Man Made God by Barbara Walker

NewCathar · **Posted:** Thu May 27, 2010 7:07 pm

I have to agree with FTL22 here - although Walker may not have chosen her words wisely in a few cases, the underlying emphasis is the same - the gospels were written by faceless folks who hid behind pen names to push dogma and force agenda into their communities, for benefit to the ruling class. Perhaps they were even doing it playfully, mischievously at the time. But the fact that these volumes of fables and lies and codified hatreds managed to survive and flourish throughout history, and were used to often such malevolent purpose, is a truly sad phenomena, sort of a literary "Old habits die hard." Since good habits don't cause us any grief in perpetuity, we must assume that the "old habits" which "die hard" are the bad ones... like the bible, and all superstitious dogma.

And splitting hairs about semantics has never been of much interest to me. That stuff is for lawyers and debate teams, and all those who deliberately twist language to meet their own ends. I certainly don't put Walker or Acharya S. in that class, by any stretch. Me, I think they're brilliant.

HP

jffelix61 · **Posted:** Fri May 28, 2010 2:47 am

Thanks to you both. I'm glad that readers of the actual work have given insight into what the book actually says, so as to give me and others a better understanding of both Walker's viewpoint and the quality of her work, which is what I was hoping for.

As for semantic hairsplitting, my previous post demonstrates my agreement with that as well.

NewCathar · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:48 pm

Finally finished MAN MADE GOD (yes I am a very slow reader!) I cannot recommend the book highly enough. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

page 141

Quote:

These are dangerous times, imperiled by myths that should have been outgrown by civilized society a thousand years ago

page 209

Quote:

Believers’ most homicidal rage has always been aroused by those who suggest that belief may be unfounded.

page 228

Quote:

Judeo-Christian prejudice against women is probably the world’s longest-lived form of prejudice.

Hallelujah!

Hermies

"Don't feed males; don't breed males."
-Andrea Dworkin

NewCathar · **Posted:** Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:51 pm

Here are a few more gems from Walker:

page 230:

Quote:

The true test of any religion is its moral effect, and the effect of Christianity has been a disaster – one of the most ruthless and violent histories on Earth.

page 247:

Quote:

Could our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren find themselves locked into a new Dark Age of spiritual bondage?

page 252:

Quote:

God has no problem with the killing of thousands of men, women and children whom a government considers enemies, even though he has a huge problem with the killing of one unwanted fetus, or even with the prevention of an unwanted fetus via birth control.

Now I'm off to re-read Walker's The Skeptical Feminist. Taa Taa!

Hermies

"History is Man's Stupidity in Chronological Order."
- Jackie Kannon

Acharya · **Joined:** Sun Aug 06, 2006 12:09 pm **Posts:** 1289

I'm very glad you've been enjoying the book!

Anyone else who wants a closer look at it, please go to:

Man Made God: A Collection of Essays

And here's a nice Man Made God review.

Please write your own nice review of the book and post it to Amazon - I'm sure others would appreciate it as well!

Freethought Nation

Man Made God by Barbara Walker

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