Freethought Nation

133 thoughts on “Bible morality or depravity?”

1. Blinded
   I am from a Christian background and I find it interesting that people who have read the bible so many times fail to realize the reality of its content. I know I have after reading it a few times, I too was blinded focusing only on what I wanted to focus on. It is absolutely revolting once the blinds are removed! People fail to realize that the brutality in Christianity history (Crusades, slavery, etc.) was due to what is written in the Bible. And it is still there! The Quran is not any better. Thanks for this post, it’s nice to be reminded of why you are the way you are 🙂

   1. Wrong. The brutality of Christianity is the result of Islam. Slavery was all but obsolete in Europe. The Roman empire was prosperous and advancing despite its bad points. Even when the eastern empire fell to barbarians who later converted the region was well adavanced. Then islam came and ravaged Eurooe including the balkans and Russia with its slavers, banditry and priracy. Christian Europe got ugly bevause of islamic influence.

2. Yea.
   😡
   Nothing new there …. our entertainment reflects our cultures insantity.
   It’s ok to demean, murder and rape a women many times through out a movie or what ever .. but geez don’t show a woman enjoying sex.

   Pretty messed up and backwards.

3. Whew, my head is spinning with all that hate!
   Whew, my head is spinning with all that hate ! Well, here is a joke to lighten up everyone!

   An atheist and an agnostic after dying arrive in what they realize is paradise

   When they arrive in Paradise, they are met by this benign, radiant beautiful woman who claims to be God ( or rather Goddess!) who shows the agnostic and atheist around

   They see all these beautiful trees, orchards, meadows, waterfalls and meet with many beautiful people of many different ethnicities with happy-faced children all hugging and loving each other with flowers in their hair singing

   “If you’re going to San Francisco,
   Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair…”

   “Who are they?” Ask the atheist and the agnostic

   “They are the Children of earth, atheists and agnostics like yourself” says the beautiful Goddess.

   “They have come to paradise and obtained what they sought, eternal happiness, peace and harmony among all people.” says the beaming Goddess.

   Finally, they arrive at the edge of paradise, a vista point where they see this deep, bottom-less huge pit, a cavern the size of the milky way with roaring flames!

   They see all kinds of people throwing bombs at each other , blowing each other up, hating each other, cursing each other, fighting each other, in other words, one big hate fest!

   The atheist and the agnostic ask, “Who are they and what is that cavern with flames?”

   “Oh, that is Hell”, says the Goddess “Those people down there are hateful, intolerant, violent religious extremists, the believers, all the haters from planet earth, extremist Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Jains, Sikhs, Nazis and yes even republicans!!

   “Why are they so angry and hateful?” ask the atheist and the agnostic.

   The bemused Goddess says, “Oh, they are just angry because they were lied to by their Gods as to who would be in heaven and hell!!”

   1. god – an autobiographical essay
      Nice job swami. I have a little something for you. I wrote this a few years ago. I hope you like it.

      god – an autobiographical essay

      Hi there, this is god. I don’t capitalize my designation and neither should you. You wouldn’t capitalize the word unicorn or human or rock if they weren’t the first word in a sentence. Just like those nouns I am a thing not a person and my designator is not a proper noun.

      Many of you have wondered whether or not I exist. I am here to tell you that I do exist. I exist in the same way a hallucination exists. I exist in the same way that the unicorn or the flying spaghetti monster exists. The questions that you really need to ask are “is god a part of the cosmos?” or “Does god contain matter and energy?” “Is god real?” If you ask a drunk if the pink elephants he sees are real you may get a confidently slurred yes. So first apply some rules before embarking on your search for this answer. Don’t accept the word of a drunk about the existence of the pink elephants and never accept the word of a zealot about the existence of me.

      So, am I real? I really don’t know. I’ve examined the likelihood of my reality repeatedly and for a long time. I’m still in a quandary. The probability that I am real is quite small I admit but I haven’t given up the search yet. To tell the truth I’d be much happier if I weren’t real because if I am then I’ve got a lot of explaining to do about things like the Dark Ages, inquisitions, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and the final episode of the Sopranos. However, if I don’t exist, then it’s plausible deniability from the start, from the extermination of the dinosaurs right up through the holocaust the Tea Party and beyond.

      If even I don’t know whether or not I am real, then how is it that so many have been so sure of my reality that you have slaughtered towns and cities worth of innocent men women and children to prove that I am real. Believe me if I could have done something about that I surely would have. But how, I’m just a god. I am in your mind. I have no real power.

      How is it that you who believe in me don’t even know my life story? You say I have always been, what rubbish. This silly little claim is without merit for it creates an infinite regress. If you wish to stop the infinite regression of this thought exercise then just say the cosmos has always been and the discussion ends without having to bring me in on your illogic.

      Are you just paying lip-service to some politically manifested version of me?
      A false version created by some Imam, Pope, or King. Be wary of stories told by those who want your money or your blood, for kingdoms are not built upon wishful thinking they rise from the fallen bodies that blindly follow a perceived cause. And if I am that perceived cause then you have made a grievous mistake and you have imposed upon yourself a sort of slavery which you would not have accepted otherwise.

      There are a lot of you that don’t believe in me and I can’t say I blame you. The only evidence you have is … well there isn’t any real evidence. There are word games by primitives such as Aquinas and Anselm that aren’t really arguments at all. That which primitive humans called evidence can now be explained by logic and science that wasn’t available for those primitive cultures.

      I have no animosity toward true non-believers. If I am real then it is I who gave them their gift of reason and I am quite happy that they are using it. If I am not real then they are correct. The Atheists that I really don’t care for call themselves Christians, Jews, and Muslims. They’ve created versions of me that are gruesome, mean, vindictive, and petty. They are more atheistic than any non-believer could ever be.

      You may ask, how is it that even I can’t say for sure that I am real. The only things that most of you know about me are those that you were told in some church or temple or mosque. If I had anything to say to mankind I would have spoken loudly, clearly and in every language and without ambiguity or contradiction. I’d have wanted my words to be understood even by the illiterate amongst you. Books touted by bloodthirsty expansionistic egomaniacs certainly wouldn’t fill my bookshelves nor should they occupy any space on yours.

      I have never written a word about myself and until now had not intended to. But you monkeys have messed things up so completely that I think it is time I set the record straight once and for all. My apologies to all of the true monkeys that I have just insulted.

      This is my autobiography and you had better pay attention, not because I can cause you pain, but because not paying attention can cause you pain or perhaps continue the pain that already anchors itself in the dark parts of your minds. I am not real even though I do exist. It is the pain and suffering caused by my existence that is real.

      “Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration–courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and, above all, love of the truth.”
      – H. L. Mencken

4. Hey Jannie, good point. I’m also from a Christian background. I was a saved and baptized evangelical for many years. I finally got tired of being lied to. I am grateful to the work by Acharya S & others for helping me ‘see the light’ so to speak.

   I love the mythicist position video ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63BNKhGAVRQ[/url])

   From a 20 year former Preacher: “Why Jesus?”
   http://www.ffrf.org/publications/nontracts/Why-Jesus/

   [quote]The burning of unbelievers during the Inquisition was based on the words of Jesus:

   John 15:6 “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”[/quote]
   [quote]”Most freethinkers consider religion to be not only untrue, but harmful. It has been used to justify war, slavery, sexism, racism, homophobia, mutilations, intolerance, and oppression of minorities. The totalitarianism of religious absolutes chokes progress.”
   http://www.ffrf.org/publications/nontracts/What-Is-A-Freethinker/%5B/quote%5D

5. Dead Letters
   Jannie – “People fail to realize that the brutality in Christianity history (Crusades, slavery, etc.) was due to what is written in the Bible. And it is still there! The Quran is not any better.”

   Yep–I agree Jannie. What they mistook was taking the Bible to the (Exoteric) Dead Letter. Nothing in the Bible means what it says literally. There is an “Occult” (hidden) message, that only the “wise” can see/read through the Ancient Symbolism. That’s as Old as the World! Religious Scholars are starting to get a “Wiff” of the Old Esoteric Doctrines. (Mystery Schools) Means Secret Philosophic Schools of various degrees of elevation into the Truth.

   You can not toss off Religion. It’s been on every Continent in one shape or another. What’s missing is the Symbolic Intelligence to decode it’s hidden Divine Message! That’s what I love about Comparitive Religion/Mythology/Philosophy/Science–these disiplines will eventually “Crack” the “Code”. And it may bring them back to “God” when they do! The Sunday morning Religious Cartoons are a laughing stock. And if you only take the time, to learn any of the disiplines above. You will learn that the Cartoons I speak about are more interested in “Money” than Truth. Encrypted in the Old Ruins of the World? The Symbolism is still there for the taking–“With those with eyes to see”! Happy Divine learning–God Bless humanity!

   1. Harmful Religion
      I firmly believe that (any) religion IS harmful. Look at the world. Wherever religion is strong, the index of violence is higher. Even inside the United States there is a signifcant difference in violence between regions of more religious people in comparison to regions with a more atheistig/agnostic population. That’s a statistic fact.

   2. Hypathia – Dead Letters
      Nonsense! You are are just replacing one bunch of crazy superstitious madness with another. If the Bible is not to be taken literally, but is in fact ‘a code’, then how many millions has God killed through either a) his total incompetence in communication, or b) his cynical trickery??? Wake up and use your brain to develop your own philosophy, something based in reality, rather than in ancient misconceptions.

6. Mr
   The “Holy” Bible is the worst book of fiction ever written. It should be classified Horror/Fiction, not suitable for under 18.
   It should come with labels pasted on it:
   WARNING: Reading this book will result in serious brain damage from the poison of the God Virus.

   1. That is what I was thinking. Even as a child. That it is violent. It makes me sick, but I guess that is God’s way of showing that there is good in the world, too.

   2. Never thought I’d see the day when I would reject the Bible, but I did, and don’t miss it @ all. I thank Thomas Paine for opening my eyes.

7. Unicorns
   Re: “[i]Deut 33:17 – God believes in unicorns[/i]”

   There are seven more references to unicorns in the Old Testament:
   Numbers 23,22;
   Numbers 24,8;
   [i]Deuteronomy 33,17;[/i]
   Job 39,9-10;
   Psalms 22,21;
   Psalms 29,6;
   Psalms 92,10;
   Isaiah 34,7.

   The corresponding Greek word ([i]monokerwtos[/i]) is used in the [i]Septuagint[/i]: the Greek version of the Jewish scriptures, used by the Jews in Alexandria, before the Hebrew version acquired its current wording.

   1. You are correct, sir, which means that pre-Christian Jews definitely thought the Hebrew term ראם or [i]rĕ’em[/i] referred to a one-horned creature, i.e., a unicorn.

      The Greek word in the Septuagint (“LXX” ) used in the verses you cite is μονοκέρωτος or “monokerotos.” [i]A Handy Concordance of the Septuagint ([url]http://www.archive.org/stream/handyconcordance00lond#page/164/mode/2up[/url])[/i] cites the following uses of μονοκέρωτος in the Old Testament:

      Num 23:22 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Num&c=23&v=22&t=KJV#conc/22[/url]), 24:8 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Num&c=24&v=8&t=KJV#conc/8[/url]); Deu 33:17 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Deu&c=33&v=17&t=KJV#conc/17[/url]); Job 39:9 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Job&c=39&v=9&t=KJV#conc/9[/url]); Ps 21:22 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]), 28:6 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]), 77:69 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=78&v=69&t=KJV#conc/69[/url]), 91:11 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=92&v=1&t=KJV#conc/10[/url])

      Note that Ps 21:22 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]) is where the relevant verse appears in the actual Septuagint, which corresponds to Ps 22:21 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]) – as you have it – in the Hebrew translation.

      As it does in many other places, the same displacement occurs with Ps 28:6 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]), which is the LXX numbering, while Ps 29:6 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=22&v=1&t=KJV#conc/21[/url]) is the Hebrew.

      Ditto with Ps 91:11 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=92&v=1&t=KJV#conc/10[/url]) in the LXX, which is Ps 92:10 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=92&v=1&t=KJV#conc/10[/url]) in the Hebrew.

      The relevant Hebrew word in Isaiah 34:7 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Isa&c=34&v=7&t=KJV#conc/7[/url]), ראם or [i]rĕ’em[/i] is translated in the King James Bible as “unicorns,” but it is not rendered [i]monokerotos [/i]in the LXX.

      Oddly, Ps 77:69, in which the LXX uses the word μονοκερώτων or “monokeroton,” is rendered in the Hebrew (Ps 78:69 ([url]http://studybible.info/interlinear/Psalms%2078:69[/url])) as “his sanctuary.”

      [quote]78:69 ([url]http://studybible.info/interlinear/Psalms%2078:69[/url]) και And ωκοδόμησεν he built ως [as μονοκέρωτος the unicorn το αγίασμα αυτού his sanctuary] εν in τη the γη earth; εθεμελίωσεν αυτήν he laid its foundation εις into τον the αιώνα eon.[/quote]
      Thanks for pointing that out – very helpful.

8. These books of Divine Hate
   For many, many, years I was the recipient of those messages of hate. First by my own Parents and then my Husbands…didn’t quite learn the first time, and until recently, by my Sons. One thing stood out above all this…it was the teaching of the hatred and subjugation of women…all women; whom we are supposed to believe brought all evil upon this earth. It seems that there is a common theme that runs through all these books…rape, pillage, and plunder and total destruction, through hatred wrapped up with the pretty blood red bow called Eternal Love. Verses and even total books are added and subtracted at will depending upon the whims of the various bullies who are in power. These Bullies, while not following the books because they have special exemption, brutalize the rest of the earths’ inhabitants with these books…because they can. They destroy all life on Earth and expect purity and beauty in their Heaven after they destroy even themselves. They themselves, have become their own Gods abomination, in their attempt for absolution…and for what? Is this not a definition of insanity? When, oh when will we ever learn? Isn’t it time to stand up and say no more? We can you know…it’s permissible. I finally started doing that…Thanks and Kudos to all these wonderful women and men who are brave enough to stand and be heard on this subject. Acharya is one of the bravest I know, though I know there are many, many others!

   1. The violence enabled by superstitution
      Kudos Millie.

      My first rejection of the bible as the word of god was the “just treatment of slaves” in the old testament. I slowly came to realize that superstition was the tool by which some could gain power over others. If “they” could make you believe in their brand of superstition, then they could get you to have “faith”. Once you took the easy way out and shunned objective observation and analysis you could be lead around by the profits, priests and others who would have you commit acts of war, violence etc.

      I still do not quite understand the focus placed on demeaning women through out many religious teachings. Other, of course, than the desire by men to dominate women. I don’t think one can honestly love something they believe is less a human then themselves.

      Thanks for your perspective on the subject. I live in the “bible belt” and sometimes feel quite alone. Acharya, Ayn Rand, and a few others have provided structure to the many observations and thoughts I have had over the past decades. Very reenforcing and comforting to have their clear and logical discussions regarding the concepts that resonate with my own observations and interpretations of reality.

9. bible propaganda
   the invisable man in the sky is not so nice after all. im a recovering catholic. thanks to the information and real truths that can be found by historians…

10. Truth
    What’s disturbing is that most people don’t realize is that they’ve been lied to.

    What’s even more disturbing is that most people don’t care to realize that they’ve been lied to.

    Most people are not seekers of truth. They are people in search of pleasure and entertainment. They don’t care about living the life of real human being. They just want their creature comforts and to be left alone in the ignorance. The root word of ignorance being ‘ignore.’ That’s the nature of man at this stage of his evolution. They don’t care about evidence. They don’t care about truth. And they don’t care about each other.

    JMO

    1. It is easier to be lead around by the nose than to accept responsibility for your own path through each day. I sometimes think that “sheeple” are just lazy or lack the focus and fortitude to shun superstition and look for the reality of life objectively.

11. MIssing from the list are the actual atrocities co
    Here is one ,perhaps overlooked , when you publish the list of atrociticies: Samuel II, Chapter 12, Verse 31
    ” And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln:and thus did he unto
    all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.”

12. It has been my personal opinion for many years that anyone who gives the Bible to a child to read should be prosecuted for purveying pornography to minors. It is a truly vile book and it would be listed as pornography if it didn’t have the title “Holy Bible” on its cover. For one example among many, take a look at Ezekiel 23, which I won’t quote here for obvious reasons.

    1. Atheist genocide=ok
       Then quote the Quran. Much more to your liking? Oh wait, you’re an atheist. Ahem… Praise Stalin!! Praise Mao!! Praise Lenin!! I guess genocide is acceptable if one of your own does it. (lets not bring it up, eh?) Only something in the neighborhood of 60, 000,000 slaughtered systematically in various God hating pogroms. Don’t blanch, these were your kindred spirits, brothers! Funny atheist folks don’t rant about that. You want something to give your children to read? Start with The Gulag Archipelago. But no, for atheists (as much as jMuslims) its always about the crusades, or old Testament history. Try this: Shine the focus of your vitriol where it belongs: on your own duplicitous hypocritical hearts. You might experience some personal growth. Hopefully.

       1. TenaciousMe, you only embarrass yourself by attempting to smear all atheists like that and you embarrass decent Christians in the process because more honest Christians know better as well.

          Stalin, Mao, Lenin

          They were totalitarian regimes and they were hostile to the non-religious as well so your argument is false. Stalin went to seminary school. Hitler was a Catholic and throughout Hitler’s Mein Kampf he refers to Jesus as his lord and savior. Pol Pot was raised a Buddhist and Catholic.

          None of them started wars or killed in the name of atheism. It’s not wise to toss stones at others while living in a glass house. Ever hear of the [b]DARK AGES[/b]? That’s a time period when religion ruled the known world.

          Speaking of genocide, the worst one in all history will be the one during the end times tribulation period where Jesus will eventually kill 2/3rds of the worlds non-believers. That’s not something to be proud of. Is that really the best your god can do? 😮

          Were Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot atheists? ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=334:were-stalin-hitler-and-pol-pot-atheists&catid=39:atheism-agnosticism[/url])

          State Constitutions & Discrimination against atheists ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=391[/url])

          How many has God killed? ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2381[/url])

       2. Don’t forget good old Hitler…wait, wasn’t he raised as a catholic?

13. Words of Advice.
    I’ll tell you what is real. Hell. That is real. So I suggest you be careful what you say, you are walking on thin ice. 👿

    1. Sorry, but threats of hellfire won’t compel us to accept your sadistic fantasy.

       But, thanks for the example of religious hate speech and of the violent and depraved nature of the biblical god.

       Falls right in line with what we’ve excerpted here from the Bible.

    2. Wasted breath
       Don’t waste your time here brother. These folks aren’t looking for truth, they’re merely seeking consolation by consensus for their pointless, meaningless existential pain which they will never escape, in this world, or in the next- apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ. They appear oblivious that God grants them the desire of their hearts, and that this desire/choice to have nothing to do with Him in this world will follow them into eternity. Hence, no objection will be sustained when the verdict is passed down at the judgement, for they themselves will have decreed it with their own words.

       1. Riiight. Because believing in an invisible Jewish fairytale is the only meaning to life

          u r brainwashed. :Pinch:

          1. Consider this Ron.

             If I’m wrong (about the need to receive Jesus to be saved, to avoid eternal torment, and rather to be with Him in heaven forever)…

             Then what have I lost? Nothing.

             On the other hand, if YOU’RE wrong, you’ll spend eternity in hell.

             And once you die, theres no second try, brother. Thats it, it’s over.

             Personally, I’ll take my Jesus any day over your arrogant contention that I’ve been brainwashed.

             1. Tenacious,

                Your decisions in life are based on fear. The fear of eternity in hell. Try to make some decisions in life that are not based in fear. Make some decisions based on truth and love …

       2. What?
          To have nothing to do with your god is not the desire of my heart. It is the logical, evidence-based decisions made by my brain. Also, your god did not grant me anything, everything I have I worked hard for. Also, based on the historical evidence, Jesus Christ is apparently a myth as well. So I don’t see how a non-existent Jew from 2,000 years ago can provide saving grace (whatever that is).

          You claim we are the ones that are not looking for truth, yet you either ignore, or willfully refuse to learn, any and/or all the evidence that shows your religion is a huge lie propagated for centuries for the purpose of controlling gullible people like yourself.

14. It’s ironic that it’s still being used in courts and elections like it were the ultimate source of all morality. 😡

15. Remark
    I also noticed that several people who say to be following the Bible or other so called holy sources,

    are pretty (so to say) unkind hearthed, most often arrogant/supremacist (be it for ethnicist purposes or for social classist ones) , or liers (in front of you they smile, behind your sholdern they say and plan any kind of evil),

    and definitely greedy and avaricious, most of the time opportunist.

    They have no empathy for/toward others, I think that must have to do with the feeling of superiority against others, that they develop (reading their – so called – holy books, be them of – so called – religious content, or of – so to say – atheist – one).

    By “they” and “them” I anyway mean human beings, (when they get) subjected to (inhuman or anti human/-ist, racist/classist) Ideologies.

    Good and beautiful lightful day to everyone.

    P.S.: thank you Acharya for this very beautiful text.

16. Please read a lot. Most of the so called “bibly imorality” is very very eaasy to debunked. There are pleanty of sites vhere if you want find very god explanation for this acusation. Some of them are really sily.
    Example:
    Jesus says it is more important to anoint him with precious ointment than to give to the poor, who will always be here. (Why not just get rid of poverty?) Come on, this is your solution? get rid of poverty. In a place on this earth where this realy 100% happened? Please stop sell illusion and fake solution. You are worse than ome you incriminate. Isus knew that poverty will never disapear. You are living in LaLa Land.

17. “have no empathy for/toward others” (@Acti Vist)
    Typified in recent weeks, here in the UK, by the two arch-bigots. —

    [b]Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury[/b]
    [i]Opposing assisted dying[/i]
    As reported: [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9064749/Archbishop-Rowan-Williams-assisted-suicide-could-spell-disaster.html[/url]
    Alternative report, (without having to register): [url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2097507/Archbishop-Rowan-Williams-Legalising-assisted-dying-disaster.html?ito=feeds-newsxml[/url]
    Response by another journalist: [url]http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100135576/the-assisted-suicide-debate-needs-grown-up-arguments-not-rowan-williamss-scaremongering/[/url]

    [b]Sentamu, Archbishop of York[/b]
    [i]Opposing marriage equality for same-sex couples[/i]
    As first reported in “exclusive” interview:
    [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9045796/Dont-legalise-gay-marriage-Archbishop-of-York-Dr-John-Sentamu-warns-David-Cameron.html[/url]
    Non-exclusive report, (without having to register): [url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/archbishop-warns-against-gay-marriage-6296008.html[/url]
    Full text of interview: [url]http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2338/archbishops-interview-with-the-daily-telegraph[/url]

18. I’m bookmarking this so that the next time some Christian extremist starts ranting on about the Koran being an evil book along with Islam due to a couple of passages quoted out of context I can refer them back here. They may say that these quotes are out of context as an excuse, but, if they do then they prove that they are an hypocrite.

    1. Yes, it’s a handy list to have a around.

       But, it’s not just a “couple of passages quoted out of context” in the Koran – for such a short book, there are more violent Koranic passages percentagewise than in the Bible:

       “About sixty-one percent of the contents of the Koran are found to speak ill of the unbelievers or call for their violent conquest; at best only 2.6 percent of the verses of the Koran are noted to show goodwill toward humanity. About seventy-five percent of Muhammad’s biography (Sira) consists of jihad waged on unbelievers.” –Dr. Moorthy Muthuswamy

       The Bible and the Koran are both hateful, violent texts used to destroy and subjugate other cultures around the globe for the past 1,400 to 2,000 years. Some estimates have the two cults combined as responsible for the deaths of over 500 million people, 270 million for Islam ([url]http://www.politicalislam.com/tears/pages/tears-of-jihad/[/url]) and 250 million for Christianity ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19748[/url]).

       These quotes are used “out of context” not by critics but by Muslim fanatics themselves, who most assuredly do not care about the “context” argument whatsoever.

       Quotes from the Koran ([url]http://www.truthbeknown.com/islamquotes.htm[/url])

       Here are verses from the Koran that have been followed as ETERNAL EDICTS by millions of devout Muslims over the past 1,400 years.

       [b]UNBELIEVERS[/b]

       “This Book is not to be doubted…. As for the unbelievers, it is the same whether or not you forewarn them; they will not have faith. God has set a seal upon their hearts and ears; their sight is dimmed and grievous punishment awaits them.” Quran 2:1/2:6-2:10

       “God’s curse be upon the infidels! Evil is that for which they have bartered away their souls. To deny God’s own revelation, grudging that He should reveal His bounty to whom He chooses from among His servants! They have incurred God’s most inexorable wrath. An ignominious punishment awaits the unbelievers.” Quran 2:89-2:90

       “Lord…Give us victory over the unbelievers.” Quran 2:286

       “Lord…give us victory over the unbelievers.” Quran 3:148

       “I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers.” Quran 8:12

       “When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them.” Quran 9:5

       “Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate.” Quran 9:73

       “Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them. Know that God is with the righteous.” Quran 9:123

       “Believers, take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another…” Quran 5:51

       “He that chooses a religion over Islam, it will not be accepted from him and in the world to come he will be one of the lost.” Quran 3:85

       “Let not believers make friends with infidels in preference to the faithful – he that does this has nothing to hope for from Good – except in self-defense. God admonishes you to fear Him: for to God shall all return.” Quran 3:28

       “Garments of fire have been prepared for the unbelievers. Scalding water shall be poured upon their heads, melting their skins and that which is in their bellies. They shall be lashed with rods of iron.

       “Whenever, in their anguish, they try to escape from Hell, back they shall be dragged, and will be told: ‘Taste the torment of the Conflagration!'” Quran 22:19-20

       “Muhammad is God’s apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another.” Quran 48:29

       “Those that deny Our revelations We will burn in fire. No sooner will their skins be consumed than We shall give them other skins, so that they may truly taste the scourge. God is mighty and wise.” Quran 4:56

       “Let not the unbelievers think that they will ever get away. They have not the power to do so. Muster against them all the men and cavalry at your command, so that you may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy…” Quran 8:59-60

       “Believers, know that the idolaters [non-Muslims] are unclean. Let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year is ended.” Quran 9:28

       “The unbelievers among the People of the Book [Bible] and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures.” Quran 98:6

       http://truthbeknown.com/islamquotes.htm

       At this link Islam Reality ([url]http://islamreality.wordpress.com[/url]) are commentaries based on the Koran and hadiths, by Muslim spokesmen supporting the following:

       Islamic supremacy and global domination
       Prohibition of music and singing
       Imprisonment, flogging, torture and death for homosexuals
       Jihad to force Islam on the world
       Jews as apes and pigs
       Jews as the eternal enemies of Muslims
       Jews as originators of all evil and catastrophe in the world
       Osama bin Laden in Paradise
       Raping women okay in Islam
       Female genital mutilation “obligatory” in Islam
       Sex slaves for Muslim men
       Child marriage/rape
       Mohammed having sex with a 9-year-old girl
       Wife beating
       Death for “insulting” Mohammed
       Death to apostates and infidels
       Genocide of Americans
       Jihad to “raid the world”
       Non-Muslims being not innocent and subject to death

       http://islamreality.wordpress.com

       At this point in history, Islam represents a far greater danger to our freedoms than does Christianity.

       1. I disagree
          That at this point in history Islam is the greater danger than Christiqnity. Just the perpetrators of all the major wars is enough testimony of which religion is the greatest danger to lives.

19. Bible culture
    Been around awhile DOB 4 – 11 – 38, raised Christian, figured religion out while I was very young and many are figuring it out as this site shows this evidence. I have my own belief system and as of yet I have never seen or heard anything that would convince me to change it. I look at the Bible as written by man and in no need of interpretation because I read the one that’s printed in English. Interesting posts here and I think this will be one of my favorite sites in the future. I’ve already read Acharya’s books, not all but many.

20. Bible, Koran and Talmud
    Obviously, [i]this [/i]article is about the Bible, but elsewhere I have continually exposed the hatred and bigotry of the Koran and hadiths.

    Here is the link again of quotes from the Koran ([url]http://truthbeknown.com/islamquotes.htm[/url]), excerpts from which I have already provided in another comment in this post:

    http://truthbeknown.com/islamquotes.htm ([url]http://truthbeknown.com/islamquotes.htm[/url])

21. Talmud
    Note to the the ranter who tried to post vicious hate speech and vulgar insults concerning Jews and the Talmud, here is my article about quotes from the Talmud ([url]http://www.truthbeknown.com/judaismquotes.htm[/url]):

    http://www.truthbeknown.com/judaismquotes.htm ([url]http://www.truthbeknown.com/judaismquotes.htm[/url])

    And thanks for the example of what Bible-thumping does to your humanity.

    If you’re so full of hatred for Jews, one wonders why you follow a book full of Jewish propaganda called the Bible ([url]http://tbknews.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-jesus-myth.html[/url])?

    [quote]”Our tribal customs have become the core of your moral code. Our tribal laws have furnished the basic groundwork of all your august constitutions and legal systems. Our legends and our folk-tales are the sacred lore which you croon to your infants. Our poets have filled your hymnals and your prayer-books. Our national history has become an indispensable part of the learning of your pastors and priests and scholars. Our kings, our statesmen, our prophets, our warriors are your heroes. Our ancient little country is your Holy Land. Our national literature is your Holy Bible. What our people thought and taught has become inextricably woven into your very speech and tradition, until no one among you can be called educated who is not familiar with our racial heritage.

    “Jewish artisans and Jewish fishermen are your teachers and your saints, with countless statues carved in their image and innumerable cathedrals raised to their memories. A Jewish maiden is your ideal of motherhood and womanhood. A Jewish rebel-prophet is the central figure in your religious worship. We have pulled down your idols, cast aside your racial inheritance, and substituted for them our God and our traditions. No conquest in history can even remotely compare with this clean sweep of our conquest over you.”

    Marcus Eli Ravage, [i]The Century Magazine[/i], v. 115, no. 3, The Century Co., NY, 1928, p. 346ff[/quote]

    1. Quote
       I hope you don’t mind that I copied that quote and posted it on facebook.

22. Jesus
    Atheist or no Atheist. Christians have, will and always come to defense of their cooked up religion full of fallacy. The bible contains vulgar and porno language. Pity that even Africans here in Africa are following this cult without realizing the dangers and erosion of their valued culture with time. These poor people were converted by Missionaries for the Colonizing nations to come over and steal their wealth. I only pray that they see “the light” and stop this sickening word – “Saved” These poor people sin everyday and are happy as Jesus will forgive them as he sacrificed on their behalf.

23. Dr.
    It’s always foolish to organize one’s life around a book, a person or an ideology, particularly an ancient one. There are definitely some ancients who had some insight. But it’s a fact that we know more than they do about almost everything. Besides, life and knowledge is always in the making. From my experience, most so-called “sacred” books contain more nonsense than wisdom.

24. I don’t see any difference in these quotations between the ‘morality’ of the O.T , N.T. and sharia laws . It is exactly the same as sharia law .
    death penalty for sorcery , adultery , homosexuality , blasphemy is sharia law of Islam . There are probably only some individuals of christian background who agree with these punishments . In Saoudi-Arabya and other muslim countries all these punishments are factual the law in 2012 . In the western democratic world there is no support what so ever for these punishments and regulations of sharia laws . Only the growing muslim population in the democratic world is in majority in favor of these sharia laws . What is the point to cite jewish laws of thousands of years ago which are not the law anywhere on planet earth , not even in Israel . Why don’t you use your energy to fight sharia laws in countries who really practice them and democratic countries which are becoming polluted by this fascist ideology they call islam .

    1. What is the point to cite Jewish laws …
       Ancorson, are you aware that in New York recently a Hasidic teenage boy tried to punish a much older man for not attending synagogue by setting him on fire?

       Also in NY and Israel there have been reports of Hasidic Jewish men forcing women to sit at the back of buses.

       In some very devoutly Hasidic Jewish communities, poverty is widespread partly because people are forced to have larger families than they can afford. Men are expected to devote their lives to study and they end up lacking useful skills so they and their families must survive on benefits (which your tax dollars might be paying for). Women are not allowed to take paying jobs (though some might do on the sly). The children are often malnourished and grow up stunted and with low intelligence. In these same communities, the men frequently visit prostitutes as their wives are too exhausted for sex. There have also been reports of paedophilia in these communities.

       I’m not saying all Hasidic Jewish communities are like this but too many have these problems. These problems arise because of traditional Jewish laws found in Torah and Talmud which countenance or even sanction the ill-treatment of women and children, Jewish and Gentile alike.

25. Simple Observation
    Now let me get this straight: ‘God’ doesn’t exist – so there’s no ‘Deity’ or ‘Divine’ / ‘Supreme’ or ‘Omnipotent’/’Omnipresent’/etc Force/Power, ‘Out There’… No ‘First Cause’ or ‘Creator’… and all human beings evolved from micro organisms which after billions of years evolved into monkeys, etc… And the planet Earth is just one of literally BILLIONS on planets out there, that all have their own highly intelligent life forms running around on them… (that NOBODY has ever had any contact with [outside of psychosis] or any hard factual, verifiable evidence of)… BUT, to top it all off, The Whole Enchilada (i.e., the entire Universe and Interplanetary System) is ALL being controlled by & dependent upon the “alignment” of “the Stars” & “the Planets” & “Moons,” and Constellations, and other “Astrological” “Forces”… Uh-huh. Have I got that right?
    …Folks, all I can say is, It takes an awful lot of faith to be an atheist!

    1. You mean you got all that out of the Bible quotes above? 😮

       Tends to verify Dr. Isaac Asimov’s quote:

       “Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived.”

       Or, perhaps, Col. Robert Ingersoll’s quote:

       “If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.”

    2. LOL! So, the choices are Crazy Bible God or astrology? :woohoo: :woohoo:

       1. Where did astrology ever come up here, except by you? You’re only providing evidence of your simple mind and failure to understand.

    3. Science
       Yes, it’s called Science. If you spent less time reading fiction and more time reading fact, you might understand the concept.

       I bet you even believe that evolution says we evolved from monkeys.

26. All your Bible bashing is for nothing. Many Christians have realized that Jesus and the apostle Paul rejected the old judaic way – that’s why they were persecuted to death. jesus came to tell us that God is love and that he was misrepresented in scripture. God is real, he just never told anyone to kill anyone else.

    1. According to Christian mythology Yahweh is Jesus and vice versa.
       Mythological Jesus thought that self-mutilation/self-castration was a good idea if you ever looked at other married women lustfully .
       The amount of mental gymnastics that apologists do to ignore that is astounding.

27. Acharya, you have said many times in the past that this all nothing but myth, so what does it matter? None of these atrocities actually ever happened, according to you. Not to mention you have not been genuine here, for example, you say that because a “few” people displeased God he destroyed the whole world. “A few people” is not what the passage says. The passage says “every imagination of man”, indicatiing that all men had turned evil. I have not reality checked the other verses but I am wondering how many are posted like this. No I am not a Christian, but faulty arugments do us no good. Any 12 year old Sunday School kid would know to turn to Genesis 6 to refute your argument.

    1. Actually knowing the Christian attitude in the bible belt refutes that nonsense you just wrote.

    2. I have never said “this all nothing but myth,” so the rest is a straw man argument that any kindergartener could refute. What I [i]have[/i] said is that the Bible possesses some poetry and history, as well as much mythology and a load of trash.

       Moreover, as I clearly note at the top of this post, this list was compiled by [i]Barbara Walker[/i], not me, so your remarks are inaccurate in any event. Walker’s summaries are accurate, and all passages are linked here to demonstrate that fact.

       Furthermore, regardless of how much of this bilge represents “history” it is vitally important that we expose such atrociousness on the part of the supposed “God” of the cosmos, as this belief system has indeed led to a huge amount of bloodshed and torture on this planet. Educated people know that fact.

       There are no “faulty arguments” here at all – just a list of atrocious bible behavior that everyone should know and utilize. Ignorance is not an intelligent option.

       Genesis 6 ([url]http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Gen&c=6&v=1&t=KJV#1[/url]) has nothing to do with anything, except that your defensive remarks here suggest you ARE a Christian and that you are being disingenuous. How would this [i]biblical [/i]passage “refute” all these BIBLE quotes?

       Again, there’s no argument here to refute in the first place, simply a long list of quotes from the Bible.

       I wonder if people actually read articles before they post comments on them?

       1. Genesis 6 has nothing to do with anything, except that your defensive remarks here suggest you ARE a Christian and that you are being disingenuous. How would this biblical passage “refute” all these BIBLE quotes?

          Precisely. Arguments based upon the scripture are pointless to this person. However, arguments conjured from the persons own mind (and supported by the views of Walker, but not history) are completely valid.

          Bottom line, the entire effort is worse than a straw man and is dishonest on its face, in that every verse quoted is taken wholly out of context. But what is that, in a vacuum of honest investigation?

          Beyond that, it is tiresome indeed to hear you speak of bloodshed and torture in the name of God and the bible, when it was in fact your own atheistic kindred spirits in governments around the world that actually perpetrated the vast majority of both in the past century.

          I hope to God atheistic humanism never becomes entrenched in power in this nation, because what history has truly shown is their hatred will then have teeth and will boil over and consume people who wish to live by faith in God.

          1. Believing in old trashy propaganda depicting a hideously violent “God” who has nothing better to do than go around slaughtering people – even though he’s supposedly all-powerful and could do something far more enlightened, like snap his fingers and change people nicely – is not only a complete waste of time but also a highly dangerous delusion, as history has shown.

             Victims of Christianity ([url]http://www.truthbeknown.com/victims.htm[/url])

             Tens to hundreds of millions of people have been tortured and slaughtered in the name of the Bible god, which is simply a cultural artifact perceived through the minds of certain men, not an “ultimate truth.”

             Again, there are no “arguments” here, just a list of Bible verses that show a pattern. The “out of context” argument here is meaningless – we know exactly what the context is: Cruelty, brutality and mindless killing. Please watch the video provided above – here’s the link again: CONTEXT!!!!! ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK7P7uZFf5o&feature=player_embedded[/url]) Most people who use that excuse don’t even understand what it means. Here is an example of taking something out of context: If you said that you had a dream in which you shot someone, and then I cut off the first part of your comment to say that you admitted to shooting someone, that’s taking something out of context. Quoting a text supposedly depicting a “historical” event that involves God slaughtering people is NOT taking the text out of context.

             In the meantime, to reiterate, people all over the world have suffered horribly because of this manmade delusion. Some men wrote a number of books, changing and editing them, some 2,500 years ago and over a period of a couple of centuries, and then pretended that their effort had something to do with God – and you believe their pretensions, hook, line and sinker. That’s fine for you, but please don’t expect everyone else to do so.

             [quote]”Our tribal customs have become the core of your moral code. Our tribal laws have furnished the basic groundwork of all your august constitutions and legal systems. Our legends and our folk-tales are the sacred lore which you croon to your infants. Our poets have filled your hymnals and your prayer-books. Our national history has become an indispensable part of the learning of your pastors and priests and scholars. Our kings, our statesmen, our prophets, our warriors are your heroes. Our ancient little country is your Holy Land. Our national literature is your Holy Bible. What our people thought and taught has become inextricably woven into your very speech and tradition, until no one among you can be called educated who is not familiar with our racial heritage.

             “Jewish artisans and Jewish fishermen are your teachers and your saints, with countless statues carved in their image and innumerable cathedrals raised to their memories. A Jewish maiden is your ideal of motherhood and womanhood. A Jewish rebel-prophet is the central figure in your religious worship. We have pulled down your idols, cast aside your racial inheritance, and substituted for them our God and our traditions. [b]No conquest in history can even remotely compare with this clean sweep of our conquest over you[/b].”

             Marcus Eli Ravage, “A Real Case Against the Jews,” [i]The Century Magazine[/i], v. 115, no. 3, The Century Co., NY, 1928, p. 346ff[/quote]
             Furthermore, holding up other atrocities that no one here supports, i.e., those of Communism, is not going to change these facts. I don’t call myself an “atheist” per se, and I don’t support any of that mentality, so please spare me the moral outrage and relativism – we’re VERY tired of THAT red herring that has nothing to do with us.

             Few things are more dishonest than blindly believing and trying to force everyone else into such blind belief by preventing them from knowing about the violent and unethical parts of that belief system – that’s called being CULTISH.

28. Fact it is
    (…)All cross-dressers, or women who wear pants, are “abominations.(…) And YES, INDEED they are. (…) You must kill adulterers, homosexuals, wizards and spirit mediums.(…) And YES- especially homosexuals! COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!!

29. The thing is in the NT the Golden Rule,the basis of human rights, is called Law,which is the highest level in Judaism.It is called:

    1.Law of God

    2.Law of Christ

    3.Perfect Law

    4.Law of Liberty

    5.Royal/kingly law

    http://www.antisharia.com/2011/09/08/the-specific-reason-the-golden-rule-is-the-heart-of-the-nt-and-not-of-the-koran/

30. 20th century
    Isn’t it true that the 20th century was the most violent in history? This coming after Nietzche declared “God is Dead”? (and we killed him) The rise of modernism and Randian rationality just happened to coincide with the massive use of industrial scale killings. I know the figureheads used old myths to rally the troops etc, but as far as I can tell – religion has been in decline everywhere over the last 150 years. I agree that the OT is full of nonsense and violence, but the New Testament passages quoted are fairly weak and taken out of context. A mystical interpretation of the passages is far more beneficial than literal. Just like Jihad – its not really a war on infidels, its a war on your lesser self. Likewise when Jesus said to cut of your hand if it was giving you trouble, he meant to cut it off from your heart and desires. Burn up the part of you that is failing, so that a “purer” hand can do better work. Think poetry, not prose.

31. Not “or” … “is” …
    There might not be that much difference between some of the brutality in the Bible and the brutality in the Koran; HOWEVER, the Islamists are STILL doing it in the 21st century and want to continue it forever. And, yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, I already know that there are a handful of archaic Christians and Republican front runners who still spout brutality and want to impose Biblical law, like Sheryl above. By the way, Hellfire Sheryl, grow the f*ck up. There is no hell except what is created in this world by wicked, insecure, control freaks like you and Islamist Koran thumpers, who create Hell on Earth every day for all of us. If your reality is so pitiful, fragile and vile that that you feel like you have to threaten people with eternal damnation to get them to agree with you and your beliefs, then I suggest a a larger reality that is for grown ups. There is no Hell, get it? Except for Muslim terrorists, maybe, I hope. And, personally, I see morality and depravity in the Bible (and the Koran) as the same. It is defined as such extensively in both. But, whereas I can tell Christians to kiss my ass in Macy’s window on Christmas Eve, Muslims are too stupid and brain trashed to get it and are another story that must be dealt with much more forcefully. :Pinch:

32. Rob T-P, The Koran/Islam is/are evil. Nothing has to be “quoted out of context”. Read it, quote it in context, it’s still evil. And, I’m not some ranting Christian or Jew. Anyone who can revile Christianity, Judaism and other religions and apologize for Islam is a truly mixed up person. Open your eyes. Clear your mind of your politically correct garbage. Islam is not a race.

33. What about the Quran?
    Anybody got such a list as the above one with verses from the Quran about how “loving ” their god is?
    Would love to see it.
    Thanks for this great list…hard for me to understand this when I believe God to have PERFECT love for us!!

34. Christianity??
    I have cut and pasted a quote from, No Longer Hidden, Genocide in Canada Past and Present, by Kevin Annett, “Christianity as we know it – a state-sponsored and protected religion with legal and corporate status – did not exist before the year 312, when Roman Emperor Constantine removed proscriptive laws against Christians. In truth, the Christian
    religion is not the creation of Jesus Christ, but of Constantine, who invented the entity called the Roman Catholic church when he granted it legal incorporation in the year 317. From then on, church Bishops became imperial advisors and trustees, and the Roman army marched into battle under the so-called Christian emblem, the Labarnum, symbolizing the union of church and Empire.
    Realistically and factually, Christianity was born in the fourth century in Rome, not three hundred years before in Palestine. This fact is suggested by the absence of any literary or archaeological evidence of Jesus or his movement, the continual reference of historians, Christian and “pagan”, to the “birth” of the church under
    Constantine, and the emergence of the Latin Vulgate Bible only after the establishment of the Constantinian Church that would become known as the Vatican.
    I, too, was brought up as a christian, roman catholic, until I realized all the contradictions that existed in the bible. Furthermore, all these “good” christians sexually abusing young boys and girls was…at the least incredibly shocking.

    1. @Michael Vine
       Raised Catholic? That explains much. First, Catholicism is not Christian. It is a aggregation of religions, but is primarily pagan. it is by definition a cult. It’s twisted doctrine runs counter to New Testament Christianity, of course, what with its deification of Mary (“the mother of God”), repetitive prayers/chants, confession to Priests called “Father”‘, forbidden to wed, abstaining from certain foods, transubstantiation (the Mass), Popery (who they refer to as “holy father”), communing with the dead (prayers to “saints”) and of course violating the 4th commandment. Therefore, it comes as no shock that a [former] Catholic would hype such tripe. Only the woefully uneducated in the most basic historical evidence of 1st century Christianity would buy into Annett’s pitiful fiction. But this is what happens. And sadly (albeit understandably) ex Catholics are particularly vulnerable. ( Is it any wonder? Look at the hodgepodge that is the “Catechism”) People come to Christianity wanting nothing but to destroy it, because they resent the Creator God it presents and refuse to have Him propose to judge them for N E thing!! So this is the purpose websites like this and books like Arnetts serve: to help people who are predisposed against God and His absolute didactic truth feel they have been validated. It’s a sad cavalcade indeed. Well did Jesus say of such: “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch”.

35. These comments are rich indeed. In the end it won’t make one iota of difference what you think. The question you should be asking yourselves is, “What happens to me when I die if Jesus Christ is the son of God?” The way I see it, faith in Christ and repenting of sin is in no way a detriment to my life at the present or in the future. All of the freedom we experience can be directly related back to the founding fathers adherence to the moral principles given to man by God in our Bible. Even the freedom to reject God was given to you by God. Who are you a piece of clay to question the potter? Is there a God? It is impossible that the universe with all of its complexity just happened. There can be no creation without a creator. Even if all of the necessary parts of the whole exist separately, something must assemble them properly. Take any item of intricate construction and place it in a box on a shelf. Given millions of years the parts will not assemble themselves into a working piece of equipment.

    1. Oh, shut up. Do you ever listen to yourself?

       We’re sick of these bible terrorists always trying to force us into their sh*tty cult with insults and threats.

       🙁 😡

       1. I might listen to you, if you had anything edifying to say. But cursing and rot seems to be all that spews out of your mouth. And why? Either because you enjoy being foul, or maybe because you just can’t help it. In any case, I would turn the question back to you. Do YOU ever listen to yourself? If/when you do, do you sound like an intelligent, thoughtful, and kind person…to YOU? Or are you rather a kind of mean spirited, small minded person that you are fond of accusing Christians of being? Are you then representative of what “free thinkers” are like? Is this your heart attitude the example you want humanity to follow? Am I supposed to be inspired to forsake GOD and his word, by you?? THINK

    2. Jesus Christ is the son of God
       Jesus who? Repent of sin? What sin would that be? Sin according to whom? I do not acknowledge your version of what is sin. A sin is an act that violates a known moral rule in a religion, therefore I would first have to buy into your religion in order to sin. Sorry, not gonna happen.

36. Metaphor or literal.
    The world is awakening to the fraud! Religion, judicial courts, birth certificates created to enslave mankind under Roman rule! And who is at the top of the charade? The Crown of England, the Pedophilic Vatican…..etc.

    Time to wake up! Knowledge of has been lost since ancient times (do you really believe the Egyptions to be ignorant since they didn’t create television, etc??)

    Santos Bonacci has syncrotized science, religion and proven the hoax perpetrated by all religions. The Holy Science of As Above So Below is the truth. We are all part of the same source.

    Before you cast stones at this comment I will finish with a quote from Einstein!

    “Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance” !!

    Learn how to think, not what to think; as the controllers prefer!

    WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP !!!!!!!!!’mmm

37. The future of free thought
    I’m afraid that with the current economic climate, religious extremism, rampant nationalistic ferver, saber-rattling, and political polarization that [b]free thinkers are in danger of backlash.[/b]

    We live in a digital age where everything is monitored and recorded. Over 700 FEMA camps with over 70 FEMA fusion centers have been developed over the past 11 years.

    The world economy is being propped up by the printing of more fake money.

    The majority of people believe that we are in the ‘end times.’ They use faith rather than reason to deal with their life situations.

    War has always been used during harsh economic times to help improve the economy.

    Collectivism rather than Individualism is becoming increasingly more popular.

    People are afraid of men with brown skin and beards. They’re willing to give up their freedoms to be protected from the ‘boogie men.’

    Cameras are everywhere now.

    Over 1 million Americans are on Homeland Security Watch Lists.

    The use of naked body scanners and groping passengers is being used in airports.

    The U.S. army has been on deployment inside of the U.S. for several years, stomping on the Posse Comitatus Act.

    The Constitution has been suspended. National Security Presidential Directive 54 gives all powers to the Executive Branch.

    And everyone is behaving as if nothing is wrong- Normalcy Bias.
    _____________________________________________________

    [b]Maybe this is the wrong place to leave this comment. But, I thought it was worth mentioning.

    Good job, Acharya. Much love, John Galt[/b]

38. Expose ALL Religious Savagery
    It would be nice if somebody would publish a work which exposed the savagery and moral hypocrisy contained in ALL religions. I was watching the Michael Palin PBS show about the Himalayas and noticed that he seemed to be enamored with Buddhism. At one point they showed the graphic portrayals of afterlife punishments for BAD Buddhists (does this come BEFORE reincarnation?). Anyway, they all seemed to be of women being disemboweled. Are women treated differently in the “afterlife” in Buddhist teachings (this was in Bhuttan)? Anyway, there must be a scriptural source justifying Hindu tortures for “untouchables” unfortunate enough to have been caught reading or even HEARING the Hindu scriptures. And I wonder when it came about that Men were no longer put to death for adultery as well as the woman as the Old Testament provides for? could it be that the reliigion simply adapted to the customs of the “civilized” countries around them when they became “civililzed” themselves? This also applies to Muslims accepting African female genital mutiliation.

    1. Yes, it’s a valid complaint about the mainstream media and perspective.

       Of course, I do expose ALL religion-based depravity wherever I find it, which is why I have written hundreds of books, ebooks and articles for the past couple of decades. Such an endeavor cannot be done in a single blog post or even one book.

       Simply do a search on this site, FreethoughtNation.com ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com[/url]), and you will find plenty of information on many of the world’s religions, sects and cults.

    2. This could be considered something similar on what you’re looking for.
       http://www.project-reason.org/scripture_project/

    3. Again, and again, and again, the hackneyed canard is employed that all the wars that’ve been perpetrated have been in the name of religion. Let me turn that favorite of atheists on it’s head. Since atheism is a worldview which must be taken on faith (unless and until a single witness can be produced from antiquity to attest and validate the claim that humanity evolved from primordial ooze billions and billions of years ago; itself a scientifically absurd system of faith) it is by definition a religion. Therefore, we can deduce your argument is correct, since most wars have in fact been instigated by atheistic regimes. What is so astounding is that any eighth grade student of history would know this, yet that old fallacious argument persists.

       But let’s move on. Lets consider the many millions more have been killed via systematic genocide of the indigenous peoples by their own atheistic governments. Just a few examples you would recognize: Adolf Hitler, Mao Se Tung, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Pol Pot.

       No, I see nothing in the faith atheism deserving of any thinking persons devotion. It is rather a deadly and dooming system of dominance and tyranny, which at its heart seeks the utter and ultimate destruction of all people of faith everywhere. The attitudes toward which are here seen as minor individual burps of resentment and derision, but when assumed by governments have often irrupted into mass murder.

       1. That ridiculous apologist nonsense has been refuted many times.
          Those regimes were basically personality cults akin to modern day North Korea.

39. Truth is, if you took all the narcissistic self promotion, oxymorons, contradictions and scientific blunders out of the bible. All that would be left is the grammar….,,,,,::::;;;; 👿

    1. “The truth is…”

       So you know what truth is? If so, why not share it with the world? But you’re not really much better off than the self deluded lady who penned this article, are you? Here is a person who would go to all kinds of effort and trouble to just ferrett out all these heinous and trivial errors, horrors, oddities, etc, from the bible. Yet the TRUTH is this: if the lady had in all that reading simply approached the task rather with an honest seeking heart, rather than a condemning and hateful one, she would have found something in the book truly astonishing. God is a person too. He wants respect, just as you do. And that is not unreasonable, is it? He is, after all God. Alright, that may be wasted on you at this point in your life.. But let me make this challenge to the lady, or you, or you. What do Christians claim? Answer: that the bible is Gods revelation of Himself to mankind. A love letter, some have said, to his people. Now, if I send you a heart felt letter, with the intent of reconciling our relationship, would you not at least grant me an honest reading of it? It’s from MY mind, MY heart, to YOURS. Therefore, prepare your heart before and as you read to understand mine. If you cannot see fit to allow God this, then please don’t ever, EVER, accuse Him of being “hateful”, ” bigoted”, or worse. And if you never approach the bible with the intent of finding out who this God really is, then don’t expect NEthing but black ink on white paper. Finally, don’t ever claim God didn’t try to reach you. It was right there the whole time.

       1. The truth is…
          “So you know what truth is? If so, why not share it with the world?”
          He did.

          “if the lady had in all that reading simply approached the task rather with an honest seeking heart, rather than a condemning and hateful one”

          When I read the Bible, from front to back, all of it, I was searching for the “God” that most of my relatives and most people I’ve ever known, claimed to follow, obey and worship. Long before I finished it, it had scared any thought of belief in your god right out of me. Reading the Bible, with ANY attitude is a very good way to get a lot of people to become atheists. The prevailing theme of your holey book is murder, lies, vengeance, hate, racism, genocide, rape, incest, etc. Your god even killed a lot of those that worshipped him because they pissed him off ONCE in a very minor way. If you actually think about what it says when you read it you would invariably come to the conclusion that the god of that book is a narcissistic, violent, temper tantrum throwing, immature, hateful, megalomaniac that deserves NO respect whatsoever. But since there is absolutely no evidence that he ever existed at all we don’t really need to worry about him. The problem is not god(s), the problem is the people that subscibe to the warped philosophy that he exists and is benevolent when there is no evidence of that. According to your book, though, he is one evil S.O.B.

40. It is man who wrote the bible and the kings and clergy who added their little voices. Man did many horrible things to claim “God” told them to do it.
    The foundation is there in the bible- man has blurred it. Much like he blurs everything else.

41. What happened to the book of Ester?
    WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BOOK OF ESTER WHERE JEWS KILL ABOUT

    60000 PERSIANS?

42. Why I am right and you are Wrong
    The Bible reflects the norms of societies in the past. Could you imagine if a book was added to the New Testament today?

    Try reading the book of Revelations some time.

43. Oh, that Bible!
    How many people read the Bible without reading it? As you have demonstrated, it’s all there: murder, rape, and every abomination you’d like to mention.
    As for Ezekiel 23, mentioned by one of the readers, it’s allegorical as is the entire book. It refers to God as the lover of the personified Jerusalem. Jerusalem is personified as God’s unfaithful nymphomaniac, and the faithlessness of the people is represented by the two women, Ohola and Oholiba.
    My question is where does Ezekiel get the information about what johns do with prostitutes? He paints a rather vivid picture here. Does he speak from personal experience?
    We are talking here about a prophet. The more you read the good book, the more you are amazed at the things you find in it. Inspired? Yeah right!

44. mr
    Many thanks to the people who have written the truth about the sins of God in the bible!!!It is truly time that the sheeple get their eyes opened
    and realized that they have been brainwashed and duped into believing that there is a God.If God did exist then he would be the most cruel entity
    ever to exist.If people would stop taking phrases out of the bible to suit their own beliefs all of them would learn how they have been led by the nose for hundreds of years into believing what the holy men want them to believe.

45. bible morality
    Dose it occur to anyone that the bible is the work of man some of whom were rather immoral to start with not to mention all the tampering that has gone on over the at least 2000 years of new testerment history FORGET the the silly bits the BIG message is to LOVE your fellow man be tollerant of our differances and SHARE. These thing we constantly fail to do while we argue about what amounts to carp like this stuff

46. President Sanctimonious Santorum?
    Can you imagine President Sanctimonious Santorum replacing the constitution with the unholy bible ?

    I can’t decide who are more creepy, fundamentalist Muslims or fundamentalist christians?

47. Look within yourself to find the answer. We all contain a piece of the divine. Love is the universal message we must learn. Love toward all creation. Kindness and charity toward all when the oppurtunity presents itself. Gratitude for any small comforts you might enjoy but, above all LOVE.
    Peace be with you…..

48. God’s can’t write
    Isn’t it amazing that such God like entities can create Worlds, creatures some so called intelligent! In fact the universe itself! And yet cannot produce a book of the rules and regulations of which everything must live there existence to! And in materials unknown to mankind! And in their own handwriting maybe with incredible 3D photos as well! NO IN FACT IT IS ALL CREATED AND WRITTEN BY MAN HIMSELF! Well what a surprise is that! We are a primitive world in the most part still being manipulated for greed and power and evil by Men who created these sad and vindictive texts for those very purposes!

49. born again? this is the key !!!!!!
    the secular and HOLY BIBLE principle is in agreement with the scripture: JESUS said concerning the pharisees ” let them alone and disregard them: they are blind guides and teachers. and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch”. matthew 15:14 the amplified bible. in plain language: be extremely cautious and very careful who you follow.

50. Real Freedom
    But do any wonder why the accepted religions of the world “are” the way they are? True, they are all false and there is nothing but a lie behind the curtain…but, do you know why?
    Well, if your answer is: It is and always has been a form used by the governments of the world to control the people! Well, then you are correct.

    George Washington said: “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”

    What he meant is: That unless you use the Bible and the pains preached within its verses to control the people (govern) then you will NOT have control. In other words, make everyone think they will burn in hell if they do not obey the powers that be (government), no one will follow.

    What Acharya S/D.M. Murdock does for us all is to pull back the curtain, explain the myth and help us all to be truly free.

    Thanks Acharya!

51. Stupid!
    Women who dare to question divine motive are beasts. When God punishes in this life it is a sign that He could spare in the other. Beware then of the criminal mind which is not punished temporarily in this life because for certain it will be punished forever in the other. The idiot female who wrote this article should memorize the Book of Job. Maybe then she will get some sense into her empty skull. No wonder St. Paul forbade them to speak in Church. They know nothing but, like Dalilah, sit on a sofa stroking her breasts.

    1. I hope you’re joking.

       Either way, thanks for the depraved example of biblically induced misogyny and dementia.

       Your disgusting woman-hatred pretty much proves the point of this post.

52. Where exactly are you?
    Your body is a very very complex assortment of individual cells which run on their “own” as long as YOU put something close to the appropriate fuel in it….You certainly DO NOT make it run, just as YOU :whistle: don’t make your heart beat….All those individual cells do their jobs, and YOU function and exist. Just where are YOU in that mess? Those cells do their “jobs”, arguably as complex as anything YOU do, but if they ever became CONSCIENCE, and started questioning their existence, then according to most of you that can’t believe in GOD, YOU most certainly would not exist, for where are YOU….EXACTLY?? 🙁

53. The day that Acharya S is recognized as much as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and the many new upcoming atheists, is the day when the eyes of the god fearing religionists will further widen and their knowledge will be further increased as to the reality of the natural truth of our existence. Time to let go of the past and its mythical books.

54. The vast majority practice the christian faith because it has been handed down for generations. When you ask them why they just say it is the bible and the truth. When I was young they told me not to question the bible or god. That is garbage. If christianity is true they shouldn’t be afraid of questions. The problem is christians can’t answer the questions so they tell you not to ask questions.

    Only a fool wouldn’t question something as important as their christian reilgion.

    As they might say in a church, preach on Acharya.

55. The same group who brought us the Bible also brought us Communism – look to the supremacist and hegemonic root rather than to the branches.

    [quote]”For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6

    “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if its answer to you is peace and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you. But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it; and when the LORD your God gives it into your hand you shall put all its males to the sword, but the women and the little ones, the cattle, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourselves; and you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you. Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here. But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save nothing that breathes …” Deuteronomy 20:10-16

    “Foreigners (Gentiles) shall rebuild your walls, and their kings shall minister to you …Your gates shall be open continuously; day and night they shall not be shut; that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. For the nation or kingdom that will not not serve you; shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste….” Isaiah 60:10-12

    “You shall suck the milk of nations, you shall suck the breast of kings; and you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” Isaiah 60:16

    “And strangers [Gentiles] shall stand and feed your flocks, strangers shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the LORD, men shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory.” Isaiah 61:5-6[/quote]
    Karl Marx was the son and grandson of a rabbi, raised an Orthodox Christian. Many of his successors in power were also raised in Jewish households, while the vast majority of their followers were Christians.

56. @sand lizard
    Yes, Im aware of your position. It is described this way: “Ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth”. So what exactly have you learned? That you are your own god, hence answerable to no God? The lamentable fallacy of that worldview may dawn on you sooner than you would like, in that only a merciful God now restrains your departure from this world to the next. That is, you are at any moment but a heartbeat away from crossing the threshold from this world to the next– as am I.

    Whereas my faith and trust in Jesus Christ and his Word assures me of forgiveness of sin and a glorious eternal destiny, YOUR faith is committed to believing that upon death you will simply cease to exist. And this, based upon some books you read, written by MEN who hate the God of the bible more than even you do. Now, can you not see the irony of your position? You ridicule me for faith in a book, the bible (which an honest investigation will show to be both historically accurate and have life changing affect), while you take on faith the writings of mortal men who have had not a whit of impact upon the world, other than having contributed to and/or condoned the genocide of tens of millions.

    I am grateful to God for the opportunity to share in this forum. You are my brother by virtue of our mutual original parents, and I love you. Please, you seem to be a thoughtful person; if you are sincere in knowing the truth, what harm can there be in further investigation? Give your atheist authors a rest. I might first suggest you do some research in to the last dying words of the great men and women of history– including atheists and agnostics. You will find much food for thought there.

    In our search for truth we must be willing to follow wherever the path leads us, apart from our own personal preconceptions. Otherwise, we become our own gods, and we deceive ourselves. The first step in that journey is to accept two basic premises: 1) there is indeed a God, and 2) you are not Him.

    From there, progress can be made.

    I pray you will find the peace of God that passes all understanding.

    these historical evidences you allude to, whence are they? The bible endures, while the writings of atheists soon fade in relative significance…Along with our memories of the genocide perpetrated by atheistic governments who have murdered multiple million in their attempts to destroy Judeo-Christianity and the bible.

    But since you are apparently interested in learning, may I recommyou investigate the last dying words of a few of the worlds great thinkers.

    1. iPad!
       I apologize for the typos. Just got this iPad thing. Having a hard time adjusting! Arrgh

    2. Think about what you read.
       You really should pay attention to what you read.

       You accuse me of having faith in men that wrote books that are hateful towards your god. Please read my comment again. I said that reading books written by men (compiled into one book entitled [b]”Holy Bible”[/b]) scared the crap out of me. I got all the god I ever needed with that reading. It put me off all three Abrahamic religions totally. I have not read any books that were written against your god. Obviously you read my words but put your own [i]incorrectly assumed meanings[/i] to them.

       As for whether we are our own gods, or not, according to your holy book we are:

       Luke 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here or, Lo there! For behold the kingdom of God [b]is within you[/b].

       Faith that I am going to cease to exist? Why do you insist on telling me, or anyone, what we think or feel? You don’t even know me. Please stick to [b]facts [/b]instead making personal assumptions about other people. I have [b]no [/b]religious faith. I think I will cease to exist because there is no evidence to the contrary and that is how I base my logic and reason (not faith). I don’t know what will happen when I die, but the odds are really, really low that I will continue existing. So why live my life based on something that reason says will probably not happen after I die? I choose to live my life now, while I’m still alive, instead of waiting for an afterlife that is a very remote possibility. Also, there is no reason at all to think that anyone living has any idea what happens after death until after they die. Therefore, having [i]faith [/i]in [i]any [/i]religion that makes such claims is a fallacious way of living your life.

       [b]”these historical evidences you allude to, whence are they?”[/b]

       Another misinterpretation on your part. I said there is [b]no [/b]evidence that god ever existed. But you want me to provide evidence [i]that I said doesn’t exist[/i]? I think you definitely have an interpretation problem.

       All you have shown me, and maybe many others here, is that you are [i]intractable[/i]. You twist things around to match your worldview no matter what someone says. In other words it is a waste of time to debate you because you refuse to acknowledge evidence, or the lack thereof. That is [i]willful ignorance[/i], it is your [i]choice [/i]and it makes this conversation a waste of time.

57. She’s at it again
    Many christians that I’ve met don’t even read much of the bible. They just show up to church for social and psychological reasons. In other words, the Bible isn’t the religion. Many christians re-interpret or even ignore certain parts of the bible that simple do not agree with their inner sense of morality or truth. Yes, you can say a lot of negative things about this type of behavior or even call them christians in name only. But that’s the nature of religion today.

58. Where am I?
    If any of those intelligent cells were stupid enough to claim that I created them, that I have existed forever and that I could hear their prayers, or even cared what each individual cell thought or felt…they would be insane.

59. Where am I, again?
    @TenaciousMe

    I forgot about the earlier comment I made where I did mention evidence. I should have said, “based on the lack of historical evidence, Jesus Christ is apparently a myth as well”.

    My other mention of evidence in that comment refers to a mountain of evidence, much of it is well known history. i.e. The Crusades, The Spanich Inquisition, etc.

    The rest is not evidence, since it comes from the bible where god orders the murder of women and children, rape and enslavement of women and girls, etc.

60. @ rogindaup:

    Why would a suspended judgment about whether or not evolution as we currently understand it is 100% accurate necessarily entail that the Christian religion, or any other for that matter is true? Purely fallacious…

61. He is the almighty and he can do whatever he likes. His world, his everything. Plus Hitler, Mao, and Stalin killed more and they were atheists.

62. Need translate
    Hello;

    Someone can help me?
    I wanna have this article in french for a large publication.

    Please.

    1. Thank you for your query. I’m sure that Ms. Walker would give her permission for its use. Please write to me at acharya_s@yahoo.com, and I will pass along your query to her.

63. As posted above:

    “Stalin, Mao, Lenin

    They were totalitarian regimes and they were hostile to the non-religious as well so your argument is false. Stalin went to seminary school. Hitler was a Catholic and throughout Hitler’s Mein Kampf he refers to Jesus as his lord and savior. Pol Pot was raised a Buddhist and Catholic.

    None of them started wars or killed in the name of atheism. It’s not wise to toss stones at others while living in a glass house. Ever hear of the [b]DARK AGES[/b]? That’s a time period when religion ruled the known world.

    Speaking of genocide, the worst one in all history will be the one during the end times tribulation period where Jesus will eventually kill 2/3rds of the worlds non-believers. That’s not something to be proud of. Is that really the best your god can do? 😮

    Were Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot atheists? ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=334:were-stalin-hitler-and-pol-pot-atheists&catid=39:atheism-agnosticism[/url])

    State Constitutions & Discrimination against atheists ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=391[/url])

    How many has God killed? ([url]http://freethoughtnation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2381[/url])

64. I am familiar with Communism,and Satlin,Lenin were communists.In Communism it is stated there is no God and Lenin killed millions to further the cause of Communism.To further an atheistic ideology that had certain economic and social ideas.

    They didn’t say we are killing in the name of atheism,but they did say it was for Communism and this ideology we believe in says there is no God.

    If Communism had as one of its ideas:”Love your neighbor as yourself”,then it would not have killed 2O million and more.

    As for the idea the NT says Jesus will kill 2/3 of non-believers,that is false,it says the Antichrist will do it,a future Stalin,Mao,Hitler

65. @ Roux Renard above
    I’m exchanging one thing for another?! If the Bible contains Symbolism regarding the Zodiac, as certain parties suggest? (amoung other ‘secrets’)!

    Could not one infer that the Bible is a Symbolic “picture book” in words. And to make that transfer from the exoteric literal over into the Astronomical (Esoteric/Hidden) Myth. This actually proves my point quite clearly. We can transfer one allegory over into the one demain and not the other? Then all this killing in the Bible, may have an Astronomical Mythological meaning as well.

    The last time I’ve checked, I have not seen God kill anyone. Just Man himself, killing himself and others. You don’t suppose that God might just be Man himself? A key to the scriptures would be the word NOW. Although that is a ‘symbol’ as well.

    And to the lady above assuming that Christianity was born in the 325′-400 AD. No darling–that was Exoteric ChristianISM. What is amazing to me, is that the founding fathers, however deluded they may have been. All indicate the Bible to be an “ALLEGORY”. What is an Allegory? The outer face DOES NOT MEAN WHAT IT SAYS!

    And to toss off other ‘assumptions’. Buddism/Islam/Christianity are all the SAME Religion!!!! Told in a ‘Trinty’ of different exoteric Symbolism. From the what it’s worth department…

66. Seneca´s quote
    Roman philosopher Seneca said these words almost 2000 years ago:

    “Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”

67. It is written…
    The fool has said in his heart “There is no God.”

    For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man…For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

    1. Alexander, thanks for that perfect example of discrimination against nonbelievers. Those types of comments probably inspired these:

       “No, I don’t know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God.”
       – George H.W. Bush, when he was candidate for president

       “Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land – for Jesus Christ – to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect life & godliness. It is dominion we’re after not just a voice. It is dominion we’re after not just influence. It is dominion we’re after not just equal time. It is dominion we’re after. World conquest. That’s what Christ has commissioned us to do.”
       – George Grant, “changing of the guard” pg 50-51

       “Our goal, as christians, is to dominate society”
       – Pat Robertson

       “Christianity & Democracy are inevitably enemies”
       – R.J. Rushdoony “Independent Republic” pg 122, 1964

       “The church should be a disciplined charging army christians, like slaves & solders ask no questions. We are fighting a holy war”
       – Jerry Falwell

       “Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors — in short, over every aspect and institution of human society.”
       – D. James Kennedy

       “Secular schools can never be tolerated because such a school has no religious instruction and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith … We need believing people.”

       – Adolf Hitler, April 26, 1933, from a speech made during negotiations leading to the Nazi-Vatican Concordat of 1933.

       If you really want to understand Christianity watch this video Zeitgeist part 1 ([url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZgT1SRcrKE[/url]). Be sure to read the links in the info box too.

    2. For it is written by Col. Robert Ingersoll:

       “If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.”

68. 123 456 789
    For it is written by Col. Robert Ingersoll: “If a man would follow, today, the teachings of the Old Testament, he would be a criminal. If he would follow strictly the teachings of the New, he would be insane.” Anon.

    Yes–Robert Ingersoll [1800’s] is a excellent example of what happens when you take scripture literally (exoterically). His book is a hilarious read.

    Yet the Divine’s keep hammering away at the exoteric dead letter.
    Evangelical’s et als also known as the “Money Changers”. After 2011 years of doing so–why don’t they try another approach? “Crack the Archaelogical Code”

    In Barbara’s God killing above, look at the Numeralogical Cryptogram’s. I see many ‘secrets’ therein just waiting to be “Decoded” Interesting a Bible would have a book called “Numbers” And just what do those numbers “Symbolise”? The Great Pyramid design? The literalists can’t decode it, because it was near divine brilliance that encrypted the symbolism in the first place. Look at the number symbolism repetition throughout the Bible. 3, 5, 7, 40, etc. etc.. I’ve noted the same in the Koran. Oh–how many gnostic books did they find in Egypt (Nag. Ham.)? 52? or 13? Solar Lunar…

69. It’s called evolution. 😀

70. My 2 cents
    I am an atheist, I wasn’t always. I was baptised when I was 17 and was in church every time they opened the doors, I even went on prison ministries and “witnessed” to inmates. There came a point in my life when I realized that I just didn’t believe in the supernatural and magic. It took a while to screw up the nerve to start admitting it because of the intolerance that I knew that I’d have to endure, but I did it. I took the path that I would assume most do when faced with this, I claimed to be agnostic for a while and then finally an atheist. I love to study theology and comparitive religion, I do read the bible along with many other self-authenticating religious texts. When I became an atheist I did not lose my morals nor go criminally insane, I simply had to admit to myself that I didn’t believe in magic or myth anymore. I love to have discussions and debates with people who are knowledgable and that I can learn from. The “trolling”, arguing and venom spewing that has been posted here is silly. Atheism is not a “faith”, we are not evil (unless you equate godless with evil and then you’re practicing intolerance), most of the people that I know and nearly all of my family are self-professed Christians. But no amount of yelling or insulting language is going to make me believe in something that makes no sense. As far as the commenters who were using Pascal’s Gambit as a tool to try to rationalize a belief, it would be a lie to say that I believe in a god just to “hedge my bets” and if that god is omniscient he/she would know it was a lie anyway. If that god isn’t omniscient, where is the argument for a god? If god is omniscient, that takes away free-will and doesn’t make much sense given the fact that god has apparently made some mistakes that he regretted and had to erase and start over with. Odd logic. Anyway, for what it’s worth, there’s my two cents. Peace, from the bible belt. Oh yeah, this quote keeps showing up on t-shirts and whatnot but I love it anyway. “Isn’t it convenient that your god (whatever religion you are) hates all the same people you do?” 😛

    1. Great post
       It’s nice to hear someone say that. I forget sometimes that I have to be tolerant of others, even when they want to “burn me at the stake.” Yes, according to the big three I should be killed for my beliefs. My goal is to always take the good from all religions, because they all are basically good. Jesus, Mohammed. and God were all wonderful teachers or the writers were.

       I am a recovering Catholic, who found my own path and became a Pagan. And before anyone calls the Witch a devil worshipper, I don’t believe in the devil. He’s a Christian creation. My belief is that I make my decisions and if they harm someone, I pay for them. It is not the devil’s fault and there is no escape clauses. I was once told by a Christian that I was going to hell because I didn’t believe Christ was my savior, but Ted Bundy would be in heaven. My response was clear to this person, I would rather spend an eternity in hell, than a day in heaven with that monster.

       I hope that “all” the moral, just, loving, fair, and good people end up in heaven. No strings attached and no escape clauses.

71. Does GOD not exist?
    I´ve been travelling the world for many years living for a period of time in several countries.
    I´ve talked to many people representing different religions, faiths and philosophical points of view.
    After years of pondering the issue of GOD- its existence or non-existence- I can only say that the only comprehensive idea of GOD is the GOD that is not different from its creation. Therefore the WHOLE UNIVERSE may be considered as GOD or the SUPREME or the ABSOLUTE! Other ideas of GOD are purely political permitting the thinking: “my god is better than your god”.

72. I lost my “faith” about 4 years ago. It is only recently that I dared to openly state it without fear for retribution. Atheism is not a faith, but a rejection of the gods people created in the ancient past and present time. It took time and a lot of reading to escape the indoctrination we were subjected to in South Africa since my childhood days. Atheists I befriended lately are kind, considerate and thoughtful people. What I find disturbing is why so many women accept the bible/koran to contain the truth about a god who is potrayed in these books to be so “hostile” towards women.

73. Barbara’s list as a phone app?
    I would love to have this list available as an app for my cell phone! Always handy for next time I get cornered by someone who preaches at me that the bible is a source of moral and ethical teaching…

    1. That’s a great idea, but I have no clue as to how to do that.

74. I love Jesus
    :cheer: I love the holy bible and I agree with this guy, I would rather believe in a God, and do the right thing and have morals, then to not believe and die and not find out there was not a God and to be stuck in hell forever, people don’t like the bible because it takes away there animal nature to be imoral and nasty, and the bible you can experience self control a life free from sin, I been following it, and I am loving it, God uplifts me gives me faith gives me hope strengthens me I LOVE JEUS AND I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.

    1. Morality
       Morality and religion have nothing in common. I was raised to be a moral person and mine are much higher than most Christians I’ve met

75. Okay you listed all the cons,and many of them out of context. Now how about listing all the Pros.

    This is not free-thinking nor beyond religion it is merely being petty and fraught with criticism of things not understood nor understanding the psychology of what was said. It is being caught up in a vicious circle and using something to justify our own warped, egotistical thoughts. The wake-up call is stop moaning and groaning under self inflicted nonsense and get on with life.

    The first step for Beyond Religion is following the golden thread found in all religions, non-religions etc. to wit :- Do unto others as you would them do unto you.

    Perchance they are criticising you so that is why you criticise them, or is it that you wish to be criticised hence your criticism ?

76. Go and look up just a few of the more “horrifying” passages listed above, and you will find that the writer has either quoted them out of context, or has not bothered to cross-reference them with other editions of the Bible, or a Concordance, for a deeper understanding. This is a superficial and transparent attempt to smear the Word of God. Read the Sermon on the Mount, if you want undeniable morality. The Talmud & the Koran are full of foul pronouncements; read them, too, and then comment. God bless.

    1. Please see the “CONTEXT!!” video above. The context often is as appalling as the quotes themselves. The “context” apology is fallacious.

       The blind and illogical defense of this heinous book of culturally bigoted fairytales and horror stories is not only egregious but also very tiresome.

       The Sermon on the Mount represents a bunch of “wisdom sayings” from other cultures strung together and placed in the mouth of the mythical Jesus. It is not very impressive when one knows the sources.

       Yes, we know the Talmud and Koran are full of foulness, as we critique them as well. But that’s a deflection off the subject at hand, which is that the Bible is not “God’s Word” but a cultural artifact whose thrall is over, as the world becomes better educated.

77. Another long list of complaints about the bible, in which typically verses are quoted in isolation, without context, without delving into the “why” reasonings behind the verse. The note beside each verse in some cases has made-up stuff in it to make the bible verse seem truly hideous. Anything to smear the Creator, huh?
    If the author of this list had bothered to research the verses complained about, he/she would have discovered the “why” behind it, and how it does not mean God is a cruel tyrant. But hey, that would take effort, AND it would diminish the author’s ability to stamp their feet in anger and indignation at God.
    But this is typical of what you find on the net: Another crackpot spewing hate at what they don’t understand.

    1. Thank you.

       “The author” is the well-respected and brilliant octogenarian Barbara G. Walker, who surely does not require a lesson in how to interpret biblical verses or fallacies about “context.” There is no context in which barbaric behavior from the supposed God of the cosmos is appropriate. Barbara’s exercise in revealing these violent passages remains valid, despite apologies from bibliolaters.

       Nor is anyone here “smearing the Creator,” as, unlike the brainwashed masses, we do not consider the wretched desert tribal god of the Bible to be “the Creator.” To suggest we are “smearing the Creator” is simply calumny and defamation. Moreover, how could anyone “smear the Creator?” Is “he” so powerless and pitiful that our miniscule human attempts can harm “him?”

       Furthermore, the idea of a “creator” who is anthropomorphized, as a human male, is simply puerile and incorrect. Any creator of this massive cosmos could not possibly be human or a man. This crackpot mentality is reflective of Bible conditioning, not reality.

       

    2. There are no “reasonings” to justify murder and rape in behalf of God. Stop trying to make something work that is broken.

78. I almost never leave a response, however after reading some of
    the remarks on Bible morality or depravity? | Freethought
    Nation. I do have 2 questions for you if you don’t mind.
    Is it only me or does it look like like a few of the responses appear like they are left by brain dead people?
    😛 And, if you are posting on other social sites,
    I would like to keep up with you. Could you make a list of all of all
    your public sites like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?

79. Thank you so much you have done for searching the truth about agod and religions there are so many religions and many different named gods. Humans desserve to know the truth man has and creation and this earth have suffered so much
    People in this world desrve truth, mercy , understanding because their worthy and didn’t ask to be born and for all these tragedies. Evils and injustices they have suffered. Thanks again for having the courage to write what you do in this world so called democracy. From spiritual.

Comments are closed.