thought of the day.400

Tertullian, said it is “shameful” to reason that the Son of God was born, “monstrously absurd” to think he died and “manifestly impossible” to believe he rose again... Yet he “happily” acted the fool and swallowed it all — hook, line and sinker. Such reasoning prowess!... How did this esteemed Church Father manage to dress himself?

“I find no other means to prove myself to be impudent with success, and happily a fool, than by my contempt of shame, - as, for instance, I maintain that the Son of God was born. Why am I not ashamed of maintaining such a thing? Why, but because it is itself a shameful thing. I maintain that the Son of God died. Well, that is wholly credible, because it is monstrously absurd. I maintain that after having been buried he rose again; and that I take to be mainly true, because it was manifestly impossible.”

~ Tertullian

thought of the day.399

“You must be the change you seek in the world.”

~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

thought of the day.398

Certainty is born of small minds.

thought of the day.397

Studying my bible this morning I come across a gem in Mark that made me laugh. Seems a cloud suddenly appears which covers the disciples with a shadow. Then a voice comes out of the cloud, “This is my own dear Son — listen to him!” Sorry, but that is just so Monty Python. I’m afraid to keep reading. The next chapter will surely tell of a giant boot coming out of the cloud to squish the disobedient.

thought of the day.396

“The four Gospels that eventually made it into the New Testament...are all anonymous, written in the third person about Jesus and his companions. None of them contains a first-person narrative ("One day, when Jesus and I went into Capernaum..."), or claims to be written by an eyewitness or companion of an eyewitness. Why then do we call them Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Because sometime in the second century, when proto-orthodox Christians recognized the need for apostolic authorities, they attributed these books to apostles (Matthew and John) and close companions of apostles (Mark, the secretary of Peter; and Luke, the traveling companion of Paul). Most scholars today have abandoned these identifications, and recognize that the books were written by otherwise unknown but relatively well-educated Greek-speaking (and writing) Christians during the second half of the first century.”

~ Bart Ehrman "Lost Christianities"

thought of the day.395

“One of the most frightening things in the Western world, and in this country in particular, is the number of people who believe in things that are scientifically false. If someone tells me that the earth is less than 10,000 years old, in my opinion he should see a psychiatrist.”

~ Francis Crick, Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology, 1962

thought of the day.394

3 Problems with Jesus’ Sacrifice

1. HELL
According to Christian doctrine, Jesus died to save humanity from hell. Of course he created hell, so to praise him for this is like praising a fireman for saving children from a house he set ablaze.

2. DEATH
An all-knowing and all-powerful eternal being cannot die, has nothing to fear and knows his “death” is not really death at all. To say “Jesus died for our sins” is quite misleading.

3. SACRIFICE
What exactly did Jesus sacrifice? Not his life and certainly not his comfort — he moved from the outhouse of earth to the penthouse of heaven. It wasn’t even an extraordinary act. What good parent would not do the same for their child? What good spouse would not do the same for their partner? What good friend and neighbor would not do the same to save his friends and neighbors from eternal suffering?

Jesus is not only a myth but a rather poor one at that.

thought of the day.393

HATE AND IGNORANCE ALERT

Paraphrasing: “Homosexual behavior should be made illegal. Employers should be able to refuse to hire homosexuals. The military should refuse to allow homosexuals to serve their country. All homosexuals must undergo therapy to change their sexual preference or be imprisoned until they do so.”

~ Christian talk show host, Bryan Fisher, Focal Point, February, 2010

thought of the day.392

“Elements that were common in Pagan mystery religions include much of the religious content of Christianity. All elements of Jesus' life such as the events around his birth and death and ministry were also said of other god-men of the time. Peripheral elements such as there being twelve disciples were similarly present in other more ancient religions and sometimes with an astonishing amount of duplication. First century critics of Christianity voiced these accusations that Christianity was nothing but another copy of common religions, they are not new accusations.

All the actual sayings and teachings of Jesus were also not new, and much of the time speeches attributed to Jesus are more like collections of Jewish and Pagan sayings. Even distinctive texts like the Sermon on the Mount are not unique. If we remove all the content that Jesus could not have heard and repeated himself, there is nothing else left. If we remove the supernatural elements of Christianity that are copies of already existing thought and religion, there is nothing left which is unique! Even much of the sayings of subsequent Christians is not unique; Jesus appears to not have taught anyone anything that was not already present in the common culture of the time. This shows us that not only did Christianity follow on, as expected, from previous thought in history but that we do not even need to believe in God or supernatural events in order to account for the history of Christianity. Stephen Hodge very usefully lists many of the similarities found in the Dead Sea Scrolls to the teachings and organisation of Jewish Christianity. He also concludes that these Jewish documents make the teachings and appearance of Jewish Christianity less revolutionary.”

~ Vexen Crabtree, "History of literalism"

thought of the day.391

One of the many poorly conceived thoughts found in the bible concerns the commanding of respect for parents. Respect can’t be commanded, only earned. Commanding respect for an abusive parent is immoral and destructive.

thought of the day.390

'If God does not exist, everything is permitted' so say many Christians. Really? Maybe they know themselves and are admitting that without the fear of divine punishment or hope of divine reward they would be immoral, law-breaking hooligans. Does that mean all the atheists who manage to be good neighbors and citizens are just better people?

thought of the day.389

Jesus was not a flesh and blood person but a creation of writers. Almost every single aspect of the Jesus character’s story is found in the Old Testament, from the birth announcement heralded by angels to the grand exit into the clouds. We see the inspiration for the stories of gifts of gold and myrrh, slaughter of innocents, walking on water, calming the wind, transforming food, healing the blind, raising the dead, feeding the multitude, curing the leper, helping the officers, betrayal, zombies! and on and on.

thought of the day.388

Ricky Gervais speaking about his godless movie, The Invention of Lying:

"One reviewer said that ‘I don’t know why Ricky Gervais feels the need to shove his atheism down our throat’. I thought, woah, well this is one film that dares to presume the lack of God, whereas every other film I’ve ever seen presumes a God. There are door-to-door Bible salesmen. It’s taught in schools as fact. Children are indoctrinated with it from the age of four. And I’m the one shoving the ideas! Surely, we can have a discussion about it?

It seems a little bit unfair. And I don’t think it is atheist propaganda, in a world where no one has ever had the ability to lie, as an atheist, to suggest I believe that religion was started by man. And I put that in a film. I’d be a hypocrite to say anything else."

thought of the day.387

Good to remember how little we really know.

thought of the day.386

"There is an anaesthetic of familiarity, a sedative of ordinariness which dulls the senses and hides the wonder of existence. For those of us not gifted in poetry, it is at least worth while from time to time making an effort to shake off the anaesthetic. What is the best way of countering the sluggish habitutation brought about by our gradual crawl from babyhood? We can't actually fly to another planet. But we can recapture that sense of having just tumbled out to life on a new world by looking at our own world in unfamiliar ways."

~ Richard Dawkins (Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder)

thought of the day.385

All natural occurrences—from an earthquake to an exploding star in a distant galaxy— are completely meaningless. All human actions in and of themselves are also meaningless. Only when we give something meaning does it have one.

thought of the day.384

So many gods...

Abassi, Abeona, Abgal, Abuk, Abundantia, Ac Yanto, Acan, Acat, Achelois, Achelous, Acolmiztli, Acolnahuacatl, Adamanthea, Adeona, Adimurti, Adityas, Adonis, Adrammelech, Adrasteia, Adroa, Adroanzi, Aegea, Aengus, Aeolus, Aequitas, Aether, Aethon, Aetna, Africus, Agastya, Age, Aghora, Aglaea, Agni... See More, Agoue, Agrotora, Agwe, Ah Bolom Tzacab, Ah Cancum, Ah Chun Caan, Ah Chuy Kak, Ah Ciliz, Ah Cun Can, Ah Cuxtal, Ah Hulneb, Ah Kin, Ah Kumix Uinicob, Ah Mun, Ah Muzencab, Ah Peku, Ah Puch, Ah Tabai, Ah Uincir Dz'acab, Ah Uuc Ticab, Aha Njoku, Ahau-Kin, Ahmakiq, Ahulane, Ahura Mazda, Aida-Wedo, Ailuros, Aine, Airmid, Aita, Aizan, Aizen-Myoo, Aja, Aja, Ajbit, Aji-Suki-Taka-Hi-Kone, Ajok, Aker, Akhushtal, Akkan, Alaghom Naom, Alauwaimis, Alcyone, Alecto, Alectrona, Alemonia, Allah, Alom, Alpan, Alpheus, Ama-arhus, Amaethon, Ama-No-Minaka-Nushi, Amaterasu, Amathaunta, Amatsu Mikaboshi, Amatsu-Kami, Ama-Tsu-Mara, Amaunet, Ambika, Ame-No-Mi-Kumari, Ame-No-Wakahiko, Ament, Amida, Amimitl, Ammavaru, Ammon, Am-No-Tanabata-Hime, Amphitrite, Amun, Amun-Re, Amurru, An, Anala, Ananke, Anansi, Anantesa, Anatu, Andhrimnir, Andjety, Angerona, Angita, Angitia, Angrboda, Anhur, Ani, Anila, Ankt, Anna Perenna, Annamurti, Annapurna, Anouke, Ansa, Anteros, Antevorte, Anti, Antu, Anu, Anubis, Anuket, Anumati, Anunitu, Anuradha, Apa, Apam Napat, Apep, Apet, Aphrodite, Apis, Aplu, Apo, Apocatequil, Apollo, Apsaras, Apsu, Apu Illapu, Apu Punchau, Aquilo, Aradia, Aranyani, Arazu, Ardhanari, Ardhanarisvara, Ardra, Arebati, Arensnuphis, Ares, Arianrhod, Artemis, Artume, Arundhati, Aruru, Aryman, Asa, Asclepius, Ashnan, Aslesa, Astamatara, Astraea, Astrild, Asuras, Asvayujau, Asvins, Aten, Athena, Aticandika, Atl, Atla, Atlas, Atlaua, Atri, Atum, Audhumla, Aurora, Auster, Avatars of Vishnu, Aya, Ayyappan, Azaca, Ba, Ba, Ba Xian, Baal, Baba, Babbar, Babi, Bacabs, Bacchus, Backlum Chaam, Badb, Baku, Bala, Balakrsna, Balam, Balarama, Balder, Bali, Balor, Banba, Banebdjetet, Banga, Banka-Mundi, Baron Cimetiere, Baron Samedi, Baron-La-Croix, Bastet, Bat, Belatu-Cadros, Belenus, Belet-Ili, Beletseri, Belisama, Bellona, Benten, Benzai-Ten, Bes, Beset, Beyla, Bhadra, Bhaga, Bharani, Bharat Mata, Bharati, Bhavani, Bhumidevi, Bhumiya, Bhutamata, Bhuvanesvari, Bile, Bimbogami, Binzuru-Sonja, Bishamon, Bitol, Bixia Yuanjin, Boann, Bolontiku, Bomazi, Bona Dea, Boreas, Borghild, Bosatsu, Bragi, Brahma, Brahmani, Bran, Branwen, Bres, Brigit, Brigitte, Brihaspati, Brono, Bubona, Buddha, Budha, Budhi Pallien, Buku, Buluc Chabtan, Bumba, Buto, Butsu, Bylgia, Cabaguil, Caca, Cailleach, Cailleach Beara, Cai-shen, Cakulha, Calliope, Camaxtli, Camazotz, Camenae, Candelifera, Cao Guo-jiu, Caprakan, Cardea, Caridwen, Carmenta, Carna, Carrefour, Catequil, Cauac, Cautha, Cavillaca, Centeotl, Centzonuitznaua, Ceres, Cernunnos, Cghene, Chac, Chac Uayab Xoc, Chaitanya, Chalchiuhtlatonal, Chalchiuhtlicue, Chalchiutotolin, Chalmecacihuilt, Chalmecatl, Chama, Chamer, Chandanayika, Chandika, Chandra, Chantico, Chaob, Chaos, Charun, Chasca, Chasca Coyllur, Cheng-huang, Chenti-cheti, Chenti-irti, Cherti, Chibirias, Chiccan, Chicomecoatl, Chicomexochtli, Chiconahui, Chien-shin, Chimata-no-kami, Chinnamastaka, Chitra, Chitragupta, Chiuta, Chloris, Chnum, Chons, Chontamenti, Chu Jiang, Chuku, Chup-Kamui, Cihuacoatl, Cinxia, Cit Bolon Tum, Citlalatonac, Citlalicue, Ciucoatl, Cizin, Clementia, Clio, Cloacina, Coatlicue, Cochimetl, Cocomama, Coelus, Coeus, Colel Cab, Colop U Uichkin, Comus, Conditor, Coniraya, Consus, Convector, Copacati, Copia, Coyolxauhqui, Coyopa, Cronus, Cuba, Culsu, Cum Hau, Cunina, Cupid, Da, Dagda, Dagon, Dagur, Daibosatsu, Daikoku, Dainichi, Damballah-Wedo, Damgalnunna, Danu, Danu, Dea Tacita, Decima, Dedun, Dei Lucrii, Demeter, Deng, Devaki, Devapurohita, Devera, Deverra, Devi, Dewi, Dhanapati, Dhanistha, Dhanvantari, Dhara, Dharma, Dharti Mata, Dha-shi-zhi, Dhatar, Dhatri, Dhisana, Dhruva, Diana, Di-cang, Di-guan, Dionysus, Dirae, Dis Pater, Disciplina, Discordia, Disen, Dius Fidus, Djeheuty, Domfe, Dongo, Dong-yue da-di, Dosojin, Dou-mu, Dozoku-shin, Dua, Duamutef, Dumuzi, Durgha, Dyaus Pita, Dyavaprthivi, Dylan, Dziva, Ea, Ebeh, Ebisu, Edinkira, Egestes, Egungun-oya, Ehecatl, Eir, Eirene, Ekchuah, Ekibiogami, Ekkeko, Elli, Ellil, Emma-o, Empanda, Endovelicus, Enekpe, En-kai, Enmesarra, Ennead, Ennugi, Enyo, Eos, Epimethus, Epona, Erato, Erebus, Ereshkigal, Erinyes, Eris, Er-lang, Eros, Erra, Erzulie, Erzulie Dantor, Eseasar, Eshu, Eurus, Euterpe, Evan, Eventus Bonus, Fabulinus, Fama, Fan-kui, Faro, Fauna, Faunus, Faustitas, Favonius, Febris, Februus, Fei Lian, Felicitas, Feng Bo, Feng Po-po, Fenrir, Feronia, Feronia, Fides, Flora, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Fontus, Fornax, Forseti, Fortuna, Freya, Freyr, Frigg, Fudo, Fufluns, Fujin, Fukurokuju, Fulgora, Funadama, Furies, Furies, Furina, Futsu-Nushi-no-Kami, Fu-xing, Gaea, Gama, Gamab, Gandharvas, Ganesha, Ganga, Gao Yao, Gbadu, Geb, Gefion, Gekka-o, Gerd, Ghanan, Gibil, Girru, God, Goibhnu, Gong De Tian, Gong Gong, Gou Mang, Graces, Grand Bois, Grand Maitre, Gratiae, Guan-di, Gucumatz, Guede, Gui Xian, Gula, Gun, Gun, Gunab, Gwydion, Hacha'kyum, Hachiman, Hades, Hah, Han, Han Xian-zi, Haniyasu-hiko, Haniyasu-hime, Hanuman, Hapi, Harihara, Har-nedj-itef, Har-pa-khered, Hathor, Hatmehit, Hauhet, Haya-Ji, He Bo, He Xian-gu, Hebe, Hecate, Hedetet, Heh, Heimdall, Heitsi, Heket, Hel, Helios, Hemen, Hemera, Hemsut, Heng O, Hephaestus, Hera, Heracles, Hermes, Hermod, Hesat, Hesperos, Hestia, Hez-ur, Hike, Hippona, Hiranyagarbha, Hiruko, Hod, Holler, Honos, Horta, Horus, Hoso-no-Kami, Hotei, Hou Ji, Hou Tu, How-chu, How-too, Hu Jing-de, Huaca, Huang Fei-hu, Huang-lao, Huang-lao-jun, Huehueteotl, Huitzilopochtli, Huixtocihuatl, Humbaba, Hun Came, Hun Hunahpu, Hunab Ku, Hurakan, Huve, Hygieia, Hyperion, Hypnos, Ida, Ida-Ten, Idun, Ihu, Ihy, Ika-Zuchi-no-Kami, Iki-Ryo, Illapa, Imana, Imiut, Imra, Imset, Inanna, Inari, Indivia, Indra, Indrani, Inmutef, Inti, Ipet, Irkalla, Isara, Ishkhara, Ishkur, Ishtar, Isis, Isora, Itzamna, Itzananohk`u, Itzlacoliuhque, Itzli, Itzpapalotl, Ix, Ix Chebel Yax, Ixchel, Ixtab, Ixtlilton, Ixzaluoh, Izanagi, Izanami, Jaganmatri, Janus, Ji Nu, Jian Lao, Jin Jia, Jinushigami, Jizo, Joh, Jok, Jord, Jormungand, Jove, Juichimen, Juno, Jupiter, Jurojin, Justitia, Juturna, Juventas, Kaang, Ka-Ata-Killa, Kagutsuchi, Kaka-Guie, Kaksisa, Kali, Kalki, Kalunga, Kama, Kamado-gami, Kami-kaze, Kaminari, Kan, Kanayama-hiko, Kanayama-hime, Kan-u-Uayeyab, Kan-xib-yui, Kari, Kartikeya, Karttikeya, Kauket, Kawa-no-Kami, Kebechet, Kebechsenef, Kemwer, Kenro-Ji-Jin, Khem, Khentamenti, Khentimentiu, Khepri, Khnum, Khonvoum, Ki, Kianto, K'in, Kinich Ahau, Kishi-Bojin, Kishijoten, Kishimo-jin, Kojin, Kombu, Kon, Ko-no-Hana, Koshin, Koya-no-Myoin, Krishna, Kubera, Kui-xing, Kuk, Kukulcan, Kukunochi-no-Kami, Kulitta, Kulla, Kuni-Toko-tachi, Kura-Okami, Kurma, Kusag, Kvasir, Kwan Yin, La Sirene, Lactans, Laga, Lahar, Lakshmi, Lamastu, Lan Cai-he, Lao-jun, Laran, Larenta, Lares, Lasa, Latona, Laverna, Legba, Legba, Lei-gong, Lei-zi, Leto, Li Tie-guai, Liber, Libera, Liberalitas, Libertas, Libitina, Lima, Ling-bao tian-zong, Lisa, Liu Bei, Lleu, Loco, Lofn, Loki, Long-wang, Losna, Lu Ban, Lu Dong-bin, Lucifer, Lucina, Lugh, Luna, Lu-xing, Ma Wang, Maahes, Ma'at, Macuilxochitl, Magna Mater, Magni, Mahes, Maia, Maiesta, Maitreya, Malinalxochi, Mama, Mama Allpa, Mama Cocha, Mama Oello, Mama Pacha, Mama Quilla, Mami Wata, Ma-mian, Mamitu, Mammetu, Manannan mac Lir, Manasa-Devi, Manco Capac, Mani, Mania, Mania, Mantus, Marassa, Marduk, Marinette, Marisha-Ten, Mars, Martu, Maruts, Massim-Biambe, Matarisvan, Matsya, Matuta, Mawaya-no-kami, Mawu, Mbaba Mwana Waresa, Mbomba, Meditrina, Mefitis, Mehturt, Mellona, Melpomene, Mena, Mendes, Menhit, Menrva, Mens, Men-shen, Menthu, Mercury, Meret, Meretseger, Mesenet, Meskhenet, Messor, Metis, Metztli, Mextli, Mictlantecutli, Miming, Mimir, Min, Minerva, Minga Bengale, Miro...

“To me, it seems easy to account for these ideas concerning gods and devils. They are a perfectly natural production. Man has created them all, and under the same circumstances would create them again. Man has not only created all these gods, but he has created them out of the materials by which he has been surrounded. Generally he has modeled them after himself, and has given them hands, heads, feet, eyes, ears. and organs of speech. Each nation made its gods and devils speak its language not only, but put in their mouths the same mistakes in history, geography, astronomy, and in all matters of fact, generally made by the people. No god was ever in advance of the nation that created him. The negroes represented their deities with black skins and curly hair. The Mongolian gave to his a yellow complexion and dark almond-shaped eyes. The Jews were not allowed to paint theirs, or we should have seen Jehovah with a full beard, an oval face, and an aquiline nose. Zeus was a perfect Greek, and Jove looked as though a member of the Roman senate. The gods of Egypt had the patient face and placid look of the loving people who made them. The gods of northern countries were represented warmly clad in robes of fur; those of the tropics were naked. The gods of India were often mounted upon elephants; those of some islanders were great swimmers, and the deities of the Arctic zone were passionately fond of whale's blubber. Nearly all people have carved or painted representations of their gods, and these representations were, by the lower classes, generally treated as the real gods, and to these images and idols they addressed prayers and offered sacrifice.”

~ Complete Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersol

thought of the day.383

“The age of science is the age of uncertainty. No more eternal answers console the human heart. No more changeless doctrines pacify the human mind. Religious dogma has been replaced by the humility of testing. Mythical fantasy has yielded to the stingy help of public experience.

The age of science is the age of courage. Bravery is not possible when all is predictable. Only the danger of surprise gives persons the dignity of true freedom. The hero of modern times is no fanatic believer. He is the person of patience who is strong enough to live with uncertainty. He is the person of integrity who is honest enough to wait for what he cannot totally explain.”

~Sherwin Wine

thought of the day.382

“What makes America great IS our tolerance for the dissent, a concept "true believers" have difficulty with since religion deals with doctrine while a democracy deals with a wide variety of opinions meant to be dealt with on a secular basis under the COTUS that makes no mention of GOD anywhere in it. This was meant to be a religious neutral country, contrary to the way a large group of southern angry white christofascist would have it.

I am not impressed with flag waving and chest thumping, that’s not patriotism, it's a joke. Knowing the constitution and the bill of rights and truly understanding what makes America the exceptional place it is, and living the ideals of our founding fathers, that’s patriotism. And finally courage is going against the prevailing power and standing up for a belief, courage is the lone guy standing in front of the tank in Tiananmen square not the loud mouth bullies waving flags and telling everyone they don't agree with to shut up. If that's what you think patriotism is then keep on dialing in GOP AM Hate radio and drink your koolaid - you're beyond help.”

~ Mark Doyle (my new friend on facebook)

thought of the day.381

Dust in the wind. Fleeting shadows. Carpe diem!