Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:24 pm Posts: 4337 Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Why Disprove the Bible, Jesus & Religion?
Here's a recent quote from a well intentioned Christian who really doesn't seem to know why anybody would reject the bible, Jesus and religion in general. So, I thought it would be helpful to give a clear explanation starting from the basics.
Quote:
"... Yes I'm a Christian. For those of you who fight so hard to disprove the bible, Jesus, etc..? Why? Can't you fight poverty or crime or increasing taxes or something that will improve your very short life? If there is no heaven, why waist so much time fighting the teachings of a perfect man. How can anyone say they don't want their neighbor to be someone like Jesus. I'm 51 yrs old now and surely I know that if everyone lived like Jesus teaches our societies would be awesome. Have any of you non believers seen what godless men do to people and societies? I'm tired of typing. Just one last thought. Do some of y'all really believe Paul and other writers in the bible just made all this up? They are liars and died supporting great myths? Man are y'all really thinking this through. And would y'all really want a society like atheist Russia? Just my thoughts, I have no intention to offend. May we all live in and know the truth!!!"
First of all, Jesus was anything but perfect. Read this article written by a former 20 year pastor:
Quote:
"Jesus has been held in high regard by Christians and non-Christians alike. Regardless of whether he existed in history, or whether he was divine, many have asserted that the New Testament Christ character was the highest example of moral living. Many believe that his teachings, if truly understood and followed, would make this a better world.
Second: If there exists no heaven, why waste time trying to convince people there is? Religion is just another big business selling an invisible product. It's akin to 19th century snake oil salesmen making big bucks by duping an unsuspecting public. Today we have consumer protections against tricking people out of their hard earned money. However, when it comes to religion there still exists absolutely no consumer protections whatsoever!
Third: we know from the history of religions that societies based on religious theocracies are a complete disaster. The last time religion reigned supreme is today commonly known as the DARK AGES.
Fourth: At least half of Paul's epistles are known forgeries as even academia concede. Much of the bible was "borrowed" from pre-xian Pagan religions with a Jewish twist. There was no such thing as the gospels by Mark, Matthew, Luke or John until around 180ce when Irenaeus mentioned them in his own book "Against Heresies." Even New Testament scholars who are also professed Christians admit this. See their quotes here. We have no credible evidence that Mark, Matthew, Luke or John ever existed. There's not even any credible evidence that the biblical Jesus existed as we have no writings from anybody during the time period Jesus supposedly lived that even mention him at all. The gospels claim in over 20 passages that Jesus was famed far & wide yet, not a single one of those claims has ever been substantiated with credible evidence.
Fifth: No, we have no desire to look like Russia in any way whatsoever. Just because people don't believe in religion doesn't automatically make them a communist or anything else. It makes them more honest about religion; not easily fooled by dogma, faith or euphoria.
Sixth: Many of us here at the Freethought Nation forum were former religions devotees of a wide variety. I was a saved, baptized evangelical for around 20 years. I went to countless bible studies during those years. Sadly, after all those years, I finally figured out that in order to get closer to the truth I had to get out of the church and away from biased, bigoted Christians with zero critical thinking skills. At that point, I learned all the above and more. I did not appreciate being misled and lied to by Christianity. When you get tired of being misled and lied to then, maybe you'll understand.
"The United States is in no sense founded upon the Christian doctrine." - George Washington
"The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma" - Abraham Lincoln
"I have examined all the known superstitions of the world, & I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the earth." - Thomas Jefferson
"The Christian religion and Masonry have one and the same common origin: Both are derived from the worship of the Sun. The difference between their origin is, that the Christian religion is a parody on the worship of the Sun, in which they put a man whom they call Christ, in the place of the Sun, and pay him the same adoration which was originally paid to the Sun." - Thomas Paine
"Lighthouses are more useful than churches" - Benjamin Franklin
"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it!" - John Adams
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Historian Stephen Henry Roberts
"Somebody ought to tell the truth about the Bible. The preachers dare not, because they would be driven from their pulpits. Professors in colleges dare not, because they would lose their salaries. Politicians dare not. They would be defeated. Editors dare not. They would lose subscribers. Merchants dare not, because they might lose customers. Men of fashion dare not, fearing that they would lose caste. Even clerks dare not, because they might be discharged. And so I thought I would do it myself." - Robert Ingersoll
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:24 pm Posts: 4337 Location: 3rd rock from the sun
Quote:
“Religious freedom is one thing,” says Joan Bokaer, director of TheocracyWatch, a project of the Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy (CRESP) at Cornell University. “But religious extremism is something completely different. What people aren’t aware of is just how deeply the radical religious right has penetrated our government—in all three branches. We really are very close to becoming a theocracy. People have reason to be worried.”
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