""'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.
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Sunday, October 10, 2010
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.
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 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, 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)