""'As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have; of the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves."
Author: Leviticus 25 Verses #: 44
"You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him."
Author: Ephesians 6 Verses #: 9
Moses and the prophets of the Old Testament did not speak against slavery. Jesus did not speak out against slavery. The apostles did not speak out against slavery. The church did not speak out against slavery until 1800 years after the life and death of Jesus. The southern baptist denomination was developed and created to speak out for the practice of slave owners and slavery in the south. It was through reasoning, justice and logic and conscience that mankind finally spoke "over" the bible's morality and declared slavery to be wrong, cruel and unjust and immoral. The bible did not establish this truth. Man evolved and advanced and listened to his inner morality and declared slavery illegal, but only after a very bitter civil war. Christians and non-christians alike spoke out against the practice of slavery out of human reasoning and a sense of morality and justice, not because the bible outlawed the practice of buying and selling other human beings for selfish motives and greed, but because man's morality finally broke through the lack of compassion that had existed for thousands of years. I believe that without the bible the practice of slavery would never have taken hold in western advanced societies. Racism fueled a morality that declared someone of another color to simply be "non-human" and thus suseptible to being marginalized and dominated and bought and sold as you would buy a pig or a mule or a cow. Female slaves could not "own" and control the rearing of their own children and could not hope for a lifetime lover and companion. Jesus could have spoken out against the practice of slavery. This truth puts the bible in question. This truth puts the morality of Jesus, the apostles and Moses in question. This truth begs the question of why would a god allow and stand silent for 4,000 years while "his" books were being written and "his" thoughts being told. This truth of silence forces one to ask "Is God Moral?" Who needs a god that does not recognize a basic and simple human truth? The above are just two of many bible verses that condone slavery and legitimate it with biblical laws, rather than rebuking and denouncing it. The bible is not a moral book. The bible condons what should have been condemned.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Contradictions over Jesus' genealogy by Thomas Quinn
The inerrant word of God, you say? Huh... That claim lacks a certain Christian humility, don't you think? Especially since there is no greater evidence of the Bible's human origins than its frequent disagreements with itself. A perfect god wouldn't allow this sort of thing. What would be the point? If he's willing to show off by parting oceans and stuff, he'd certainly want to impress us with a boo-boo free biography. Alas, it ain't so. Here is just a partial list of scriptural inconsistencies in the New Testament. Many of them are genuinely unimportant...all the more reason why there shouldn't be any inconsistencies. But here they are.
Matt 1:6-7 The genealogy of Jesus runs through David's son, Solomon.
Luke 3:23-31 The genealogy of Jesus runs through David's son, Nathan.
Matt 1:16 Joseph's father is Jacob.
Luke 3:23 Joseph's father is Heli.
Matt 1:17 There are 28 generations from David to Jesus.
Luke 3:23-38 There are 43 generations from David to Jesus.
Read more »
Posted by Thomas Quinn at 5:53 PM 2 comments
Matt 1:6-7 The genealogy of Jesus runs through David's son, Solomon.
Luke 3:23-31 The genealogy of Jesus runs through David's son, Nathan.
Matt 1:16 Joseph's father is Jacob.
Luke 3:23 Joseph's father is Heli.
Matt 1:17 There are 28 generations from David to Jesus.
Luke 3:23-38 There are 43 generations from David to Jesus.
Read more »
Posted by Thomas Quinn at 5:53 PM 2 comments
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Can and does Jesus heal PTSD?
http://www.truth-out.org/can-jesus-cure-shell-shock61984
In the dark ages there were very few medicines and even less knowledge of the human body and the human mind. Currently, army psychologists are giving soldiers suffering from PTSD and stress disorders a $5.00 bible and telling them the cure is in reading it. This "cure" is not unlike something a priest might have done a thousand years ago. There is no scientific or natural evidence that god can or is healing the minds and bodies of these soldiers of accumulated stress. This application of non-medicine puts the burden of healing and wellness back on the ill soldier. This does three things for the military: 1. It lowers their costs and responsibility. What could be easier and cheaper than saying here is a $5.00 bible and now it is up to you to read it until you are well. The burden of recovery is on the ill soldier and an invisible and silent and absent deity that the soldier is told to tap into for his health resources. Surely anyone can recognize that this is medicine out of the dark ages. Just because the army does not want to recognize the problem and hire the psychologists and psychiatrists that could apply the best current science to the problem, they make PTSD a spiritual problem. This is cruel spiritual abuse. In the end, the blame for someone not getting better is his/her own fault. This is just wrong. 2. The dependency on the bible rather than reason and logic makes for a soldier who is separated from reason and logic and placed squarely in the realm of a 4,000 year old deity that was born out of a fighting people in the deserts in the middle east. Believing in a deity that cannot be verified and told to fight another group of people because they oppose our deity builds a religiously motivated military who is fighting for "their" god. This puts military action into the elusive category religious fanaticism based on superstition and mysticism, not logic. It is very easy to control a religious fanatic, unskilled and uneducated preachers do it every sunday all across america. 3. Applying the bible to a physical/mental problem grows a religious military that is easy to control and manipulate because free thought is eliminated and skepticism is taken out of the equation. A religious person is controlled with religious teachings and instruction. The military uses religion and religion uses the military.
Back to my original link and question? How effective is the reading of the bible when dealing with psychological trauma. Is their any scientific and verifiable evidence that these soldiers should be treated in this way? I personally tried to heal PTSD for 30 years with diligent bible reading, forgiveness, faithful church attendance and the application of the "biblical" self help writers. I got no relief from a prayer meeting, a self-help book or from "giving the problem to god". The problems associated with PTSD did not go away and I suffered 30 years. When I gave away every christian self-help book and went to a therapist and a psychiatrist I began to heal. I truly weep for our soldiers who are told to go home and read their bibles. We wonder why so many of them blow their brains out.
It takes money, time and resources and acknowledgement of the problem of PTSD, but the military wants to sweep it under the rug and apply elusive spirituality to the problem with a $5.00 bible fix. Our soldiers deserve better.
In the dark ages there were very few medicines and even less knowledge of the human body and the human mind. Currently, army psychologists are giving soldiers suffering from PTSD and stress disorders a $5.00 bible and telling them the cure is in reading it. This "cure" is not unlike something a priest might have done a thousand years ago. There is no scientific or natural evidence that god can or is healing the minds and bodies of these soldiers of accumulated stress. This application of non-medicine puts the burden of healing and wellness back on the ill soldier. This does three things for the military: 1. It lowers their costs and responsibility. What could be easier and cheaper than saying here is a $5.00 bible and now it is up to you to read it until you are well. The burden of recovery is on the ill soldier and an invisible and silent and absent deity that the soldier is told to tap into for his health resources. Surely anyone can recognize that this is medicine out of the dark ages. Just because the army does not want to recognize the problem and hire the psychologists and psychiatrists that could apply the best current science to the problem, they make PTSD a spiritual problem. This is cruel spiritual abuse. In the end, the blame for someone not getting better is his/her own fault. This is just wrong. 2. The dependency on the bible rather than reason and logic makes for a soldier who is separated from reason and logic and placed squarely in the realm of a 4,000 year old deity that was born out of a fighting people in the deserts in the middle east. Believing in a deity that cannot be verified and told to fight another group of people because they oppose our deity builds a religiously motivated military who is fighting for "their" god. This puts military action into the elusive category religious fanaticism based on superstition and mysticism, not logic. It is very easy to control a religious fanatic, unskilled and uneducated preachers do it every sunday all across america. 3. Applying the bible to a physical/mental problem grows a religious military that is easy to control and manipulate because free thought is eliminated and skepticism is taken out of the equation. A religious person is controlled with religious teachings and instruction. The military uses religion and religion uses the military.
Back to my original link and question? How effective is the reading of the bible when dealing with psychological trauma. Is their any scientific and verifiable evidence that these soldiers should be treated in this way? I personally tried to heal PTSD for 30 years with diligent bible reading, forgiveness, faithful church attendance and the application of the "biblical" self help writers. I got no relief from a prayer meeting, a self-help book or from "giving the problem to god". The problems associated with PTSD did not go away and I suffered 30 years. When I gave away every christian self-help book and went to a therapist and a psychiatrist I began to heal. I truly weep for our soldiers who are told to go home and read their bibles. We wonder why so many of them blow their brains out.
It takes money, time and resources and acknowledgement of the problem of PTSD, but the military wants to sweep it under the rug and apply elusive spirituality to the problem with a $5.00 bible fix. Our soldiers deserve better.
Is it true?
"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
Author: Matthew 17 Verses #: 20
This is Jesus saying that problems do not go away because of unbelief. All that is necessary for life and health and wealth is belief. Is that statement true? Was it true at the time? Is it true now? This is a man claiming to be god and know god stating that belief in god fixes everything. What about peak oil? What about climate change? What about destruction of the planet with pollution? What about death and destruction by war? What about illness? What about poverty? What about food shortages?
Jesus is saying problems can "magically" disappear with belief. Is this a true statement? Has anyone had a problem disappear by apply an ascent of faith to the problem? NO. Logic and reason and knowledge and science and math lead to problem resolution not mysticism. For 2,000 years women and children died from a lack of science about obstetrics. When someone wants a safe delivery they go to a doctor that is trained to deliver babies and protect the life of the mother and the infant. There is no evidence that a greater "belief" in god solved any health or public crisis in the last 2,000 years of mankind applying christianity to culture. If struggling to reach a state of "greater belief" leaves you exhausted and unsure that you arrived anywhere, feeling guilt for the problem that does not go away and believing the problem is the fault of "unbelief" or lack of "faith" is exactly the place where religion wants you and needs you to be.....guilty, and feeling inadequate and insecure and in need of more religion and more faith. The solution to the problem is scientific, political, economic or cultural, not a lack of belief in an unseen and absent, silent, and mystical deity. Ask yourself if it is true that nothing is impossible? Growing old? Getting sick? Having an accident? It is not true and never was true. If everyone believes a lie...it is still a lie. If no one believes the truth...it is still the truth.
Author: Matthew 17 Verses #: 20
This is Jesus saying that problems do not go away because of unbelief. All that is necessary for life and health and wealth is belief. Is that statement true? Was it true at the time? Is it true now? This is a man claiming to be god and know god stating that belief in god fixes everything. What about peak oil? What about climate change? What about destruction of the planet with pollution? What about death and destruction by war? What about illness? What about poverty? What about food shortages?
Jesus is saying problems can "magically" disappear with belief. Is this a true statement? Has anyone had a problem disappear by apply an ascent of faith to the problem? NO. Logic and reason and knowledge and science and math lead to problem resolution not mysticism. For 2,000 years women and children died from a lack of science about obstetrics. When someone wants a safe delivery they go to a doctor that is trained to deliver babies and protect the life of the mother and the infant. There is no evidence that a greater "belief" in god solved any health or public crisis in the last 2,000 years of mankind applying christianity to culture. If struggling to reach a state of "greater belief" leaves you exhausted and unsure that you arrived anywhere, feeling guilt for the problem that does not go away and believing the problem is the fault of "unbelief" or lack of "faith" is exactly the place where religion wants you and needs you to be.....guilty, and feeling inadequate and insecure and in need of more religion and more faith. The solution to the problem is scientific, political, economic or cultural, not a lack of belief in an unseen and absent, silent, and mystical deity. Ask yourself if it is true that nothing is impossible? Growing old? Getting sick? Having an accident? It is not true and never was true. If everyone believes a lie...it is still a lie. If no one believes the truth...it is still the truth.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The dome on the rock owned by 3 competing gods
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Dome_of_the_Rock
The above link to an article about the Dome of the Rock highlights the problem of 3 religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity) and their deities claiming rights the a piece of land in modern day Israel.
In times past a prophet could claim to hear from god and round up a local following that would eventually find the desire to create a new religion and worship the prophet and his words and life, but the world would go on and do it's best to assimilate and accomodate the new religion and the believers. Time would pass and a new prophet and a new religion would seek believers in honor of the new deity. The problem for the world at this juncture is that this has happened three times in one place in history and now "Houston we have a problem". Who has rightful claim to the land on which the Dome of the Rock sits? The world sits and watches as we now have 3 different deities competing for the rights to a piece of ground. First, the jews built a temple where animal sacrifice and worship to Yahweh centered their culture for centuries. Then came Jeshua, an iteranite jewish prophet who claimed Yahweh for his own and taught new teachings and a new religion. Four hundred years after his death a chapel was built on the destroyed temple mound to honor this Jesus. Two hundred years later, muslim conquerors leveled that shrine and built the dome on the rock mosque. It is said to be the place where Mohammed, their prophet was welcomed into paradise by his god Allah. Fast forward 1400 years and you have passionate followers of these gods claiming ownership of the holy ground. Passionate sermons and ministries are founded to push for the rebuilding of the temple so Jesus can come back to earth. The jewish Israeli's who have dispossed the palestinians of their homes, land, water and freedom in order to occupy the country given to them after World War II believe that nothing less than a pure jewish state is their right, given to them by their god, and the muslims revere the dome of the rock as one of their most holy sites. What is the solution to this collusion of deities? How many gods can one piece of land accomodate?
The fundamentalists of all three of these religions have no appetite for compromise and no one is backing down from loyalty to their ancient prophets and stone age gods and their "supposed" but unproven miracles. A substantial lack of proof for these "divine revelations" seems to hold no bearing for a modern man committed to his ancient gods. In a shrinking world possessed of atomic bombs it does not appear that any of these three gods is capable of stopping the other god of destructive genocide and domination by right of the "largest bombs" and "largest military" and most passionate believers willing to die for their deity. Why modern man clings to these ancient gods who did not advance the cause of mankind by simply explaining the "germ theory" of disease when they walked on the earth speaks of their total lack of knowledge of knowledge. The deities guiding them were content to let mankind suffer in ignorance for centuries. The 1800's began to bring about advances in science in spite of every attempt by religion to stop the progress of science. These deities never felt the need to speak of the human rights of slaves or women and both suffered for 2,000 years after the death of jesus. What good is a deity that encourages the death of any person who does not "believe" and condemns creation to an eternal place of punishment for skepticism and honest doubt? Without science mankind would be back in his illiterate stone age, but with these ancient religions mankind may end his planet all together with weapons of mass destruction. I vote we give up the confused and unenlightened deities and follow reason and logic and justice and disarm and call it a new day without stone age illiterate prophets who claim to speak for their god to be silenced in our minds and in our hearts.
The above link to an article about the Dome of the Rock highlights the problem of 3 religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity) and their deities claiming rights the a piece of land in modern day Israel.
In times past a prophet could claim to hear from god and round up a local following that would eventually find the desire to create a new religion and worship the prophet and his words and life, but the world would go on and do it's best to assimilate and accomodate the new religion and the believers. Time would pass and a new prophet and a new religion would seek believers in honor of the new deity. The problem for the world at this juncture is that this has happened three times in one place in history and now "Houston we have a problem". Who has rightful claim to the land on which the Dome of the Rock sits? The world sits and watches as we now have 3 different deities competing for the rights to a piece of ground. First, the jews built a temple where animal sacrifice and worship to Yahweh centered their culture for centuries. Then came Jeshua, an iteranite jewish prophet who claimed Yahweh for his own and taught new teachings and a new religion. Four hundred years after his death a chapel was built on the destroyed temple mound to honor this Jesus. Two hundred years later, muslim conquerors leveled that shrine and built the dome on the rock mosque. It is said to be the place where Mohammed, their prophet was welcomed into paradise by his god Allah. Fast forward 1400 years and you have passionate followers of these gods claiming ownership of the holy ground. Passionate sermons and ministries are founded to push for the rebuilding of the temple so Jesus can come back to earth. The jewish Israeli's who have dispossed the palestinians of their homes, land, water and freedom in order to occupy the country given to them after World War II believe that nothing less than a pure jewish state is their right, given to them by their god, and the muslims revere the dome of the rock as one of their most holy sites. What is the solution to this collusion of deities? How many gods can one piece of land accomodate?
The fundamentalists of all three of these religions have no appetite for compromise and no one is backing down from loyalty to their ancient prophets and stone age gods and their "supposed" but unproven miracles. A substantial lack of proof for these "divine revelations" seems to hold no bearing for a modern man committed to his ancient gods. In a shrinking world possessed of atomic bombs it does not appear that any of these three gods is capable of stopping the other god of destructive genocide and domination by right of the "largest bombs" and "largest military" and most passionate believers willing to die for their deity. Why modern man clings to these ancient gods who did not advance the cause of mankind by simply explaining the "germ theory" of disease when they walked on the earth speaks of their total lack of knowledge of knowledge. The deities guiding them were content to let mankind suffer in ignorance for centuries. The 1800's began to bring about advances in science in spite of every attempt by religion to stop the progress of science. These deities never felt the need to speak of the human rights of slaves or women and both suffered for 2,000 years after the death of jesus. What good is a deity that encourages the death of any person who does not "believe" and condemns creation to an eternal place of punishment for skepticism and honest doubt? Without science mankind would be back in his illiterate stone age, but with these ancient religions mankind may end his planet all together with weapons of mass destruction. I vote we give up the confused and unenlightened deities and follow reason and logic and justice and disarm and call it a new day without stone age illiterate prophets who claim to speak for their god to be silenced in our minds and in our hearts.
Monday, September 6, 2010
The fall of woman
Genesis describes a "paradise" that was created by god. First for Adam (the man he created from dirt) and then for his "helpmeet" Eve (who was created from one of Adam's ribs). They did not wear clothing and they had everything that they needed and walked with god daily. God put a tree of fruit in the middle of the garden that was "forbidden" for Adam and Eve to eat for the fruit possessed a power that would allow them to know "good and evil". One day, Satan, in the form of a serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit "so she would be like god" and then she gave the fruit to Adam to eat. Once they ate the fruit they realized that they were naked and they hid from god in shame. God found them and killed an animal and made clothes for them and kicked them out of the garden after he cursed them by making them work for their food. He cursed Eve by making childbirth painful. The other part of the curse was for Eve to "desire" Adam, but for Adam to rule over Eve. The fall of Adam and Eve made Eve a "lesser" human to be dominated and subjugated. The "fall of man" gave Adam dominance over Eve even though she would "desire" to be equal and for the relationship to once again be one of love and companionship.
The fall of mankind sets up a culture of "patriarchy" where man is dominate as the family and tribal authority. Any woman who has ever gardened knows that she is subjected to toil and sweat to make food come out of the ground, and Adam's "curse" is her curse. The lost paradise is forever Eve's fault and she is thereafter judged to be a weaker and less trustworthy creature. Sex is changed to one of "desire" that is not met as she is seen as one who exists to bring forth children in pain. Love and tenderness and equality is now out of the equation as angry domination on the part of Adam takes over. This story unfairly blames Eve, and thereafter all women for the pain in childbirth and the inequality in male/female relationships. The fall of mankind sets up a pattern of patriarchy that has been followed for 4,000 years. The western cultures have evolved into more or less secular humanistic cultures where reason and logic can sometimes ascend above ancient tribal folklore myths, but the muslims are still deeply entrenched in the myth with cultures that are a mirror the effects of the curse. For christians to know what life was like 4.000 years ago for women and children, they need to look no further than taliban ruled villages in Afghanistan.
I discuss the "fall of womankind" in order to point out that without the myth we do not need a "savior". If Eve's failure to obey a command by her creator never happened, we have nothing to be saved "from".
It is all just "make believe" told by ancient sheepherders to give them authority in their affairs and help them understand their plight and shape their tribes as they see fit. Once the mind rejects the story, one rejects the need for a god as a "savior", for one no longer needs to be saved.
Once the myth of the fall of womankind is rejected, men and women are free to create a society where women are equal and have a voice in the affairs of the culture. Christians everywhere would wish that the muslims would throw off the myth of male dominance that causes so much female suffering as a result of their belief in the fall of mankind. Christians are blinded by "faith" in the bible and unable to see the same mirror image in their own beliefs and their own culture. It is only fair that if we expect the muslims to discard the myth of the fall of mankinnd that christians would too. Celebrate logic and reason today and envision a future where we do not teach our children 4,000 year old stories of how the world began and how mankind came about when science tells us differently. Encourage a culture of justice based on reason and logic and celebrate equality today! It does not make sense to teach a creation story written by men who had no knowledge of the earth, the solar system or the universe, but created a myth that served their purposes and filled their "knowledge" void.
The fall of mankind sets up a culture of "patriarchy" where man is dominate as the family and tribal authority. Any woman who has ever gardened knows that she is subjected to toil and sweat to make food come out of the ground, and Adam's "curse" is her curse. The lost paradise is forever Eve's fault and she is thereafter judged to be a weaker and less trustworthy creature. Sex is changed to one of "desire" that is not met as she is seen as one who exists to bring forth children in pain. Love and tenderness and equality is now out of the equation as angry domination on the part of Adam takes over. This story unfairly blames Eve, and thereafter all women for the pain in childbirth and the inequality in male/female relationships. The fall of mankind sets up a pattern of patriarchy that has been followed for 4,000 years. The western cultures have evolved into more or less secular humanistic cultures where reason and logic can sometimes ascend above ancient tribal folklore myths, but the muslims are still deeply entrenched in the myth with cultures that are a mirror the effects of the curse. For christians to know what life was like 4.000 years ago for women and children, they need to look no further than taliban ruled villages in Afghanistan.
I discuss the "fall of womankind" in order to point out that without the myth we do not need a "savior". If Eve's failure to obey a command by her creator never happened, we have nothing to be saved "from".
It is all just "make believe" told by ancient sheepherders to give them authority in their affairs and help them understand their plight and shape their tribes as they see fit. Once the mind rejects the story, one rejects the need for a god as a "savior", for one no longer needs to be saved.
Once the myth of the fall of womankind is rejected, men and women are free to create a society where women are equal and have a voice in the affairs of the culture. Christians everywhere would wish that the muslims would throw off the myth of male dominance that causes so much female suffering as a result of their belief in the fall of mankind. Christians are blinded by "faith" in the bible and unable to see the same mirror image in their own beliefs and their own culture. It is only fair that if we expect the muslims to discard the myth of the fall of mankinnd that christians would too. Celebrate logic and reason today and envision a future where we do not teach our children 4,000 year old stories of how the world began and how mankind came about when science tells us differently. Encourage a culture of justice based on reason and logic and celebrate equality today! It does not make sense to teach a creation story written by men who had no knowledge of the earth, the solar system or the universe, but created a myth that served their purposes and filled their "knowledge" void.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Jesus and the Pentagon
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren't troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet."
Author: Matthew 24 Verses #: 6
Jesus tells his listeners to not be concerned about wars or even rumors of wars. He boldly claims that war is necessary for the end of time to come. Millions of christian americans wake up everyday and hope that they will be raptured, the world will be destroyed by war and Jesus will come back and set up a theocratic world-wide government that will last for 1,000 years while satan is subdued. At the end of the 1,000 year millenium, the angels will fight it out, at which time god and his armies of angels will win and eternity will be established. For a believing nation, that clings to the "supposed" words of a palestinian prophet from 2,000 years ago, possession of an earth destroying military empire is strangely comforting. We have it within out power to fulfill this prophecy and no one seems troubled. The peace movement is "dead" or at least nearly silenced as unpatriotic and unbiblical. God has always approved the killing of tribes outside of the hebrews and christians. "Love your enemies" does not apply to Iraqi's, Afghani's or Iranians. It is nearly impossible to convince an american christian to oppose the wars of the past decade and the next decade. At the very least they consider it a hopeless endeavor to oppose war, and in a larger view, it is not in their best "eternal" interests to do so.
Consequently, the earth is now poised with muslims who are taught that Islam must dominate the planet and the christians who believe that war in the middle east is necessary to usher the "end times". The children on both sides will suffer a great deal in the next century because of these ancient prophets and their books. Maybe humans should at least be humane and not create offspring who are destined by the prophets to kill and be killed on behalf of their commands. Just because a prophet declared divine revelation doesn't mean that he heard from god or was god. Panda's have stopped breeding in the face of ecosystem stress, should humans do any less when we are poised to destroy the planet?
Author: Matthew 24 Verses #: 6
Jesus tells his listeners to not be concerned about wars or even rumors of wars. He boldly claims that war is necessary for the end of time to come. Millions of christian americans wake up everyday and hope that they will be raptured, the world will be destroyed by war and Jesus will come back and set up a theocratic world-wide government that will last for 1,000 years while satan is subdued. At the end of the 1,000 year millenium, the angels will fight it out, at which time god and his armies of angels will win and eternity will be established. For a believing nation, that clings to the "supposed" words of a palestinian prophet from 2,000 years ago, possession of an earth destroying military empire is strangely comforting. We have it within out power to fulfill this prophecy and no one seems troubled. The peace movement is "dead" or at least nearly silenced as unpatriotic and unbiblical. God has always approved the killing of tribes outside of the hebrews and christians. "Love your enemies" does not apply to Iraqi's, Afghani's or Iranians. It is nearly impossible to convince an american christian to oppose the wars of the past decade and the next decade. At the very least they consider it a hopeless endeavor to oppose war, and in a larger view, it is not in their best "eternal" interests to do so.
Consequently, the earth is now poised with muslims who are taught that Islam must dominate the planet and the christians who believe that war in the middle east is necessary to usher the "end times". The children on both sides will suffer a great deal in the next century because of these ancient prophets and their books. Maybe humans should at least be humane and not create offspring who are destined by the prophets to kill and be killed on behalf of their commands. Just because a prophet declared divine revelation doesn't mean that he heard from god or was god. Panda's have stopped breeding in the face of ecosystem stress, should humans do any less when we are poised to destroy the planet?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Lord of Armies (Hosts)
The phrase "Lord of Hosts" which appears in the Bible (in the original Hebrew) literally means, "Lord of Armies." I guess "hosts" was the King James English translation of that phrase. But the ancients believed that if they won a military victory, it was because whatever god or gods they worshiped had looked after them. You see the same kind of thinking in Homer's Iliad -- Zeus protecting one side, Hera protecting the other. We haven't come very far from that primitive ideology.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Are you predestined?
"For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}"
Author: Romans 8 Verses #: 29
"having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,"
Author: Ephesians 1 Verses #: 5
The doctrine of "predestination" of being "chosen" and "foreordained" to be "saved" is taught in the New Testament letters, but is really a carry over from the "chosen" Hebrew nation. This doctrine was hotly debated for centuries and is at the root of denominationalism. The teaching of predestination teaches that god know's ahead of time who will be allowed to go to heaven because he actually predestines them. The evangelical movement of the last 60 years has overriden this teaching of predestination and teaches that it is false and that individuals have a "free will". The predestination debate has not gone away, but for the moment the evangelicals overlook the verses that teach predestination as it does not fit the current theological worldview that faith can be coerced, demanded and imposed on people with the fear of hell. The 25 references that Jesus makes to hell allows the teaching of hell to compliment evangelism perfectly. Predestination involves god overriding free will thus making evangelism a mute point. People judge themselves to be too important in the saving and being saved to leave hell up to predestination. Hell, in and of itself is a cruel enough concept, let alone the concept that god "predestines" some people to go there and some people to be excluded makes it even more unfair and barbaric for a "god of love and justice". Of course, god never claimed through ancient scripture to be a god of love and justice. He just claims to be able to do what he wants, when he wants, to whom he wants. This is a recurrinng theme in both the Old and New Testament. Jesus claims he is sent to the jews, claims that anyone can go to heaven that believes on him and then takes the claim back on several occasions by adding more requirements to salvation than mere mental ascent. Predestination leaves one unsure of one's salvation. The believer didn't appear to make the choice to believe in God, rather god made the choice for them to believe in the vicarious bloodshed of a jewish prophet to atone for one's "sins". The verses pertaining to predestination cannot be denied and are clear, but are largely ignored and overridden in the popular demand to know for sure one is going to heaven.
Author: Romans 8 Verses #: 29
"having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,"
Author: Ephesians 1 Verses #: 5
The doctrine of "predestination" of being "chosen" and "foreordained" to be "saved" is taught in the New Testament letters, but is really a carry over from the "chosen" Hebrew nation. This doctrine was hotly debated for centuries and is at the root of denominationalism. The teaching of predestination teaches that god know's ahead of time who will be allowed to go to heaven because he actually predestines them. The evangelical movement of the last 60 years has overriden this teaching of predestination and teaches that it is false and that individuals have a "free will". The predestination debate has not gone away, but for the moment the evangelicals overlook the verses that teach predestination as it does not fit the current theological worldview that faith can be coerced, demanded and imposed on people with the fear of hell. The 25 references that Jesus makes to hell allows the teaching of hell to compliment evangelism perfectly. Predestination involves god overriding free will thus making evangelism a mute point. People judge themselves to be too important in the saving and being saved to leave hell up to predestination. Hell, in and of itself is a cruel enough concept, let alone the concept that god "predestines" some people to go there and some people to be excluded makes it even more unfair and barbaric for a "god of love and justice". Of course, god never claimed through ancient scripture to be a god of love and justice. He just claims to be able to do what he wants, when he wants, to whom he wants. This is a recurrinng theme in both the Old and New Testament. Jesus claims he is sent to the jews, claims that anyone can go to heaven that believes on him and then takes the claim back on several occasions by adding more requirements to salvation than mere mental ascent. Predestination leaves one unsure of one's salvation. The believer didn't appear to make the choice to believe in God, rather god made the choice for them to believe in the vicarious bloodshed of a jewish prophet to atone for one's "sins". The verses pertaining to predestination cannot be denied and are clear, but are largely ignored and overridden in the popular demand to know for sure one is going to heaven.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Throwing children against stones!
Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.--Psalms 137:9
No one in the human race can be made happy by throwing infants and children against stones. The fact that bible verses like this get overlooked, while others are revered is just crazy making. Murder is an unnatural act. Humans do not need religion to tell them that murder of infants and children are wrong under any circumstance. God killed the "firstborn" in Egypt in the story of Pharoah and Moses. God always approved of the killing of innocent women and children and the elderly in the many genocides of the bible. David, who is credited with writing the Psalms was one of the most violent kings of all time and yet God said David was a man after God's own heart. The tribes that surrounded the hebrew tribe were never safe from acts of war against them. Dashing children against stones was obviously encouraged in their acts of aggression. How terribly sad. Surely mankind can do better by rising above the abrahamic religions of islam, judaism and christianity. These are not religions of peace!
No one in the human race can be made happy by throwing infants and children against stones. The fact that bible verses like this get overlooked, while others are revered is just crazy making. Murder is an unnatural act. Humans do not need religion to tell them that murder of infants and children are wrong under any circumstance. God killed the "firstborn" in Egypt in the story of Pharoah and Moses. God always approved of the killing of innocent women and children and the elderly in the many genocides of the bible. David, who is credited with writing the Psalms was one of the most violent kings of all time and yet God said David was a man after God's own heart. The tribes that surrounded the hebrew tribe were never safe from acts of war against them. Dashing children against stones was obviously encouraged in their acts of aggression. How terribly sad. Surely mankind can do better by rising above the abrahamic religions of islam, judaism and christianity. These are not religions of peace!
A scapegoat is a bad idea!
"But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness."
Author: Leviticus 16 Verses #: 10
The belief that humans need religion to tell them not to kill and not to lie and not to steal, etc. is an insult to the intelligence of the human race. To foster a "religion" that allows you to place your sins on a goat once a year and send him out into the wilderness to die and thus take away your "guilt" is immoral and takes the responsibility for sin off the sinner and puts it on the goat. To allow a "prophet" to take your sins away and leave you guilt free and free of responsibility is equally immoral. The convenience of simply "believing" on a "savior" who died for your sins should not absolve you of guilt. In order to arrive at a more moral and just society we must make men more accountable for child abuse, murder and theft, etc. not less. The church has been a "racket" in which the pope sits at the top and has the power to pray you into heaven. The blood of a jewish rabbi 2,000 years ago lets you off the hook to sin and sin again. How much further along would the world be if 4,000 years ago a civil society made people "pay" for their wrongs and make their wrongs right rather than allowing a goat to bear their guilt once a year. This is an ancient tribal belief that looked for a human sacrifice. Yeshua was a perfect candidate.
The destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. allowed this myth to become wildly popular when animals could not longer be sacrificed. A little appreciation of ancient history can go a long way. The early catholic church made a fortune selling "favors" and prayers for the dead. Mysticism, superstition and the combining and collusion of religion made Yeshua into a very profitable "savior".
Author: Leviticus 16 Verses #: 10
The belief that humans need religion to tell them not to kill and not to lie and not to steal, etc. is an insult to the intelligence of the human race. To foster a "religion" that allows you to place your sins on a goat once a year and send him out into the wilderness to die and thus take away your "guilt" is immoral and takes the responsibility for sin off the sinner and puts it on the goat. To allow a "prophet" to take your sins away and leave you guilt free and free of responsibility is equally immoral. The convenience of simply "believing" on a "savior" who died for your sins should not absolve you of guilt. In order to arrive at a more moral and just society we must make men more accountable for child abuse, murder and theft, etc. not less. The church has been a "racket" in which the pope sits at the top and has the power to pray you into heaven. The blood of a jewish rabbi 2,000 years ago lets you off the hook to sin and sin again. How much further along would the world be if 4,000 years ago a civil society made people "pay" for their wrongs and make their wrongs right rather than allowing a goat to bear their guilt once a year. This is an ancient tribal belief that looked for a human sacrifice. Yeshua was a perfect candidate.
The destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. allowed this myth to become wildly popular when animals could not longer be sacrificed. A little appreciation of ancient history can go a long way. The early catholic church made a fortune selling "favors" and prayers for the dead. Mysticism, superstition and the combining and collusion of religion made Yeshua into a very profitable "savior".
Monday, August 23, 2010
Let them have "dominion" (and ruin the earth)
"God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.""
Author: Genesis 1 Verses #: 26
Other translations suggest that the word dominion means to "rule over". The christian nation that we live in has taken this "dominionism" very seriously. How wonderful it would be if this ancient and ignorant male writer would have said to "understand" and live in peace and respect with ecosystems. We pollute our rivers with toxic chemicals. We destroy streams by extracting natural gas. We overfish and destroy life in the oceans. We treat livestock with the most cruelty imaginable before we kill them violently. The "dominion" of mankind is going to destroy the planet. Our refusal to control population growth rates with edicts from the pope will lead to a planet of 9 billion in the next 30 to 50 years that the planet cannot sustain. Unless we raise up a generation of biologists, ecologists and environmentalists who have to power to dictate sane public policy life on our little planet is doomed. We will kill each other fighting over which imaginary deity is the most real and most worthy of absolute loyalty. The panda's have quit reproducing long ago. Do they know something we don't know?
Author: Genesis 1 Verses #: 26
Other translations suggest that the word dominion means to "rule over". The christian nation that we live in has taken this "dominionism" very seriously. How wonderful it would be if this ancient and ignorant male writer would have said to "understand" and live in peace and respect with ecosystems. We pollute our rivers with toxic chemicals. We destroy streams by extracting natural gas. We overfish and destroy life in the oceans. We treat livestock with the most cruelty imaginable before we kill them violently. The "dominion" of mankind is going to destroy the planet. Our refusal to control population growth rates with edicts from the pope will lead to a planet of 9 billion in the next 30 to 50 years that the planet cannot sustain. Unless we raise up a generation of biologists, ecologists and environmentalists who have to power to dictate sane public policy life on our little planet is doomed. We will kill each other fighting over which imaginary deity is the most real and most worthy of absolute loyalty. The panda's have quit reproducing long ago. Do they know something we don't know?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Child abuse encouraged by the bible
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.--Pr:22:15
This verse has been the sole justification for centuries and centuries of childhood abuse. The human race has been whipping, beating and spanking and hitting their offspring for centuries based on this one verse. Humans and especially, children are very fragile and capable of being injured both emotionally and physically. Children have their own unique view of the world but that does not mean that they are beyond reason and must be beaten into submission. Child abuse, just like spiritual abuse is rampant in the church because cruelly, it is justified in the bible. The abuser does not benefit the heart of the child, but breaks it. I find it surprising that many children who experience being spanked/beaten as children grow up to continue a relationship with the parent abuser and with the parent's god. I do think that children resent and remember abuse their whole lives and it does interfere with affection toward parents and others. Children who experience being beaten with a "rod" of correction often grow up hypervigilant and become abusers themselves. The "good" book encourages parents to spank their children when they see fit and for perceived "foolishness". Children need love and discipline and attention, rest and nutrition and adequate periods of exercise. They do not need to be spanked and beaten with a rod. In my opinion, this verse is proof that an all-knowing and all-wise god wrote the bible. It was written by violent men who had a very limited knowledge of psychology and sociology and biology. Talk to your children, listen to your children...don't beat them when you are having a bad day and want to extend your personality as their "authority". Parents do not have a right to use a "rod" on their children...that is spiritual, physical and psychological abuse. I have to wonder if it is why america is so violent and why we are military empire of dominance and authoritarianism.
This verse has been the sole justification for centuries and centuries of childhood abuse. The human race has been whipping, beating and spanking and hitting their offspring for centuries based on this one verse. Humans and especially, children are very fragile and capable of being injured both emotionally and physically. Children have their own unique view of the world but that does not mean that they are beyond reason and must be beaten into submission. Child abuse, just like spiritual abuse is rampant in the church because cruelly, it is justified in the bible. The abuser does not benefit the heart of the child, but breaks it. I find it surprising that many children who experience being spanked/beaten as children grow up to continue a relationship with the parent abuser and with the parent's god. I do think that children resent and remember abuse their whole lives and it does interfere with affection toward parents and others. Children who experience being beaten with a "rod" of correction often grow up hypervigilant and become abusers themselves. The "good" book encourages parents to spank their children when they see fit and for perceived "foolishness". Children need love and discipline and attention, rest and nutrition and adequate periods of exercise. They do not need to be spanked and beaten with a rod. In my opinion, this verse is proof that an all-knowing and all-wise god wrote the bible. It was written by violent men who had a very limited knowledge of psychology and sociology and biology. Talk to your children, listen to your children...don't beat them when you are having a bad day and want to extend your personality as their "authority". Parents do not have a right to use a "rod" on their children...that is spiritual, physical and psychological abuse. I have to wonder if it is why america is so violent and why we are military empire of dominance and authoritarianism.
Friday, August 20, 2010
A website link about the bible
http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/about_the_holy_bible.html
A very thorough "Walk through the Bible" with the eyes of a critic! Whether you are a believer or a doubter this informative website will be fascinating.
A very thorough "Walk through the Bible" with the eyes of a critic! Whether you are a believer or a doubter this informative website will be fascinating.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
200 foreskins buys David King Saul's Daughter
"and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife."
Author: 1 Samuel 18 Verses #: 27
David, "a man after God's own heart" goes out and kills 200 men and brings their foreskins to King Saul in order to obtain King Saul's daughter as his wife. David eventually has countless wives in the course of his lifetime. So many wives that no one really knows how many wives he had. David uses extreme violence against another tribe to prove his manhood and qualifications to become attached to the royal household. The barberism of the tribal desert warfare was horrible, and yet David is an ultimate biblical hero second only to Jesus. We are led to believe that his one failure was that of adultery and the murder of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba's husband, when in fact, David did not show restraint when accumulating wives or attacking and murdering neighboring tribes. He was a man of war and of violence. I don't see how it can beneficial to teach young children about this biblical hero unless the church is wanting to continue world dominance through militarism and war....in which case....David can be a useful and very violent role model.
Author: 1 Samuel 18 Verses #: 27
David, "a man after God's own heart" goes out and kills 200 men and brings their foreskins to King Saul in order to obtain King Saul's daughter as his wife. David eventually has countless wives in the course of his lifetime. So many wives that no one really knows how many wives he had. David uses extreme violence against another tribe to prove his manhood and qualifications to become attached to the royal household. The barberism of the tribal desert warfare was horrible, and yet David is an ultimate biblical hero second only to Jesus. We are led to believe that his one failure was that of adultery and the murder of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba's husband, when in fact, David did not show restraint when accumulating wives or attacking and murdering neighboring tribes. He was a man of war and of violence. I don't see how it can beneficial to teach young children about this biblical hero unless the church is wanting to continue world dominance through militarism and war....in which case....David can be a useful and very violent role model.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Hitler proclaims to be a christian
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. ...Today, 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. ...
- Adolf Hitler, speech on April 12, 1922
Hitler had command of christian theology and never denounced his faith. He justified his hatred of the jews with his theology and justified the holocaust by proclaiming the jews were "liberals" and "evil". We participate in the same rationalization today as a nation who invaded "evildoers" as Bush was remembered as saying. We killed 1 to 2 million Iraqui's and destroyed their electrical grids and water systems because they were "evildoers". Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi nation were accused of threatening to use weapons of mass destruction, which we now know never existed. Hitler justified the holocaust as eliminating the "evil" jews and we justify war by eliminating muslims in a genocide and war of tyranny and terror upon the populations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fallujah will never be free of depleted uranium. It is a place of birth defects and cancer and illness from our weapons foisted upon them. The current wars are not condemned by the church or the american population, even though they are creating a deficit that we will never recover from. Bush could never have taken the nation to war if the church and "evangelicals" were to have vehemently opposed him. Hitler could never have carried out the holocaust if the german church and the catholic church would have stood up for the jews. This is just a fact.
- Adolf Hitler, speech on April 12, 1922
Hitler had command of christian theology and never denounced his faith. He justified his hatred of the jews with his theology and justified the holocaust by proclaiming the jews were "liberals" and "evil". We participate in the same rationalization today as a nation who invaded "evildoers" as Bush was remembered as saying. We killed 1 to 2 million Iraqui's and destroyed their electrical grids and water systems because they were "evildoers". Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi nation were accused of threatening to use weapons of mass destruction, which we now know never existed. Hitler justified the holocaust as eliminating the "evil" jews and we justify war by eliminating muslims in a genocide and war of tyranny and terror upon the populations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fallujah will never be free of depleted uranium. It is a place of birth defects and cancer and illness from our weapons foisted upon them. The current wars are not condemned by the church or the american population, even though they are creating a deficit that we will never recover from. Bush could never have taken the nation to war if the church and "evangelicals" were to have vehemently opposed him. Hitler could never have carried out the holocaust if the german church and the catholic church would have stood up for the jews. This is just a fact.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Genocide and the Bible Youtube Discussion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_itrJx2FJI
God, the patriarchs and modern day christians do not denounce genocide.
God, the patriarchs and modern day christians do not denounce genocide.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Violent Biblical Genocide of the Ammonites
"He brought forth the people who were therein, and cut [them] with saws, and with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem."
Author: 1 Chronicles 20 Verses #: 3
This is a description of mass murder and genocide of the Ammonites. This story about David is repeated twice in the Old Testament. When one ponders on why America is addicted to war and spends 51% of funds from the treasury on military empire you need look no further than the "good book" that we swear on in all courts of law. David is described as a "man after God's own heart". David's reign as King was one of the most violent in the whole of the Old Testament. Thou shalt not kill did not apply to foreigners and groups of people living in proximity to David's kingdom. Modern day jews and christians alike hold the biblical view of genocide and military dominance of societies who believe different than they do. America killed 3 to 4 million Vietnamese without regard to women and children and destroyed whole villages during the Vietnam war without resistance by "the church". One year after Martin Luther King spoke out against the Vietnam War he was killed. The church was silent during Vietnam and has been silent during the Iraq war. Pro-life evangelicals do not grieve for the loss of life within Iraq by our bombs and tanks and guns. They concern themselves with forcing women to carry, birth and raise children that they do not want and remain in agreement and in support of a violent military agenda. No doubt, the violence and constant warfare in the Old Testament numb the conscience of believers of Yahweh.
Author: 1 Chronicles 20 Verses #: 3
This is a description of mass murder and genocide of the Ammonites. This story about David is repeated twice in the Old Testament. When one ponders on why America is addicted to war and spends 51% of funds from the treasury on military empire you need look no further than the "good book" that we swear on in all courts of law. David is described as a "man after God's own heart". David's reign as King was one of the most violent in the whole of the Old Testament. Thou shalt not kill did not apply to foreigners and groups of people living in proximity to David's kingdom. Modern day jews and christians alike hold the biblical view of genocide and military dominance of societies who believe different than they do. America killed 3 to 4 million Vietnamese without regard to women and children and destroyed whole villages during the Vietnam war without resistance by "the church". One year after Martin Luther King spoke out against the Vietnam War he was killed. The church was silent during Vietnam and has been silent during the Iraq war. Pro-life evangelicals do not grieve for the loss of life within Iraq by our bombs and tanks and guns. They concern themselves with forcing women to carry, birth and raise children that they do not want and remain in agreement and in support of a violent military agenda. No doubt, the violence and constant warfare in the Old Testament numb the conscience of believers of Yahweh.
Younger female widows to receive no welfare
"But refuse younger widows, for when they have grown wanton against Christ, they desire to marry;"
Author: 1 Timothy 5 Verses #: 11
Paul had instructed Timothy to instruct the church to care for "widows" who were "widows indeed" if they did not have family to care for them, but to deny support to the younger widows because they were more likely to desire to have a spouse. Biblical marriages were arranged marriages until the last 200 to 300 years. The family chose your spouse and arranged who you were to be married to. Paul is assuming and chastising and denying care to younger widows because they were likely to desire to marry. This is cruel treatment and this is a cruel view against young widows, who no doubt have children that they were struggling to feed and clothe and house. It is natural to desire to pass through life with someone who will share and care for you and your children. Paul, again, shows a lack of tenderness and compassion to young widows who may need help and may desire companionship. Paul views a desire to marry as something sinful. He instructs Timothy and other single believers to remain single as he was. A desire to marry was a desire to give into "fleshly desires". Women desired children in hopes that when they grew older the children would take care of them. The teachings of Paul that instructed single believers to remain single was not a jewish teaching and tradition, but eventually became a way to be "godly". It became a prerequistite to priesthood. Through Paul's teachings godliness was attributed to a single and celibate lifestyle. This was a unique New Testament concept fostered by the teachings of Paul, who never met Jesus, nor heard Jesus speak. The very earliest 1st century jewish believers rejected Paul's teachings and status as an apostle. It was nearly a hundred years after Paul's writing that certain groups vied for Paul's doctrines and teachings to be taught. In the 2nd and 3rd century the followers of Paul began to dominate christianity by calling themselves "Pauline" christians. The earliest christians did not have Paul's teachings and did not follow Paul's teachings and no doubt viewed all widows in a more compassionate light.
Author: 1 Timothy 5 Verses #: 11
Paul had instructed Timothy to instruct the church to care for "widows" who were "widows indeed" if they did not have family to care for them, but to deny support to the younger widows because they were more likely to desire to have a spouse. Biblical marriages were arranged marriages until the last 200 to 300 years. The family chose your spouse and arranged who you were to be married to. Paul is assuming and chastising and denying care to younger widows because they were likely to desire to marry. This is cruel treatment and this is a cruel view against young widows, who no doubt have children that they were struggling to feed and clothe and house. It is natural to desire to pass through life with someone who will share and care for you and your children. Paul, again, shows a lack of tenderness and compassion to young widows who may need help and may desire companionship. Paul views a desire to marry as something sinful. He instructs Timothy and other single believers to remain single as he was. A desire to marry was a desire to give into "fleshly desires". Women desired children in hopes that when they grew older the children would take care of them. The teachings of Paul that instructed single believers to remain single was not a jewish teaching and tradition, but eventually became a way to be "godly". It became a prerequistite to priesthood. Through Paul's teachings godliness was attributed to a single and celibate lifestyle. This was a unique New Testament concept fostered by the teachings of Paul, who never met Jesus, nor heard Jesus speak. The very earliest 1st century jewish believers rejected Paul's teachings and status as an apostle. It was nearly a hundred years after Paul's writing that certain groups vied for Paul's doctrines and teachings to be taught. In the 2nd and 3rd century the followers of Paul began to dominate christianity by calling themselves "Pauline" christians. The earliest christians did not have Paul's teachings and did not follow Paul's teachings and no doubt viewed all widows in a more compassionate light.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Biblical declaration that knowledge is bad news!
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. – Ecclesiastes 1:18
Ancient and illiterate sheep herders who form the cast of characters known as the "Patriarchs". They no doubt had little use for women, foreigners or baby girls, but who would guess that they had little use for knowlege? Because they had no use for science, biology and education for the masses? It took mankind 4,000 years to advance without knowledge and about 200 years to advance with "knowledge" of science, medicine and education. Who wants to go back to the stone age of the patriarchs of slavery, genocide, gender inequality and ignorance?
Without education mankind will descend backwards into illiterate ignorance and superstition and myths from which we have escaped.
I think it is time america "de-funds" the pentagon and funds education and rewards innovation and develops scientists who can move us beyond our addiction to fossil fuels, which are running out. The bible clearly does not have the answers as it so proudly states.
Ancient and illiterate sheep herders who form the cast of characters known as the "Patriarchs". They no doubt had little use for women, foreigners or baby girls, but who would guess that they had little use for knowlege? Because they had no use for science, biology and education for the masses? It took mankind 4,000 years to advance without knowledge and about 200 years to advance with "knowledge" of science, medicine and education. Who wants to go back to the stone age of the patriarchs of slavery, genocide, gender inequality and ignorance?
Without education mankind will descend backwards into illiterate ignorance and superstition and myths from which we have escaped.
I think it is time america "de-funds" the pentagon and funds education and rewards innovation and develops scientists who can move us beyond our addiction to fossil fuels, which are running out. The bible clearly does not have the answers as it so proudly states.
God's claim to creating evil
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
Isaiah 45:7
Some interpretations reference the word "evil" as calamity. This is Isaiah, a major prophet in the Old Testament stating that God says he creates evil/calamity. The book of Job is a book about the calamities brought about by Satan with God's permission upon God's "faithful" servant.
Anyone who tells you that "blessings" are from God and evil/calamity is not does not know their bible.
The prophets were extreme voices claiming to hear from and speak God's words. They were always men and usually lived to put the "fear" of God into the hebrew people. Modern day preachers, priests, and prophets are well supported by their followers and claim to speak for God and uniquely hear messages from God. Joseph Smith of the mormon church and various other cults comes to mind. They have a large followings and enjoy a respect for their proclamations. Modern day christianity has a dearth of end-time doomsday prophets (Tim LaHaye comes to mind, as does John Haggee) who make a killing off God's promise to "kill off" humankind in "the last days". My life has become so much more peaceful and hopeful since I quit listening to those fools who wish today was their last day on planet earth. The pentagon is quite capable to ending life on planet earth without any help from a supreme being. They will do so with the blessings of the current doomsday prophets. All God's people will say "amen" up to their children's last breath of clean air and last drink of clean water. God is going to give the "faithful" a "new" heaven and a "new" earth, which will be all the more necessary after this one is totally depleted and ruined by global corporate greed. A new heaven and a new earth is a convenient fantasy while we destroy what is left of the oceans, rivers and forests.
Isaiah 45:7
Some interpretations reference the word "evil" as calamity. This is Isaiah, a major prophet in the Old Testament stating that God says he creates evil/calamity. The book of Job is a book about the calamities brought about by Satan with God's permission upon God's "faithful" servant.
Anyone who tells you that "blessings" are from God and evil/calamity is not does not know their bible.
The prophets were extreme voices claiming to hear from and speak God's words. They were always men and usually lived to put the "fear" of God into the hebrew people. Modern day preachers, priests, and prophets are well supported by their followers and claim to speak for God and uniquely hear messages from God. Joseph Smith of the mormon church and various other cults comes to mind. They have a large followings and enjoy a respect for their proclamations. Modern day christianity has a dearth of end-time doomsday prophets (Tim LaHaye comes to mind, as does John Haggee) who make a killing off God's promise to "kill off" humankind in "the last days". My life has become so much more peaceful and hopeful since I quit listening to those fools who wish today was their last day on planet earth. The pentagon is quite capable to ending life on planet earth without any help from a supreme being. They will do so with the blessings of the current doomsday prophets. All God's people will say "amen" up to their children's last breath of clean air and last drink of clean water. God is going to give the "faithful" a "new" heaven and a "new" earth, which will be all the more necessary after this one is totally depleted and ruined by global corporate greed. A new heaven and a new earth is a convenient fantasy while we destroy what is left of the oceans, rivers and forests.
OK to sell your daughter
""If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go out as the male servants do."
Author: Exodus 21 Verses #: 7
The bible condones slavery in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. This chapter in Exodus puts forth "tribal" law as it pertains to the buying and selling of slaves both within the family, the tribe and neighboring tribal clans. Polygamy, slavery and genocide are repeat themes in the bible.
When american multi-national corporations move to Mexico so they can "buy" cheap labor at .40 cents per hour they prefer to "buy" young females. These females are replaced when they marry, become pregnant or become ill with a newer and younger female. The world still allows "slave labor", we just call it NAFTA, CAFTA or multi-national globalization. When these very same corporations discover they can "buy" labor at .10 cents per hour in China they leave Mexico and set up shop in China where again, they overwhelmingly prefer young female labor. The happy meal toys made in China are our way of saying we condone "slave labor" at the cheapest price. The only question is "Do you want a boy happy meal or a girl happy meal"?
Author: Exodus 21 Verses #: 7
The bible condones slavery in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. This chapter in Exodus puts forth "tribal" law as it pertains to the buying and selling of slaves both within the family, the tribe and neighboring tribal clans. Polygamy, slavery and genocide are repeat themes in the bible.
When american multi-national corporations move to Mexico so they can "buy" cheap labor at .40 cents per hour they prefer to "buy" young females. These females are replaced when they marry, become pregnant or become ill with a newer and younger female. The world still allows "slave labor", we just call it NAFTA, CAFTA or multi-national globalization. When these very same corporations discover they can "buy" labor at .10 cents per hour in China they leave Mexico and set up shop in China where again, they overwhelmingly prefer young female labor. The happy meal toys made in China are our way of saying we condone "slave labor" at the cheapest price. The only question is "Do you want a boy happy meal or a girl happy meal"?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Death penalty for homosexuality
""'If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Author: Leviticus 20 Verses #: 13
At some point I plan to list and discuss all the things listed in Levitical law that are an abomination to Yahweh. It will take the better part of a month. Eating insects, snakes, reptiles, fish with fins, shellfish, etc. are all abominations. There are also many laws pertaining to when to eat or not eat flesh that has been sacrificied to Yahweh. Levitical law does not follow logic. Mankind has been eating shrimp for thousands of years as a very desirable source of protein and yet it is forbidden, as is pork.
As long as mankind has walked the earth there have been men who are not attracted to women and women who are not attracted sexually to men. They have been forced into unsatisfying relationships for thousands of years. The catholic church condones single male priests living together but condemns homosexuality. Likewise, women living in community as nuns is celebrated while homosexuality is condemned. Obviously, a large number of these cloistered individuals are not attracted to the opposite sex and a heterosexual lifestyle experience and are celebrated and elevated, while practicing homosexuals are condemned to hell in the least and to death in some parts of the world.
Compassion and love of fellow man would dictate allowing people to follow their hearts. Denying people loving lifelong partners is a cruel imposition of one's belief and biases over another's happiness.
Putting people to death for acknowledging their natural attraction for their same sex is barbaric. Our future as a human race cannot be filled with barbarism and bigotism and hatred for homosexuals. Homosexuals deserve laws that protect them and embrace their uniqueness. They hurt no one, and in fact often show us how to have the courage to live in peace and happiness despite social prejudice.
Author: Leviticus 20 Verses #: 13
At some point I plan to list and discuss all the things listed in Levitical law that are an abomination to Yahweh. It will take the better part of a month. Eating insects, snakes, reptiles, fish with fins, shellfish, etc. are all abominations. There are also many laws pertaining to when to eat or not eat flesh that has been sacrificied to Yahweh. Levitical law does not follow logic. Mankind has been eating shrimp for thousands of years as a very desirable source of protein and yet it is forbidden, as is pork.
As long as mankind has walked the earth there have been men who are not attracted to women and women who are not attracted sexually to men. They have been forced into unsatisfying relationships for thousands of years. The catholic church condones single male priests living together but condemns homosexuality. Likewise, women living in community as nuns is celebrated while homosexuality is condemned. Obviously, a large number of these cloistered individuals are not attracted to the opposite sex and a heterosexual lifestyle experience and are celebrated and elevated, while practicing homosexuals are condemned to hell in the least and to death in some parts of the world.
Compassion and love of fellow man would dictate allowing people to follow their hearts. Denying people loving lifelong partners is a cruel imposition of one's belief and biases over another's happiness.
Putting people to death for acknowledging their natural attraction for their same sex is barbaric. Our future as a human race cannot be filled with barbarism and bigotism and hatred for homosexuals. Homosexuals deserve laws that protect them and embrace their uniqueness. They hurt no one, and in fact often show us how to have the courage to live in peace and happiness despite social prejudice.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
God's evil spirits
But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 1 Samuel 16:14-16
In this set of verses the writer states 3 times that King Saul was sent an evil spirit from God. Much attention was paid to evil spirits in both the old and new testament. Mary Magdalene had 7 demons cast out of her by Jesus. The question becomes why and how a perfect god could create and inflict people with evil spirits. Jesus reportably went about casting out evil spirits that his Father, God had "sent".
Modern day neo-pentecostalism is very much about the practice of calling out and "casting out" evil spirits from people. Implying demon possession and then claiming exorcism has been a church practice for 2,000 years. In the above story of King Saul the evil spirit leaves Saul when David is brought in to play the harp in Saul's presence. Demon possession was inferred in mental illness in biblical times.
How can a perfect god be the source of "evil spirits"? Jesus actively participated in exorcising people of "demons" that the jews understood came from God, thus making God both the source of good and evil in these ancient teachings. Much confusion exists today in the church over demon possession and satan as the source of physical and mental illness even though modern medicine is usually able to explain diseases as the source of illness and does not accuse people of demon possession as an explanation of illness. Does god allow people to become ill? Does god still send evil spirits into people? God takes responsibility for creating satan and then allowing him to tempt Eve and spread evil within mankind's experience. Where does evil come from? Could god prevent it if he wanted to and spare people suffering and death by illness and war? If so? Why does he permit so much suffering if he is all knowing and perfect ?
In this set of verses the writer states 3 times that King Saul was sent an evil spirit from God. Much attention was paid to evil spirits in both the old and new testament. Mary Magdalene had 7 demons cast out of her by Jesus. The question becomes why and how a perfect god could create and inflict people with evil spirits. Jesus reportably went about casting out evil spirits that his Father, God had "sent".
Modern day neo-pentecostalism is very much about the practice of calling out and "casting out" evil spirits from people. Implying demon possession and then claiming exorcism has been a church practice for 2,000 years. In the above story of King Saul the evil spirit leaves Saul when David is brought in to play the harp in Saul's presence. Demon possession was inferred in mental illness in biblical times.
How can a perfect god be the source of "evil spirits"? Jesus actively participated in exorcising people of "demons" that the jews understood came from God, thus making God both the source of good and evil in these ancient teachings. Much confusion exists today in the church over demon possession and satan as the source of physical and mental illness even though modern medicine is usually able to explain diseases as the source of illness and does not accuse people of demon possession as an explanation of illness. Does god allow people to become ill? Does god still send evil spirits into people? God takes responsibility for creating satan and then allowing him to tempt Eve and spread evil within mankind's experience. Where does evil come from? Could god prevent it if he wanted to and spare people suffering and death by illness and war? If so? Why does he permit so much suffering if he is all knowing and perfect ?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
God's healthcare system
""Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead."
Author: Numbers 5 Verses #: 2
Everyone who has a draining sore, every leper and anyone who had touched a dead body was simply put out of the camp. They had not developed any knowlege of care for the ill. The instructions were to simply isolate and irradicate the ill from the camp (tribe) without compassion or trying to heal the wound or cleanse their hands and wounds. This is stone age medicine at it's worst and is not to be emulated. It was only during the renaissance and coming into contact with indigenous people that practiced a little bit of herbal medicine that the christian culture began to think of "caring" for the ill. The thought of compassion and caring for the ill was usuallly advanced in times of war on behalf of soldiers. Think of Florence Nightingale where she impressed on her nurses the importance of clean bandages and of looking after soldier's wounds. Is america trying to return to biblical times where we ignore the sick and cast them "out" and deny them care and blame them for getting sick by not having enough "faith"? That is the message of the neo-pentecostals who dominate christian TV. The TV evangelists sell "annointing oil", "prayer cloths", "special trinkets" all for profit to people seeking relief from disease and promise a "prayer" for healing in exchange for a donation to a ministry. No christian pastor encourages participation in a political process that demands everyone be treated equally and with compassion. Healthcare is sold as a "commodity" for those who can afford it and denied to those who cannot afford or obtain insurance. The american evangelicals overwhelmingly approve of this view of healthcare. Warfare expenditures are preferred over healthcare expenditures as 20 - 30% of the population goes without the benefit of seeing a physician. We are simply putting people "outside the camp".
Author: Numbers 5 Verses #: 2
Everyone who has a draining sore, every leper and anyone who had touched a dead body was simply put out of the camp. They had not developed any knowlege of care for the ill. The instructions were to simply isolate and irradicate the ill from the camp (tribe) without compassion or trying to heal the wound or cleanse their hands and wounds. This is stone age medicine at it's worst and is not to be emulated. It was only during the renaissance and coming into contact with indigenous people that practiced a little bit of herbal medicine that the christian culture began to think of "caring" for the ill. The thought of compassion and caring for the ill was usuallly advanced in times of war on behalf of soldiers. Think of Florence Nightingale where she impressed on her nurses the importance of clean bandages and of looking after soldier's wounds. Is america trying to return to biblical times where we ignore the sick and cast them "out" and deny them care and blame them for getting sick by not having enough "faith"? That is the message of the neo-pentecostals who dominate christian TV. The TV evangelists sell "annointing oil", "prayer cloths", "special trinkets" all for profit to people seeking relief from disease and promise a "prayer" for healing in exchange for a donation to a ministry. No christian pastor encourages participation in a political process that demands everyone be treated equally and with compassion. Healthcare is sold as a "commodity" for those who can afford it and denied to those who cannot afford or obtain insurance. The american evangelicals overwhelmingly approve of this view of healthcare. Warfare expenditures are preferred over healthcare expenditures as 20 - 30% of the population goes without the benefit of seeing a physician. We are simply putting people "outside the camp".
God promising to be drunk with blood
"I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy."
Author: Deuteronomy 32 Verses #: 42
In this chapter Moses is supposedly speaking for god. The reader of the chapter is supposed to believe that all the words are the words of Yahweh. God is explaining how he is going to kill people who are not hebrew and follow the God of Moses and the Israelites. It becomes abundantly obvious the the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" does not apply outside the tribe. The old testament is filled with page after page of violent warfare against other tribes and "foreign" people.
Under levitical law killing is encouraged for any acts outside levitical law. The killing children for dishonoring parents is one example. Everyone in the tribe of Moses was to be deathly afraid of breaking the very strict rules that governed all of life. Violent death was the penalty exacted by the priests and the patriarch for behavior that did not conform to their levitical law. Moses created a theocracy that was completely totalitarian in scope.
""Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."
Author: Exodus 21 Verses #: 17
Author: Deuteronomy 32 Verses #: 42
In this chapter Moses is supposedly speaking for god. The reader of the chapter is supposed to believe that all the words are the words of Yahweh. God is explaining how he is going to kill people who are not hebrew and follow the God of Moses and the Israelites. It becomes abundantly obvious the the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" does not apply outside the tribe. The old testament is filled with page after page of violent warfare against other tribes and "foreign" people.
Under levitical law killing is encouraged for any acts outside levitical law. The killing children for dishonoring parents is one example. Everyone in the tribe of Moses was to be deathly afraid of breaking the very strict rules that governed all of life. Violent death was the penalty exacted by the priests and the patriarch for behavior that did not conform to their levitical law. Moses created a theocracy that was completely totalitarian in scope.
""Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."
Author: Exodus 21 Verses #: 17
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
working on the sabbath
http://dwindlinginunbelief.blogspot.com/2008/03/cnnn-can-you-put-out-new-bible-with.html
Let this more than suffice for my blog today!
Let this more than suffice for my blog today!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The unpardonable sin
"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men."
Author: Matthew 12 Verses #: 31
This is Jesus speaking. He is discussing the unpardonable sin that will send your soul to hell. Common christian belief is that Jesus died for our sins. John 3:16 states that anyone whosoever believes can be saved, but the above verse clearly exempts blasphemy against the holy spirit. I think this is a pretty easy sin to commit. Blasphemy is an utterance against god. I would have to say that at least 100% of humans do this at some point in their lives. That makes being saved from hell a near impossibility. In moments of intense fear, or intense pain or intense grief one can easily think and then question the goodness of god. It is very easy to question and wonder why something horrible has happened and question "god". This is almost natural for anyone who believes in god to at some point in their life question, doubt or possibly blaspheme god. Very few of us are like Job. This requirement for heaven extends throughout our whole lives and one slip up...bam. No salvation. No hope. I don't know who wrote this book in the bible, but the earliest gospels were written 30 to 40 years after Jesus died. Since the average life span during the time of Jesus was 45, it is likely that those who were living and heard Jesus were likely dead or very old and therefore leave exacts "utterances" as unreliable.
Fear. Raw fear of hell and the fear of the wrath of god has been the greatest tool of the church against it's people for years. The goal of man made religion is total obedience and total control and unrestrained politcal and economic power for centuries. The pope needs you to believe he can pray you out of hell. The church needs you to believe that their organization is the one with an ear to deity. To teach the masses than an utterance made in grief, pain, confusion or dispair will condemn them to an eternity in hell is a very cruel and compassionless teaching. I doubt Jesus ever said it.
Author: Matthew 12 Verses #: 31
This is Jesus speaking. He is discussing the unpardonable sin that will send your soul to hell. Common christian belief is that Jesus died for our sins. John 3:16 states that anyone whosoever believes can be saved, but the above verse clearly exempts blasphemy against the holy spirit. I think this is a pretty easy sin to commit. Blasphemy is an utterance against god. I would have to say that at least 100% of humans do this at some point in their lives. That makes being saved from hell a near impossibility. In moments of intense fear, or intense pain or intense grief one can easily think and then question the goodness of god. It is very easy to question and wonder why something horrible has happened and question "god". This is almost natural for anyone who believes in god to at some point in their life question, doubt or possibly blaspheme god. Very few of us are like Job. This requirement for heaven extends throughout our whole lives and one slip up...bam. No salvation. No hope. I don't know who wrote this book in the bible, but the earliest gospels were written 30 to 40 years after Jesus died. Since the average life span during the time of Jesus was 45, it is likely that those who were living and heard Jesus were likely dead or very old and therefore leave exacts "utterances" as unreliable.
Fear. Raw fear of hell and the fear of the wrath of god has been the greatest tool of the church against it's people for years. The goal of man made religion is total obedience and total control and unrestrained politcal and economic power for centuries. The pope needs you to believe he can pray you out of hell. The church needs you to believe that their organization is the one with an ear to deity. To teach the masses than an utterance made in grief, pain, confusion or dispair will condemn them to an eternity in hell is a very cruel and compassionless teaching. I doubt Jesus ever said it.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Suffer a "witch" not to live
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed." (Exodus 22:18-20)
These verses attest to the power of belief as they led to the slaughter of thousands of defenseless people throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Understand that these verses not only authorize the executions but they explicitly command them. Verse 18 justified the burning of women in Europe judged as witches. In early America, the Salem witch trials resulted in the deaths of women and men.
Verse 19 refers to bestiality, a sin considered worthy of death. Christians used verse 20 to justify religious wars, Crusades and the slaughter of unbelievers throughout Europe. And the condemnation of heretics still goes on.
Two themes that Jesus repeatedly discusses are "hell" and his ability and the ability of his followers to cast out "demons" in his name. I have read two news stories in the last 3 days about pastor's in the UK and in Africa subjecting children and teenagers to the stigma of "demon" possession and the subsequent "casting out of the demons" for a fee. Once the child is labeled as demon possessed and/or a "witch" the parents distance themselves from the child or abandon them altogether. It is as if the church is gearing up for the dark ages with "witch hunts" and violence against anyone who believes different than their church does. The bible never illumines what the behavior of demon possession looks like leaving it to the imagination of the "witch HUNTER". This biblical view is so pervasive in america that Pat Robertson could blame the Haiti earthquake on the supposed"devil worship" of Haitian ancestors 300 years ago. Pretty heady knowledge from a billionaire who talks and hears from god daily on his TV show. No one cancelled his show....the TV evangelist just keeps on collecting checks from superstitious and gullible people who send him money. I am sure he claims to have some "ministry" set up in Haiti to help the poor people of Haiti who have suffered so much "because of the sins of their great great grandparents". Yeah ...right!
I do get weary of the delusions of the TV evangelists who claim daily to "heal people" with their prayer cloths, and assorted trinkets sold to the superstitious and the gullible and deluded. We have forgotten that a reformation took place because of Martin Luther's outrage at the catholic church selling "favors".
For a fee you can get a demon cast out and get a prayer for your healing. It is all part of the dog and pony show that is very,very profitable and very, very dangerous for a people who have quit thinking rationally.
These verses attest to the power of belief as they led to the slaughter of thousands of defenseless people throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Understand that these verses not only authorize the executions but they explicitly command them. Verse 18 justified the burning of women in Europe judged as witches. In early America, the Salem witch trials resulted in the deaths of women and men.
Verse 19 refers to bestiality, a sin considered worthy of death. Christians used verse 20 to justify religious wars, Crusades and the slaughter of unbelievers throughout Europe. And the condemnation of heretics still goes on.
Two themes that Jesus repeatedly discusses are "hell" and his ability and the ability of his followers to cast out "demons" in his name. I have read two news stories in the last 3 days about pastor's in the UK and in Africa subjecting children and teenagers to the stigma of "demon" possession and the subsequent "casting out of the demons" for a fee. Once the child is labeled as demon possessed and/or a "witch" the parents distance themselves from the child or abandon them altogether. It is as if the church is gearing up for the dark ages with "witch hunts" and violence against anyone who believes different than their church does. The bible never illumines what the behavior of demon possession looks like leaving it to the imagination of the "witch HUNTER". This biblical view is so pervasive in america that Pat Robertson could blame the Haiti earthquake on the supposed"devil worship" of Haitian ancestors 300 years ago. Pretty heady knowledge from a billionaire who talks and hears from god daily on his TV show. No one cancelled his show....the TV evangelist just keeps on collecting checks from superstitious and gullible people who send him money. I am sure he claims to have some "ministry" set up in Haiti to help the poor people of Haiti who have suffered so much "because of the sins of their great great grandparents". Yeah ...right!
I do get weary of the delusions of the TV evangelists who claim daily to "heal people" with their prayer cloths, and assorted trinkets sold to the superstitious and the gullible and deluded. We have forgotten that a reformation took place because of Martin Luther's outrage at the catholic church selling "favors".
For a fee you can get a demon cast out and get a prayer for your healing. It is all part of the dog and pony show that is very,very profitable and very, very dangerous for a people who have quit thinking rationally.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Modern Day Witchhunts
"These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; "
Author: Mark 16 Verses #: 17
In the african countries of Nigeria and Uganda the pentecost revivalist churches pastors are charging up to several hundred dollars to cast demons out of children. When the exorcism has been thought to have failed children as small as toddlers are being abandoned by their parents and families. This is causing a great strain on the social networks of these countries to find people who will care for these poor abandoned children. The practice of claiming that people and little children are possessed of demons by church leaders creates a stigma upon the child and person that is nothing short of a cruel modern day "witch hunt". At no point in scripture does god explain what a demon possessed person looks like or acts like and it is impossible to provide proof of demon possession. This has left the accusation of demon possession open to those church leaders and church members with the largest and most vivid imaginations. I have met many a "preacher" in my 30 years of church attendance who claimed they cast out demons and yet the characteristics and signs and symptoms of a person requiring exorcism is quite vague and the actual proof that a "demon" has been cast out is non existent. To be singled out for a public exorcism is quite demeaning and very confusing for an adult let alone a little child and yet is done routinely in many american churches. Until you have had someone lay hands on you and start screaming for the devil to come out of your body/mind/spirit you cannot really appreciate the confusion and damage that this practice can do. I personally pity any child forced into the experience.
2,000 years ago very little was understood about mental illness, head trauma, and various neurological disorders which I suppose could have been construed as demon possession. Since the advent of modern psychiatry and psychiatric medication society has been able to close institutions/jails that were designed to keep the mentally and criminally insane from the population at large. We no doubt still have a problem with people who need treatment for mental illness and are not getting the care and drugs that they need. Many mentally ill people still refuse help and fail to recognize their illness. This no doubt causes a great deal of suffering as any family unit can attest to when subjected to a mentally ill and unmedicated family member. I personally have never known an exorcism of demons as sufficient to accomplish anything except embarrass and ridicule the person being subjected to the experience. When you are forced to live with someone who has a manic explosive anger disorder for instance one can only wish an "exorcism" could ease the pain and end the physical abuse, but the reality is that demons are a figment of the imagination as is exorcism. Modern day exorcisms are nothing but a fraud and a dog and pony show put on by a church leader who wants to make themselves look powerful and connected to deity before they pass the offering plate.
Author: Mark 16 Verses #: 17
In the african countries of Nigeria and Uganda the pentecost revivalist churches pastors are charging up to several hundred dollars to cast demons out of children. When the exorcism has been thought to have failed children as small as toddlers are being abandoned by their parents and families. This is causing a great strain on the social networks of these countries to find people who will care for these poor abandoned children. The practice of claiming that people and little children are possessed of demons by church leaders creates a stigma upon the child and person that is nothing short of a cruel modern day "witch hunt". At no point in scripture does god explain what a demon possessed person looks like or acts like and it is impossible to provide proof of demon possession. This has left the accusation of demon possession open to those church leaders and church members with the largest and most vivid imaginations. I have met many a "preacher" in my 30 years of church attendance who claimed they cast out demons and yet the characteristics and signs and symptoms of a person requiring exorcism is quite vague and the actual proof that a "demon" has been cast out is non existent. To be singled out for a public exorcism is quite demeaning and very confusing for an adult let alone a little child and yet is done routinely in many american churches. Until you have had someone lay hands on you and start screaming for the devil to come out of your body/mind/spirit you cannot really appreciate the confusion and damage that this practice can do. I personally pity any child forced into the experience.
2,000 years ago very little was understood about mental illness, head trauma, and various neurological disorders which I suppose could have been construed as demon possession. Since the advent of modern psychiatry and psychiatric medication society has been able to close institutions/jails that were designed to keep the mentally and criminally insane from the population at large. We no doubt still have a problem with people who need treatment for mental illness and are not getting the care and drugs that they need. Many mentally ill people still refuse help and fail to recognize their illness. This no doubt causes a great deal of suffering as any family unit can attest to when subjected to a mentally ill and unmedicated family member. I personally have never known an exorcism of demons as sufficient to accomplish anything except embarrass and ridicule the person being subjected to the experience. When you are forced to live with someone who has a manic explosive anger disorder for instance one can only wish an "exorcism" could ease the pain and end the physical abuse, but the reality is that demons are a figment of the imagination as is exorcism. Modern day exorcisms are nothing but a fraud and a dog and pony show put on by a church leader who wants to make themselves look powerful and connected to deity before they pass the offering plate.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
A brigade called the Grim Reapers
"Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?""
Author: Jonah 3 Verses #: 9
The story of Jonah is a story of a prophet who did not want to do what God wanted him to so God caused a big fish to swallow him. As the story goes, Jonah cried out to God for 3 days and 3 nights from sheol (the place of the dead) and God brought him back from death and caused the fish to vomit him on dry land. He then goes to Nineveh and tells the people to repent of their violence and evil or they will be destroyed. The entire population repents and God does not destroy them. Jonah is disappointed that God did not destroy them and goes into deep depression and asks God to kill him.
The book of Jonah is a very exciting and interesting tale of how God worked through a prophet named Jonah and relented of destroying a city of 120,000 people when they began to worship him, the Hebrew God . Jonah believed that God would bring destruction on the city of Ninevah if they did not repent and worship Yahweh.
Many modern americans believe hurricanes, and 9/11 are acts of God meant to punish America for it's evil, but our violence to other countries like Iraq are not interpreted as a violence God abhores. Men like John Hagee and Pat Robertson are blaming any american tragedy on God's anger and judgement. All this implies God punishes some people including children out of anger because america is not "christian enough". This strikes me as very arrogant and superstitious. I suppose the same mindset dimishes bombing raids in Iraq and Afghanistan because those people are evil and deserve the judgement of God. Somewhere in the psyche of America the God of Jonah justifies our "holy" wars against a people who believe and look differently than we do. 18 and 19 year old boys become our "grim reapers" and fight "evil" (GWBush favorite phrase) in brigades in the streets of Bagdad by that name. What a culture believes about God does matter and the muslim world will suffer because we have the bombs and afterall God is on our side!
Author: Jonah 3 Verses #: 9
The story of Jonah is a story of a prophet who did not want to do what God wanted him to so God caused a big fish to swallow him. As the story goes, Jonah cried out to God for 3 days and 3 nights from sheol (the place of the dead) and God brought him back from death and caused the fish to vomit him on dry land. He then goes to Nineveh and tells the people to repent of their violence and evil or they will be destroyed. The entire population repents and God does not destroy them. Jonah is disappointed that God did not destroy them and goes into deep depression and asks God to kill him.
The book of Jonah is a very exciting and interesting tale of how God worked through a prophet named Jonah and relented of destroying a city of 120,000 people when they began to worship him, the Hebrew God . Jonah believed that God would bring destruction on the city of Ninevah if they did not repent and worship Yahweh.
Many modern americans believe hurricanes, and 9/11 are acts of God meant to punish America for it's evil, but our violence to other countries like Iraq are not interpreted as a violence God abhores. Men like John Hagee and Pat Robertson are blaming any american tragedy on God's anger and judgement. All this implies God punishes some people including children out of anger because america is not "christian enough". This strikes me as very arrogant and superstitious. I suppose the same mindset dimishes bombing raids in Iraq and Afghanistan because those people are evil and deserve the judgement of God. Somewhere in the psyche of America the God of Jonah justifies our "holy" wars against a people who believe and look differently than we do. 18 and 19 year old boys become our "grim reapers" and fight "evil" (GWBush favorite phrase) in brigades in the streets of Bagdad by that name. What a culture believes about God does matter and the muslim world will suffer because we have the bombs and afterall God is on our side!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Book Review
Suppose you had never heard of Christianity, and that next Sunday morning a stranger standing in a pulpit told you about a book whose authors could not be authenticated and whose contents, written hundreds of years ago, included blood-curling legends of slaughter and intrigue and fables about unnatural happenings such as virgin births, devils that inhabit human bodies and talk, people rising from the dead and ascending live into the clouds, and suns that stand still. Suppose he then asked you to believe that an uneducated man described in that book was a god who could get you into an eternal fantasy-place called Heaven, when you die. Would you, as an intelligent rational person, even bother to read such nonsense, let alone pattern your entire life upon it. --- from book's first page
The above is a book review of the book "The Born Again Skeptics View of the Bible" by Ruth Hurmence Green.
The above is a book review of the book "The Born Again Skeptics View of the Bible" by Ruth Hurmence Green.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
God wants Glenn Beck's eyes!!
"I truly came to a place that is the greatest blessing," he said, according to Yahoo! News. "Lord, if you need my eyes, they're yours. They were yours the whole time anyway. Thank you for letting me see as long as I have. That's a blessing." Glenn Beck
Why would an omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing God "need" to make someone blind. This just shows the craziness of the craziness of ascribing thoughts, actions and intentions to an invisible and silent deity. Glenn Beck is going blind due to a hereditary defect. This is the common view from the 4,000 year old book of Job that everything good comes from god and everything bad comes from god and evertthing both good and bad has a divine purpose.
In John 9: 1-41 In this story Jesus and the disciples pass by a blind man. The disciples asked who sinned??? Him or his parents?? Jesus said he was blind in order that the "works of god would be made manifest in him". In other words God had made the man blind so that Jesus could heal him and prove that he was the son of god. So in otherwords...God had made him blind so that God could prove he was God and heal him.
Fastforward 2,000 years and filter a hereditary disease through this biblical lens and you have a common prevailing religious view that god is to blame. Ancient man did not know all the causes of blindness, modern man does, and yet god is invoked when there is no proof he is even involved. DNA and genetics are involved in Glenn Beck's blindness. Why spiritualize it beyond that? Modern man needs to progress beyond the book of Job and look for a "scientific" and "medical" solution. God quit healing people of blindness 2,000 years ago, but modern medicine has only just begun.
Why would an omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing God "need" to make someone blind. This just shows the craziness of the craziness of ascribing thoughts, actions and intentions to an invisible and silent deity. Glenn Beck is going blind due to a hereditary defect. This is the common view from the 4,000 year old book of Job that everything good comes from god and everything bad comes from god and evertthing both good and bad has a divine purpose.
In John 9: 1-41 In this story Jesus and the disciples pass by a blind man. The disciples asked who sinned??? Him or his parents?? Jesus said he was blind in order that the "works of god would be made manifest in him". In other words God had made the man blind so that Jesus could heal him and prove that he was the son of god. So in otherwords...God had made him blind so that God could prove he was God and heal him.
Fastforward 2,000 years and filter a hereditary disease through this biblical lens and you have a common prevailing religious view that god is to blame. Ancient man did not know all the causes of blindness, modern man does, and yet god is invoked when there is no proof he is even involved. DNA and genetics are involved in Glenn Beck's blindness. Why spiritualize it beyond that? Modern man needs to progress beyond the book of Job and look for a "scientific" and "medical" solution. God quit healing people of blindness 2,000 years ago, but modern medicine has only just begun.
God's banning of bastards from worship for 10 generations
A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 23:1-2)
If someone has the misfortune of being born as a result of his mother being raped he is excluded by this edict from worship for 10 generations. This is punishing the child for something that happened between the 2 adults that parented him. It is most probably very likely his mother did not intend to have a child out of wedlock. This bible verse demonizes children out of wedlock. A bastard child does not have the same access to god as a child whose father claims him. I remember that the word bastard carried very heavy shame up to my generation. The shame of birthing and raising a "bastard" has no doubt been the cause of women for centuries risking their own life to resort to self-induced abortions to remove a pregnancy that would result in a stigmatized "bastard" child. Thankfully, the stigma has been lifted in our present culture to the point where now up to 45% of mothers birth babies out of wedlock. To take the bible literally those children would not be allowed to enter a church or a synagogue for 10 generations.
If someone has the misfortune of being born as a result of his mother being raped he is excluded by this edict from worship for 10 generations. This is punishing the child for something that happened between the 2 adults that parented him. It is most probably very likely his mother did not intend to have a child out of wedlock. This bible verse demonizes children out of wedlock. A bastard child does not have the same access to god as a child whose father claims him. I remember that the word bastard carried very heavy shame up to my generation. The shame of birthing and raising a "bastard" has no doubt been the cause of women for centuries risking their own life to resort to self-induced abortions to remove a pregnancy that would result in a stigmatized "bastard" child. Thankfully, the stigma has been lifted in our present culture to the point where now up to 45% of mothers birth babies out of wedlock. To take the bible literally those children would not be allowed to enter a church or a synagogue for 10 generations.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Jesus advocating putting children to death for speaking evil of father or mother
"For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;'{Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16} and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'{Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9}"
Author: Mark 7 Verses #: 10
Jesus is agreeing with Moses in Mark 7 and disagreeing with the religious leaders who had a softer take on these scriptures. I think it goes without saying that society would charge any parent with murder for killing their own children and that society has come to view calling your mother or father "evil" with leniency and tolerance not a death sentence. A large number of people in america actually have/had evil parents who either neglected them or abused them or raped them. The burden here is on the child to honor and not speak evil of their parents. Jesus definitely cannot be accused of being a child psychologist here. Where is the Jesus who says..."Suffer the little children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven"? I am confused.
Author: Mark 7 Verses #: 10
Jesus is agreeing with Moses in Mark 7 and disagreeing with the religious leaders who had a softer take on these scriptures. I think it goes without saying that society would charge any parent with murder for killing their own children and that society has come to view calling your mother or father "evil" with leniency and tolerance not a death sentence. A large number of people in america actually have/had evil parents who either neglected them or abused them or raped them. The burden here is on the child to honor and not speak evil of their parents. Jesus definitely cannot be accused of being a child psychologist here. Where is the Jesus who says..."Suffer the little children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven"? I am confused.
1 billion species of creatures in a 3 story boat
"For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,"
Author: Matthew 24 Verses #: 38
For years I was taught that Noah was able to save his family and all of creation on the earth in a 3 story boat from an earth destroying biblical flood and I believed it. I had a degree from a university, but I chose to not question reason and instead I believed the impossible. Why? Fear. Conformity. Acceptance in a group. I was well aware that religious groups do not approve of dissention. No one is allowed to question the authority of the bible, or the authority of the leader, or the authority of God, Jesus, and the biblical writers and prophets. Noah, if he existed at all was an ancient man, and the story is inspiring if you are Noah, but not if you are the rest of doomed mankind God chose to destroy. The bible loves to tell stories of men who believed and obeyed god against all the odds, but are they true? Could a billon or more species have survived a flood in a boat and repopulated every continent after Noah's flood? Of course not, but to doubt it is to ascribe to heresy and risk the condemnation of god and the church and who wants that? Questioning is strictly forbidden. Group think is the only approved discourse. In this verse Jesus is ascribing to the story of Noah and talking about Noah and telling his listeners that God is going to destroy the earth again someday. Jesus did not question the story of Noah but used it to remind his followers that god destroyed the earth once and he will do it again. New Testament readers are expected not to question the story of Noah and await a time when god destroys the world again and sends billions upon billions to an eternal hell of unending torture. Is a world destroying worldwide flood a provable fact? Could an ancient man spent 120 years building a boat that was capable of saving all of creation in a worldwide flood? I no longer have the faith to believe this story that is affirmed by Jesus and I am no longer awaiting doomsday. I do not understand why modern men need these ancient fables, nor do I understand why the god of hell and an apocolypse are appealing to the masses, but it took me 56 years to walk away from the fables, but they aren't going away anytime soon. Doomsday prophets are making a killing off their books like the "Left Behind" series. With america possessing enough weapons to destroy the earth a hundred times they might just get what they are wishing for! Boom! Doom! and Boom! It is now wihin mankind's grasp to end the world and blame god!
Author: Matthew 24 Verses #: 38
For years I was taught that Noah was able to save his family and all of creation on the earth in a 3 story boat from an earth destroying biblical flood and I believed it. I had a degree from a university, but I chose to not question reason and instead I believed the impossible. Why? Fear. Conformity. Acceptance in a group. I was well aware that religious groups do not approve of dissention. No one is allowed to question the authority of the bible, or the authority of the leader, or the authority of God, Jesus, and the biblical writers and prophets. Noah, if he existed at all was an ancient man, and the story is inspiring if you are Noah, but not if you are the rest of doomed mankind God chose to destroy. The bible loves to tell stories of men who believed and obeyed god against all the odds, but are they true? Could a billon or more species have survived a flood in a boat and repopulated every continent after Noah's flood? Of course not, but to doubt it is to ascribe to heresy and risk the condemnation of god and the church and who wants that? Questioning is strictly forbidden. Group think is the only approved discourse. In this verse Jesus is ascribing to the story of Noah and talking about Noah and telling his listeners that God is going to destroy the earth again someday. Jesus did not question the story of Noah but used it to remind his followers that god destroyed the earth once and he will do it again. New Testament readers are expected not to question the story of Noah and await a time when god destroys the world again and sends billions upon billions to an eternal hell of unending torture. Is a world destroying worldwide flood a provable fact? Could an ancient man spent 120 years building a boat that was capable of saving all of creation in a worldwide flood? I no longer have the faith to believe this story that is affirmed by Jesus and I am no longer awaiting doomsday. I do not understand why modern men need these ancient fables, nor do I understand why the god of hell and an apocolypse are appealing to the masses, but it took me 56 years to walk away from the fables, but they aren't going away anytime soon. Doomsday prophets are making a killing off their books like the "Left Behind" series. With america possessing enough weapons to destroy the earth a hundred times they might just get what they are wishing for! Boom! Doom! and Boom! It is now wihin mankind's grasp to end the world and blame god!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
It is impossible to be a christian!
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me and hate not his father and his mother, and wife and children, and bretheren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (verse 33) So likewise, he be if you that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.
Unless you are a monk committed to a life of poverty and celibacy who also hates his life it is virtually impossible to follow this teaching. Was the bible written by celebate monks to affirm their lifestyle choice and elevate their spirituality? In 2,000 years of translations who knows? This verse contradicts the ten commandments to love your mother and your father. This verses contradicts Jesus' teaching to love your neighbor as yourself. What exactly going on here is unclear, but it makes it virtually impossible for the average human being to be declared a "disciple" of Jesus. Modern day belief just sidesteps these verses. How is one to go about "hating" his own life? This is a qualification of "discipleship" and therefore eternal life. I think a mid early century monk who could not read greek or hebrew had his own self elevated take on Jesus' teaching or Jesus' is setting the bar for qualification for discipleship so high that heaven will be populated by a few thousand male monks leaving billions to suffer the tortures of hell for eternity.
Unless you are a monk committed to a life of poverty and celibacy who also hates his life it is virtually impossible to follow this teaching. Was the bible written by celebate monks to affirm their lifestyle choice and elevate their spirituality? In 2,000 years of translations who knows? This verse contradicts the ten commandments to love your mother and your father. This verses contradicts Jesus' teaching to love your neighbor as yourself. What exactly going on here is unclear, but it makes it virtually impossible for the average human being to be declared a "disciple" of Jesus. Modern day belief just sidesteps these verses. How is one to go about "hating" his own life? This is a qualification of "discipleship" and therefore eternal life. I think a mid early century monk who could not read greek or hebrew had his own self elevated take on Jesus' teaching or Jesus' is setting the bar for qualification for discipleship so high that heaven will be populated by a few thousand male monks leaving billions to suffer the tortures of hell for eternity.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
How can a loving god torture people forever?
http://www.what-the-hell-is-hell.com/FromHellsEternalDeath.htm
To come to grips with the concept of hell is not easy since we are a nation of believer obsessed with hell and what we perceive as the coming doomsday of the billions of people on planet earth. Obsession with hell has it's roots in america in "The Great Awakening" and before that in the King James Bible. My earliest recollections of church and church camp sermons are recollections of messages meant to frighten young people in the hands of a loving god that would just as readily throw their soul in hell for any number of sins and blasphemy as not. I searched through a 100 websites that claim and promise a god who is going to torture "unsaved" souls forever in a place of eternal torment until I found this very thoughtful discussion of hell by a bible believing scholar.
I have come to a place in my life that I question the doomsday prophets and "evangelical" messages that god is eagerly awaiting a reason and a chance to throw humanity into a place of eternal torment. This is ridicuous. Man made religion and powerful kingdoms have used the fear of hell to control the masses for centuries. It is still being done today. To be set free to love god and not fear him as your potential torturer is a really free place to be after 50 years of nothing but doomsday. I will blog more about what I have learned about hell...in the meantime please check out this website.
To come to grips with the concept of hell is not easy since we are a nation of believer obsessed with hell and what we perceive as the coming doomsday of the billions of people on planet earth. Obsession with hell has it's roots in america in "The Great Awakening" and before that in the King James Bible. My earliest recollections of church and church camp sermons are recollections of messages meant to frighten young people in the hands of a loving god that would just as readily throw their soul in hell for any number of sins and blasphemy as not. I searched through a 100 websites that claim and promise a god who is going to torture "unsaved" souls forever in a place of eternal torment until I found this very thoughtful discussion of hell by a bible believing scholar.
I have come to a place in my life that I question the doomsday prophets and "evangelical" messages that god is eagerly awaiting a reason and a chance to throw humanity into a place of eternal torment. This is ridicuous. Man made religion and powerful kingdoms have used the fear of hell to control the masses for centuries. It is still being done today. To be set free to love god and not fear him as your potential torturer is a really free place to be after 50 years of nothing but doomsday. I will blog more about what I have learned about hell...in the meantime please check out this website.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Is your pastor a christian?
The Bible offers several different ways to tell if someone is behaving in a Christian way. Is your Minister, Pastor or Priest following the Bible's prescriptions? Here are four of the most important:
#1 - Christians keep quiet
In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus tells Christians how to pray:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Does your Minister, Pastor or Priest pray in public like a hypocrite? Does he babble on and on? If so, he is defying Jesus.
#2 - Christians keep quiet 2
In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Christians are encouraged to live quietly:
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Is your Minister, Pastor or Priest living a quiet life, working with his hands and minding his own business?
#3 - Christians do not have wealth
In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells his followers to give up on possessions:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In Matthew 19:21 Jesus says:
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Does your Minister, Pastor or Priest live in a nice house, drive a nice car, wear nice clothes? Why? Why isn't he listening to Jesus?
#4 - Christians can demonstrate that they are Christians
In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus is very clear about what True Christians will be able to do to demonstrate their belief:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Can your Minister, Pastor or Priest drink poison without dying? If not, according to Jesus, he must not believe.
Simply think about it. Jesus and the Bible are quite clear about these things. And your Minister, Pastor or Priest should have the closest connection to Jesus of anyone you know. Is your Minister, Pastor or Priest following the Bible? Probably not. There is no one you know who is doing all of these things. There is no Christian on earth who can drink poison without dying.
The reason why your Minister, Pastor or Priest ignores the Bible is because God is imaginary. If God were real, your Minister, Pastor or Priest would be following the Bible to the letter. And so would you.
"Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.""
Author: Matthew 19 Verses #: 21
How many pastors sell everything they have and give it to the poor? This is a way to assure a way to have treasure in heaven. Are the televangelists following Jesus? Have they given everything to the poor? Pat Robertson is reportably worth over a billion dollars. This has accumulated since he started a very profitable TV ministry in 1961. Has he given everything he has to the poor? If not, he is not following the commands of Jesus.
#1 - Christians keep quiet
In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus tells Christians how to pray:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Does your Minister, Pastor or Priest pray in public like a hypocrite? Does he babble on and on? If so, he is defying Jesus.
#2 - Christians keep quiet 2
In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Christians are encouraged to live quietly:
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Is your Minister, Pastor or Priest living a quiet life, working with his hands and minding his own business?
#3 - Christians do not have wealth
In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells his followers to give up on possessions:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In Matthew 19:21 Jesus says:
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Does your Minister, Pastor or Priest live in a nice house, drive a nice car, wear nice clothes? Why? Why isn't he listening to Jesus?
#4 - Christians can demonstrate that they are Christians
In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus is very clear about what True Christians will be able to do to demonstrate their belief:
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Can your Minister, Pastor or Priest drink poison without dying? If not, according to Jesus, he must not believe.
Simply think about it. Jesus and the Bible are quite clear about these things. And your Minister, Pastor or Priest should have the closest connection to Jesus of anyone you know. Is your Minister, Pastor or Priest following the Bible? Probably not. There is no one you know who is doing all of these things. There is no Christian on earth who can drink poison without dying.
The reason why your Minister, Pastor or Priest ignores the Bible is because God is imaginary. If God were real, your Minister, Pastor or Priest would be following the Bible to the letter. And so would you.
"Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.""
Author: Matthew 19 Verses #: 21
How many pastors sell everything they have and give it to the poor? This is a way to assure a way to have treasure in heaven. Are the televangelists following Jesus? Have they given everything to the poor? Pat Robertson is reportably worth over a billion dollars. This has accumulated since he started a very profitable TV ministry in 1961. Has he given everything he has to the poor? If not, he is not following the commands of Jesus.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Is it true the "prayer" + "belief" = "whatever you ask for"?
Mark 11:24 "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Anything you need -- money, love, happiness, you name it -- I am here to provide it for you.
Jesus made many claims that God would answer prayer. He taught his disciples that what they needed was faith, belief and in some cases 2 or more people to agree with them in prayer. Is this true? Do christians see evidence of prayer producing miracles? Can believers get "whatever" they ask for in prayer by "believing"? Do we see evidence that god listens and answers specific prayers? Are answers to prayer lists a common occurence? Why do churches pass an "offering plate" to pay salaries and pay for building expenses when all that would be necessary is prayer? I have never met a paralyzed person who did not pray moment by moment to be set free from their paralysis, and yet in 35 years of working with patients with spinal cord injuries I have never met one that god "healed" and allowed to walk. I am not a skeptic, I am a realist living in the world as I observe it.
Jesus made many claims that God would answer prayer. He taught his disciples that what they needed was faith, belief and in some cases 2 or more people to agree with them in prayer. Is this true? Do christians see evidence of prayer producing miracles? Can believers get "whatever" they ask for in prayer by "believing"? Do we see evidence that god listens and answers specific prayers? Are answers to prayer lists a common occurence? Why do churches pass an "offering plate" to pay salaries and pay for building expenses when all that would be necessary is prayer? I have never met a paralyzed person who did not pray moment by moment to be set free from their paralysis, and yet in 35 years of working with patients with spinal cord injuries I have never met one that god "healed" and allowed to walk. I am not a skeptic, I am a realist living in the world as I observe it.
Monday, July 12, 2010
The book of Job
"My anger burns against you and your two friends,because, unlike my servant Job, you have not told the truth about God." (Job Chapter 42 verse 1)
The book of Job is thought to be the oldest story in the bible predating Genesis. A google search of the book of Job will produce pages and pages of theologians attempting to explain a God who uses Job to prove a point to Satan. Job loses everything except his life. He loses his children, his servants, his animals, his wealth, and his health. By all accounts, modern believers are completely absorbed by this very ancient story and believe it tells the truth about God. If modern man were able to excavate an ancient manuscript and decipher it, would we ascribe to the ancient and primitive text infallibility and inerrancy and accept it as telling the truth about God? No. We would put it in a museum and not think twice about applying it to modern beliefs, but the book of Job is accepted as the gospel truth about an ancient god that controls calamity and "blessings". Modern believers even go a step further and use the ancient text as proof that god is intimately involved in every good thing that happens to them and every bad thing that happens to them. Job 1:21 The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord. The ancient man Job ascribed that the Lord gave him everything and that the Lord could take everything away. This puts god as the source of everything good and everything bad all at once. I simply fail to see why modern man with knowledge of science and medicine finds this comforting. When bad things happen we can either blame god or satan (who permits satan), and when believers are experiencing "blessings"...god gets the credit as well. I simply have come to see Job as a very ancient man with a very ancient view of deity. Job does not have the goods on god and neither do all the theologians who have written reams about the ascribed diety in this ancient book. No one alive today knows any more about God than Job claimed to. Preoccupation with deity seems to me to be preventing a needed preoccupation with science, technology and preservation of humanity and the planet.
The book of Job is thought to be the oldest story in the bible predating Genesis. A google search of the book of Job will produce pages and pages of theologians attempting to explain a God who uses Job to prove a point to Satan. Job loses everything except his life. He loses his children, his servants, his animals, his wealth, and his health. By all accounts, modern believers are completely absorbed by this very ancient story and believe it tells the truth about God. If modern man were able to excavate an ancient manuscript and decipher it, would we ascribe to the ancient and primitive text infallibility and inerrancy and accept it as telling the truth about God? No. We would put it in a museum and not think twice about applying it to modern beliefs, but the book of Job is accepted as the gospel truth about an ancient god that controls calamity and "blessings". Modern believers even go a step further and use the ancient text as proof that god is intimately involved in every good thing that happens to them and every bad thing that happens to them. Job 1:21 The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord. The ancient man Job ascribed that the Lord gave him everything and that the Lord could take everything away. This puts god as the source of everything good and everything bad all at once. I simply fail to see why modern man with knowledge of science and medicine finds this comforting. When bad things happen we can either blame god or satan (who permits satan), and when believers are experiencing "blessings"...god gets the credit as well. I simply have come to see Job as a very ancient man with a very ancient view of deity. Job does not have the goods on god and neither do all the theologians who have written reams about the ascribed diety in this ancient book. No one alive today knows any more about God than Job claimed to. Preoccupation with deity seems to me to be preventing a needed preoccupation with science, technology and preservation of humanity and the planet.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Everlasting Fire (Matthew 17:8)
Matthew 17:8 "Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee; it is better to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands and two feet to be cast into everlasting fire."
Jesus' ministry was one of healing and warning listeners about hell. The bible is replete with promises that mankind is promised by God a place of everlasting torment for disobeying the commandments of God. He not only includes all the Old Testament commands but adds new ones like Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." Jesus was very focused on warning all listeners about God's damnation. Not only must mankind believe in God and Jesus, but must be baptized to be saved from the tortures of hell." Jesus was preoccuppied with hell.
Religion has used the fear of hell as a way to control the masses and subdue them for centuries. Without the fear of hell people simply would not be able to be controlled. Fear causes people to accept that with one or any missteps God will torment them forever in the afterlife. It is religion's most useful tool. No one knows what the afterlife promises and yet eternity is a lifetime obsession. We have "denominations" that all disagree how and at what age people can be baptized, and what constitutes a "valid" belief in Jesus. Fifty six years of life tell me that no one group or organization has all the answers. Americans strongly believe their specific beliefs and faith will save them from an angry god. I have finally chosen to see the beauty and goodness and loveliness of the world and deduce that God is not waiting for me to "mess up" so he can torment me forever. I am no longer controlled by fear and it is a very free place to be. I spent years worrying about whether God loved me and whether I would go to heaven. My path now is a simple acknowledgement that I would not torture my children or anyone else's children for any reason whatsoever. If that consciousness abides in me and mankind in general around the world then that goodness is resident in the universe and all around us. I no longer accept the angry and violent God we have been told about in the bible, but embrace goodness and kindness. It is the most wonderful place to be. My God is not angry, violent and creating a place to torture people forever.
Jesus' ministry was one of healing and warning listeners about hell. The bible is replete with promises that mankind is promised by God a place of everlasting torment for disobeying the commandments of God. He not only includes all the Old Testament commands but adds new ones like Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." Jesus was very focused on warning all listeners about God's damnation. Not only must mankind believe in God and Jesus, but must be baptized to be saved from the tortures of hell." Jesus was preoccuppied with hell.
Religion has used the fear of hell as a way to control the masses and subdue them for centuries. Without the fear of hell people simply would not be able to be controlled. Fear causes people to accept that with one or any missteps God will torment them forever in the afterlife. It is religion's most useful tool. No one knows what the afterlife promises and yet eternity is a lifetime obsession. We have "denominations" that all disagree how and at what age people can be baptized, and what constitutes a "valid" belief in Jesus. Fifty six years of life tell me that no one group or organization has all the answers. Americans strongly believe their specific beliefs and faith will save them from an angry god. I have finally chosen to see the beauty and goodness and loveliness of the world and deduce that God is not waiting for me to "mess up" so he can torment me forever. I am no longer controlled by fear and it is a very free place to be. I spent years worrying about whether God loved me and whether I would go to heaven. My path now is a simple acknowledgement that I would not torture my children or anyone else's children for any reason whatsoever. If that consciousness abides in me and mankind in general around the world then that goodness is resident in the universe and all around us. I no longer accept the angry and violent God we have been told about in the bible, but embrace goodness and kindness. It is the most wonderful place to be. My God is not angry, violent and creating a place to torture people forever.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Why won't God heal amputees?
http://www.whywontgodhealamputees.com/bible.htm
Thought provoking web site. Very well written. Fundamentalist christianity leads one to believe that with enough faith and prayer God will heal. Many people have felt like God abandoned them or didn't love them when their miracle did not come. As a nurse, I see surgeons healing, I see doctor's healing with medicine, but I don't see God reversing dementia or renewing lost kidney or organ function. I don't doubt that there are miracles, but in 35 years of nursing I have not seen one. What I do see are people that need good medical care in order to live long productive lives. I don't question people's faith in Jesus or God to heal, but as a society we have to accept that lack of good medical care is inhumane.
Thought provoking web site. Very well written. Fundamentalist christianity leads one to believe that with enough faith and prayer God will heal. Many people have felt like God abandoned them or didn't love them when their miracle did not come. As a nurse, I see surgeons healing, I see doctor's healing with medicine, but I don't see God reversing dementia or renewing lost kidney or organ function. I don't doubt that there are miracles, but in 35 years of nursing I have not seen one. What I do see are people that need good medical care in order to live long productive lives. I don't question people's faith in Jesus or God to heal, but as a society we have to accept that lack of good medical care is inhumane.
Dear President Bush (a letter off the internet)
Dear President Bush,
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18: 22 clearly states it to be an abomination . . End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25: 44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21: 7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev. 15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev. 1: 9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35: 2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11: 10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?
7. Lev. 21: 20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11: 6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19: 19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24: 10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20: 14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, as well, you have a direct line to God so I am confident you can help
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging
(this post was taken from an undisclosed source off the internet)
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18: 22 clearly states it to be an abomination . . End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25: 44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21: 7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev. 15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev. 1: 9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35: 2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11: 10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there degrees of abomination?
7. Lev. 21: 20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11: 6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19: 19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24: 10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20: 14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, as well, you have a direct line to God so I am confident you can help
Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging
(this post was taken from an undisclosed source off the internet)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Numbers 15: 32-36
This passage tells a story about a man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath. They put him in a prison until they decided what to do with him. Verse 35 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, "the man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." Verse 36 says, "and all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died"; as the Lord commanded Moses.
As God was setting up a theocracy and a "favored" people there was no tolerance for any deviations from commands such as doing no work on the sabbath. In the process of creating a nation and a national religion there was no tolerance for any behavior that was outside the established expectations on the people. Sticks were used for cooking and possibly shelter building. Stoning seems like a very harsh punishment. Note that the punishment was done by the group as a whole, with a supposition that God approved.
Modern day christians use the old testament and its scriptures as justification of their beliefs. How many would advocate a good ole stoning at the behest of a leader? None. It is against the law. I am sure stoning would be reprehensible to the average believer.
Is judaism and christianity a man made religion? How much of this did Moses make up as he went along? What kind of man was Moses? Would we tolerate Moses as a leader today? Would the average person follow Moses today?
This passage tells a story about a man that gathered sticks on the Sabbath. They put him in a prison until they decided what to do with him. Verse 35 says, "And the Lord said to Moses, "the man shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." Verse 36 says, "and all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died"; as the Lord commanded Moses.
As God was setting up a theocracy and a "favored" people there was no tolerance for any deviations from commands such as doing no work on the sabbath. In the process of creating a nation and a national religion there was no tolerance for any behavior that was outside the established expectations on the people. Sticks were used for cooking and possibly shelter building. Stoning seems like a very harsh punishment. Note that the punishment was done by the group as a whole, with a supposition that God approved.
Modern day christians use the old testament and its scriptures as justification of their beliefs. How many would advocate a good ole stoning at the behest of a leader? None. It is against the law. I am sure stoning would be reprehensible to the average believer.
Is judaism and christianity a man made religion? How much of this did Moses make up as he went along? What kind of man was Moses? Would we tolerate Moses as a leader today? Would the average person follow Moses today?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Why is this command to pluck out your eyes not followed?
Mark 9:47
"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell."
The current movement of fundamentalists pride themselves for taking every word of the bible literally as God inspired. Huge denominational shifts abound over the practice of baptism, but all protestant churches practice some form of baptism. Why is the practice of gouging out one's eye or eyes not practiced with equal fervor? The verse clearly alludes to the practice as a way of avoiding hell. The whole point of christianity is a belief system that will spare the faithful the torments of eternal hell. The gouging out of one's eye would seem a small price to pay if you truly believe in a place of eternal torment for the "sinner" and it would keep you from going there.
Hell is universally believed to be a place of eternal torment created by God for the unfaithful and unbelievers by modern day christians. I will address the problem of a loving God creating and religating his creation to a place of eternal torment at a later blog. Today I simply want to ask the question of why christians do not pluck out their eyes in order to avoid this hell that is so universally believed? In the above bible verse Jesus is suggesting such a practice. My problem with bible scholars is they cherry pick verses they prefer to be taken as literal. Jesus did not say this was not to be taken literally. To the contrary he seemed to fervently encourage such mutilation. The ritual of baptism is universal while the ritual of gouging out one's eyes to avoid hell is not practiced. Why? A "literalist" does not have the liberty of choosing to obey one verse and ignore a command in another verse. The reason christians do not gouge their eyes out is because it is a reprehensible thought. We as a human species are hard-wired for self preservation not self mutilation. This command by Jesus is literrally against our very nature and is a rediculous bible verse.
"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell."
The current movement of fundamentalists pride themselves for taking every word of the bible literally as God inspired. Huge denominational shifts abound over the practice of baptism, but all protestant churches practice some form of baptism. Why is the practice of gouging out one's eye or eyes not practiced with equal fervor? The verse clearly alludes to the practice as a way of avoiding hell. The whole point of christianity is a belief system that will spare the faithful the torments of eternal hell. The gouging out of one's eye would seem a small price to pay if you truly believe in a place of eternal torment for the "sinner" and it would keep you from going there.
Hell is universally believed to be a place of eternal torment created by God for the unfaithful and unbelievers by modern day christians. I will address the problem of a loving God creating and religating his creation to a place of eternal torment at a later blog. Today I simply want to ask the question of why christians do not pluck out their eyes in order to avoid this hell that is so universally believed? In the above bible verse Jesus is suggesting such a practice. My problem with bible scholars is they cherry pick verses they prefer to be taken as literal. Jesus did not say this was not to be taken literally. To the contrary he seemed to fervently encourage such mutilation. The ritual of baptism is universal while the ritual of gouging out one's eyes to avoid hell is not practiced. Why? A "literalist" does not have the liberty of choosing to obey one verse and ignore a command in another verse. The reason christians do not gouge their eyes out is because it is a reprehensible thought. We as a human species are hard-wired for self preservation not self mutilation. This command by Jesus is literrally against our very nature and is a rediculous bible verse.
modern day circumcision
Genesis 19:9-13
Every male was required to be circumcised. The requirement for circumcision of all males extended to slaves and anyone bought with money. All males and slaves had to be circumcised as a sign of a covenant between the Israelites and God. What does this have to do with modern mankind today?
I am not going to address slavery today. God obviously condoned slavery which is offensive and has caused and continues to cause suffering in certain populations. Modern man has discarded slavery as morally reprehensible and wrong. Why are women still giving their newborns over to a barbaric ancient practice of circumcision, a practice that started 4,000 years ago as a racist and bigotted way of identifying a group of men as having made a covenant with God?
As a nursing student I had to observe several circumcisions. They were barbaric and caused the baby a great deal of pain. The doctor who performs them makes a good little profit for participating in the barbaric practice. And yes, I know all the supposed health arguments for circumcision and I will tell you they are not a valid reasons to continue this barbaric practice. If insurance companies and medicaid would refuse to pay for this barbarism the mother would think twice about being charged for the cruelty to her baby boy.
I hope this blog gives a young woman courageous to resist this practice and leave their baby boys alone. As a nurse and mother I refused to allow my boys to be circumcised and they are glad I did because they have more sensitivity. Why did God create a foreskin only to demand they be chopped off to identify a class of men? It just doesn't make sense and is my rediculous bible verse for the day. Pass this thought along. This blog is designed to give us courage to think for ourselves.
Every male was required to be circumcised. The requirement for circumcision of all males extended to slaves and anyone bought with money. All males and slaves had to be circumcised as a sign of a covenant between the Israelites and God. What does this have to do with modern mankind today?
I am not going to address slavery today. God obviously condoned slavery which is offensive and has caused and continues to cause suffering in certain populations. Modern man has discarded slavery as morally reprehensible and wrong. Why are women still giving their newborns over to a barbaric ancient practice of circumcision, a practice that started 4,000 years ago as a racist and bigotted way of identifying a group of men as having made a covenant with God?
As a nursing student I had to observe several circumcisions. They were barbaric and caused the baby a great deal of pain. The doctor who performs them makes a good little profit for participating in the barbaric practice. And yes, I know all the supposed health arguments for circumcision and I will tell you they are not a valid reasons to continue this barbaric practice. If insurance companies and medicaid would refuse to pay for this barbarism the mother would think twice about being charged for the cruelty to her baby boy.
I hope this blog gives a young woman courageous to resist this practice and leave their baby boys alone. As a nurse and mother I refused to allow my boys to be circumcised and they are glad I did because they have more sensitivity. Why did God create a foreskin only to demand they be chopped off to identify a class of men? It just doesn't make sense and is my rediculous bible verse for the day. Pass this thought along. This blog is designed to give us courage to think for ourselves.
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