the Child: The Religious Roots of Punishment and the Psychological Impact of Physical Abuse, 1990
Thursday, May 28, 2009
thought of the day.307
The only God worthy of worship would be one who didn’t want any; who loathed praise, ritual and doctrine; and who desired that our focus —our time, energy and love—be showered on each other, not Her.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Thought of the day.305
A few thoughts on religion and atheism from Hitler:
"Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith ...we need believing people."
-Adolf Hitler, from a speech on April 26, 1933
"We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out."
-Adolf Hitler, from a speech on October 24, 1933
"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison. To-day, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact that it was for this that He had to shed His blood upon the Cross. As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice... And if there is anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly it is the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty to my own people.”
-Adolf Hitler, in a speech on April 12, 1922
"For this, to be sure, from the child's primer down to the last newspaper, every theater and every movie house, every advertising pillar and every billboard, must be pressed into the service of this one great mission, until the timorous prayer of our present parlor patriots: 'Lord, make us free!' is transformed in the brain of the smallest boy into the burning plea: 'Almighty God, bless our arms when the time comes; be just as thou hast always been; judge now whether we be deserving of freedom; Lord, bless our battle!'"
-Adolf Hitler's prayer, from Mein Kampf, Vol. 2, Chapter 13
"We demand freedom for all religious confessions in the state, insofar as they do not endanger its existence or conflict with the customs and moral sentiments of the Germanic race. The party as such represents the standpoint of a positive Christianity, without owing itself to a particular confession...."
- Article 20 of the program of the German Workers' Party (later named the National Socialist German Workers' Party, NSDAP)
“This human world of ours would be inconceivable without the practical existence of a religious belief. The great masses of a nation are not composed of philosophers. For the masses of the people, especially faith is absolutely the only basis of a moral outlook on life. The various substitutes that have been offered have not shown any results that might warrant us in thinking that they might usefully replace the existing denominations. ...There may be a few hundreds of thousands of superior men who can live wisely and intelligently without depending on the general standards that prevail in everyday life, but the millions of others cannot do so. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Vol. 1 Chapter 10
“The greatness of Christianity did not lie in attempted negotiations for compromise with any similar philosophical opinions in the ancient world, but in its inexorable fanaticism in preaching and fighting for its own doctrine. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 1 Chapter 12
“Christianity could not content itself with building up its own altar; it was absolutely forced to undertake the destruction of the heathen altars. Only from this fanatical intolerance could its apodictic faith take form; this intolerance is, in fact, its absolute presupposition. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 2 Chapter 5
“For how shall we fill people with blind faith in the correctness of a doctrine, if we ourselves spread uncertainty and doubt by constant changes in its outward structure? ...Here, too, we can learn by the example of the Catholic Church. Though its doctrinal edifice, and in part quite superfluously, comes into collision with exact science and research, it is none the less unwilling to sacrifice so much as one little syllable of its dogmas... it is only such dogmas which lend to the whole body the character of a faith. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 2 Chapter 5
“Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.”
-Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf
"Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith ...we need believing people."
-Adolf Hitler, from a speech on April 26, 1933
"We were convinced that the people need and require this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out."
-Adolf Hitler, from a speech on October 24, 1933
"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison. To-day, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact that it was for this that He had to shed His blood upon the Cross. As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice... And if there is anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly it is the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty to my own people.”
-Adolf Hitler, in a speech on April 12, 1922
"For this, to be sure, from the child's primer down to the last newspaper, every theater and every movie house, every advertising pillar and every billboard, must be pressed into the service of this one great mission, until the timorous prayer of our present parlor patriots: 'Lord, make us free!' is transformed in the brain of the smallest boy into the burning plea: 'Almighty God, bless our arms when the time comes; be just as thou hast always been; judge now whether we be deserving of freedom; Lord, bless our battle!'"
-Adolf Hitler's prayer, from Mein Kampf, Vol. 2, Chapter 13
"We demand freedom for all religious confessions in the state, insofar as they do not endanger its existence or conflict with the customs and moral sentiments of the Germanic race. The party as such represents the standpoint of a positive Christianity, without owing itself to a particular confession...."
- Article 20 of the program of the German Workers' Party (later named the National Socialist German Workers' Party, NSDAP)
“This human world of ours would be inconceivable without the practical existence of a religious belief. The great masses of a nation are not composed of philosophers. For the masses of the people, especially faith is absolutely the only basis of a moral outlook on life. The various substitutes that have been offered have not shown any results that might warrant us in thinking that they might usefully replace the existing denominations. ...There may be a few hundreds of thousands of superior men who can live wisely and intelligently without depending on the general standards that prevail in everyday life, but the millions of others cannot do so. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Vol. 1 Chapter 10
“The greatness of Christianity did not lie in attempted negotiations for compromise with any similar philosophical opinions in the ancient world, but in its inexorable fanaticism in preaching and fighting for its own doctrine. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 1 Chapter 12
“Christianity could not content itself with building up its own altar; it was absolutely forced to undertake the destruction of the heathen altars. Only from this fanatical intolerance could its apodictic faith take form; this intolerance is, in fact, its absolute presupposition. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 2 Chapter 5
“For how shall we fill people with blind faith in the correctness of a doctrine, if we ourselves spread uncertainty and doubt by constant changes in its outward structure? ...Here, too, we can learn by the example of the Catholic Church. Though its doctrinal edifice, and in part quite superfluously, comes into collision with exact science and research, it is none the less unwilling to sacrifice so much as one little syllable of its dogmas... it is only such dogmas which lend to the whole body the character of a faith. ”
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 2 Chapter 5
“Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.”
-Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf
Sunday, May 24, 2009
thought of the day.304
“To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime.”
~ Romain Rolland, author, Nobel Prize 1915
~ Romain Rolland, author, Nobel Prize 1915
Saturday, May 23, 2009
thought of the day.303
“The gods did not reveal, from the beginning,
All things to us; but in the course of time,
Through seeking, men find that which is the better ...
These things are, we conjecture, like the truth.
But as for certain truth, no man has known it,
Nor will he know it; neither of the gods,
Nor yet of all the things of which I speak.
And even if by chance he were to utter
The final truth, he would himself not know it;
For all is but a woven web of guesses.”
~ XENOPHANES of Colophon (570-480 BC)
All things to us; but in the course of time,
Through seeking, men find that which is the better ...
These things are, we conjecture, like the truth.
But as for certain truth, no man has known it,
Nor will he know it; neither of the gods,
Nor yet of all the things of which I speak.
And even if by chance he were to utter
The final truth, he would himself not know it;
For all is but a woven web of guesses.”
~ XENOPHANES of Colophon (570-480 BC)
Friday, May 22, 2009
thought of the day.302
For me, Heaven is sex, biking with friends, double scoops of ice cream, and a kazillion other things to be experienced here and now. Great conversation and beers with my pals last night was truly awesome. Thanks guys.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
thought of the day.301
Test of Faith. Luke
Jesus told his friends not to fear people, but
A. fear only fear itself
B. fear God, who after killing, may throw them into hell
Jesus came to bring the world
A. peace and harmony
B. division and family strife
Jesus said when he comes again it will be
A. a day of great joy for everyone
B. like when God rained fire on Sodom and killed everyone
Lk 12:4-5, 12:49-53, 17:22-30
Jesus told his friends not to fear people, but
A. fear only fear itself
B. fear God, who after killing, may throw them into hell
Jesus came to bring the world
A. peace and harmony
B. division and family strife
Jesus said when he comes again it will be
A. a day of great joy for everyone
B. like when God rained fire on Sodom and killed everyone
Lk 12:4-5, 12:49-53, 17:22-30
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
thought of the day.300
Most Christians don’t realize how atheistic they are. They are born atheists and remain atheists about all the countless Gods of history but one.
Monday, May 18, 2009
thought of the day.299
For those who think the New Testament is more enlightened than the Old, just remember that Jesus commands people to obey the Law of Moses which includes commands to cut off the hands of women, kill children, friends and neighbors, stone brides on their wedding night, sacrifice animals and humans, and allows fathers to sell their daughters into slavery. But far more despicable than Jesus’ upholding of the barbaric Law, is his promise to gather unbelievers into his chamber of eternal torture making the New Testament infinitely more dehumanizing than the Old.
Mt 5:17-18
Mt 5:17-18
Sunday, May 17, 2009
thought of the day.298
Christians value their possessions more than their Lord and Savior’s words. For Jesus said, “When someone asks you for something, give it to him;” yet they conveniently interpret this command to mean anything but what it plainly does. Of course this just shows they have more sense than their God.
Mt 5:42
Mt 5:42
Saturday, May 16, 2009
thought of the day.297
Pick up a book called Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich and you won’t want to put it down. It’s sure to make you more appreciative of what you have. It will also make you see the often invisible people around you with new eyes.
Friday, May 15, 2009
thought of the day.296
www.youtube.com/v/gLBE5QAYXp8&hl
Great video about our terribly flawed and unsustainable system of consumption. For being rather clever creatures we sure are stupid.
Great video about our terribly flawed and unsustainable system of consumption. For being rather clever creatures we sure are stupid.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
thought of the day.295
Religion Divides — Again
“It was during recess at one of Santa Barbara’s adorable, sun-spangled elementary schools that Ashley, a sprightly 6-year-old, approached her first-grade classmate Emma near the swing sets and delivered the bad news.
“You can’t go to heaven.”
“Ashley had already determined that Emma, the only Jewish girl in her class, did not believe in Jesus.
“Emma protested, but Ashley persisted. “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are going to hell.”
Without religion, these two girls might have been enjoying recess jumping rope together or perhaps braiding each other’s hair. But due directly to religion— and the Good News Club that taught Ashley that her unbelieving friends would suffer in hell—they found themselves divided into the saved and the damned, the right and the wrong—the good and the evil—and their friendship and both their views of life and others was poisoned. This divisiveness and poisoning of perspectives in young children is perhaps the greatest crime of religious superstition.
Read the excellent story by Katherine Stewart at
www.independent.com/news/2009/may/07/reading-writing-and-original-sin/
“It was during recess at one of Santa Barbara’s adorable, sun-spangled elementary schools that Ashley, a sprightly 6-year-old, approached her first-grade classmate Emma near the swing sets and delivered the bad news.
“You can’t go to heaven.”
“Ashley had already determined that Emma, the only Jewish girl in her class, did not believe in Jesus.
“Emma protested, but Ashley persisted. “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are going to hell.”
Without religion, these two girls might have been enjoying recess jumping rope together or perhaps braiding each other’s hair. But due directly to religion— and the Good News Club that taught Ashley that her unbelieving friends would suffer in hell—they found themselves divided into the saved and the damned, the right and the wrong—the good and the evil—and their friendship and both their views of life and others was poisoned. This divisiveness and poisoning of perspectives in young children is perhaps the greatest crime of religious superstition.
Read the excellent story by Katherine Stewart at
www.independent.com/news/2009/may/07/reading-writing-and-original-sin/
thought of the day.294
Test of Faith. Second Samuel
Jerusalem became known as a holy city after David
A. prayed God’s blessings upon it
B. slaughtered its inhabitants
When a man tried to keep the Covenant Box from falling, God
A. blessed him and his descendants
B. killed him
God punished David for adultery and murder by
A. making him step down as king
B. having his innocent wives raped for all to see
2 Samuel 5:6-10, 6:1-8, 12:5-15
Jerusalem became known as a holy city after David
A. prayed God’s blessings upon it
B. slaughtered its inhabitants
When a man tried to keep the Covenant Box from falling, God
A. blessed him and his descendants
B. killed him
God punished David for adultery and murder by
A. making him step down as king
B. having his innocent wives raped for all to see
2 Samuel 5:6-10, 6:1-8, 12:5-15
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
thought of the day.293
A common idea held by many believers is, “everything happens for a reason.” Of course, this is another way of saying “God” is in control.
This seems to me to be a most unhealthy way to view reality. Are we really to think that there is a “reason” that a child is diagnosed with cancer, that a wife is beaten to death by a husband, or terrorists fly planes into buildings?
Everything happens as a result of a natural cause, not for a mysterious, supernatural reason. For example, the wind causes a kite to fly. The kite doesn't soar for a reason.
The only reason—or meaning—in life, is that which we personally give it.
This seems to me to be a most unhealthy way to view reality. Are we really to think that there is a “reason” that a child is diagnosed with cancer, that a wife is beaten to death by a husband, or terrorists fly planes into buildings?
Everything happens as a result of a natural cause, not for a mysterious, supernatural reason. For example, the wind causes a kite to fly. The kite doesn't soar for a reason.
The only reason—or meaning—in life, is that which we personally give it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
thought of the day.292
The Rev has a book recommendation for today. It only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to read the whole thing. (It’s a reprint of a commencement speech given to a graduating college class). One of my new all time favorites.
This is Water by David Foster Wallace
This is Water by David Foster Wallace
Sunday, May 10, 2009
thought of the day.291
Happy Mother’s Day!
Let it be remembered that mothers are people too! So be nice to them—at least today.
Let it be remembered that mothers are people too! So be nice to them—at least today.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
thought of the day.290
Word of God or Myth of Man?
1. When the Great Spirit first made the earth he also created a large number of spirits. Some of these spirits were benevolent, but many were malevolent, and they went to live beneath the earth.
2. When mankind had spread all over the world, and girls were being born, some of the supernatural beings saw that these girls were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked. In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and supernatural beings.
3. The children of darkness were descended from the dwarf Nibelung who was famous for having slain twelve giants.
All of these should strike the reader as whimsical story telling—as myth. But if told one of these statements is from the bible, the True Believer suspends normal critical judgment and any notion becomes plausible.
1. When the Great Spirit first made the earth he also created a large number of spirits. Some of these spirits were benevolent, but many were malevolent, and they went to live beneath the earth.
2. When mankind had spread all over the world, and girls were being born, some of the supernatural beings saw that these girls were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked. In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and supernatural beings.
3. The children of darkness were descended from the dwarf Nibelung who was famous for having slain twelve giants.
All of these should strike the reader as whimsical story telling—as myth. But if told one of these statements is from the bible, the True Believer suspends normal critical judgment and any notion becomes plausible.
Friday, May 8, 2009
thought of the day.289
“The abominable laws respecting [women in the Bible] . . . are a disgrace to civilization and English literature; and any family which permits such a volume to lie on their parlor-table ought to be ostracized from all respectable society. . .”
~ Ella E. Gibson, The Godly Women of the Bible by an Ungodly Woman of the Nineteenth Century, 1870s.
~ Ella E. Gibson, The Godly Women of the Bible by an Ungodly Woman of the Nineteenth Century, 1870s.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
thought of the day.288
“I get my morality from the same place that I think moral persons of faith get theirs - my personal sense of right and wrong. This encompasses a strong sense of fairness, honesty, and an ethos of minimization of harm.
The bible has some charming moral tales. It also has some truly vile ones. A quick flick through the bible reveals incitements to genocide, infanticide, pederasty, misogyny, slavery, racism, rape, murder, death penalties for trivial crimes, witch-burning and more. (I won't provide references, but there are plenty of websites which do).
Bishop Shelby Spong has a reply for people who say that the bible is a complete source of morality - "Have you read it?"
Presumably some Christians are unaware of these passages. Others pretend that they're not there and skip straight to the sermon on the mount. A third group take even the most vicious passages literally, which is scary and possibly the world's most active source of evil. (I'm happy to level the same accusation against people who take similar incitements in the Koran literally). A fourth group will attempt to explain it away - "God moves in mysterious ways" (which must be the ultimate intellectual cop-out) or attempt contorted and improbable theological explanations.
But, surely, there must be at least a sizeable minority who read such passages and think "That's just evil". Any reasonable person should be viewing acts of slavery and genocide that way. And that's where morality comes in. Real morality doesn't come from obeying the bible slavishly out of fear of a bad outcome in the afterlife - it comes from our own minds.
So, my morality comes from a sense of freedom, fairness, kindness, honesty, and an ethos of minimisation of harm. Some aspects of Christian morality are just fine to me, others are destructive. Many of religion's sexual hang-ups are simply repressive. Any ethos which limits medical research or processes is just evil (think restrictions on stem-cell research. A fair way to think this through is to imagine that you have a daughter with a genetic disease which might become curable). Misleading the public on matters of science is vile also (yes, I mean you, Benedict). Freedom of speech in the public sphere is crucial, so blasphemy is a badge I would wear with pride.
As for meaning of life, that's easy. Atheism is totally life-affirming - what could be more inspirational than knowing that this is it, this is our only chance? So, for me the meaning of life is: aged cabernet, rare steak, fried squid, good chocolate, a cold drink on a hot day, Albert King guitar solos, progressive rock epics, English comedy shows, a high level bridge game, boardgames with friends, water views, peace and quiet, sleeping in on weekends, playing games with small children, spending time with my wife, walking through rainforests, making the world a better place.”
~ Kieran May 5, 2009 4:08 Beliefnet response to article
The bible has some charming moral tales. It also has some truly vile ones. A quick flick through the bible reveals incitements to genocide, infanticide, pederasty, misogyny, slavery, racism, rape, murder, death penalties for trivial crimes, witch-burning and more. (I won't provide references, but there are plenty of websites which do).
Bishop Shelby Spong has a reply for people who say that the bible is a complete source of morality - "Have you read it?"
Presumably some Christians are unaware of these passages. Others pretend that they're not there and skip straight to the sermon on the mount. A third group take even the most vicious passages literally, which is scary and possibly the world's most active source of evil. (I'm happy to level the same accusation against people who take similar incitements in the Koran literally). A fourth group will attempt to explain it away - "God moves in mysterious ways" (which must be the ultimate intellectual cop-out) or attempt contorted and improbable theological explanations.
But, surely, there must be at least a sizeable minority who read such passages and think "That's just evil". Any reasonable person should be viewing acts of slavery and genocide that way. And that's where morality comes in. Real morality doesn't come from obeying the bible slavishly out of fear of a bad outcome in the afterlife - it comes from our own minds.
So, my morality comes from a sense of freedom, fairness, kindness, honesty, and an ethos of minimisation of harm. Some aspects of Christian morality are just fine to me, others are destructive. Many of religion's sexual hang-ups are simply repressive. Any ethos which limits medical research or processes is just evil (think restrictions on stem-cell research. A fair way to think this through is to imagine that you have a daughter with a genetic disease which might become curable). Misleading the public on matters of science is vile also (yes, I mean you, Benedict). Freedom of speech in the public sphere is crucial, so blasphemy is a badge I would wear with pride.
As for meaning of life, that's easy. Atheism is totally life-affirming - what could be more inspirational than knowing that this is it, this is our only chance? So, for me the meaning of life is: aged cabernet, rare steak, fried squid, good chocolate, a cold drink on a hot day, Albert King guitar solos, progressive rock epics, English comedy shows, a high level bridge game, boardgames with friends, water views, peace and quiet, sleeping in on weekends, playing games with small children, spending time with my wife, walking through rainforests, making the world a better place.”
~ Kieran May 5, 2009 4:08 Beliefnet response to article
Friday, May 1, 2009
thought of the day.287
Renowned religious philosopher William Lane Craig recently said, “The fruit of the naturalistic worldview is that mankind is reduced to meaninglessness, valuelessness and purposelessness.”
But the “fruit” of a worldview should be of no concern. The concern should be what is true. And are we to think that without a god, Craig would find being a husband meaningless, his children without value, and getting out of bed without purpose? If so, perhaps it’s best that he, and those like him, believe in whatever it takes to see their loved ones as valuable and their life worth living.
But the “fruit” of a worldview should be of no concern. The concern should be what is true. And are we to think that without a god, Craig would find being a husband meaningless, his children without value, and getting out of bed without purpose? If so, perhaps it’s best that he, and those like him, believe in whatever it takes to see their loved ones as valuable and their life worth living.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
thought of the day.286
Test of Faith. 1 Samuel
God
A. keeps his promises
B. breaks his promises
The “spirit of God” made Samuel
A. kind and peaceful
B. furious and threatening
God told his people to
A. love their neighbors
B. kill men, women, children and babies
1Samuel 2:30-36, 11:6-7, 15:1-3, 27:8
God
A. keeps his promises
B. breaks his promises
The “spirit of God” made Samuel
A. kind and peaceful
B. furious and threatening
God told his people to
A. love their neighbors
B. kill men, women, children and babies
1Samuel 2:30-36, 11:6-7, 15:1-3, 27:8
Monday, April 27, 2009
thought of the day.285
“We all have but one life to live. In this finite time we have but a moment to understand who we are and where we come from. Unable to prove that we live beyond mental and physical death any more than the ant we crush with our index finger, our life is immeasurably precious. One day we will all face our own deaths and, before the silence of the stars, we have only a short time to examine our place within the cosmos.
Understanding our existence truthfully and honestly is the quest of many atheists and agnostics. There is nothing more beautiful than the pursuit of truth and to glimpse – for but a second – the strange creature that we are. To do this, we cannot accept answers simply because our parents told them to us as children.
To really seek the answers, we must ask uncomfortable questions and confront the issues that some people might prefer to keep in the closet. As an atheist, I refuse to sit complacently and accept stories that smack of superstition. If all cultures believe in contradictory ideas of reality, we need a method to understand what the truth really is.
In the present day, this means the use of empirical evidence that can be demonstrated and repeated – the opposite of hearsay and faith. Faith is believing in something despite the evidence, for with evidence, faith is superfluous. Conversely, modern science and rationality have provided a way for us to examine our claims. So powerful is this method that the language of science has become universal, nearly every society on earth having adopted its practice. Yet religions have remained separated by geography because they cannot convincingly prove their own claims.
Many people say atheists are no different than religious thinkers because atheists “believe” in empirical facts – a kind of faith. This claim is nonsense. Everyone alive, as far as I know, accepts the fact that they live in a physical and empirical world. Every time we open our eyes we confirm a physical reality.
Further, atheism is not a religion; it is not a religious proposition so much as the lack of one. Atheists do not have to prove God does not exist anymore than atheists must prove that leprechauns do not exist. We must take reality for what is, leaving out our assumptions and desires as much as possible. We build our understanding from experience and measure it with our reason.
I have never experienced the supernatural and never has it been scientifically demonstrated. The factual existence of gods and leprechauns must be supported by evidence and proof from those who claim them to be real.
Additionally, never have I confirmed that a supernatural being is watching over me. Indeed, if I told you Zeus was watching over you, you would not believe me. In this way, we are all atheists of Zeus. The same reason modern day religious thinkers do not believe in Zeus is the same reason atheists do not believe in the modern day God. Atheists just extend their critical analysis one god further.
Finally, the reason atheists and agnostics sometimes passionately engage in debate is because we believe religious thought is distorting reality. To truly create the most inclusive and harmonious society, it is imperative we understand the truth of who we are. From this knowledge we can create the proper regulations and controls to cultivate a more humane and inclusive morality.
Atheists and agnostics wish to probe into the uncomfortable assumptions of all times and of all cultures. It is not that we wish to upset people. We wish to find the truth.”
~Nickolas Conrad, THE DAILY EVERGREEN, 04/27/2009
Understanding our existence truthfully and honestly is the quest of many atheists and agnostics. There is nothing more beautiful than the pursuit of truth and to glimpse – for but a second – the strange creature that we are. To do this, we cannot accept answers simply because our parents told them to us as children.
To really seek the answers, we must ask uncomfortable questions and confront the issues that some people might prefer to keep in the closet. As an atheist, I refuse to sit complacently and accept stories that smack of superstition. If all cultures believe in contradictory ideas of reality, we need a method to understand what the truth really is.
In the present day, this means the use of empirical evidence that can be demonstrated and repeated – the opposite of hearsay and faith. Faith is believing in something despite the evidence, for with evidence, faith is superfluous. Conversely, modern science and rationality have provided a way for us to examine our claims. So powerful is this method that the language of science has become universal, nearly every society on earth having adopted its practice. Yet religions have remained separated by geography because they cannot convincingly prove their own claims.
Many people say atheists are no different than religious thinkers because atheists “believe” in empirical facts – a kind of faith. This claim is nonsense. Everyone alive, as far as I know, accepts the fact that they live in a physical and empirical world. Every time we open our eyes we confirm a physical reality.
Further, atheism is not a religion; it is not a religious proposition so much as the lack of one. Atheists do not have to prove God does not exist anymore than atheists must prove that leprechauns do not exist. We must take reality for what is, leaving out our assumptions and desires as much as possible. We build our understanding from experience and measure it with our reason.
I have never experienced the supernatural and never has it been scientifically demonstrated. The factual existence of gods and leprechauns must be supported by evidence and proof from those who claim them to be real.
Additionally, never have I confirmed that a supernatural being is watching over me. Indeed, if I told you Zeus was watching over you, you would not believe me. In this way, we are all atheists of Zeus. The same reason modern day religious thinkers do not believe in Zeus is the same reason atheists do not believe in the modern day God. Atheists just extend their critical analysis one god further.
Finally, the reason atheists and agnostics sometimes passionately engage in debate is because we believe religious thought is distorting reality. To truly create the most inclusive and harmonious society, it is imperative we understand the truth of who we are. From this knowledge we can create the proper regulations and controls to cultivate a more humane and inclusive morality.
Atheists and agnostics wish to probe into the uncomfortable assumptions of all times and of all cultures. It is not that we wish to upset people. We wish to find the truth.”
~Nickolas Conrad, THE DAILY EVERGREEN, 04/27/2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
thought of the day.284
“I’ve read I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don’t fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else.”
~ Lance Armstrong
Off to ride a 100k up and down the monstrous hills of Muenster, Texas today with Team Cruise and Booze. Happy day!
~ Lance Armstrong
Off to ride a 100k up and down the monstrous hills of Muenster, Texas today with Team Cruise and Booze. Happy day!
Friday, April 24, 2009
thought of the day.283
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
~ Thomas Edison
~ Thomas Edison
Thursday, April 23, 2009
thought of the day.282
The Christian is in the unenviable position of believing she possesses The Truth—“God made everything...Jesus loves me...I am Heaven bound...Hallelujah!” but this mindset is life-narrowing rather than expanding as any information that challenges these beliefs causes discomfort and is met with resistance, if not hostility.
It seems the preferable position is that of the atheist who seeks a better understanding of reality. With no cherished beliefs to protect, she is always willing to abandon currently held propositions in favor of ones better supported by evidence.
It seems the preferable position is that of the atheist who seeks a better understanding of reality. With no cherished beliefs to protect, she is always willing to abandon currently held propositions in favor of ones better supported by evidence.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
thought of the day.281
“Death is not an event in life; we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present.”
~Ludwig Wittgenstein
~Ludwig Wittgenstein
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
thought of the day.280
Test of Faith: 1 Kings
On his death bed, David called for
A. forgiveness and mercy
B. revenge and murder
Solomon became king after
A. working tirelessly for the people
B. murdering several powerful men
God promised Jeroboam he would
A. never punish sons for the father’s sins
B. kill all his male descendants
1 Kings 2:1-9, 2:13-46, 14:9-11
On his death bed, David called for
A. forgiveness and mercy
B. revenge and murder
Solomon became king after
A. working tirelessly for the people
B. murdering several powerful men
God promised Jeroboam he would
A. never punish sons for the father’s sins
B. kill all his male descendants
1 Kings 2:1-9, 2:13-46, 14:9-11
Monday, April 20, 2009
thought of the day.279
“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas . . . If you are only skeptical, then no new ideas make it through to you . . . On the other hand, if you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense in you, then you cannot distinguish the useful ideas from the worthless ones.”
~ Carl Sagan
~ Carl Sagan
Sunday, April 19, 2009
thought of the day.278
The Good Life
Just finished reading an excellent book by William B. Irvine called “A Guide to the Good Life: the ancient art of stoic joy”.
He begins by asking “What do you want out of life?” He says “I am asking not for the goals you form as you go about your daily activities but for your grand goal in living. In other words, of the things in life you might pursue, which is the thing you believe to be the most valuable?”
He explains that without taking the time to formulate such a grand goal there is a danger one will mislive—find themselves at the end of their life not having pursued what was most important to them.
My goal: To become ever more aware, compassionate, and joyful.
I now have a very simple guide to keep in the back of my mind at all times. Hopefully, these things will be an ever increasing part of my life.
Just finished reading an excellent book by William B. Irvine called “A Guide to the Good Life: the ancient art of stoic joy”.
He begins by asking “What do you want out of life?” He says “I am asking not for the goals you form as you go about your daily activities but for your grand goal in living. In other words, of the things in life you might pursue, which is the thing you believe to be the most valuable?”
He explains that without taking the time to formulate such a grand goal there is a danger one will mislive—find themselves at the end of their life not having pursued what was most important to them.
My goal: To become ever more aware, compassionate, and joyful.
I now have a very simple guide to keep in the back of my mind at all times. Hopefully, these things will be an ever increasing part of my life.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
thought of the day.277
Just watched the 2006 Academy Award nominated documentary, “Deliver Us from Evil,” about the Catholic Church’s 1,600 year old sexual abuse cover-up.
I want to throw up. Made me never want to set foot in a Catholic church again. I will, I’m sure, but will do so with a new understanding of the inherent wickedness of the Church hierarchy.
I want to throw up. Made me never want to set foot in a Catholic church again. I will, I’m sure, but will do so with a new understanding of the inherent wickedness of the Church hierarchy.
Friday, April 17, 2009
thought of the day.276
Desiring heaven requires relinquishing power to hope and fear, clergy, creed, bible, church... Having no need of heaven is power—power to think fearlessly, power to live one’s life as one deems right.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
thought of the day.274
Pierce from Dallas, asks, “What is the difference...between “prayer” and the acquisition of strength/energy through meditation or deep and total spiritual immersion? When a friend...tells me that they will “pray for me” ...I always accept their offering as an act of good karma, regardless of whether I believe in the source from which they are drawing. ...
“Or...in your opinion, are such notions that the generation of positive energy (ergo positive results), through thought or meditation or prayer...simply fool’s gold?...I recently spoke with...a friend who is two years beyond breast cancer -- and she insisted that “the Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior” was solely responsible for her recovery.
“I suggested that her inherent strength and fortitude and mental acuity, combined with her doctors’ expertise were the reason for her recovery. Needless to say, my suggestion was blasphemous in her mind.
“Jesus was the sole reason for her success. I was told that “until you experience the grace of God in your life, you cannot know what it means.” I must confess, I was rendered a little bit envious by her confidence in this god that no one can see, and it made me wonder if I somehow got on the wrong bus somewhere along the way. Even though, during the conversation, I felt as though I was listening to an 8 year-old tell me about how cool Santa Claus is, I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew something I didn’t know.”
Dear Pierce, We first need to note that there are two distinct types of prayer—intercessory (prayer for others) and personal. The most recent study* of intercessory prayer showed prayer to be of absolutely no benefit for the prayed for, and in fact, those prayed for experienced slightly more complications than the other groups (believed caused by the stress of feeling their condition was dire enough to warrant prayer).
Personal prayer—whether to “Jesus,” “Allah,“ “St. Patrick,” or “Zeus,” has clearly helped many cope with life’s difficulties, though evidence would suggest any benefits are simply a placebo effect since praying to any god, or a jug of milk for that matter, can produce the same results. But belief in a God who answers prayers also has a dark side as it may lead people to forego medical treatment (their own or their children’s) resulting in needless suffering and death. And when prayer fails, believers may feel rejected—wondering if they’re not worthy, are being punished, didn’t pray properly or didn’t have enough faith.
* $2.4 million study was funded by the John Templeton Foundation
“Or...in your opinion, are such notions that the generation of positive energy (ergo positive results), through thought or meditation or prayer...simply fool’s gold?...I recently spoke with...a friend who is two years beyond breast cancer -- and she insisted that “the Lord Jesus Christ Our Savior” was solely responsible for her recovery.
“I suggested that her inherent strength and fortitude and mental acuity, combined with her doctors’ expertise were the reason for her recovery. Needless to say, my suggestion was blasphemous in her mind.
“Jesus was the sole reason for her success. I was told that “until you experience the grace of God in your life, you cannot know what it means.” I must confess, I was rendered a little bit envious by her confidence in this god that no one can see, and it made me wonder if I somehow got on the wrong bus somewhere along the way. Even though, during the conversation, I felt as though I was listening to an 8 year-old tell me about how cool Santa Claus is, I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew something I didn’t know.”
Dear Pierce, We first need to note that there are two distinct types of prayer—intercessory (prayer for others) and personal. The most recent study* of intercessory prayer showed prayer to be of absolutely no benefit for the prayed for, and in fact, those prayed for experienced slightly more complications than the other groups (believed caused by the stress of feeling their condition was dire enough to warrant prayer).
Personal prayer—whether to “Jesus,” “Allah,“ “St. Patrick,” or “Zeus,” has clearly helped many cope with life’s difficulties, though evidence would suggest any benefits are simply a placebo effect since praying to any god, or a jug of milk for that matter, can produce the same results. But belief in a God who answers prayers also has a dark side as it may lead people to forego medical treatment (their own or their children’s) resulting in needless suffering and death. And when prayer fails, believers may feel rejected—wondering if they’re not worthy, are being punished, didn’t pray properly or didn’t have enough faith.
* $2.4 million study was funded by the John Templeton Foundation
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
thought of the day.273
Test of Faith: Micah
God commands his people to
A. forgive and love others
B. punish and crush others
God
A. guards his people from enemies
B. abandons his people to enemies
God brings
A. enlightenment and mercy
B. ruin, destruction and hunger
Micah 4:15, 5:3, 6:13-16
God commands his people to
A. forgive and love others
B. punish and crush others
God
A. guards his people from enemies
B. abandons his people to enemies
God brings
A. enlightenment and mercy
B. ruin, destruction and hunger
Micah 4:15, 5:3, 6:13-16
Monday, April 13, 2009
thought of the day.272
Bonus thought of the day!!
My good blogging friend, myrtle, suggested tackling "The kalam cosmological syllogism" which is stated:
a. Everything that has a beginning has a cause
b. The universe has a beginning
c. Therefore the universe has a cause
a. It seems terribly arrogant to think we of such feeble abilities to comprehend reality can know a great degree about something as incomprehensibly large and complex as the universe. The best we can say in response to the assertion made is "as far as we know" everything that has a beginning has a cause.
b. The evidence points to the fact that the current universe we inhabit had a beginning roughly 13 billion years ago. However, it is possible that we find ourselves in the middle of one particular expansion of the universe in what has been an ongoing expansion and contraction process making the universe an unknown age. It is also possible that there are multiple universes. But "as far as we know" the universe we find ourselves in did have a beginning.
c. Knowing what we do, it is fair to say, "As far as we know" the universe did have a cause. Apparently, scientists can peer back in time to within hundredths of a second after what is called the 'singularity' became the 'Big Bang' and our current universe began to take shape. But we do not have the technology to go back further, (and it seems there is no time or space to observe before the Big Bang and thus likely impossible to do so.)
In conclusion, it seems reasonable and responsible to say 'we do not know' what caused the universe and that we likely cannot know. It seems unreasonable and irresponsible to invent something (God) to fill in this gap in our knowledge. I would add that suggesting “God” did it only complicates the matter for now we have an even bigger mystery of what is and what caused “God”.
It seems there are people who are content to live with unanswered questions such as “how did the universe come about” and tend to believe there are natural explanations for everything and there are those not so comfortable with such unanswered questions who tend to believe in supernatural explanations. For me, supernatural explanations are not really explanations at all. They are constructions that reduce uncertainty but have no relation to reality.
My good blogging friend, myrtle, suggested tackling "The kalam cosmological syllogism" which is stated:
a. Everything that has a beginning has a cause
b. The universe has a beginning
c. Therefore the universe has a cause
a. It seems terribly arrogant to think we of such feeble abilities to comprehend reality can know a great degree about something as incomprehensibly large and complex as the universe. The best we can say in response to the assertion made is "as far as we know" everything that has a beginning has a cause.
b. The evidence points to the fact that the current universe we inhabit had a beginning roughly 13 billion years ago. However, it is possible that we find ourselves in the middle of one particular expansion of the universe in what has been an ongoing expansion and contraction process making the universe an unknown age. It is also possible that there are multiple universes. But "as far as we know" the universe we find ourselves in did have a beginning.
c. Knowing what we do, it is fair to say, "As far as we know" the universe did have a cause. Apparently, scientists can peer back in time to within hundredths of a second after what is called the 'singularity' became the 'Big Bang' and our current universe began to take shape. But we do not have the technology to go back further, (and it seems there is no time or space to observe before the Big Bang and thus likely impossible to do so.)
In conclusion, it seems reasonable and responsible to say 'we do not know' what caused the universe and that we likely cannot know. It seems unreasonable and irresponsible to invent something (God) to fill in this gap in our knowledge. I would add that suggesting “God” did it only complicates the matter for now we have an even bigger mystery of what is and what caused “God”.
It seems there are people who are content to live with unanswered questions such as “how did the universe come about” and tend to believe there are natural explanations for everything and there are those not so comfortable with such unanswered questions who tend to believe in supernatural explanations. For me, supernatural explanations are not really explanations at all. They are constructions that reduce uncertainty but have no relation to reality.
thought of the day.271
Hitchens/Craig Debate
Last Sunday I watched Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig via a live simulcast debate the idea “Does God Exist?” My overall impression was that Craig was well organized and Hitchens was less so. It also seemed Hitchens could have used a comb and maybe a bath.
But rather than discussing the points argued, I would like to note how the debate was slanted before anyone took the microphone.
To phrase the debate as “Does God Exist?” is misleading. An admittedly less catchy, but far more fair and accurate phrasing would be: “Is it Likely Any Gods Exist?” Wording it in such a way reminds us that one cannot prove the existence or non-existence of a “God” or “Gods” but can only place such a notion on a scale of probability. It also reminds us of the fact that there has never been one agreed upon “God” but countless competing gods. And if we believe that any gods are merely the product of human imagination (which we all do) then it is possible (if not likely) that all gods are.
Last Sunday I watched Christopher Hitchens and William Lane Craig via a live simulcast debate the idea “Does God Exist?” My overall impression was that Craig was well organized and Hitchens was less so. It also seemed Hitchens could have used a comb and maybe a bath.
But rather than discussing the points argued, I would like to note how the debate was slanted before anyone took the microphone.
To phrase the debate as “Does God Exist?” is misleading. An admittedly less catchy, but far more fair and accurate phrasing would be: “Is it Likely Any Gods Exist?” Wording it in such a way reminds us that one cannot prove the existence or non-existence of a “God” or “Gods” but can only place such a notion on a scale of probability. It also reminds us of the fact that there has never been one agreed upon “God” but countless competing gods. And if we believe that any gods are merely the product of human imagination (which we all do) then it is possible (if not likely) that all gods are.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
thought of the day.270
Happy Eastre!
Before Jesus came hopping down the bunny trail, Easter was a festival devoted to honoring a Teutonic goddess named Eastre. And from her festival came the traditions of the Easter Bunny (symbol of fertility), colored Easter eggs and baby chicks (symbols of new life).
The pattern of nature dying in winter and coming back to life in spring has been the basis for countless religions. The return of Persephone from the underworld to the light of day symbolized the resurrection of life in the spring after the desolation of winter to the ancient Greeks. The Phrygians believed that their omnipotent deity went to sleep at the time of the winter solstice, and they performed ceremonies with music and dancing at the spring equinox to awaken him.
Though Easter is considered a Christian holiday, we see from its pagan origins that it needn’t be. Whether or not Jesus or any of the thousands of gods and goddesses of history literally rose from the dead or not, the miracle of Spring— of rebirth and resurrected life—is ample cause for celebration!
Before Jesus came hopping down the bunny trail, Easter was a festival devoted to honoring a Teutonic goddess named Eastre. And from her festival came the traditions of the Easter Bunny (symbol of fertility), colored Easter eggs and baby chicks (symbols of new life).
The pattern of nature dying in winter and coming back to life in spring has been the basis for countless religions. The return of Persephone from the underworld to the light of day symbolized the resurrection of life in the spring after the desolation of winter to the ancient Greeks. The Phrygians believed that their omnipotent deity went to sleep at the time of the winter solstice, and they performed ceremonies with music and dancing at the spring equinox to awaken him.
Though Easter is considered a Christian holiday, we see from its pagan origins that it needn’t be. Whether or not Jesus or any of the thousands of gods and goddesses of history literally rose from the dead or not, the miracle of Spring— of rebirth and resurrected life—is ample cause for celebration!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
thought of the day.269
Bible Fun Fact: Foreskins before Foreplay
What kind of man pulls down the pants of dead men to genitally mutilate the corpses? A Bible-Hero kind of man, of course! David, considered a “man after God’s own heart”, paid for the first of his many wives with foreskins carved from hundreds of murdered men.
1 S 18:20-28
What kind of man pulls down the pants of dead men to genitally mutilate the corpses? A Bible-Hero kind of man, of course! David, considered a “man after God’s own heart”, paid for the first of his many wives with foreskins carved from hundreds of murdered men.
1 S 18:20-28
Friday, April 10, 2009
thought of the day.268
Happy Good Friday to all my Christian friends.
“God is a metaphor for that which trancends all levels of intellectual thought. It’s as simple as that.”
~ Joseph Campbell
“God is a metaphor for that which trancends all levels of intellectual thought. It’s as simple as that.”
~ Joseph Campbell
Thursday, April 9, 2009
thought of the day.267
A Few Reasons to Go Vegetarian
U.S. Animal Agriculture is responsible for:
LAND USE: 1 billion acres of land. That's 43% of all U.S. land, and 83% of agricultural land.
CROPS: 560 billion pounds of grain a year fed to U.S. livestock, enough to feed 840 million people.
SOIL EROSION: 2 trillion pounds a year.
ENERGY: The equivalent of burning 26 billion gallons of gas a year.
GREENHOUSE GAS: Emissions equivalent to 1 trillion pounds of CO2 a year.
EXCREMENT: 9 billion pounds a year, or as much in 3 days as produced by the U.S. human population in a year.
WATER USE: 35 trillion gallons a year, more than half of all US water use, enough for every American to take 26 showers a day.
WATER POLLUTION: 570,000 miles of U.S. streams and rivers and 6 million acres of U.S. lakes and reservoirs are polluted due to animal agriculture, comprising 15% of all streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
U.S. Animal Agriculture is responsible for:
LAND USE: 1 billion acres of land. That's 43% of all U.S. land, and 83% of agricultural land.
CROPS: 560 billion pounds of grain a year fed to U.S. livestock, enough to feed 840 million people.
SOIL EROSION: 2 trillion pounds a year.
ENERGY: The equivalent of burning 26 billion gallons of gas a year.
GREENHOUSE GAS: Emissions equivalent to 1 trillion pounds of CO2 a year.
EXCREMENT: 9 billion pounds a year, or as much in 3 days as produced by the U.S. human population in a year.
WATER USE: 35 trillion gallons a year, more than half of all US water use, enough for every American to take 26 showers a day.
WATER POLLUTION: 570,000 miles of U.S. streams and rivers and 6 million acres of U.S. lakes and reservoirs are polluted due to animal agriculture, comprising 15% of all streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
thought of the day.266
The ugliness of Christianity is no more evident then when a believer beholds a beautiful newborn child and sees her as a sinner—a fallen creature worthy of eternal torture— and believes her only hope of escaping being gathered up with the other “goats” and hurled into a lake of fire is being baptised and growing to believe certain things. From birth to death, nothing poisons life like Christianity’s threat of hell.
thought of the day.265
“The only position that leaves me with no cognitive dissonance is atheism. It is not a creed. Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel lonliness and joy and love. There is nothing more; but I want nothing more.”
~ Ayaan Hirsi Ali
~ Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Sunday, April 5, 2009
thought of the day.264
In his usual eloquent style, Robert Ingersoll said, “There is something tenderly appropriate in the serene death of the old. . . . When the duties of life have all been nobly done; when the sun touches the horizon; when the purple twilight falls upon the past, the present, and the future; when memory, with dim eyes, can scarcely spell the blurred and faded records of the vanished days—then, surrounded by kindred and by friends, death comes like a strain of music. The day has been long, the road weary, and the traveler gladly stops at the welcome inn.”
But there is nothing tenderly appropriate about the death of the young.
We’ll be attending a memorial service today for a 16 year old who collapsed and died suddenly during football practice. He was the family’s only son.
But there is nothing tenderly appropriate about the death of the young.
We’ll be attending a memorial service today for a 16 year old who collapsed and died suddenly during football practice. He was the family’s only son.
thought of the day.263
Test of Faith. Genesis
God said wives were to be
A. equal to husbands
B. subject to husbands
Lot offered up his daughters to be
A. baptised
B. gang-raped
God used his power to
A. heal the sick children in Sodom and Gomorah
B. burn the children in Sodom and Gomorah
Gn 3:16, 19:6-8, 19:24
God said wives were to be
A. equal to husbands
B. subject to husbands
Lot offered up his daughters to be
A. baptised
B. gang-raped
God used his power to
A. heal the sick children in Sodom and Gomorah
B. burn the children in Sodom and Gomorah
Gn 3:16, 19:6-8, 19:24
Saturday, April 4, 2009
thought of the day.262
“To profess to be doing God’s will is a form of megalomania.”
~ Joseph Prescott
~ Joseph Prescott
Friday, April 3, 2009
thought of the day.261
I love riding my bike. It makes me feel like a kid; burns enough calories that I can eat (and drink!) whatever I want without getting too obese; clears my little mind of cobwebs and connects me to nature and friends. And once the small fortune is spent on all the equipment and clothes, it costs nothing to go for a ride. I love my bike.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
thought of the day.260
“Imagine a world in which generations of human beings come to believe that certain films were made by God or that specific software was coded by him. Imagine a future in which millions of our descendants murder each other over rival interpretations of Star Wars or Windows 98. Could anything — anything—be more ridiculous? And yet, this would be no more ridiculous than the world we are living in.”
~ Sam Harris
~ Sam Harris
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thought of the day.259
Happy April Fools Day!
In its April 1985 edition, Sports Illustrated published an article by George Plimpton that described an incredible rookie baseball player who was training at the Mets camp in St. Petersburg, Florida. The player was named Sidd Finch (Sidd being short for Siddhartha, the Indian mystic in Hermann Hesse’s book of the same name). He could reportedly pitch a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. The fastest previous recorded speed for a pitch was 103 mph.
museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Sidd_Finch/
The Taco Liberty Bell - In 1996, the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had bought the Liberty Bell from the federal government and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Naturally, hundreds of outraged citizens called up the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell is housed to express their anger. Things only calmed down when Taco Bell revealed a few hours later that it was just a practical joke.
For April Fools Day - 2007, Google.Com did two hilarious pranks which were featured on their homepage. One was the TiSP (BETA)™, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems (i.e. their toilets). Users who sign up online for the TiSP system will receive a full home self-installation kit, which includes a spindle of fiber-optic cable, a TiSP wireless router, installation CD and setup guide. Home installation is a simple matter of GFlushing™ the fiber-optic cable down to the nearest TiSP Access Node, then plugging the other end into the network port of your Google-provided TiSP wireless router. Within sixty minutes, the Access Node's crack team of Plumbing Hardware Dispatchers (PHDs) should have your internet connection up and running.
aprilfoolsjokes.info/
In its April 1985 edition, Sports Illustrated published an article by George Plimpton that described an incredible rookie baseball player who was training at the Mets camp in St. Petersburg, Florida. The player was named Sidd Finch (Sidd being short for Siddhartha, the Indian mystic in Hermann Hesse’s book of the same name). He could reportedly pitch a baseball at 168 mph with pinpoint accuracy. The fastest previous recorded speed for a pitch was 103 mph.
museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Sidd_Finch/
The Taco Liberty Bell - In 1996, the Taco Bell Corporation announced that it had bought the Liberty Bell from the federal government and was renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell. Naturally, hundreds of outraged citizens called up the National Historic Park in Philadelphia where the bell is housed to express their anger. Things only calmed down when Taco Bell revealed a few hours later that it was just a practical joke.
For April Fools Day - 2007, Google.Com did two hilarious pranks which were featured on their homepage. One was the TiSP (BETA)™, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems (i.e. their toilets). Users who sign up online for the TiSP system will receive a full home self-installation kit, which includes a spindle of fiber-optic cable, a TiSP wireless router, installation CD and setup guide. Home installation is a simple matter of GFlushing™ the fiber-optic cable down to the nearest TiSP Access Node, then plugging the other end into the network port of your Google-provided TiSP wireless router. Within sixty minutes, the Access Node's crack team of Plumbing Hardware Dispatchers (PHDs) should have your internet connection up and running.
aprilfoolsjokes.info/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
thought of the day.258
First, the President throws unbelievers a bone by acknowledging their existence, and now, Family Guy’s, “Brian”, comes out as an atheist! Change is definitely in the air!
Monday, March 30, 2009
thought of the day.257
Money pays the bills but friends make us rich.
Some thoughts on friendship:
“The intelligent and good man holds in his affections the good and true of every land—the boundaries of countries are not the limitations of his sympathies. Caring nothing for race, or color, he loves those who speak other languages and worship other gods. Between him and those who suffer, there is no impassable gulf. He salutes the world, and extends the hand of friendship to the human race. He does not bow before a provincial and patriotic god—one who protects his tribe or nation, and abhores the rest of mankind.”
~ Robert Ingersoll
“What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless. The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people only talk of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery would very soon be changed into comfort.”
~ Baha'u'llah
“I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.”
~ Maya Angelou
“A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.”
~ Charles Darwin
“Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world.”
~ Jon J. Muth
Some thoughts on friendship:
“The intelligent and good man holds in his affections the good and true of every land—the boundaries of countries are not the limitations of his sympathies. Caring nothing for race, or color, he loves those who speak other languages and worship other gods. Between him and those who suffer, there is no impassable gulf. He salutes the world, and extends the hand of friendship to the human race. He does not bow before a provincial and patriotic god—one who protects his tribe or nation, and abhores the rest of mankind.”
~ Robert Ingersoll
“What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless. The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people only talk of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery would very soon be changed into comfort.”
~ Baha'u'llah
“I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.”
~ Maya Angelou
“A man's friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.”
~ Charles Darwin
“Remember then that there is only one important time, and that time is now. The most important one is always the one you are with. And the most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side. For these, my dear boy, are the answers to what is most important in this world.”
~ Jon J. Muth
Sunday, March 29, 2009
thought of the day.256
Test of Faith. 2 Chronicles
God helped
A. heal all the sick children in Egypt
B. slaughter half a million Israelites
God and his army
A. fought for truth and justice
B. attacked shepherds and stole their sheep
God had the king of Babylonia
A. memorize bible verses
B. murder men and women, young and old
2 Ch 13:13-18, 14:12-15, 36:17
God helped
A. heal all the sick children in Egypt
B. slaughter half a million Israelites
God and his army
A. fought for truth and justice
B. attacked shepherds and stole their sheep
God had the king of Babylonia
A. memorize bible verses
B. murder men and women, young and old
2 Ch 13:13-18, 14:12-15, 36:17
Saturday, March 28, 2009
thought of the day.255
Gems from The Simpsons Library of Wisdom
“Pride goeth before prejudice, and I before Ye except after Thee.”
Isayso 16:18
“But if you break my covenant I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and then I will bring on you seven times more plagues, plus I will punish you another seven times more just for the hell of it.”
Reverberations 6:8
“The Lord neither giveth slack nor taketh any up.”
Luke and Matthew Perry 3:19
“Thus was said to Peter, Paul, and Mary: “Taketh the blasphemer and let Ye stone him unto death, and let he who pitched last season’s shutout game cast the first stone.”
Hey Jude 24:16
~ Flanders’ Book of Faith
“Pride goeth before prejudice, and I before Ye except after Thee.”
Isayso 16:18
“But if you break my covenant I will chastise you seven times more for your sins, and then I will bring on you seven times more plagues, plus I will punish you another seven times more just for the hell of it.”
Reverberations 6:8
“The Lord neither giveth slack nor taketh any up.”
Luke and Matthew Perry 3:19
“Thus was said to Peter, Paul, and Mary: “Taketh the blasphemer and let Ye stone him unto death, and let he who pitched last season’s shutout game cast the first stone.”
Hey Jude 24:16
~ Flanders’ Book of Faith
Friday, March 27, 2009
thought of the day.254
Dear Bishop Spong,
I’ve been a big fan of yours for several years. I applaud you for leading people out of the narrow confines of a literal interpretation of the bible, but am writing to voice my growing disenchantment.
You write, “Our experience has rendered the religious answers of yesterday to be inoperative....The God of yesterday dies as we struggle to view the birth of the God of tomorrow.”
“God of tomorrow”? Please, no more God talk! Hasn’t the world had its fill of Gods and the suffering that inevitably accompanies such notions? Isn’t it time we stop speaking of our relation to “God” (which only confuses communication) and instead speak of our relation to reality. Isn’t reality remarkable enough? It seems to me you’ve had one foot out of the atheist-closet for some time. Why not come all of the way out and continue your extraordinary journey unencumbered by the language of theology?
I’ve been a big fan of yours for several years. I applaud you for leading people out of the narrow confines of a literal interpretation of the bible, but am writing to voice my growing disenchantment.
You write, “Our experience has rendered the religious answers of yesterday to be inoperative....The God of yesterday dies as we struggle to view the birth of the God of tomorrow.”
“God of tomorrow”? Please, no more God talk! Hasn’t the world had its fill of Gods and the suffering that inevitably accompanies such notions? Isn’t it time we stop speaking of our relation to “God” (which only confuses communication) and instead speak of our relation to reality. Isn’t reality remarkable enough? It seems to me you’ve had one foot out of the atheist-closet for some time. Why not come all of the way out and continue your extraordinary journey unencumbered by the language of theology?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
thought of the day.253
Some Mistakes of Jesus
Jesus has long been proclaimed as Perfect. Sinless. The Prince of Peace. God in the flesh! But Jesus wasn’t perfect, sinless, a promoter of peace, nor a deity come to earth. Jesus was a mythological character—and a very flawed one at that.
1. Jesus committed an unforgivable sin by never once condemning slavery. This failure shows he wasn’t divine, nor even as enlightened as other men of his time who did condemn it. He should have made it clear that it was profoundly evil to own humans as property. Jesus’ silence on this fundamental matter of morality allowed the slave trade to flourish at the hands of Christians and made the lives of countless men, women and children a living hell.
2. Jesus initially refused to heal a little girl and referred to her and her non-Jewish mother as “dogs” because they were outside his small circle of concern. (Mt 15:22-28, Mk 7:25-30) He only healed a handful of people with his supernatural powers. Why so damn stingy? Besides healing this child he should have given the world tips on preventing diseases like the Black Death that killed over 75 million.
3. Jesus killed an out of season fig tree because he was hungry and it had no fruit. (Mt 21:18-22 Mk 11:12-14, 19-25) This was a ridiculously senseless and selfish act which denied food and shelter for human and creature alike. If Jesus had any common sense he would have known it wasn’t fig season and that searching the tree was pointless. He should have “blessed” the tree with fruit rather than “curse” it with death and explained that it’s evil to kill things just because they disappoint us.
4. Jesus sent demons into 2,000 pigs causing them to run into the sea and drown. (Mk 5:1-17) St. Augustine explained that this act was intended to teach us that we have no responsibilities for the welfare of animals. St. Thomas Aquinas agreed and thought there was nothing wrong in itself with making animals suffer. Pete Singer explains that as late as the middle of the nineteenth century “Pope Pius IX refused permission for the founding of a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Rome, on the grounds that to grant permission would imply that human beings have duties to the lower creatures.” How differently animals would have been treated if Jesus had said a few words about treating all life—even pigs— with reverence instead of sending them to a watery grave.
5. Jesus promised that believers could pick up venomous snakes and drink poison without being harmed (Mk 16:17-18) leading to thousands of bites, deformities and nearly a hundred documented deaths in the last century alone. I’m not sure who is more irresponsible and stupid—Jesus or those that believed him. He should have encouraged people to ignore “teachers” who spouted such harmful nonsense.
6. Jesus proclaimed that he didn’t come to bring peace to the world but “division.” (Lk 12:49-53) He promised that because of him families would be divided—fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, and daughters-in-law against mothers-in-law. He said “a man’s worst enemies will be members of his own family.” (Mt 10:36) He should have worked to unite the family, communities, countries and world.
7. Jesus demonized unbelieving Jews, calling them “evil,” “serpents,” and children of the “devil” leading to 2,000 years of Jewish persecution. He should have explained how immoral and destructive it is to dehumanize people.
8. Jesus said he hadn’t come to do away with the Law of Moses (which includes commands to chop off wives’ hands (Dt 25:11-12), burn daughters (Lv 21:9) and stone sons (Dt 21:18)) but to make the teachings come true. In fact, he warned that obeying the Law was necessary to enter the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:17-20) He should have condemned the Law of Moses as the work of manipulative and power hungry men and explained that the Kingdom of heaven was not a place to go after death but a state of mind to be achieved here and now.
9. Jesus said he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword (Mt 10:34) and told his followers if they didn’t own a sword to sell their coat and buy one (Luke 22:36). He told violent parables about a vineyard owner slaying his tenants; a master slicing up his slave; a king commanding his enemies be executed in front of him; a stone symbolizing himself, upon which people are broken to pieces and under which others are crushed; and threatened to throw Jezebel and her adulturous partners on a bed where he would make them “suffer terribly” and “kill her children.” (Rev 2:22-23) He should have explained that violence only begets violence.
10. Jesus was the most intolerant character ever as he promised eternal torture for those who didn’t agree with him. This evil idea has caused more suffering than any concept in history. His description of sinners being gathered and cast into the fiery furnace led to the burning of hundreds of thousands if not millions of people as heretics and witches and his threats of torture still cause mental anguish and divisiveness today. He should have said there was no more wicked idea than hell and that it was merely that, an idea used to control people.
Jesus has long been proclaimed as Perfect. Sinless. The Prince of Peace. God in the flesh! But Jesus wasn’t perfect, sinless, a promoter of peace, nor a deity come to earth. Jesus was a mythological character—and a very flawed one at that.
1. Jesus committed an unforgivable sin by never once condemning slavery. This failure shows he wasn’t divine, nor even as enlightened as other men of his time who did condemn it. He should have made it clear that it was profoundly evil to own humans as property. Jesus’ silence on this fundamental matter of morality allowed the slave trade to flourish at the hands of Christians and made the lives of countless men, women and children a living hell.
2. Jesus initially refused to heal a little girl and referred to her and her non-Jewish mother as “dogs” because they were outside his small circle of concern. (Mt 15:22-28, Mk 7:25-30) He only healed a handful of people with his supernatural powers. Why so damn stingy? Besides healing this child he should have given the world tips on preventing diseases like the Black Death that killed over 75 million.
3. Jesus killed an out of season fig tree because he was hungry and it had no fruit. (Mt 21:18-22 Mk 11:12-14, 19-25) This was a ridiculously senseless and selfish act which denied food and shelter for human and creature alike. If Jesus had any common sense he would have known it wasn’t fig season and that searching the tree was pointless. He should have “blessed” the tree with fruit rather than “curse” it with death and explained that it’s evil to kill things just because they disappoint us.
4. Jesus sent demons into 2,000 pigs causing them to run into the sea and drown. (Mk 5:1-17) St. Augustine explained that this act was intended to teach us that we have no responsibilities for the welfare of animals. St. Thomas Aquinas agreed and thought there was nothing wrong in itself with making animals suffer. Pete Singer explains that as late as the middle of the nineteenth century “Pope Pius IX refused permission for the founding of a Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Rome, on the grounds that to grant permission would imply that human beings have duties to the lower creatures.” How differently animals would have been treated if Jesus had said a few words about treating all life—even pigs— with reverence instead of sending them to a watery grave.
5. Jesus promised that believers could pick up venomous snakes and drink poison without being harmed (Mk 16:17-18) leading to thousands of bites, deformities and nearly a hundred documented deaths in the last century alone. I’m not sure who is more irresponsible and stupid—Jesus or those that believed him. He should have encouraged people to ignore “teachers” who spouted such harmful nonsense.
6. Jesus proclaimed that he didn’t come to bring peace to the world but “division.” (Lk 12:49-53) He promised that because of him families would be divided—fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, and daughters-in-law against mothers-in-law. He said “a man’s worst enemies will be members of his own family.” (Mt 10:36) He should have worked to unite the family, communities, countries and world.
7. Jesus demonized unbelieving Jews, calling them “evil,” “serpents,” and children of the “devil” leading to 2,000 years of Jewish persecution. He should have explained how immoral and destructive it is to dehumanize people.
8. Jesus said he hadn’t come to do away with the Law of Moses (which includes commands to chop off wives’ hands (Dt 25:11-12), burn daughters (Lv 21:9) and stone sons (Dt 21:18)) but to make the teachings come true. In fact, he warned that obeying the Law was necessary to enter the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:17-20) He should have condemned the Law of Moses as the work of manipulative and power hungry men and explained that the Kingdom of heaven was not a place to go after death but a state of mind to be achieved here and now.
9. Jesus said he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword (Mt 10:34) and told his followers if they didn’t own a sword to sell their coat and buy one (Luke 22:36). He told violent parables about a vineyard owner slaying his tenants; a master slicing up his slave; a king commanding his enemies be executed in front of him; a stone symbolizing himself, upon which people are broken to pieces and under which others are crushed; and threatened to throw Jezebel and her adulturous partners on a bed where he would make them “suffer terribly” and “kill her children.” (Rev 2:22-23) He should have explained that violence only begets violence.
10. Jesus was the most intolerant character ever as he promised eternal torture for those who didn’t agree with him. This evil idea has caused more suffering than any concept in history. His description of sinners being gathered and cast into the fiery furnace led to the burning of hundreds of thousands if not millions of people as heretics and witches and his threats of torture still cause mental anguish and divisiveness today. He should have said there was no more wicked idea than hell and that it was merely that, an idea used to control people.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
thought of the day.252
“If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
~Alexander Solzhenitsyn
~Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
thought of the day.251
Top 10 Blood Baths of the Bible or Over a Billion Reasons Not to be a Christian
10. GOD SLAUGHTERS OVER 50,000 PEOPLE OF BETHSHEMESH
And [the LORD] smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. (1 S 6:19)
9. GOD SLAUGHTERS 70,000 ISRAELITES
So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. (2 S 24:15)
8. GOD LEADS GIDEON IN SLAUGHTER OF 120,000 MIDIANITES
...the LORD said unto [Gideon], ...I have delivered [the Midianites] into thine hand. ...and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow...And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.... there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. (Jg 7:9, 22-25, 8:10)
7. GOD LEADS SLAUGHTER OF 120,000 JUDEANS
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.... And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters... (2 Ch 28:5-8)
6. GOD’S ANGEL SLAUGHTERS 185,000 ASSYRIANS
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. (2 K 19:35)
5. GOD LEADS SLAUGHTER OF 500,000 ISRAELITES
...and they cried unto the LORD, and ...it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. (2 Ch 13:14-18)
4. GOD LEADS MOSES IN SLAUGHTER OF COUNTLESS MIDIANITES
And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males....And ...took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones...And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?...Now therefore kill every male among the little ones (children), and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him....But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. (Nu 31:7-18)
3. GOD SLAUGHTERS COUNTLESS EGYPTIANS
The LORD turned streams to blood and killed the Egyptians firstborn: And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt... (Ps 78:44-51)
2. GOD SLAUGHTERS EVERY THING THAT BREATHS ON EARTH
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air....And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (Gn 6:7, 7:23)
1. JESUS TO BRING BLOOD BATH OF ALL BLOOD BATHS
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men (Would mean a slaughter of over 2 Billion people if Jesus returned today). And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand...and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. (Rev 9:15-18)
Thankfully, these accounts are myths. The God of the bible is not a supernatural being but a product of the imagination of violent men. The Book of Exodus describes this character as a war Lord: “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name” (Ex 15:3). Such “a man of war” will always provide any nation that calls on him—that glorifies him—divine justification for violence on a massive scale. There is no hope for peace as long as “a man of war” is worshipped which makes all the Abrahamic religions enemies of humanity.
10. GOD SLAUGHTERS OVER 50,000 PEOPLE OF BETHSHEMESH
And [the LORD] smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. (1 S 6:19)
9. GOD SLAUGHTERS 70,000 ISRAELITES
So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. (2 S 24:15)
8. GOD LEADS GIDEON IN SLAUGHTER OF 120,000 MIDIANITES
...the LORD said unto [Gideon], ...I have delivered [the Midianites] into thine hand. ...and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow...And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.... there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. (Jg 7:9, 22-25, 8:10)
7. GOD LEADS SLAUGHTER OF 120,000 JUDEANS
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.... And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters... (2 Ch 28:5-8)
6. GOD’S ANGEL SLAUGHTERS 185,000 ASSYRIANS
And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. (2 K 19:35)
5. GOD LEADS SLAUGHTER OF 500,000 ISRAELITES
...and they cried unto the LORD, and ...it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. (2 Ch 13:14-18)
4. GOD LEADS MOSES IN SLAUGHTER OF COUNTLESS MIDIANITES
And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males....And ...took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones...And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?...Now therefore kill every male among the little ones (children), and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him....But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. (Nu 31:7-18)
3. GOD SLAUGHTERS COUNTLESS EGYPTIANS
The LORD turned streams to blood and killed the Egyptians firstborn: And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink. He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them. He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost. He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; And smote all the firstborn in Egypt... (Ps 78:44-51)
2. GOD SLAUGHTERS EVERY THING THAT BREATHS ON EARTH
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air....And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. (Gn 6:7, 7:23)
1. JESUS TO BRING BLOOD BATH OF ALL BLOOD BATHS
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men (Would mean a slaughter of over 2 Billion people if Jesus returned today). And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand...and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. (Rev 9:15-18)
Thankfully, these accounts are myths. The God of the bible is not a supernatural being but a product of the imagination of violent men. The Book of Exodus describes this character as a war Lord: “The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name” (Ex 15:3). Such “a man of war” will always provide any nation that calls on him—that glorifies him—divine justification for violence on a massive scale. There is no hope for peace as long as “a man of war” is worshipped which makes all the Abrahamic religions enemies of humanity.
Monday, March 23, 2009
thought of the day.250
A christian and atheist discuss the bible
One of the most despicable stories in all of literature can be found in that holiest of all books—the Bible. Chapter 31 of the Book of Numbers tells of a “Holy” War fought by God’s people against the people of Midian. It begins with the LORD telling Moses to, "Take vengeance on the Midianites.” So they fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and “killed every man.” The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the towns to the ground. Moses was furious that anyone was left alive and commanded the officers of the army to “kill all the boys” and “kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.”
Now to the discussion. The participants are Mike the Christian who is an author, teacher, speaker and Christian apologist. John the Atheist is an ex-Christian.
John the Atheist:
This story alone should lead any ethical person to reject the God of the Bible as morally abhorent. It is evil to kill captured and cowering little boys and mothers; evil to kill a young girl’s mother, father, brother and friends and then give her to the soldier that slaughtered them; and despicable to defend such behavior.
Mike the Christian:
An Israelite was permitted to marry women from the captives of a particular battle. If an Israelite soldier genuinely desired one of the captives he could have her only through marriage. This helped protect the dignity of the women captives and the purity of the Israelite soldiers. Israelites were not to rape, plunder, or otherwise mistreat captives as other armies of the ancient Near East did.
John the Atheist:
I find your choice of words about the soldiers and captives disturbing: “genuinely,” “protect,” “dignity,” “purity.” The reality of this young girl’s situation is that she has just witnessed an attack on her town and watched as her mother and father were hacked to pieces with swords, her older brothers, grandfather and all the males in her town have been likewise slaughtered. Her little brothers along with tens of thousand of other little boys were chased down, rounded up, brought before Moses and then murdered. All of the girl friends of this captive have been taken away by soldiers who must have been dripping with the blood of her family and friends to undoubtedly be raped repeatedly. Can you put yourself in the place of this young girl? Can you imagine your daughters in such a situation? Do you really feel it’s honest to speak of the soldier’s “purity” or the girl’s protection of “dignity”? Again you have used words to paint a noble picture of utter atrocity and shifted the focus to the armies of the Near East, who you say, are the ones who rape and plunder. Yet the Israelites’ plunder from this battle alone included nearly a million animals and 32,000 virgins!
Mike the Christian:
A soldier’s marriage to a foreign captive could not take place immediately. The prospective wife was first prepared psychologically for her new life as an Israelite. She was actually integrated into the Jewish culture as family. This was accomplished by her shaving her head, trimming her nails, having a change of clothes, and mourning for her parents for one month. The full month allowed the captive woman a proper amount of time for mourning, (Jews only mourn for 7 days) and it also gave the prospective husband opportunity to reflect on his initial decision to take her as his wife. For with a shaved head she would be less attractive. The phrase, If you are not pleased with her may refer not to some trivial problem in their relationship, but rather to the new wife’s refusal to accept her husband’s spiritual values. In this case the husband could dissolve the marriage only by giving up all rights over her. Clearly he is forbidden from treating her as a slave if she leaves and he was expected to treat her as a wife if she stayed. This law underscored the value of human life; it contrasted with the terrible treatment of war captives common throughout the ancient Near East.
John the Atheist:
Again, I find your choice of words to be dishonest. “Prepared psychologically,” “integrated into the Jewish culture as family”?These people just covered an entire town with entrails and dismembered limbs. They are barbarians of the worst kind, killing the old men and women, the blind, the crippled, mothers and the babies at their breast, fathers, teenagers—boys just like our sons. Is it truly honest to say that the fiends that did these things to these girls’ families and friends are now concerned about gently preparing them psychologically? That the man is going to reflect on his decision of a wife? You make it sound like these are Harvard educated, contemplative and sensitive men. You speak of the law that underscored the value of human life— PLEASE! And again, you say it is not the Israelites who are barbaric but the people of the Near East!
Mike the Christian:
As for the killing of the children, several things should be noted. (1) Given the immoral state of the society into which they were born, they had no chance to avoid its fatal pollution and subsequent eternal consequences. (2) Children who die before the age of accountability go to heaven. This was an act of God’s mercy to take them into His holy presence from such an unholy environment. (3) God is sovereign over life and can order its end according to His will and in view of the creature’s ultimate good. As for the virgins, they were spared (only by Moses concession) because they obviously had had no role in the Baal of Peor incident nor could they by themselves perpetuate the Midianite peoples. The purpose for utterly destroying the Midianites was to protect the Israelites from further deception and harm by completely removing the Midianite people from the earth.
John the Atheist:
Murdering children is actually an act of God’s mercy? Mike, you scare me-is this how badly you must twist your thinking to reconcile the despicable evil attributed to the God of the Bible? Your argument makes no sense, if it was so merciful to have male children slaughtered so that they could enter His holy presence as you say, why not the female children? Is it conceivable that the truth is that this story reflects ancient soldiers lusting after young virgins rather than a God who demanded the murder of countless people?
Mike the Christian:
It was common practice for women to serve as “staff” in the Temple. (1 Sam 2:22) These women were given to Temple service and would have been under the direct authority and care of the priests. These women were still protected by the law given in Deuteronomy and thus they would not have been raped, summarily killed, or used as “human sacrifices.”
John the Atheist:
The Bible says that 16,000 virgins were given to the soldiers, 320 were given to the Levites, and 15,680 were given to the men of the community leaving 32 girls who were given to Eleazar the priest as a “tax for the LORD.” Everything else that was given as a “tax for the LORD” was sacrificed but you say they became Temple “staff.” You make it sound like a great career move — do they get Christmas bonuses? When you say these girls were under the “care” of the priests, and “protected” by the law you make it sound like they won the lottery and were blessed to be in such a warm environment. It must have been spiritually fulfilling for them to work in the Temple of the God responsible for commanding the murders of their family and friends and sexually fulfilling satisfying the lusts of godly men. If they weren’t sacrificed, they probably wished they were.
The only thing more disturbing than the slaughter of the Midianites is listening to Christians try to defend it.
One of the most despicable stories in all of literature can be found in that holiest of all books—the Bible. Chapter 31 of the Book of Numbers tells of a “Holy” War fought by God’s people against the people of Midian. It begins with the LORD telling Moses to, "Take vengeance on the Midianites.” So they fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and “killed every man.” The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. They burned all the towns to the ground. Moses was furious that anyone was left alive and commanded the officers of the army to “kill all the boys” and “kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.”
Now to the discussion. The participants are Mike the Christian who is an author, teacher, speaker and Christian apologist. John the Atheist is an ex-Christian.
John the Atheist:
This story alone should lead any ethical person to reject the God of the Bible as morally abhorent. It is evil to kill captured and cowering little boys and mothers; evil to kill a young girl’s mother, father, brother and friends and then give her to the soldier that slaughtered them; and despicable to defend such behavior.
Mike the Christian:
An Israelite was permitted to marry women from the captives of a particular battle. If an Israelite soldier genuinely desired one of the captives he could have her only through marriage. This helped protect the dignity of the women captives and the purity of the Israelite soldiers. Israelites were not to rape, plunder, or otherwise mistreat captives as other armies of the ancient Near East did.
John the Atheist:
I find your choice of words about the soldiers and captives disturbing: “genuinely,” “protect,” “dignity,” “purity.” The reality of this young girl’s situation is that she has just witnessed an attack on her town and watched as her mother and father were hacked to pieces with swords, her older brothers, grandfather and all the males in her town have been likewise slaughtered. Her little brothers along with tens of thousand of other little boys were chased down, rounded up, brought before Moses and then murdered. All of the girl friends of this captive have been taken away by soldiers who must have been dripping with the blood of her family and friends to undoubtedly be raped repeatedly. Can you put yourself in the place of this young girl? Can you imagine your daughters in such a situation? Do you really feel it’s honest to speak of the soldier’s “purity” or the girl’s protection of “dignity”? Again you have used words to paint a noble picture of utter atrocity and shifted the focus to the armies of the Near East, who you say, are the ones who rape and plunder. Yet the Israelites’ plunder from this battle alone included nearly a million animals and 32,000 virgins!
Mike the Christian:
A soldier’s marriage to a foreign captive could not take place immediately. The prospective wife was first prepared psychologically for her new life as an Israelite. She was actually integrated into the Jewish culture as family. This was accomplished by her shaving her head, trimming her nails, having a change of clothes, and mourning for her parents for one month. The full month allowed the captive woman a proper amount of time for mourning, (Jews only mourn for 7 days) and it also gave the prospective husband opportunity to reflect on his initial decision to take her as his wife. For with a shaved head she would be less attractive. The phrase, If you are not pleased with her may refer not to some trivial problem in their relationship, but rather to the new wife’s refusal to accept her husband’s spiritual values. In this case the husband could dissolve the marriage only by giving up all rights over her. Clearly he is forbidden from treating her as a slave if she leaves and he was expected to treat her as a wife if she stayed. This law underscored the value of human life; it contrasted with the terrible treatment of war captives common throughout the ancient Near East.
John the Atheist:
Again, I find your choice of words to be dishonest. “Prepared psychologically,” “integrated into the Jewish culture as family”?These people just covered an entire town with entrails and dismembered limbs. They are barbarians of the worst kind, killing the old men and women, the blind, the crippled, mothers and the babies at their breast, fathers, teenagers—boys just like our sons. Is it truly honest to say that the fiends that did these things to these girls’ families and friends are now concerned about gently preparing them psychologically? That the man is going to reflect on his decision of a wife? You make it sound like these are Harvard educated, contemplative and sensitive men. You speak of the law that underscored the value of human life— PLEASE! And again, you say it is not the Israelites who are barbaric but the people of the Near East!
Mike the Christian:
As for the killing of the children, several things should be noted. (1) Given the immoral state of the society into which they were born, they had no chance to avoid its fatal pollution and subsequent eternal consequences. (2) Children who die before the age of accountability go to heaven. This was an act of God’s mercy to take them into His holy presence from such an unholy environment. (3) God is sovereign over life and can order its end according to His will and in view of the creature’s ultimate good. As for the virgins, they were spared (only by Moses concession) because they obviously had had no role in the Baal of Peor incident nor could they by themselves perpetuate the Midianite peoples. The purpose for utterly destroying the Midianites was to protect the Israelites from further deception and harm by completely removing the Midianite people from the earth.
John the Atheist:
Murdering children is actually an act of God’s mercy? Mike, you scare me-is this how badly you must twist your thinking to reconcile the despicable evil attributed to the God of the Bible? Your argument makes no sense, if it was so merciful to have male children slaughtered so that they could enter His holy presence as you say, why not the female children? Is it conceivable that the truth is that this story reflects ancient soldiers lusting after young virgins rather than a God who demanded the murder of countless people?
Mike the Christian:
It was common practice for women to serve as “staff” in the Temple. (1 Sam 2:22) These women were given to Temple service and would have been under the direct authority and care of the priests. These women were still protected by the law given in Deuteronomy and thus they would not have been raped, summarily killed, or used as “human sacrifices.”
John the Atheist:
The Bible says that 16,000 virgins were given to the soldiers, 320 were given to the Levites, and 15,680 were given to the men of the community leaving 32 girls who were given to Eleazar the priest as a “tax for the LORD.” Everything else that was given as a “tax for the LORD” was sacrificed but you say they became Temple “staff.” You make it sound like a great career move — do they get Christmas bonuses? When you say these girls were under the “care” of the priests, and “protected” by the law you make it sound like they won the lottery and were blessed to be in such a warm environment. It must have been spiritually fulfilling for them to work in the Temple of the God responsible for commanding the murders of their family and friends and sexually fulfilling satisfying the lusts of godly men. If they weren’t sacrificed, they probably wished they were.
The only thing more disturbing than the slaughter of the Midianites is listening to Christians try to defend it.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
thought of the day.249
Putting all propositions on a probability scale leads to confidence but never certainty. And far better to be confident than certain, for certainty breeds intolerance; and doubt, compassion.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
thought of the day.248
“The Christian ...can exult over his own salvation while seeing others going to destruction. This is a fiendish happiness, a devilish joy. For one to be happy while knowing that a brother or sister is lost shows a hard, selfish, cruel heart.
“Think of the Christian mother being happy for having been rescued from her burning home in whose fatal flames her children all perished! Think of the Christian father filled with joy at his escape from the sinking ship in which his wife and babe sailed to the port of death! Think of a Christian man or woman exulting over their good fortune in not having a disease which took away those who were nearest and dearest! Such joy, such happiness, as this is not human, it is brutish.
“The Christian is welcome to all the happiness his heartless religion affords him. I want none of it. Such a religion would drive me mad. The loving heart is happiest in the joy of those it loves; it is happy in seeing others happy, but there could be no joy for it to be saved while those it loved were lost. Christianity is a heartless religion, a cruel faith, a selfish scheme...”
~ Lemuel K. Washburn, Is The Bible Worth Reading?, 1911
“Think of the Christian mother being happy for having been rescued from her burning home in whose fatal flames her children all perished! Think of the Christian father filled with joy at his escape from the sinking ship in which his wife and babe sailed to the port of death! Think of a Christian man or woman exulting over their good fortune in not having a disease which took away those who were nearest and dearest! Such joy, such happiness, as this is not human, it is brutish.
“The Christian is welcome to all the happiness his heartless religion affords him. I want none of it. Such a religion would drive me mad. The loving heart is happiest in the joy of those it loves; it is happy in seeing others happy, but there could be no joy for it to be saved while those it loved were lost. Christianity is a heartless religion, a cruel faith, a selfish scheme...”
~ Lemuel K. Washburn, Is The Bible Worth Reading?, 1911
Friday, March 20, 2009
thought of the day.247
Test of Faith.Lamentations
Who invited enemies to murder beloved children?
A. Satan
B. God
Who angrily pursues people and kills without mercy?
A. Satan
B. God
Who brought such starvation that mothers ate children?
A. Satan
B. God
Lm 2:22, 3:43, 4:10
Who invited enemies to murder beloved children?
A. Satan
B. God
Who angrily pursues people and kills without mercy?
A. Satan
B. God
Who brought such starvation that mothers ate children?
A. Satan
B. God
Lm 2:22, 3:43, 4:10
Thursday, March 19, 2009
thought of the day.246
New Book Attacks Evolution Supporters as ‘Atheists,’ ‘Monsters’ and ‘Morons’
Preceding a critical vote on science curriculum, the chairman of the Texas State Board of Education endorsed a new book that portrays parents who want their children to learn about evolution as “monsters,” and pastors who accept the science of evolution as “morons.”
Christianity strikes again.
Preceding a critical vote on science curriculum, the chairman of the Texas State Board of Education endorsed a new book that portrays parents who want their children to learn about evolution as “monsters,” and pastors who accept the science of evolution as “morons.”
Christianity strikes again.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
thought of the day.245
O.C.I.C.B.W.
It seems a good phrase to write upon our heart, tattoo across our forehead, and perhaps wear in bright-colored rubber bracelet form around our wrist, would be...“Of course, I could be wrong.”
It seems a good phrase to write upon our heart, tattoo across our forehead, and perhaps wear in bright-colored rubber bracelet form around our wrist, would be...“Of course, I could be wrong.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
thought of the day.244
Was a spectacularly pretty day today—blue skies and perfect temperature. I talked a little religion with an old friend and a new one; was treated to a delicious lunch by a much appreciated client; had a nice walk in the park with my wife and threw bread to swooping seagulls; held a beautiful 2 week old baby while eating pizza and drinking beer; experienced a weird mixture of pride and horror as my 16 year old son nearly whipped me in a playful wrestling match; and we topped off the day with popcorn, candy and sodas while watching a movie. It’s spring break and we’re taking the train to the zoo tomorrow—life is sweet.
Postscript: 11:58 pm. 18 year old daughter is on the phone—crying. Seems to have a flat tire. Oh, and seems to have some body damage. I stumble out of bed. The formerly near mint condition 94 Celica has been split open along the side with what looks like a giant can opener. Fire hydrants will do that. But she’s o.k. Sadly, her bank account won’t be. Maybe next time she comes home after working all day (like her mom suggested) instead of driving to the boyfriend’s house. Tow truck will be called in the morning. Life is still sweet.
Postscript: 11:58 pm. 18 year old daughter is on the phone—crying. Seems to have a flat tire. Oh, and seems to have some body damage. I stumble out of bed. The formerly near mint condition 94 Celica has been split open along the side with what looks like a giant can opener. Fire hydrants will do that. But she’s o.k. Sadly, her bank account won’t be. Maybe next time she comes home after working all day (like her mom suggested) instead of driving to the boyfriend’s house. Tow truck will be called in the morning. Life is still sweet.
Monday, March 16, 2009
thought of the day.243
Reason or the bible?
Reason says people can’t live to be nearly a thousand years old.
The bible says they can.
Reason says men can’t turn sticks into snakes and rivers into blood.
The bible says they can.
Reason says snakes, donkeys and burning bushes can’t talk.
The bible says they can.
Reason says the sun can’t be stopped in the sky.
The bible says it can.
Reason says hordes of rotted people can’t walk out of their graves.
The bible says they can.
Reason says there are no witches.
The bible says there are—and to kill them.
Knowing this, shouldn’t we teach our children to listen to reason
rather than the bible and its preachers?
Reason says people can’t live to be nearly a thousand years old.
The bible says they can.
Reason says men can’t turn sticks into snakes and rivers into blood.
The bible says they can.
Reason says snakes, donkeys and burning bushes can’t talk.
The bible says they can.
Reason says the sun can’t be stopped in the sky.
The bible says it can.
Reason says hordes of rotted people can’t walk out of their graves.
The bible says they can.
Reason says there are no witches.
The bible says there are—and to kill them.
Knowing this, shouldn’t we teach our children to listen to reason
rather than the bible and its preachers?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
thought of the day.242
“Happiness is not an individual matter. When you are able to bring relief, or bring back the smile to one person, not only that person profits, but you also profit. The deepest happiness you can have comes from that capacity to help relieve the suffering of others. So if we have the habit of being peace, then there is a natural tendency for us to go in the direction of service. Nothing compels us, except the joy of sharing peace, the joy of sharing freedom from afflictions, freedom from worries, freedom from craving, which are the true foundations for happiness...
“And once we have the condition of peace and joy in us, we can afford to be in any situation. Even in the situation of hell, we will be able to contribute our peace and serenity. The most important thing is for each of us to have some freedom in our heart, some stability in our heart, some peace in our heart. Only then will we be able to relieve the suffering around us.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh, Inquiring Mind Magazine, Spring 1996
“And once we have the condition of peace and joy in us, we can afford to be in any situation. Even in the situation of hell, we will be able to contribute our peace and serenity. The most important thing is for each of us to have some freedom in our heart, some stability in our heart, some peace in our heart. Only then will we be able to relieve the suffering around us.”
~Thich Nhat Hanh, Inquiring Mind Magazine, Spring 1996
Saturday, March 14, 2009
thought of the day.241
“The only thing that makes life endurable in this world is human love, and yet, according to Christianity...We are to be so taken up
with Jesus and angels, that we shall care nothing about our brothers and sisters that have been damned. We shall be so carried away with the music of the harp that we shall not even hear the wail of father and mother. Such a religion is a disgrace to human nature.”
~ Robert G. Ingersoll
with Jesus and angels, that we shall care nothing about our brothers and sisters that have been damned. We shall be so carried away with the music of the harp that we shall not even hear the wail of father and mother. Such a religion is a disgrace to human nature.”
~ Robert G. Ingersoll
Friday, March 13, 2009
thought of the day.240
A Few Good, Devoted, Spirit-Filled, Zealous Men of God
Elijah proved he was a “man of God” not by loving people, but incinerating them. Likewise, Jehu proved his devotion to the LORD not through acts of kindness, but mass murder. Phinehas’ zealous killing didn’t anger God, but pleased him. Each time “the Spirit of the LORD” came upon Samson, he didn’t become more generous, but more violent, spilling more and more blood. And no hands were more blood-stained than those of our bible “heroes” Moses and David, the former ordering untold numbers of helpless, captured little boys and their mothers to be systematically murdered, and the latter, said to be a man after God’s own heart who cut the hands, feet, and heads off of people and slaughtered tens of thousands in the name of the LORD.
Yet countless Christians—either oblivious to the mind-numbing atrocities in their “holy” scriptures, or perhaps because of them—pray for such godly men to rise up and lead our country. In The Bible Unmasked, Joseph Lewis writes, “When ministers plead for another David perhaps they want another Savage Commander. Surely the proper place for the Bible is in the War Colleges of belligerent nations...Killing and murder are related with so little compunction that a continued reading of the Bible cannot help but make one callous to the value of human life. No wonder the Christian countries at war use the Bible as the basis of their national religion and give each soldier a copy while engaged in battle.”
2K 1:10-12, 2K 10:16-17, Nu 25:1-13, Jg 14:6-16:30, Nu 31:17, 1 S 18:6-9
Elijah proved he was a “man of God” not by loving people, but incinerating them. Likewise, Jehu proved his devotion to the LORD not through acts of kindness, but mass murder. Phinehas’ zealous killing didn’t anger God, but pleased him. Each time “the Spirit of the LORD” came upon Samson, he didn’t become more generous, but more violent, spilling more and more blood. And no hands were more blood-stained than those of our bible “heroes” Moses and David, the former ordering untold numbers of helpless, captured little boys and their mothers to be systematically murdered, and the latter, said to be a man after God’s own heart who cut the hands, feet, and heads off of people and slaughtered tens of thousands in the name of the LORD.
Yet countless Christians—either oblivious to the mind-numbing atrocities in their “holy” scriptures, or perhaps because of them—pray for such godly men to rise up and lead our country. In The Bible Unmasked, Joseph Lewis writes, “When ministers plead for another David perhaps they want another Savage Commander. Surely the proper place for the Bible is in the War Colleges of belligerent nations...Killing and murder are related with so little compunction that a continued reading of the Bible cannot help but make one callous to the value of human life. No wonder the Christian countries at war use the Bible as the basis of their national religion and give each soldier a copy while engaged in battle.”
2K 1:10-12, 2K 10:16-17, Nu 25:1-13, Jg 14:6-16:30, Nu 31:17, 1 S 18:6-9
Thursday, March 12, 2009
thought of the day.239
Test of Faith.Leviticus
Children who curse a parent must be
A. prayed for
B. killed
Children
A. are most precious to God
B. may be enslaved for life
Everyone “unconditionally dedicated” to the LORD
A. is blessed
B. must be killed
Leviticus 20:9, 25:44-46, 27:28-29
Children who curse a parent must be
A. prayed for
B. killed
Children
A. are most precious to God
B. may be enslaved for life
Everyone “unconditionally dedicated” to the LORD
A. is blessed
B. must be killed
Leviticus 20:9, 25:44-46, 27:28-29
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
thought of the day.238
Not only does “objective morality” not exist, it cannot exist. Morality is but meaning we give to behavior, and as all meaning is subjective, all morality must necessarily be as well.
But where one might interpret this as “anything goes,” our social ties means it does not. The fact that morality is subjective is indeed liberating—where obedience to the ghost of an objective or revealed morality is confining—but with freedom comes responsibility.
But where one might interpret this as “anything goes,” our social ties means it does not. The fact that morality is subjective is indeed liberating—where obedience to the ghost of an objective or revealed morality is confining—but with freedom comes responsibility.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
thought of the day.237
Our “carbon footprint” is but one in our trail of “suffering footprints.” One giant step toward reducing suffering is simply eating less meat.
Monday, March 9, 2009
thought of the day.236
The Making of Jesus
Two thousand years ago gods were a dime a dozen. People worshiped Osiris, Glycon, Simon, Apollonius of Tyana, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Dionysus, Zalmoxis, Kore, Samothrace, Attis, Adonis, Horus and Mithras. Their 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. The writers of the Christian scriptures—like those of Judaism before it, Islam after it, and the countless religions scattered all about it—were influenced by the superstitions of the time and borrowed (or less charitably—plagiarized) from other stories in making their own. But my argument is not that Jesus was copied from “pagan” religions (though these had an influence) but was largely created from the Jewish scriptures themselves—primarily the books of Kings which give us the escapades of the god-like characters, Elijah and Elisha. In fact, Jesus speaks about Eljah coming to get everything ready for him (Mt 17:11-12), compares himself to Elijah and Elisha (Lk 4:25-27) and Elijah even makes an appearance and converses with Jesus (Lk 9:30-31). Some people think Jesus IS Elijah (Mt 16:14). Even the names mean the same thing — Elisha meaning “God (Jehovah) is salvation” and Jesus, “Jehovah saves.”
Obviously, the gospel accounts aren’t word for word copies of these earlier myths, but many share an unmistakable theme upon which the later writer based his stories. The Jesus character presented in the bible was not a unique person in history but a literary Frankenstein, largely cobbled together from dozens of long existing stories.
THE FOLLOWING 30 COMPARISONS TAKEN COLLECTIVELY SHOW THAT JESUS WAS LIKELY A CHARACTER BASED ON ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
SHARP DRESSED MAN
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)
HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY RIVER
Elisha received the spirit at the Jordan (2K 2:9)
Jesus received the spirit at the Jordan (Mk 1:1)
40 DAY & NIGHT FAST
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)
Also Moses (Ex 34:28)
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)
PROPHET
Elijah was called a prophet (1K 1:3)
Jesus was called a prophet (Lk 7:17)
GROUPIES
Elisha had a group of followers (2K 6)
Jesus had a group of followers (Mk 13)
FAITHFUL SERVANT
Elijah did as God commanded (2K 1:4)
Jesus did as God commanded (Jn 4:34)
VISIONS OF DOOM
Elijah could see the future and spoke of horrible violence coming soon (2K 8:12)
Jesus could see the future and spoke of horrible violence coming soon (Lk 21:10-33)
DRINK OF WATER
Upon entering a town, Elijah had a woman get him a glass of water and then worked a miracle (1K 17:10)
Upon entering a town, Jesus had a woman get him a glass of water and then promised a miracle (Jn 4:5)
COMMANDER OF THE ELEMENTS
Elijah controlled the weather (1K 17:1)
Jesus controlled the weather (Mk 4:39 also Ps 107:28)
CROSSING THE WATER
Elijah and Elisha walked across divided water (2K 2:8)
Jesus walked across the top of water (Mk 6:45)
HELPING THE ARMY OFFICER
Elisha helped an army officer (2K 5:1-15)
Jesus helped an army officer (Mt 8:5-6)
NOW YOU SEE, NOW YOU DON’T
Elisha caused the seeing to go blind (2K 6:18) and the blind to see (2K 6:20)
Jesus made the blind see (Mk 8: 21-26)
THE LEPER
Elisha healed a man with leprosy (2K 5)
Jesus healed a man with leprosy (Mk 1:41)
RAISING THE DEAD I
Elijah raised a widow’s dead son & gave him to his mother (1K 17:21)
Jesus raised a widow’s dead son & gave him to his mother (Lk 7:11)
RAISING THE DEAD II
Elisha raised a dead child in a home (2K 4:27-37)
Jesus raised a dead child in a home (Mk 5:22-43)
RAISING THE DEAD III
Elisha’s bones raised a dead man in a tomb (2 K:21)
Jesus raised a dead man in a tomb (Jn 11)
FEEDING THE MULTITUDE
Elisha fed a multitude and had left overs (2K 4:42)
Jesus fed a multitude and had left overs (Mk 6:31)
CURSE OF DEATH
Elisha’s curse caused death (2K 2:24)
Jesus’ curse caused death (Mt 21:18)
MAGIC NUMBER
Elijah used 12 stones to rebuild the altar (1K 18:32)
Jesus used 12 disciples to build the Church (Mt 10:1)
FOOT OF THE MASTER
A distraught woman held Elisha’s feet (2K 4:27)
A distraught woman held Jesus’ feet (Lk 7:36)
FINANCIAL WIZARD
Elisha worked a financial miracle (2K 4:1)
Jesus worked a financial miracle (Mt 17: 24)
TRANSFORMER
Elisha transformed a substance — food (2K 4:38) and water (2K 2:19-22)
Jesus transformed a substance — water (Jn 2:6)
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)
GO IN PEACE
Elisha said “Go in peace” (2 K 5:19)
Jesus said “Go in peace” (Lk 7:50)
DUPLICITOUS UNDERLING
Elisha’s duplicitous servant asked for 3,000 silver coins & suffered dire consequences (2K 5)
Jesus’ duplicitous disciple accepted 30 silver coins & suffered dire consequences (Mt 26:14)
WANTED MAN
The people wanted to kill Elijah (1 K 19:10)
The people wanted to kill Jesus (Mt 27:20)
MY LORD, MY LORD!
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)
TEARING OF CLOTH
Elisha tore his cloak in two upon Elijah’s death (2K 12)
The Temple’s curtain tore in two upon Jesus’ death (Mt 27:51)
HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN
Elijah was visibly taken to heaven (2K 2:11)
Jesus was visibly taken to heaven (Acts 1:9)
NT PASSAGES WITH CITED OT SCRIPTURE SHOWING INDISPUTABLE SOURCE:
ELIJAH AND ELISHA (1K 17:8-24, 2K 5) (Lk 4:23-27)
Jesus cites the miracles performed by Elijah and Elisha
FATE OF CRIMINALS ( ?) (Lk 22:37)
Jesus cites OT scripture about sharing the fate of criminals
GOING TO KILL THEM ALL! (Lk 17:22-30)
Jesus cites the stories of Noah and Sodom and says when the Son of Man is revealed it will be like in the time of Noah when The Flood came and “killed them all” and when fire and sulfur rained on Sodom and “killed them all.”
DAVID’S BREAD (1Samuel 21:1-6) (Mk 2:25-26)
Jesus cites the story of David and his men eating holy bread
KILL THE CURSERS (Ex 21:17) (Mt 15:4)
Jesus notes God’s Law that demands those cursing their parents must be killed.
3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS (Mt 12:40) (Jon 1:17)
Jesus said, just as Jonah spent 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish, he will spend 3 days and nights in the earth
UNBROKEN BONES (Ps 34:20, also Ex 12:46) (Jn 19:34)
The Psalmist’s words that the righteous won’t have any bones broken
is cited and Jesus’ bones aren’t broken
PIERCING (Jn 19:34) (Zec 12:10)
Jesus is pierced by a soldier and Zechariah’s words that people will look upon the pierced is cited
DONKEY DONKEY (Zec 9:9) (Mt 21:1)
Matthew cites Zechariah’s words that a king comes riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey and Jesus mounts both a donkey and a colt
SCATTERED FLOCK (Zec 13:7) (Mt 26:31)
Jesus says his disciples will run away and cites Zechariah’s words that God said kill the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
ESCAPE TO EGYPT (Ho 11) (Mt 2:14)
Jesus is taken to Egypt and Hosea’s words are cited: “out of Egypt I have called my son”
UNROLLING THE SCROLL (Jn 4:16-20)
Jesus quotes OT scripture and says it has come true with his reading
IMMANUEL (Is 7:14) (Mt 1:22)
Isaiah said a young woman will give birth to a son named Immanuel
OT verse is cited / Note: “young woman” is mistranslated as “virgin”
BETHLEHEM (Mic 5:2) (Mt 2:6)
God said he will bring forth a ruler from Bethlehem
OT verse is cited / Jesus is born in Bethlehem
GALILEE (Mt 4:12-17)
OT verse is cited / Jesus goes away to Galilee
NT STORIES WITH LIKELY OT SOURCES
DIVINE BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
An angel told Samson’s mother she’d have a son (Jg 13:2)
An angel told Jesus’ mother she’d have a son (Lk 1:30)
WONDER WOMB
Joseph was a miracle baby (Gn 30:22)
Jesus was a miracle baby (Mt 1:18)
PRAYER OF PRAISE
Hannah praises God after conceiving Samuel by divine intervention (1 Sm 2:1)
Mary praises God after conceiving Jesus by divine intervention (Lk 1:46)
GLORY OF THE LORD
Isaiah writes of the shining “glory of the Lord” (Isaiah 60)
Luke writes of the shining “glory of the Lord” (Lk 2:9)
GOLD, FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH
Solomon received gifts of gold and myrrh (1K 10:10)
Isaiah said kings shall bring gold and frankincense (Is 60:1)
Jesus received gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Mt 2:11)
SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS
A king orders the murder of male children but Moses is saved (Ex 1:9)
A king orders the murder of male children but Jesus is saved (Mt 2:16)
30 CANDLES
Joseph began his public work at age 30 (Gn 41:46)
Jesus began his public work at age 30 (Lk 3:23)
WORDS FROM ON HIGH
Moses spoke to crowds about God from a mountain (Dt 5)
Jesus spoke to crowds about God from a hill (Mt 5)
PROFITABLE BETRAYAL
Judah (& bros) made 20 pieces of silver by betraying Joseph (Gn 37:28)
Judas made 30 pieces of silver by betraying Jesus (Mt 26:15)
PERFECT LAMB
Moses said a flawless lamb must be killed to save people (Ex 12:5)
Jesus is said to be a flawless lamb killed to save people (1 P 1:19)
FLESH-EATING WORMS
Isaiah said worms and fire await the disobedient (Isaiah 66:24)
Jesus said worms and fire await the disobedient (Mk 9:48)
BLIND NO MORE
God heals the blind (Is 35:5)
Jesus heals the blind (Mt 20:34)
BOAT IN A STORM
Asleep on a boat, Jonah is awakened and thrown overboard to calm a storm. (Jon 1)
Asleep on a boat, Jesus is awakened and he calms a storm. (Mk 4:35)
MID-DAY NIGHT
The sky is darkened at noon (Am 8:8)
The sky is darkened at noon (Mt 27:45)
ZOMBIES
The dead climb out of their graves (Ez 37:12)
The dead climb out of their graves (Mt 27:52)
GAMBLING FOR CLOTHES - Stolen Theme 52
“They gamble for my clothes and divide them among themselves” (Ps 22:18)
Men gamble for Jesus’ clothes and divide them among themselves (Mk 15:24)
SCAPEGOAT/LAMB - Stolen Theme 44
A goat carried away all the sins of the people (Lv 16:28)
Jesus carried away all the sins of the people (1 P 2:24)
HYSSOP BRANCH- Stolen Theme 45
A hyssop branch was used to wipe the blood of a slain lamb on doorposts (Ex 12:22)
A hyssop branch was used to lift a wine-soaked sponge to Jesus on the cross (Jn 19:29)
TEMPLE “CLEANSING” - Stolen Theme 38
Zechariah writes of no more traders in the Lord’s house (Zec 14:21)
Jesus drives out traders in the Lord’s house (Mt 21:12)
SHEPHERD - Stolen Theme 26
Joseph was a shepherd (Gn 37:2)
Jesus was a shepherd (Jn 10:11)
(more to come)
IN CONCLUSION
The True Believer may rationalize all of this away but there’s no disputing that there’s nothing unique about Jesus. Further study of comparative religions reveals Christianity stole all of its ideas—from the virgin birth to Jesus’ prophesied thousand year reign upon his return—from older scriptures and “pagan religions.” In fact, Christianity IS a pagan religion. It simply has outlasted most of its competition, aided by two millennia of persecuting them.
Two thousand years ago gods were a dime a dozen. People worshiped Osiris, Glycon, Simon, Apollonius of Tyana, Pythagoras, Orpheus, Dionysus, Zalmoxis, Kore, Samothrace, Attis, Adonis, Horus and Mithras. Their 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. The writers of the Christian scriptures—like those of Judaism before it, Islam after it, and the countless religions scattered all about it—were influenced by the superstitions of the time and borrowed (or less charitably—plagiarized) from other stories in making their own. But my argument is not that Jesus was copied from “pagan” religions (though these had an influence) but was largely created from the Jewish scriptures themselves—primarily the books of Kings which give us the escapades of the god-like characters, Elijah and Elisha. In fact, Jesus speaks about Eljah coming to get everything ready for him (Mt 17:11-12), compares himself to Elijah and Elisha (Lk 4:25-27) and Elijah even makes an appearance and converses with Jesus (Lk 9:30-31). Some people think Jesus IS Elijah (Mt 16:14). Even the names mean the same thing — Elisha meaning “God (Jehovah) is salvation” and Jesus, “Jehovah saves.”
Obviously, the gospel accounts aren’t word for word copies of these earlier myths, but many share an unmistakable theme upon which the later writer based his stories. The Jesus character presented in the bible was not a unique person in history but a literary Frankenstein, largely cobbled together from dozens of long existing stories.
THE FOLLOWING 30 COMPARISONS TAKEN COLLECTIVELY SHOW THAT JESUS WAS LIKELY A CHARACTER BASED ON ELIJAH AND ELISHA.
SHARP DRESSED MAN
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)
HOLY SPIRIT, HOLY RIVER
Elisha received the spirit at the Jordan (2K 2:9)
Jesus received the spirit at the Jordan (Mk 1:1)
40 DAY & NIGHT FAST
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)
Also Moses (Ex 34:28)
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)
PROPHET
Elijah was called a prophet (1K 1:3)
Jesus was called a prophet (Lk 7:17)
GROUPIES
Elisha had a group of followers (2K 6)
Jesus had a group of followers (Mk 13)
FAITHFUL SERVANT
Elijah did as God commanded (2K 1:4)
Jesus did as God commanded (Jn 4:34)
VISIONS OF DOOM
Elijah could see the future and spoke of horrible violence coming soon (2K 8:12)
Jesus could see the future and spoke of horrible violence coming soon (Lk 21:10-33)
DRINK OF WATER
Upon entering a town, Elijah had a woman get him a glass of water and then worked a miracle (1K 17:10)
Upon entering a town, Jesus had a woman get him a glass of water and then promised a miracle (Jn 4:5)
COMMANDER OF THE ELEMENTS
Elijah controlled the weather (1K 17:1)
Jesus controlled the weather (Mk 4:39 also Ps 107:28)
CROSSING THE WATER
Elijah and Elisha walked across divided water (2K 2:8)
Jesus walked across the top of water (Mk 6:45)
HELPING THE ARMY OFFICER
Elisha helped an army officer (2K 5:1-15)
Jesus helped an army officer (Mt 8:5-6)
NOW YOU SEE, NOW YOU DON’T
Elisha caused the seeing to go blind (2K 6:18) and the blind to see (2K 6:20)
Jesus made the blind see (Mk 8: 21-26)
THE LEPER
Elisha healed a man with leprosy (2K 5)
Jesus healed a man with leprosy (Mk 1:41)
RAISING THE DEAD I
Elijah raised a widow’s dead son & gave him to his mother (1K 17:21)
Jesus raised a widow’s dead son & gave him to his mother (Lk 7:11)
RAISING THE DEAD II
Elisha raised a dead child in a home (2K 4:27-37)
Jesus raised a dead child in a home (Mk 5:22-43)
RAISING THE DEAD III
Elisha’s bones raised a dead man in a tomb (2 K:21)
Jesus raised a dead man in a tomb (Jn 11)
FEEDING THE MULTITUDE
Elisha fed a multitude and had left overs (2K 4:42)
Jesus fed a multitude and had left overs (Mk 6:31)
CURSE OF DEATH
Elisha’s curse caused death (2K 2:24)
Jesus’ curse caused death (Mt 21:18)
MAGIC NUMBER
Elijah used 12 stones to rebuild the altar (1K 18:32)
Jesus used 12 disciples to build the Church (Mt 10:1)
FOOT OF THE MASTER
A distraught woman held Elisha’s feet (2K 4:27)
A distraught woman held Jesus’ feet (Lk 7:36)
FINANCIAL WIZARD
Elisha worked a financial miracle (2K 4:1)
Jesus worked a financial miracle (Mt 17: 24)
TRANSFORMER
Elisha transformed a substance — food (2K 4:38) and water (2K 2:19-22)
Jesus transformed a substance — water (Jn 2:6)
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)
GO IN PEACE
Elisha said “Go in peace” (2 K 5:19)
Jesus said “Go in peace” (Lk 7:50)
DUPLICITOUS UNDERLING
Elisha’s duplicitous servant asked for 3,000 silver coins & suffered dire consequences (2K 5)
Jesus’ duplicitous disciple accepted 30 silver coins & suffered dire consequences (Mt 26:14)
WANTED MAN
The people wanted to kill Elijah (1 K 19:10)
The people wanted to kill Jesus (Mt 27:20)
MY LORD, MY LORD!
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)
TEARING OF CLOTH
Elisha tore his cloak in two upon Elijah’s death (2K 12)
The Temple’s curtain tore in two upon Jesus’ death (Mt 27:51)
HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN
Elijah was visibly taken to heaven (2K 2:11)
Jesus was visibly taken to heaven (Acts 1:9)
NT PASSAGES WITH CITED OT SCRIPTURE SHOWING INDISPUTABLE SOURCE:
ELIJAH AND ELISHA (1K 17:8-24, 2K 5) (Lk 4:23-27)
Jesus cites the miracles performed by Elijah and Elisha
FATE OF CRIMINALS ( ?) (Lk 22:37)
Jesus cites OT scripture about sharing the fate of criminals
GOING TO KILL THEM ALL! (Lk 17:22-30)
Jesus cites the stories of Noah and Sodom and says when the Son of Man is revealed it will be like in the time of Noah when The Flood came and “killed them all” and when fire and sulfur rained on Sodom and “killed them all.”
DAVID’S BREAD (1Samuel 21:1-6) (Mk 2:25-26)
Jesus cites the story of David and his men eating holy bread
KILL THE CURSERS (Ex 21:17) (Mt 15:4)
Jesus notes God’s Law that demands those cursing their parents must be killed.
3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS (Mt 12:40) (Jon 1:17)
Jesus said, just as Jonah spent 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish, he will spend 3 days and nights in the earth
UNBROKEN BONES (Ps 34:20, also Ex 12:46) (Jn 19:34)
The Psalmist’s words that the righteous won’t have any bones broken
is cited and Jesus’ bones aren’t broken
PIERCING (Jn 19:34) (Zec 12:10)
Jesus is pierced by a soldier and Zechariah’s words that people will look upon the pierced is cited
DONKEY DONKEY (Zec 9:9) (Mt 21:1)
Matthew cites Zechariah’s words that a king comes riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey and Jesus mounts both a donkey and a colt
SCATTERED FLOCK (Zec 13:7) (Mt 26:31)
Jesus says his disciples will run away and cites Zechariah’s words that God said kill the shepherd and the sheep will scatter
ESCAPE TO EGYPT (Ho 11) (Mt 2:14)
Jesus is taken to Egypt and Hosea’s words are cited: “out of Egypt I have called my son”
UNROLLING THE SCROLL (Jn 4:16-20)
Jesus quotes OT scripture and says it has come true with his reading
IMMANUEL (Is 7:14) (Mt 1:22)
Isaiah said a young woman will give birth to a son named Immanuel
OT verse is cited / Note: “young woman” is mistranslated as “virgin”
BETHLEHEM (Mic 5:2) (Mt 2:6)
God said he will bring forth a ruler from Bethlehem
OT verse is cited / Jesus is born in Bethlehem
GALILEE (Mt 4:12-17)
OT verse is cited / Jesus goes away to Galilee
NT STORIES WITH LIKELY OT SOURCES
DIVINE BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
An angel told Samson’s mother she’d have a son (Jg 13:2)
An angel told Jesus’ mother she’d have a son (Lk 1:30)
WONDER WOMB
Joseph was a miracle baby (Gn 30:22)
Jesus was a miracle baby (Mt 1:18)
PRAYER OF PRAISE
Hannah praises God after conceiving Samuel by divine intervention (1 Sm 2:1)
Mary praises God after conceiving Jesus by divine intervention (Lk 1:46)
GLORY OF THE LORD
Isaiah writes of the shining “glory of the Lord” (Isaiah 60)
Luke writes of the shining “glory of the Lord” (Lk 2:9)
GOLD, FRANKINCENSE & MYRRH
Solomon received gifts of gold and myrrh (1K 10:10)
Isaiah said kings shall bring gold and frankincense (Is 60:1)
Jesus received gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Mt 2:11)
SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS
A king orders the murder of male children but Moses is saved (Ex 1:9)
A king orders the murder of male children but Jesus is saved (Mt 2:16)
30 CANDLES
Joseph began his public work at age 30 (Gn 41:46)
Jesus began his public work at age 30 (Lk 3:23)
WORDS FROM ON HIGH
Moses spoke to crowds about God from a mountain (Dt 5)
Jesus spoke to crowds about God from a hill (Mt 5)
PROFITABLE BETRAYAL
Judah (& bros) made 20 pieces of silver by betraying Joseph (Gn 37:28)
Judas made 30 pieces of silver by betraying Jesus (Mt 26:15)
PERFECT LAMB
Moses said a flawless lamb must be killed to save people (Ex 12:5)
Jesus is said to be a flawless lamb killed to save people (1 P 1:19)
FLESH-EATING WORMS
Isaiah said worms and fire await the disobedient (Isaiah 66:24)
Jesus said worms and fire await the disobedient (Mk 9:48)
BLIND NO MORE
God heals the blind (Is 35:5)
Jesus heals the blind (Mt 20:34)
BOAT IN A STORM
Asleep on a boat, Jonah is awakened and thrown overboard to calm a storm. (Jon 1)
Asleep on a boat, Jesus is awakened and he calms a storm. (Mk 4:35)
MID-DAY NIGHT
The sky is darkened at noon (Am 8:8)
The sky is darkened at noon (Mt 27:45)
ZOMBIES
The dead climb out of their graves (Ez 37:12)
The dead climb out of their graves (Mt 27:52)
GAMBLING FOR CLOTHES - Stolen Theme 52
“They gamble for my clothes and divide them among themselves” (Ps 22:18)
Men gamble for Jesus’ clothes and divide them among themselves (Mk 15:24)
SCAPEGOAT/LAMB - Stolen Theme 44
A goat carried away all the sins of the people (Lv 16:28)
Jesus carried away all the sins of the people (1 P 2:24)
HYSSOP BRANCH- Stolen Theme 45
A hyssop branch was used to wipe the blood of a slain lamb on doorposts (Ex 12:22)
A hyssop branch was used to lift a wine-soaked sponge to Jesus on the cross (Jn 19:29)
TEMPLE “CLEANSING” - Stolen Theme 38
Zechariah writes of no more traders in the Lord’s house (Zec 14:21)
Jesus drives out traders in the Lord’s house (Mt 21:12)
SHEPHERD - Stolen Theme 26
Joseph was a shepherd (Gn 37:2)
Jesus was a shepherd (Jn 10:11)
(more to come)
IN CONCLUSION
The True Believer may rationalize all of this away but there’s no disputing that there’s nothing unique about Jesus. Further study of comparative religions reveals Christianity stole all of its ideas—from the virgin birth to Jesus’ prophesied thousand year reign upon his return—from older scriptures and “pagan religions.” In fact, Christianity IS a pagan religion. It simply has outlasted most of its competition, aided by two millennia of persecuting them.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
thought of the day.235
There’s no better medicine than laughter and nothing better to laugh at than oneself.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
thought of the day.234
It has long been recognized that men make gods in their own image. Greek philosopher, Xenophenes, noted, “The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed and black while the Thracians say that theirs have blue eyes and red hair. Yet if cattle or horses or lions had hands and could draw and could sculpture like men, then horses would draw their gods like horses, and cattle like cattle, and each would then shape bodies of gods in the likeness, each kind of its own.”
The Israelites, just like the Ethiopians and Thracians, created their god in their own image. Yahweh was an exalted father and they were his children. Like other parents, he took strolls in the garden and like most men, he savored the smell of cooking meat. He was also the tribal leader, who took up residence in a tent and gave the orders of when to make and break camp. He was a tailor, who made clothes out of animal skins; a ship builder, who designed the very first boat; an architect, who provided plans for buildings; an interior designer who specified fabric colors, lamp styles, artwork and placement of furnishings; a judge, who sought justice and resolved conflicts the same way his people did—with violence; an assassin, who waited at a camping place to kill Moses and a “man of war” who directed the Israeli army to commit genocide.
Though he wore many hats, in the final analysis, Yahweh was the “father” of Israel. As a father figure, he was a firm disciplinarian and sadly, like many fathers, he was physically abusive, punishing his children by hurting or killing them in myriad ways.
By recognizing our innate tendency to anthropomorphize we can purposefully dismiss these absurd thoughts and any notions that even hint of a super-human deity as being the product of our very human imagination.
Thanks for the art goes to my uber talented friend, Willie Baronet.
williebaronet.blogspot.com
Friday, March 6, 2009
thought of the day.233
It isn’t love that fuels religion but fear. Fear of the unknown, death, loneliness and being unloved. But as Marie Curie said, “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” The more our knowledge about ourselves and the universe increases, and the more compassion, love, and reality-based hope we can fill the world with, the less need there’ll be for fear-based superstitious belief systems.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
thought of the day.232
WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY PROGRAMMED THOUGHT OF THE DAY FOR AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE. EVERYONE’S FAVORITE REVEREND STAYED UP VERY LATE LAST NIGHT UNEARTHING STARTLING AND COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT JESUS WAS NOT A UNIQUE HISTORICAL PERSON BUT SIMPLY A FICTIONAL CHARACTER BASED ON A VERY SIMILAR CHARACTER THAT PRECEDED HIM. THE WORLD (OR AT LEAST THE 3 PEOPLE WHO OCCASIONALLY VISIT THE TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS CHURCH OF REASON) SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH MONDAY, MARCH 9.
NOTE: YOU MAY WANT TO STOCK UP ON BATTERIES, WATER AND CANNED FOOD AS THERE IS NO TELLING HOW THIS EVIDENCE MAY SHAKE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
NOTE: YOU MAY WANT TO STOCK UP ON BATTERIES, WATER AND CANNED FOOD AS THERE IS NO TELLING HOW THIS EVIDENCE MAY SHAKE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. HAVE A GOOD DAY.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
thought of the day.231
Reason and Christianity
In our modern age of science, it seems Christians are increasingly uncomfortable with merely having child-like “faith.” They want to claim their belief is reasonable. But there is nothing reasonable about talking bushes, snakes and donkeys, nor the other myriad fantastic stories of scripture. These things are, by definition, unreasonable.
Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant Reformation, understood that not only was reason incompatible with Christianity—it threatened it. He noted, “There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach a donkey to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for 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.”
And if trampling reason, sense and understanding under foot doesn’t do the trick, Luther suggests blinding oneself to such things: “Whoever wishes to be a Christian, let him tear out the eyes of his reason.”
St. Tertullian turned reason completely upside down and inside out by claiming the more unreasonable Christianity seemed, the more reasonable it was to believe it: “And the Son of God died; it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd. And He was buried and rose again; the fact is certain because it is impossible.”
Works Vol. 12, First Psalm Lectures, Luther's Works, Vol. 11, p.285
In our modern age of science, it seems Christians are increasingly uncomfortable with merely having child-like “faith.” They want to claim their belief is reasonable. But there is nothing reasonable about talking bushes, snakes and donkeys, nor the other myriad fantastic stories of scripture. These things are, by definition, unreasonable.
Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant Reformation, understood that not only was reason incompatible with Christianity—it threatened it. He noted, “There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason, especially if she enters into spiritual matters which concern the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach a donkey to read than to blind such a reason and lead it right; for 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.”
And if trampling reason, sense and understanding under foot doesn’t do the trick, Luther suggests blinding oneself to such things: “Whoever wishes to be a Christian, let him tear out the eyes of his reason.”
St. Tertullian turned reason completely upside down and inside out by claiming the more unreasonable Christianity seemed, the more reasonable it was to believe it: “And the Son of God died; it is by all means to be believed, because it is absurd. And He was buried and rose again; the fact is certain because it is impossible.”
Works Vol. 12, First Psalm Lectures, Luther's Works, Vol. 11, p.285
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
thought of the day.230
There is no easier, no cheaper, no less honorable way to increase one’s power and influence than to suggest “God” is on one’s side.
Monday, March 2, 2009
thought of the day.229
Morality
Christians speak of an “objective moral law giver” or “God” as being imperative to having a basis for morality. But a “moral law” is an oxymoron. Morality comes from within not without. It is a personal response to a particular situation, the consideration of consequences to one’s actions. It demands the best of us— wisdom, empathy, and courage not mere obedience to authority.
My friend, Jason Heatherly, shared this story about his experience with Christianity. His willingness to question authority and his courage to go against the grain of a group’s idea of goodness, is to my mind, an excellent example of true morality:
“I grew up protestant primarily because my mother’s father was a protestant preacher. My dad never really claimed a denomination, just sorta went through the motions. In High School I was involved in a christian group called young life. It's pretty popular amongst HS kids and it was mostly just to socialize for me more than anything. The summer I graduated from HS in 2001 I went to a camp in Virginia and Florida and West Virginia. It was a blast. White water rafting and the beach and the girls on the trip I didn’t mind either, but then we got to the actual camp and I sat through and listened every night to what these guys were telling me and I just couldn't buy it. It was all scare tactics.
“There was a moment out in the camp where we were to all go somewhere and sit by ourselves and “think” for 15 minutes. I sat there, and watched everyone else sitting there and thought something was off. We came back in and everyone was to pass a mic around and say they have “given their life to christ” or just pass the mic. Well, out of 500 kids, I was the only one to just pass the mic. I remember afterwards my camp leader, who was also my basketball coach, asked if I had a bible. I remember laughing a little bit.
“Since then I got really into learning more about religion, and that just turned into realizing how much sense it actually doesn‘t make. So I have been an atheist (not as outspoken as I used to be about it) for about 5 or 6 years. I have lost friends over it, had gf break up with me over it, had people tell me they feel sorry for me. Nothing actually irritates me more than the ‘religious right.’”
Christians speak of an “objective moral law giver” or “God” as being imperative to having a basis for morality. But a “moral law” is an oxymoron. Morality comes from within not without. It is a personal response to a particular situation, the consideration of consequences to one’s actions. It demands the best of us— wisdom, empathy, and courage not mere obedience to authority.
My friend, Jason Heatherly, shared this story about his experience with Christianity. His willingness to question authority and his courage to go against the grain of a group’s idea of goodness, is to my mind, an excellent example of true morality:
“I grew up protestant primarily because my mother’s father was a protestant preacher. My dad never really claimed a denomination, just sorta went through the motions. In High School I was involved in a christian group called young life. It's pretty popular amongst HS kids and it was mostly just to socialize for me more than anything. The summer I graduated from HS in 2001 I went to a camp in Virginia and Florida and West Virginia. It was a blast. White water rafting and the beach and the girls on the trip I didn’t mind either, but then we got to the actual camp and I sat through and listened every night to what these guys were telling me and I just couldn't buy it. It was all scare tactics.
“There was a moment out in the camp where we were to all go somewhere and sit by ourselves and “think” for 15 minutes. I sat there, and watched everyone else sitting there and thought something was off. We came back in and everyone was to pass a mic around and say they have “given their life to christ” or just pass the mic. Well, out of 500 kids, I was the only one to just pass the mic. I remember afterwards my camp leader, who was also my basketball coach, asked if I had a bible. I remember laughing a little bit.
“Since then I got really into learning more about religion, and that just turned into realizing how much sense it actually doesn‘t make. So I have been an atheist (not as outspoken as I used to be about it) for about 5 or 6 years. I have lost friends over it, had gf break up with me over it, had people tell me they feel sorry for me. Nothing actually irritates me more than the ‘religious right.’”
Sunday, March 1, 2009
thought of the day.228
“A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men. It needs a fearless outlook and a free intelligence.”
~ Bertrand Russell
~ Bertrand Russell
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