Close to Home

By Carl S ~

Question: If you have school-age children who are allowed to play in the neighborhood with their friends, do you tell them to trust every adult they encounter? If the answer is "yes" or "no," what are your reasons? Now that you've thought about it, another question: If you know a registered pedophile sex offender lives in your neighborhood, will you encourage them to trust him as an authority figure? In the latter case, aren't you setting them up to be victims?

Those questions are the result of another question proposed by WizenedSage: How can anyone continually abuse, or even stand by and watch children being abused? Since then, this question has troubled my mind, for a week now. I have to admit, the answers are profound. I suspected the roots might run deep.

Then came assistance, so to speak, on helping find the "logic" behind how pedophile clergy members alone can abuse children continually, with the tacit consent of their superiors and confidants. My mind became like a space probe on its journey to find answers, boosted by exploiting the gravity from a planet, when I watched a program about a Mormon cult. It's members were so dedicated to their spiritual prophet that they killed his rivals and their own kin members, because each of his "revelations” commanded them to. He and they were prosecuted and sentenced. This got me to ask my wife: Shouldn’t the Mormon Church be held responsible for educating his followers, which led them to kill for him? Her answer, that the cult was split off from that church, ergo, no longer considered a member, I found unsatisfactory. It missed something - the indoctrination the cult members had in their Mormon upbringing - to believe in divine, unquestionable revelations, and to trust those who communicate them as the will of God. They were already set up, pre-disposed to accept, follow, and obey the will of God as divinely revealed through his appointed living prophet.

Just as the members of cults are set up to become gullible to those who lead them, because of their childhood indoctrination, so too are the victims of pedophile clergy. And it is not only the children who are open to being used, but their parents. They also are indoctrinated to be gullibly trusting, having been raised in the same tradition. They trust the authorities enough to turn their children into their “safekeeping." Meanwhile, clerical authorities know what they are doing to them. Surely, this has been going on for hundreds of years.

And so we come round to answering the question of the raping of children, and their mental and physical abuse. It began with, and is continued by, trusted authority figures who depend on cover-ups, silence, and ecclesial approval. When it comes to preserving God's holy churches and holy teachings, the end justifies the means.

Does this partially answer the question, how can anyone continually abuse, or even stand by and watch children being abused, and do nothing to stop it? Doesn't their "Savior God" watch them being abused and not intervene? When it comes to really being saved, there is no savior. Do the abusers and their protectors care‘? What enables the system? One theological answer would include the dogma inculcated in those children that whatever happened to them was the will of God. Another would be that anything that affected them would be for the greater good.

It's easy to ignore the damage done by religions if you look the other way, or say, "Well, my kids are safe. That doesn't affect us." Most people would probably agree, because it doesn't affect them; it isn't close to home. But might we not agree that the system set up by religious indoctrination affects us all in many ways? The effects are closer to home than you think. Consider: cults, terrorists, ISIS, and the religious right. Is it a stretch to imagine many people in jail because they are "juvenile delinquents," considered dangerous to society, their crimes driven by reacting to the violence done to them as children, by trusted authorities? How much impotent rage has been ignored and shoved beneath the surface waiting to explode or implode? Why do prisoners hate pedophiles most of all?

There was a period of time when some peasants were devil worshipers. They believed that, since the ecclesial authorities were domineering and prospering, and corrupt, they were rewarded by their God, they would appeal to Satan, (who ruled the earth, according to what they were taught). "Serving God” only worked for the Church's benefit. You can understand their frustration.

This author has focused on Christianity for examples. However, the system and its tradition is the same for Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, etc., and in Jewish sects. Children are being set up for exploitation by trusting authority figures. Be forewarned; teach your kids to be streetwise when it comes to religious claims. Better yet, stay out of the neighborhood.

Where does morality come from -- Part 4

By John Draper ~

In Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, I asserted that morality is discovered by humans, not revealed by God. Specifically, religious folks say the superstructure of morality is erected by God in scripture. I think that’s not the case. But I think we’re stuck with the Bible. It’s too embedded in our culture. The Bible influences believers and nonbelievers alike.

That being the case, it behooves us to use scripture wisely.

There is truth in scripture. But we—not God—put it there. Scripture plays two roles. One, it reminds us of what we’ve already figured out on our own. Two, by providing us inadequate descriptions of the character of God, scripture provides a picture of what not to do.

This post will look the first of those two propositions, that all scripture does is remind us of what we’ve already worked out on our own. Said differently, God doesn’t reveal His moral will for us through scripture—any more than He does with any literary work of human hands. What we have in scripture is the word of man—for good and for ill.

For example, we know the noblest parts of Jesus’ teaching are true—and there a scattering of Jesus’ teachings that are ignoble—because they resonate with our humanity.

Take the Good Samaritan.

Everyone knows the story. Jesus’ parable flowed out of a discussion he had with someone about “how to inherit eternal life.” Jesus asked, “What Does the Law Say?” The man answered that the Law teaches one must first love one’s God and then love one’s neighbor. “But who’s my neighbor?” the guy continued, wanting—scripture tells us—to justify his hard-heartedness.

So Jesus tells the story of this guy who was robbed and beaten en route to Jericho. A priest encountered the unfortunate man lying wounded in the ditch, as did a Levite, both respected religious leaders, and they passed him by. In fact, they even moved to the other side of road.

Then a Samaritan happened by—a hated Samaritan—and he took pity on the man, tending to his injuries, taking him to an inn, and paying for his continued care.

Jesus asks, “Which one of the three men who happened upon the road was a neighbor to the beaten man?”

“The one who had mercy on him,” the man said.

“Go and do likewise,” Jesus concluded.

At first blush, Jesus comes across as some sort a moral savant. But Jesus just framed his response in terms of what the law already said. Jesus was no moral innovator. He was all about obeying the Law. “Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” He was a real prickly pear when it came to obeying the law.

In other words, what Jesus said was common knowledge. If that common knowledge had become uncommon, it was because we had suppressed it. It’s so much easier to find villains to blame than to see everyone as our neighbor. What Jesus did was show this man what he knew to be true in his deepest self. I mean, it’s not like Jesus revealed a new primary color or some such thing. The man didn’t say, “I never would have thought of that, not in a million years!” Instead, he averted his eyes, shamefaced at what a sinner he’d become.

Jesus’ words rang true.

So it goes with the worthwhile portions of scripture. Believers talk about “being cut to the quick” by a passage from the Bible. In those cases, scripture brought to mind the lessons we’d already learned. That’s why so many “aha” experiences with scripture are accompanied with repentance. The scripture tells the believer to get back on the Narrow Way. The value of biblical truth is that it’s the same thing over and over again until we get it through our thick skulls.

Any other human literary work could fulfill the same role. If you doubt that, attend a meeting of a local book club and see the revelations people draw from current bestsellers. More lessons have been drawn from scripture because the words have been pored over for centuries. We’ve polished the words so as to reveal new facets of truth. In fact, sometimes we surprise ourselves—humans are clever.

That’s not to say that everything in scripture is laudatory. Far from it. There’s plenty of dross peddled as the word of God. I will turn to those passages in my next post.

Tongues

By Lauren T. ~

On Sunday nights the crowd is louder, the music is fun and we get guest preachers. Some come from their TV shows to use our church’s microphone and water. They’re so close to God that He put them on TV to be pastors to our pastor. You can’t get higher than that unless you’re the Pope, but he’s not a real Christian. One time a preacher from TV stood up front and raised his arm up, and then started walking through the aisles. I saw people shaking and praising next to him, and the Spirit came over my section when he passed. It felt like a big warm chill, then wanting to fall over. But I kept standing so I wouldn’t lose it. I let it come back in waves, feeling the man walk by, and it stopped when he moved on. That was how strong the Spirit was in him; he had so much overflowing for all of us.

My pastor and dad said you’re not saved until you can speak in tongues, since it’s the real sign you have the Spirit. The part of God He left on Earth is inside us and it can talk to the Father in His own private language. You don’t know what you’re saying, but He does. And the world might laugh at how it sounds, but what the world hates is usually good, anyway.

So tonight at my church we have another guest preacher, but I don’t know if he’s from TV. He says to speak in tongues at the end. Our regular church pastors are at the front, telling us to raise our hands and pray. I can’t do it yet. I can’t figure out how they’re making the noises and let the words just gush out. Bashugana, osh amana, ola gaga. I hear the others loud around me- real languages that God knows, because they’re getting the warm chill that goes past your heart, into your stomach, down to your feet and turns your legs to jelly. I can’t feel it.

Then the pastors invite people who haven’t gotten tongues yet into the back stage area. We can line up and have hands laid on us to make sure it works before we leave. The pastors always say to answer the burning in your chest, stand up and go up if you’re called. I can’t stay still and I don’t want to. I walk to the little room and beside all the other slow learners. We’re quiet, then the visitor pastor moves down the line to touch each person and make sure we’re getting the Spirit. He knows God can understand our prayers in English, but so can everyone else. If I don’t speak in the Spirit, God will tune me out, or let the Devil answer.

I feel the pastor getting closer, and I’m scared he’ll touch me and it won’t happen- I won’t let the words out, or God won’t give them to me. I peek to see how much time before he gets in front of me. Say something. Open up before he touches you and nothing happens. I should feel the warm chill already.

I hear the ones before me keep praying out loud with their hands raised to God, who can listen now without eavesdroppers. The pastor puts his hand on my forehead. I try to start the Spirit with a good try of my own- bashugana, osh amana, ola gaga… I say it from the throat, too soft. The pastor pushes my head back more, and I think it will start the real thing. When I stop talking, he lets go. “Yes” … “She’s got it,” he says. He moves on. But I still don’t have it.

I leave the room, and the sanctuary, and the church without the warm chill. I still don’t have it now! I want the pastor to come back and tell me he knows. He was in a hurry to get to the rest. And he didn’t want to embarrass me in front of everyone else, but I will get it next time. Or does he think I really have it?

How do I stop being afraid of going to hell?

By ClayBlack ~

I'm not quite an ex-Christian yet, but I've been having serious doubts and the one thing stopping me is the fear that if I stop trusting in Jesus, then I will go to hell. I'm hoping that people who have felt the same see this post and are able to give me some advice.

I was raised in a Christian home and passionately pursued the faith from the age of 12 up until a few months ago (I'm 23 now) when I started having serious doubts. Two years ago, I moved out of my parent's house and have been exposed to more secular environments. My husband (I moved out when I got married) says I've become a more optimistic and confident person since I left my highly religious parents home.

I love listening to philosophers and debates on Youtube, and have found that many people arguing for Christianity use this argument based on Romans 1:20: "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse." Meaning that they think everybody knows that God exists therefore he does, and if we don't believe in him, it is rejection and we only have ourselves to blame if we end up in hell.

I'm struggling with this because I don't feel as if I actually know that God exists. I think, 'Surely he would make himself more real and tangible to us and not play a sick game where we pray to him to reveal himself, and he doesn't.'

Hell, human depravity, and eternal punishment are concepts I find irrational. But because I grew up with conservative, fundamentalist Christian parents, I was heavily indoctrinated with these teachings. I don't think God can be loving if he creates people just to send them to hell, and threatening people with the eternal torture if you don't believe on them seems like a massive interference on free will.

I'd love to stop believing this but my mind keeps asking, 'What if you die tomorrow and go to hell? What if you wake up before God and he's mad at you because you questioned his authority to send people to heaven or hell or wherever he likes?'

I know to some that will sound silly. Up until recently, I honestly believe that I had a revelation of God as a teenager, that he wanted to pursue a relationship with me. But now I think it was just excitement from going to youth group for the first time.

It's weird; my parents are quite conservative but most of my life, we attended a church a lot more liberal than my parents were used to. It's given me lifelong friends, and I think if I were to stop believing, they would still embrace me, and not reject me like some in the more conservative churches do. My closest Christian friends know that I'm going through a "crisis of faith" at the moment, but they don't realise how serious it is. And they wouldn't understand if i spoke to them about it in detail.

Ex-Christians, what advice would you give me?

Abracafuckingdabra: a working title

By Ronna Russell ~

When someone who has an incurable disease is told their condition can be whisked away by a magic spell, it disrespects their daily reality. Every day contains struggles unknown to the rest of us, both emotional and physical.

 The utter disregard of that reality is staggering.

 Chant the right spell and it will all go away. Um, no. To pretend to have access to a magical cure is arrogance beyond comprehension. It insults the sick in a way that faith healing believers cannot fathom, because their certainty and superiority complex runs deep. It seems the underlying emotion is love for the afflicted and a desire for their wellness, but disregarding the personal beliefs of others is not love; it is an ego-driven, manipulative power trip. Such disregard is rude at best, but also cruel and misinformed and can be emotionally damaging to those not good at critical thinking.

This might seem to be an overreaction to anyone who hasn’t been steamrolled by religiosity, but I have a sick kid who is experiencing this manipulation. She, being a better person than me, rolls her eyes and takes the good intentions.

I want to punch a wall.

I see, at least a little bit, what she goes through; her fears and symptoms and side effects and endless appointments. I see her absolute determination to stay as healthy and fit and positive as she possibly can despite her fatigue. I see her siblings’ worry and fear and unwavering, astounding love. If there is such a thing as a holy spirit, it lives there. I know what I go through, not just because I am heartbroken for her and would take the disease myself if it would save her from it, but working multiple jobs to pay the bills, staying in a job I couldn’t leave if I wanted to for the medical benefits and watching my daughter ask strangers on the internet for money because I have no way of paying the deductible, despite all the long hours. I also see the resources and attention that go to this one kid, when I have others who need me, as well. The endless fatigue and stress on us all. If there was a god that could prevent this or take it away, and it doesn’t automatically do so, then it is evil.

I realize there is likely nothing I can say, no matter how careful or loving or angry or direct or clear, to throw a faith healing believer off the scent or knock them off their high horse. Zealotry does that to people. If you are interested in not alienating loved ones, please consider the following suggestions:

Recognize the difference between FACT and BELIEF. Words have meanings and these things are not the same. Faith healing is not a fact; it is a belief. Say the prayers, if that’s your thing, but please think about it when tempted to shove and/or wheedle beliefs down the throats of others. It’s a nice thing to pray for someone you care about. If you do it without their knowledge, it makes you feel better. If they know, perhaps they feel cared for. Please ask, because maybe they don’t like it. If they don’t like it, refrain. If you cannot refrain, you do not respect them and so do not love them, either.

Fact is truth. Facts are true whether you believe them or not. We all have “personal truths,” based on our desires, perspectives and experiences. These do not necessarily translate, rendering them something less than factual, and should be wielded with great care and understanding that what is true for you may not be true for others.

---

Ok, so I write this whole blog post about faith healing.

Not about faith healing. About people who believe in faith healing and feel compelled to spread that around. I wrote and edited and had an editor give me notes and really thought long and hard about how to say it without being mean. I even took out almost all the curse words. I mean, I REALLY tried, but there is just no way to say it without saying it.

 Faith healing is a crock of voodoo woohoo bullshit and if you want to believe it fucking fine, go ahead, but leave the saner among us out of it.

 Jesus Fucking Christ, stop it already.

 STOP IT.

You are fucking nuts and believing in faith healing is fucking nuts and you need to stop yourself from sneaky praying for people who think you are a batshit lunatic.

ronnarussell.wordpress.com

Turning My Back on Religion

By BAD2G4E ~

I grew up in a family that was Christian. Not full-blown bible reading daily Christians, but every Sunday is going to church and do the "right" thing normal "I don't judge, but judging at the same time Christians. I believed wholeheartedly that God was a jealous God and Jesus was the way to salvation. My young mind was always curious, though. I had many, many questions, & the answer was always, "never question Jesus." It was amazing to me that the world's smartest humans were also the world's dumbest Christians.

I'm 27 and I met my partner at 18. Coming from a Christian family, you can imagine the looks I got, Right? I didn't tell my mom until my partner and I were dating 6 years. We'd go to family gatherings and spent holidays with family, but my mom insisted on calling her our "cousin." Dumb right? Well as we all know, a family filled with Christians, theirs bound to be "prophets" in the bunch, more on that later.

My partner and I found a church and started attending faithfully every Sunday, as well as Thursday Bible Studies. Our pastor's best friend, who was a "prophet" prophesied over me when I was about 22 and said, "God says what you're doing isn't right for you. It wasn't good then, and it's not good now. You're going to be a powerful woman of God, ( followed by a few nudges of the shoulder so I could fall into the holy spirits arms)" As you can imagine, that disabled me, with anxiety, so I started searching the bible. Upon reading the bible, I realized I was going to "hell" after I died, & I accepted that. I prayed for forgiveness and kept up my "sinful" ways because being with my partner made me happy.

Fast forward a few years, my partner and I are really happy and I'm in a great place. Still believing in God, still knowing I was going to "hell" although no longer attending a church; I received a call from a family member, the "prophet" July 18th, 2015 at 5:32 pm and the conversation went like this:

"Me: Hello

Family Member: Hey cuz, what's up

Me:*(heart pounding because I knew what was coming) Nothing much, just hanging out

Family Member: How have you and your little friend been doing (partner of 8 years)

Me: We've been great. Why?

Family Member: Oh, because God says y'all have argued a lot lately.

Me: No we haven't, why would God say that.

Family Member: Oh then you all are about to start.

Me: OK

Family Member: God says you have a husband.

Me: *(completely heart-broken) Oh really.

Family Member: I don't want to see you burn in hell, & that's where you'll end up if you don't stop this. God wants the best for you.

Me: I'm happy.

Family Member: God knows best.

Me: All

Family Member: I was just calling to check on you, & I'll be praying that you get out of that situation. I love you.

Me: I love you too."

I'm pretty sure you can imagine how this call made me feel. I was completely devastated. I was angry at myself for not standing up for my partner or my relationship, I was mad at God because I didn't understand why I had to go to hell, but I still didn't give up. After an anxiety-filled week passed, I called an Aunt of mine who's an evangelist and owns a church who considers herself a "prayer warrior". This is how the conversation went:

"Me: Hey, I was calling because I needed some advice.

Aunt: Sure honey. What's going on?

Me: I don't know if you were aware, but I'm a lesbian and another family member called to tell me a message from God.

Aunt: No I didn't know that, and what did he tell you was God's message.

Me: He said God told him I had a husband and I needed to leave my lifestyle alone.

Aunt: Well honey, you know he's right, God don't approve of you, and I know your parents didn't raise you like that. I know you better than that.

Me: *thoughts (you know me but I haven't seen you in 10+ years and you live 9 hours away) OK

Aunt: tells many stories of her past and how God doesn't like what I'm doing etc

Me: What shall I do.

Aunt: Read your bible and leave, do not wait, just leave.

Me: When we met, I knew in my heart we had a real connection

Aunt: That wasn't a connection honey, the only thing you two could ever be is sisters. You can't keep living in sin. That is an abomination. You're hurting God. So let me pray for you. Raise your hand up high.

Me: *now in tears, *raised my hands

Aunt: God I ask that you save the souls of these lost young women. I pray that you save them from burning in hell. *speaking in tongues for 5 minutes, then God, I ask that you fill her and her girlfriend's heart with despair. Place lots of despair over their hearts God. I ask you this now. You make sure they feel that despair God. AMEN! AMEN! AMEN! AAAGGGHH! Heavenly Father! We love you and we want to do your will. Now your Aunt loves you and I'll call you with Bible verses.

Me: *confused *heart-broken *crying hysterically *whispering OK, I love you too.

After I hung up the phone, I cried and I prayed and I asked God to take my partner away. That night, I packed my clothes and told my partner I had to leave because I was hurting God and I no longer wanted to burn in hell. She sat me down and I told her everything. My partner, the loving, sweet, kind person that she is has never believed in anything but nature and sharing the love with all life said, let's talk. We talked and she brought lots of things to my attention. She said if your cousin lied about us arguing why did you believe the other crap. She said you called your aunt whom you never speak to or see, for advice; the woman who's a preacher, the woman who owns a church, the woman who is on her fourth husband. She said this is happening because you're allowing it to happen. She said now it's time to find yourself and figure out exactly what you want for your life. She said no matter what happens, we will always be best friends.

The months to come were a COMPLETE HELL for me. Do you understand this? A Complete and Utter Hellish experience. I hated myself. I hated life. I questioned every decision I had made up until that point. I was in the darkest place of self and no one but me could help me. The pain and anxiety I had were unbearable. The sleepless nights were nightmarish and lonely. I basically lived on cigarettes and water. I turned to alcohol, don't get me wrong, I'd drink once a month, but now it was every single night. I shut down completely. I was numb and my heart had turned into ice. I no longer wanted to live. Panic Attacks were my greatest ally, Anxiety was my roommate, Depression was a bodyguard and Self Pity was the love of my life. Articles like "Homosexuals Changing for God" and "A Prophet Saved My Life" scared me poo-less. I became obsessed with gut instincts, intuition, tarot cards, numbers, dreams, values, beliefs, signs and many other things. Talk about miserable!

Then, one night I asked God, "Why do I have to burn in hell for being in love with another woman?" and that is when my entire world came crashing down. One question turned into a thousand mini questions. The fear that came over me for dare questioning the Almighty was unbearable. I started looking up Jesus facts and I stumbled upon Valerie Tarico's blog, which gave me so much anxiety until I was sick, literally! I hated her but admired her secretly. It fascinated me. Then, I started reading book after book about Science, Religion, Philosophy, History and Ancient History. I started with the origins of everything, then worked my way through. I started to look into my childhood and I noticed A WHOLE LOT that I never knew. I realized my parents had never said the words I love you to me or hugged me or kissed me. I started to see that anxiety had been a part of my whole life and I never acknowledged it. I started to see how I never actually knew what feelings were because they were a no-no growing up in my household. I started to see how a "prophet's" words could control me because I never knew my voice existed. As I dug deeper and deeper into ME, a sense of love for self-emerged. Looking at the facts and only facts eased my anxiety about the God thing and it compelled me into the realm of nonbelievers.

My family member text me the other day and this is our conversation Family Member: Are you keeping God's Commandments?

Me: Are You?

Family Member: Yes I am! Completely!

Me: Do you wash your clothes? Do you eat meat? Do you kill spiders and roaches?

Family Member: Yes to them all, but what does this have to do with the 10 Commandments??

Me: Thy Shall not kill.

Family Member: I didn't kill a human.

Me: It doesn't say, Thy Shall not kill a human, it says thou shall not kill. Life is Life. All life is important.

Me: You still there?

Me: BTW, I don't believe in that foolishness anymore, oh, and I'm sorry to hear that you and your wife are divorcing. You're in my and my little friends' thoughts.

Me: I love you.

I couldn't resist it. HAHHAHHAHAHHAH!!

Does Your Life Have Meaning?

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (video game) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Carl S ~

Mortality is a sobering thought. Immortality is the insight of the inebriated.

My wife and I have known Peter for over 15 years. He was in a drowning accident. He apparently had a stroke, and was in the water face-down for 20 minutes before being found and given CPR. Knowing him pretty well, we thought he might have attempted suicide. He lost a young son many years ago by drowning, and the loss of a child is one of the most tragic of experiences, or as some claim, the most tragic.

We were having lunch (at the same restaurant where he dined with members of his church after Sunday services) with others who knew and cared about him, when we were told he died. He was 73. Both my wife and I had serious discussions with him over the years. We attended his wedding to, and the funeral of, his second wife. His obit was in the paper. His surviving sons were listed, (but not his imaginary friend Jesus, who died with him.)

There's a reason for mentioning Peter on this site. I wrote a letter to him once, critical of religions, and he being a religious man, replied with his objections and reasons why he was a believer. I shared his letter with WizenedSage, who wrote a commentary about it, which was published on this site ( http://new.exchristian.net/2015/05/god-must-not-be-tested.html ).

Peter was a very smart man, a graduate of Boston University. Those who knew him will tell you he was a gentleman, a sweet guy, and a substitute teacher. He hand made puppets, which he used to educate and entertain small children. But he was also an emotionally insecure and troubled man, seeking solace in his religion and in the companionship of others. Just a few months ago, we drove him to doctor appointments. When my wife went to pick up his medication refill, the info with it described it as anti- depressive.

Playing with his faith, I remember a dozen years back asking him, "How did Noah get those animals like the polar bears and bison back to where they came from?" He answered, "Someday we'll know." Members of his church will tell us, "Well now he knows;" though there is no "he" to know. He went to his death, and they probably will too, never knowing the Noah story is a fairy tale.

I noticed nobody else at the lunch mourned more than my loving wife. And I noticed something else which seemed to escape everyone but me, the lone unbeliever: A woman bluntly said, "Well, now he's in heaven." I've asked myself about those words. I've heard them before, and couldn't explain why I’m disturbed by them. Now I wonder: Is this how they'd handle my demise if I were a believer like them? Would living my life as myself have no meaning, since the "heaven" thing will erase everything else about it? That's it, the meaning to my entire life - something fulfilled when arriving in their after-death fantasy land, no different a "meaning" for it than for any believer? That's it? Is that all there is? Does anybody truly believe it?

I don't know what those who knew him thought was the meaning of his life. Nobody mentioned the subject. And I suspect, few saw behind the person they saw him as being. We went to his church for a celebration of his life. Once again, my thoughts turned to a book written in the early l970s. Although I’ve forgotten the exact title and author, at the time I read it because its title intrigued me. I was raised with the religious belief of an after-death life as a given which nobody questioned. But this book posed the question: What if there's no afterlife? Page after page told of why there isn't any. The author asks, once we have a reality-based understanding of death, how, without religious ceremonies, do we conduct funerals? In one chapter, he considers alternatives for those who did not in their lives subscribe to an eternal afterlife belief, and those attending who also do not. His solution: a celebration of that person's life. Here I was so many years later, sitting in a Baptist church, attending a "celebration of life" among people who do not know a non-believer invented it!


He answered, "Someday we'll know." Quite a few speakers had very good memories of Peter, fond meetings, cute anecdotes to share and praise for his quirkiness and open-hearted caring. Nobody talked about eternal rewards and holiness; the emphasis was on his personality and effect on those who knew him (and maybe wished they had known him better). The service seemed more an opportunity for a feel-good gathering than a mourning for a lost friend.

What happened to their sense of loss and mourning? Someone created this fantasy substitute to mourning the death of a familiar human being, with the "he's in heaven now" attitude. I find that attitude pathetic and unbearably inane. And yet this doctrine is preached as the ultimate purpose of human life. And why not? Those at the table believe it is not the life of Jesus, but his death, which is the meaning for his life, and theirs. When we recognize this fact, we see clearly why their religion is a death cult. The value, the purpose, of this Lamb of God, is the value of livestock raised for slaughter.

Peter was a devoted active member of the Christian Right. Church became his family. As a member of a tightly bound group, he was open to perceiving its sacred values as under attack, (Many, even more devoted, to Islam, are exploding themselves to death.) I see him as what is known as a "devoted actor,” part of a religious movement. Would his life, according to his fellow true believers, have no "meaning,” no "purpose," without such devotion?

What's "meaning” all about? I should care, already? Some outspoken individuals confess they're still trying to "find myself." I don't think Peter ever did. It's understandable: It isn't only through reality, but by self-perception, that we interpret and place ourselves in the world, in life. For much of my life I, like Peter, saw myself as "different" and shunned by others. I also had low self-esteem, low self-confidence. After all, at the age of 14, I did join a strict monastic community - another cult of "special destiny," with its "sacred values" and "profound meaning." There, I was literally ready to die "for Jesus." There at last, I was a member of a "family," to the extent that my individuality was nearly obliterated. That was 64 years ago. I got the feeling that Peter, like me then and there, felt he could never live up to his God’s expectations, and there's the tragedy.

So yes, I can personally understand where Peter and members of ISIS (and human rights movements) are coming from. I too was caught in that web .The "sacred values" he accepted and I soon rejected are used to exploit our vulnerabilities and lack of self-esteem, as they are used to exploit children in the same position. The religion pushers, addicts themselves, begin by making you untrusting of your own instincts and judgments, substituting their dogmas for what your conscience tells you is true and logical. These "greater than yourself” and "special destiny values," are traditional psychological manipulations.

In religions as we know them, our lives are merely a preparation for death. Far from giving our individual lives meaning and significance, religion trivializes them in light of their promised after-death rapturous eternity. They teach that the meaning and purpose of life for you as an individual, is the meaning they decide it to be. Far from being the master of your fate, you become a servant to their determination of your fate.

If you leave religion and seek alternative "meaning" or "purpose" to your life, be warned: The exploiters are lying in wait. Stand on your own two feet and take responsibility for yourself. Don't relinquish it to others to make serious personal decisions for you. Be an individual, for there is no one else exactly you. You must live and die with yourself, so make yourself comfortable while navigating the world of problems, complexities, heartaches, the losses, laughter, failures and disappointments with yourself and others. Relish all of the discoveries to be found in living life every day. There are no absolute truths, absolute goals, no sacred and without moral error texts to guide you. Don't self-treat your problems using ancient books of sacred medicine. You must create your own meanings and purposes. The other choice is to not be yourself.

What is my meaning in life? It is to be myself, to love my wife, my kids, to honor fidelity, friendship, to be a nuisance, to raise hell. And there is...music and romance, both intermarried. Most of us don’t consider the question at all. To some authors, writing is meaning. To Eubie Blake, who lived to be 100, Jazz is life. Louis Armstrong said, "If you have to explain jazz, you don't get it." If you have to explain what life means, you don't get it either. "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun" - Katherine Hepburn. "One has to resign oneself to being a nuisance if one wants to get anything done."- Freya Stark

You can make your own meaning. Suggestions: join peace movements, losing your identity that way, if you insist on being part of a "larger whole," or picket for moral causes, if that's your thing. Rescue people drowning. All the "band of brothers" things don't have to be destructive. Keep your confidence in yourself and don't let go of your individuality of conscience. Join the family at ex-Christian - a harmless family (except maybe in the mentalities of Christians). Don't get stuck in trying to please everybody. As one man said: People worry about how they will appear to others when, in fact, others don't think much about them.

Forget about the "meaning" and "purpose" of life. Live it. Do you know what I mean?

Christian Carnage

By Tina Rae Collins ~

Christians complain about the violence of Islam and the Quran, ignoring the brutality in Judaism and the Old Testament. And when Christian hostility is mentioned, it's often attributed to a few "fake Christians." But Christianity is beset with cruel warfare. Otherwise, why did Jesus say he came not to send peace on the earth but a sword (Matt. 10:34)? Just what does that sword do?

While Christians can be physically abusive (and certainly we see this throughout history), the sword of Christianity more often slashes at the heart. It cuts asunder the love of a father for his son, a sister for her brother, a grandmother for her grandchild (Matt. 10:36).

Christians cast aside their most sacred relationships, no longer providing emotional support and acceptance of their loved ones, in a bid to gain heaven from violent gods who (some Christians believe) plan to torture the Christians' child, sibling, or grandchild. Rather than offering love that never fails (1 Cor.13:8), Christians oftentimes possess only conditional love that says, “Believe like I do, think like I do, talk like I do, act like I do--then we can be friends and get along. Otherwise I won't even eat with you” (1 Cor. 5:11).

Yes, Christians fling away their own flesh and blood for three beings (Yahweh, Jesus, and Holy Spirit) they aren't even sure exist--all so they themselves might possibly, if their gods turn out to be real, receive riches after they die. They throw their family under the bus in hopes of personal gain. Maybe they don't expect seventy-two virgins, but the concept is the same.

That's violence! And not just on the part of the gods but also on the part of the Christians who thrust the "sword" into their family members and slice off their familial bonds.

Yes, all of the Abrahamic religions are violent. They always have been. Even Christianity, as stated, has a history of bloodshed. But the emotional carnage of Christianity is no less harmful. And it continues to this day, even in the homes of esteemed Christians.

http://www.mykentuckybooks.com/

I'm God. God is love.

By Private One ~

I am God. God is love. I love you so much.

I love you so much that I set you up to fail.

I love you so much that I taught a snake how to talk, tempt and deceive.

I love you so much that I created most of you knowing you'd reject me.

I love you so much that I made infinite torture the price of your finite rejection.

I love you so much that I'll give all who reject me a special body that will never die and never stop feeling ultimate pain.

I love you so much that I've made sexuality one of your most intense desires but one of your most forbidden actions.

I love you so much that I'll let some of you be rich, powerful and comfortable while most will be poor, miserable and weak.

I love you so much that I'll make my forgiveness and salvation one of the most obscure, secluded, exclusive, elusive, difficult, ancient, senseless, illogical and bizarre, argued, debated, opinionated, sadistic, divisive, repulsive, reject-able, laughable, unverifiable, irrational, emotional, psychological things ever conceived.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you doubt me.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you trust me.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you stay from me.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you are closer to me than anyone.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you don't serve me.

I love you so much that I'll hurt you if you serve me faithfully.

I love you so much that I'll make your suffering for ignoring me very real in this life.

I love you so much that I'll make your rewards for walking with me only real in the next life.

I love you so much that I'll kill your loved ones, destroy your life, ravage your body and make your best friends think it's your fault just to teach the devil a lesson.

I love you so much that I'll make everything you need to know about me and my love available to you in an ancient, translated, revised, edited, copied, argued, debated, contradictory, violent, terrifying, depressing, ambiguous, bizarre, embarrassing book written by dozens of disagreeing men, spanning thousands of years.

I love you so much. God is love. I am God

Condemned & Confused -- HELP!

By Shai ~

I went to church yesterday for the first time in awhile and it was a nice service but it doesn't mean it's something I want to continue to do. I've felt this mental tug of war for a long time and I guess peace and routine are the things that are on each end. I don't like the idea of going to church when I have questions and I usually tend to get answers for something completely unrelated to what I'm confused about. I feel like I've fallen from grace but that doesn't necessarily scare me. It's just if there is a hell why am I going there? If there is a God why does he give people the choice to turn their back? I don't know why free choice is supposed to be this back-handed gift. We're supposed to enjoy our free will but dig ourselves holes and cry when it comes to face the consequences of the same free will we were "gifted". How come God seems like the very emotional manipulative type in the relationship to test you by not talking to you and waiting for you to make the first move when in all actuality you have no clue that you're supposed to make the first move? I struggle with the inconsistency of it all. Why can't god call for once?

They say being 20 or being in your 20s is a huge roller coaster of emotions and self discovery. I see the truth in that and I've happened to discover maybe God and Christianity isn't something I really resonate with. Maybe it's just the church in general maybe it's the almost overbearing dialogue my family members have with each other at every Sunday dinner where they speak on the Christian thing to do every time they do something right. I feel out of place and I feel I can't really express my concerns to my family because I don't have the same thoughts as they do. I just feel like a black sheep. I feel as if I don't belong my family gets so offended by my questions and tell me that it isn't "me" or that "you know the right thing" but what if I don't? I mean if you have more than one person telling you what the right thing is and you're the only person to believe otherwise it's hard to fend for yourself. I guess my initial struggle with my faith happened when I discovered the fact that I was gay.

I'm going to save all those stories because they're really hard to talk about and just bring you where I am now. I'm 20 years old and I'm secure in my sexuality and I thought after years of fighting off this tug of war between my faith and who I love this would be my only difficult trial. And since I'm writing this I guess that's not the case. I'm here to tell you all I'm dating an atheist and it's the best most fulfilling relationship that I've ever experienced. I'm here to say that this boy has done so much for me and has been with me and it's been such a great 7 months and that I want to spend the rest of my life with him genuinely. Thinking that I told my family about him and I guess that's not something that wanted to hear. They say he's a bad influence and they basically want me to break up with him. They're making him the scapegoat for my depression/anxiety and every time I'm sad they relay it back to him. And it's not him at all. They believe he's the reason why I question things and I've had questions long before he was even a factor. He's just brought me to realize that what I'm dealing with isn't what God is supposed to be about and that he feels I was brainwashed at a young age. Scared into believing Jesus was my savior and that he died for me. This is a thing I struggle with and it's made me attempt suicide plenty of times. I genuinely don't know what to think or what's wrong to think. I'm not getting any straight answers I'm just sick and tired of feeling condemned for having my own thoughts. I hate the feeling of having this guilt stored inside me. My brain is restless and like I want to just be in love and be happy and not have this godly conviction over me I don't want their to be any clashing I don't want to feel like crap for having questions and I have them and there's a reason for that. I'm sorry to the readers that may have to piece this together but I'm still looking for the freedom that a lot of you already have.

Sincerely, a very confused 20 year old.

I Have Prescience... What if?

By Private One ~

Imagine for a moment that I have the "gift" of foresight. I always know exactly what's going to happen, in intricate detail, long before it happens. I am 100% right 100% of the time. There's never a sliver of a chance I could ever be even slightly wrong. It. Is. impossible.

Now then, I know for certain that if I send you into a certain room with 100 boxes in it, 99 containing 10 pounds of diamonds and 1 containing a Taipan, the worlds deadliest snake (a bite results in almost instant death), you'll soon open the box with the Taipan, be bitten by it and die a horrifying death within 60 seconds.

Furthermore, I know for certain that WHEN you open that box, are bitten and die, every single person at PVBC will be simultaneously stricken with acute eBola and die within 24 hours. There is absolutely NOTHING they will be able to do to heal themselves. NOTHING.

Therefore, I tell you exactly which box has the Taipan inside it (I placed it in the middle of the room before I met with you) and warn you very plainly of the results of opening that box. I command you to abstain from it. But I already know 100% sure that not long after you enter the room you'll see a little pink chipmunk sitting by the box with the Taipan in it. I put the chipmunk in there. I even taught him how to talk. The chipmunk will then lie to you about my warning. He will convince you that I'm keeping you from something wonderful. He'll tell you that if you open the box and pick up the Taipan you will indeed be bitten but instead of dying you'll be transformed into Superman and everyone at PVBC will each get a direct deposit into their bank accounts of 5 billion dollars. I know, 100% for sure that you will believe the chipmunk, disregard my words and go for the Taipan.

I know all this for certain before you go in, before I tell you, before I even put the boxes in the room, before the room is finished, before the house is built, before the land is cleared for building, that you'll enter the room, toss my warning, believe the chipmunk and then be bitten and die, subsequently dooming everyone in the Church to suffer wretched deaths over the following day.

No doubt. No question. No possibility of another outcome. I foreknow your actions and the resulting catastrophe. There is no way it's not happening.

To top it off, I pre-orchestrate a scenario in which there is a potential cure for everyone at the church. Simple: they must apologize to me for getting sick with eBola, acknowledge that it is their fault, repent of the disease and ask me for healing. If they do, I'll administer the only possible cure that I alone posses. I have it long before you go in the room. I prepared it before the foundation of the building because I knew what you'd do what what it would inflict on the folk of the church.

I also foreknow that precisely 87 out of 232 people will tell me to buzz off and reject my cure for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is believing me to be a sadistic, deranged, immoral, violent, hateful, cruel, evil beast with a sick and twisted plan and a badly warped sense of "love". 87 of 232 will end up dying gruesome, dreadful deaths, slowly over 24 hours, while I stand by, withholding the cure.

So, knowing all this will undoubtedly transpire, I go ahead send you into the room.

I'm the best friend you've ever had.

I'll never let you down.

I'm your everything and I deserve your everything.

I am just, holy, pure, perfect, fair and right. Don't dare question my wisdom, judgement, mercy and grace.

I am not the author of confusion.

Love me. Worship me. Adore me. Praise and thank me for my kindness, mercy and grace.

Am I not worthy?

Duplicate Bible Verses

By Snabag ~


I have always been puzzled by the number of verses & stories that are duplicated in the bible. For example there are two creation stories, two sets of commandments, two stories of giving your daughter to be raped to give examples.

Find below 235 duplicated verses and the question I ask is why?

Duplicate Bible verses

Genesis 36:41, 1 Chronicles 1:52

Matthew 8:20, Luke 9:58

2 Kings 19:5, Isaiah 37:5

2 Kings 19:2, Isaiah 37:2

1 Chronicles 16:10, Psalms 105:3

Ezra 2:53, Nehemiah 7:55

2 Samuel 22:46, Psalms 18:45

2 Kings 18:3, 2 Chronicles 29:2

1 Kings 12:11, 2 Chronicles 10:11

2 Kings 19:34, Isaiah 37:35

Ezekiel 40:29, Ezekiel 40:33

Genesis 10:27, 1 Chronicles 1:21

Jeremiah 10:15, Jeremiah 51:18

1 Kings 8:14, 2 Chronicles 6:3

1 Kings 12:6, 2 Chronicles 10:6

2 Samuel 23:19, 1 Chronicles 11:21

Genesis 10:16, 1 Chronicles 1:14

2 Kings 16:4, 2 Chronicles 28:4

1 Kings 12:1, 2 Chronicles 10:1

Psalms 60:8, Psalms 108:9

Genesis 10:2, 1 Chronicles 1:5

1 Chronicles 16:22, Psalms 105:15

2 Kings 22:18, 2 Chronicles 34:26

2 Samuel 23:37, 1 Chronicles 11:39

Job 4:1, Job 15:1, Job 22:1

1 Kings 22:7, 2 Chronicles 18:6

Numbers 29:18, Numbers 29:21, Numbers 29:24, Numbers 29:27, Numbers 29:30, Numbers 29:33

Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38

Proverbs 18:8, Proverbs 26:22

1 Kings 12:4, 2 Chronicles 10:4

Matthew 26:32, Mark 14:28

Ezra 2:3, Nehemiah 7:8

Genesis 36:37, 1 Chronicles 1:48

2 Kings 18:20, Isaiah 36:5

Genesis 36:34, 1 Chronicles 1:45

Numbers 7:15, Numbers 7:21, Numbers 7:27, Numbers 7:33, Numbers 7:39, Numbers 7:45, Numbers 7:51, Numbers 7:57, Numbers 7:63, Numbers 7:69, Numbers 7:75, Numbers 7:81

1 Kings 8:35, 2 Chronicles 6:26

Ezra 2:51, Nehemiah 7:53

Psalms 59:6, Psalms 59:14

1 Kings 12:17, 2 Chronicles 10:17

2 Kings 21:5, 2 Chronicles 33:5

Leviticus 24:13, Numbers 16:36

Genesis 10:26, 1 Chronicles 1:20

1 Kings 22:18, 2 Chronicles 18:17

2 Kings 14:12, 2 Chronicles 25:22

2 Samuel 8:5, 1 Chronicles 18:5

Luke 20:43, Acts 2:35

Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47

Ezra 2:16, Nehemiah 7:21

2 Kings 20:17, Isaiah 39:6

Job 40:3, Job 42:1

2 Kings 8:18, 2 Chronicles 21:6

Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25

1 Chronicles 16:24, Psalms 96:3

Exodus 40:1, Leviticus 5:14, Leviticus 6:1, Leviticus 6:8, Leviticus 6:19, Leviticus 6:24, Leviticus 7:22, Leviticus 7:28, Leviticus 8:1, Leviticus 12:1, Leviticus 14:1, Leviticus 20:1, Leviticus 23:1, Leviticus 24:1, Leviticus 27:1, Numbers 4:21, Numbers 5:1, Numbers 6:22, Numbers 9:9, Numbers 10:1, Numbers 13:1, Numbers 15:1, Numbers 15:17, Numbers 17:1, Numbers 26:52, Numbers 28:1, Numbers 31:1, Numbers 34:1, Numbers 34:16

1 Kings 8:17, 2 Chronicles 6:7

Numbers 29:16, Numbers 29:25

2 Samuel 22:9, Psalms 18:8

Judges 17:6, Judges 21:25

Matthew 24:19, Mark 13:17

Job 27:1, Job 29:1

Ezekiel 40:34, Ezekiel 40:37

Psalms 42:11, Psalms 43:5

Jeremiah 6:14, Jeremiah 8:11

Genesis 36:42, 1 Chronicles 1:53

1 Kings 22:13, 2 Chronicles 18:12

1 Kings 12:12, 2 Chronicles 10:12

Ezra 2:43, Nehemiah 7:46

1 Kings 22:29, 2 Chronicles 18:28

2 Kings 19:26, Isaiah 37:27

Ezra 2:27, Nehemiah 7:31

2 Kings 23:32, 2 Kings 23:37

1 Kings 22:9, 2 Chronicles 18:8

2 Kings 18:13, Isaiah 36:1

Matthew 6:27, Luke 12:25

Psalms 107:6, Psalms 107:13, Psalms 107:19, Psalms 107:28

1 Kings 8:31, 2 Chronicles 6:22

Leviticus 2:3, Leviticus 2:10

2 Samuel 22:31, Psalms 18:30

1 Kings 10:6, 2 Chronicles 9:5

Matthew 24:46, Luke 12:43

Matthew 7:8, Luke 11:10

Matthew 24:18, Mark 13:16

Ezra 2:58, Nehemiah 7:60

Leviticus 3:10, Leviticus 3:15

Exodus 16:11, Exodus 31:12, Numbers 25:10, Numbers 27:6

2 Samuel 7:17, 1 Chronicles 17:15

Matthew 12:41, Luke 11:32

1 Kings 22:25, 2 Chronicles 18:24

Proverbs 22:3, Proverbs 27:12

2 Samuel 23:38, 1 Chronicles 11:40

Genesis 10:13, 1 Chronicles 1:11

Jeremiah 29:30, Jeremiah 35:12

2 Kings 18:23, Isaiah 36:8

Matthew 12:27, Luke 11:19

2 Kings 19:30, Isaiah 37:31

Exodus 13:1, Exodus 25:1, Exodus 30:11, Exodus 30:17, Exodus 30:22, Exodus 31:1, Numbers 15:37, Numbers 31:25

Numbers 7:25, Numbers 7:31, Numbers 7:37, Numbers 7:43, Numbers 7:49, Numbers 7:55, Numbers 7:61, Numbers 7:67, Numbers 7:73, Numbers 7:79

Ezra 2:7, Nehemiah 7:12

1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, Philemon 1:3

Jeremiah 10:16, Jeremiah 51:19

Numbers 7:16, Numbers 7:22, Numbers 7:28, Numbers 7:34, Numbers 7:40, Numbers 7:46, Numbers 7:52, Numbers 7:58, Numbers 7:64, Numbers 7:70, Numbers 7:76, Numbers 7:82

1 Kings 10:14, 2 Chronicles 9:13

2 Kings 19:11, Isaiah 37:11

2 Samuel 22:10, Psalms 18:9

1 Chronicles 16:14, Psalms 105:7

2 Samuel 8:7, 1 Chronicles 18:7

Psalms 67:3, Psalms 67:5

2 Samuel 23:14, 1 Chronicles 11:16

Matthew 11:6, Luke 7:23

1 Kings 8:18, 2 Chronicles 6:8

Genesis 10:29, 1 Chronicles 1:23

Isaiah 35:10, Isaiah 51:11

2 Kings 19:10, Isaiah 37:10

1 Kings 7:25, 2 Chronicles 4:4

Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33

Ezra 2:37, Nehemiah 7:40

Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23

2 Kings 22:15, 2 Chronicles 34:23

1 Chronicles 16:21, Psalms 105:14

2 Kings 25:2, Jeremiah 52:5

Psalms 57:5, Psalms 57:11, Psalms 108:5

1 Chronicles 16:20, Psalms 105:13

1 Kings 12:19, 2 Chronicles 10:19

Revelation 2:29, Revelation 3:6, Revelation 3:13

Genesis 10:3, 1 Chronicles 1:6

2 Samuel 22:19, Psalms 18:18

Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19

Psalms 107:8, Psalms 107:15, Psalms 107:21, Psalms 107:31

Matthew 24:32, Mark 13:28

Ezra 2:9, Nehemiah 7:14

Exodus 14:1, Numbers 7:4

2 Samuel 22:30, Psalms 18:29

1 Kings 8:12, 2 Chronicles 6:1

Genesis 10:6, 1 Chronicles 1:8

2 Samuel 10:9, 1 Chronicles 19:10

1 Kings 8:15, 2 Chronicles 6:4

Matthew 11:9, Luke 7:26

Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30

1 Kings 10:23, 2 Chronicles 9:22

Genesis 46:11, 1 Chronicles 6:1

Mark 10:15, Luke 18:17

2 Samuel 22:34, Psalms 18:33

Song of Solomon 2:7, Song of Solomon 3:5

1 Samuel 31:1, 1 Chronicles 10:1

1 Kings 22:17, 2 Chronicles 18:16

2 Kings 19:13, Isaiah 37:13

1 Kings 12:9, 2 Chronicles 10:9

1 Kings 8:24, 2 Chronicles 6:15

2 Samuel 22:6, Psalms 18:5

Jeremiah 16:1, Ezekiel 6:1, Ezekiel 7:1, Ezekiel 12:1, Ezekiel 13:1, Ezekiel 17:1, Ezekiel 18:1, Ezekiel 21:1, Ezekiel 23:1, Ezekiel 24:15, Ezekiel 25:1, Ezekiel 27:1, Ezekiel 28:1, Ezekiel 28:20, Ezekiel 30:1, Ezekiel 33:1, Ezekiel 33:23, Ezekiel 34:1, Ezekiel 35:1, Ezekiel 36:16, Ezekiel 37:15, Ezekiel 38:1

Genesis 10:15, 1 Chronicles 1:13

1 Kings 15:16, 1 Kings 15:32

Jeremiah 7:1, Jeremiah 11:1, Jeremiah 18:1, Jeremiah 30:1

Leviticus 13:1, Leviticus 14:33, Leviticus 15:1, Numbers 2:1, Numbers 4:1, Numbers 4:17

1 Chronicles 16:8, Psalms 105:1

1 Samuel 31:2, 1 Chronicles 10:2

1 Kings 7:23, 2 Chronicles 4:2

2 Samuel 22:4, Psalms 18:3

Ezra 2:38, Nehemiah 7:41

Jeremiah 32:26, Jeremiah 33:19, Jeremiah 33:23

Ezra 2:23, Nehemiah 7:27

Matthew 11:10, Luke 7:27

2 Kings 19:7, Isaiah 37:7

Matthew 26:46, Mark 14:42

2 Samuel 7:4, 1 Chronicles 17:3

Job 11:1, Job 20:1

2 Kings 24:19, Jeremiah 52:2

2 Kings 19:33, Isaiah 37:34

Ezra 2:39, Nehemiah 7:42

Matthew 7:3, Luke 6:41

2 Samuel 22:40, Psalms 18:39

Ezekiel 11:14, Ezekiel 12:17, Ezekiel 12:21, Ezekiel 12:26, Ezekiel 14:2, Ezekiel 14:12, Ezekiel 15:1, Ezekiel 20:2, Ezekiel 20:45, Ezekiel 21:8, Ezekiel 22:17, Ezekiel 22:23, Zechariah 6:9

1 Kings 8:36, 2 Chronicles 6:27

1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14

Numbers 29:28, Numbers 29:38

Proverbs 6:11, Proverbs 24:34

2 Kings 19:1, Isaiah 37:1

1 Kings 22:34, 2 Chronicles 18:33

Jeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 51:17

Psalms 60:9, Psalms 108:10

Genesis 36:35, 1 Chronicles 1:46

1 Kings 22:28, 2 Chronicles 18:27

Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 5:10

Ezra 2:34, Nehemiah 7:36

2 Kings 25:3, Jeremiah 52:6

Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23

Leviticus 4:1, Leviticus 17:1, Leviticus 18:1, Leviticus 19:1, Leviticus 21:16, Leviticus 22:1, Leviticus 22:17, Leviticus 22:26, Leviticus 23:9, Leviticus 23:23, Leviticus 23:26, Leviticus 23:33, Numbers 3:5, Numbers 3:11, Numbers 3:44, Numbers 5:5, Numbers 5:11, Numbers 6:1, Numbers 8:5, Numbers 8:23, Numbers 16:23, Numbers 18:25, Numbers 25:16, Numbers 35:9

Job 6:1, Job 9:1, Job 12:1, Job 16:1, Job 19:1, Job 21:1, Job 23:1, Job 26:1

Psalms 60:12, Psalms 108:13

2 Kings 25:29, Jeremiah 52:33

2 Kings 8:20, 2 Chronicles 21:8

2 Kings 18:19, Isaiah 36:4

Numbers 14:26, Numbers 16:20

1 Kings 22:11, 2 Chronicles 18:10

Song of Solomon 2:6, Song of Solomon 8:3

Genesis 10:14, 1 Chronicles 1:12

1 Chronicles 3:7, 1 Chronicles 14:6

Ezra 2:64, Nehemiah 7:66

2 Samuel 23:23, 1 Chronicles 11:25

2 Kings 15:3, 2 Chronicles 26:4

2 Samuel 22:35, Psalms 18:34

Ezra 2:4, Nehemiah 7:9

Job 8:1, Job 18:1, Job 25:1

1 Kings 22:16, 2 Chronicles 18:15

Matthew 24:47, Luke 12:44

1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalms 118:1, Psalms 118:29

Mark 15:2, Luke 23:3

Job 38:1, Job 40:6

1 Kings 22:5, 2 Chronicles 18:4

Proverbs 6:10, Proverbs 24:33

2 Kings 19:12, Isaiah 37:12

1 Chronicles 16:16, Psalms 105:9

2 Kings 25:20, Jeremiah 52:26

Ezra 2:32, Nehemiah 7:35

2 Kings 18:24, Isaiah 36:9

1 Kings 10:27, 2 Chronicles 9:27

Exodus 25:33, Exodus 37:19

Numbers 7:14, Numbers 7:20, Numbers 7:26, Numbers 7:32, Numbers 7:38, Numbers 7:44, Numbers 7:50, Numbers 7:56, Numbers 7:62, Numbers 7:68, Numbers 7:74, Numbers 7:80

Psalms 46:7, Psalms 46:11

Jeremiah 13:8, Jeremiah 18:5, Jeremiah 24:4, Ezekiel 17:11

Genesis 10:28, 1 Chronicles 1:22

1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalms 105:4

Genesis 10:17, 1 Chronicles 1:15

Genesis 36:33, 1 Chronicles 1:44

Matthew 17:21, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28, Luke 17:36, Luke 23:17, John 5:4, Acts 8:37, Acts 15:34, Acts 24:7, Acts 28:29, Romans 16:24

Ezra 2:31, Nehemiah 7:34

Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26

Leviticus 19:30, Leviticus 26:2

Genesis 36:36, 1 Chronicles 1:47

Numbers 16:44, Numbers 20:7

Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 25:24

Philippians 4:23, Philemon 1:25

2 Samuel 22:20, Psalms 18:19

Matthew 13:42, Matthew 13:50

Shifting the Focus

By Carl S ~

"Once you realize God is imaginary, you lose interest in hearing what God thinks about things." - Christy Hoffman Wiegand (Free Inquiry magazine, Sept. 2016).

God is imaginary, like all the other gods; products of the imagination open to unending and unresolvable interpretations. After all, anything goes. This explains why the nature of God, his thoughts and his commands, are interpreted in so many ways by so many faiths, sects, and individuals. It also explains why so many believers are upset at the indifference of unbelievers. It’s because cherished commitment to an imaginary god is taken to be a sign of virtue; therefore, such belief is threatened by pointing out that it’s only make believe.

No one is interested in or cares about what Osiris, Thor, or Baal thinks about things. No has interest in, nor cares about, the thoughts and desires of Huitzilopochtli and Quetzalcoatl, though thousands of innocent lives were sacrificed to them. They're all imaginary. Of course. What would have happened if the Judaic/Christian/Islamic deity was added to the "imaginary" list? Would it have made any difference in history? Did rejecting of all the other imaginary gods make a difference? Imagine the persecution, the murdering, of those who didn't follow the dictates of those who spoke for gods or God. Imagine the lives sacrificed, slaughtered and lost in battles due to defending and believing in man-made products of the imagination.

Mr. Hoffman Wiegand further writes of his church membership: "It seemed unimaginable that people wanted to continue to waste time listening to each other define God. It was equivalent to listening to someone ramble on about the dream he or she had the night before." Well stated, Mr. Wiegand. I would like to tell him it isn't unimaginable. They, like all believers in imaginary gods (including their God), and their/his thoughts and what they/he wants from them, are not noticing the ones behind the curtain, the puppeteers pulling on their heart-strings, goading their fears and hopes, thanking them for their money for all this information, etc.

No one is interested in or cares about what Osiris, Thor, or Baal thinks about things.So let's begin by being honest and dump all discussions of theology since they are based on imaginary beings and realms. Why waste our time refuting theology and getting caught in its web? There can be no end to discussing what Daffy Duck would do with infinite power. Discussing the nature and power of God is no different. Sure, theology has entertainment value. (So do terrorist attacks; just ask the media). We can create our own gods at will, or just as easily discuss the personalities, thoughts, and even demands of Daffy Duck, Spiderman, Wonder Woman, etc. There's one difference, though: nobody suffers and dies for denying their existences. (But, if theologians gain over, they just might). Why should there be objections to mocking the existence of the imaginary God? Why doesn’t their god come out of the closet and show himself?

Misery and unremitting horrible violations of human rights are ongoing, simply because people are submitting to the salespeople who have sold them an imaginary being with his imaginary demands on mankind.

Shift your focus. Turn the spotlight of reason and honesty and shine that light on the manipulators of God talk. How and why are they getting away with using people for their own ends? And why are people allowing them to do so?

Where does morality come from? -- Part 3

By John Draper ~

In Part 1 and Part 2, I introduced my premise that morality is discovered by humans, not revealed by God—in particular, not revealed through scripture.

Now, to that Still, Small Voice: personal revelation independent of scripture. Religions allow some latitude for personal revelation—but always within the boundaries of scripture. That is, God would never tell you to do something that He had revealed in His written word to be wrong. You don’t need to wrestle in prayer to determine whether it’s right to jimmy open your neighbor’s marmalade safe. Just put away the crowbar and read your bloody Bible.

What happens is that religious folks use scripture for the Big Questions and leave the mundane matters of living day-to-day life to personal revelation—whom to marry, how to cut our hair, whom to vote for, where to hide your marmalade.

But we all know that God doesn’t speak to us, even on mundane matters. C’mon, be honest. When we rely on personal revelation to decide whom to marry, etc., we’re really just saying that it feels right—not that God actually told us something. How many times when I was Christian did I hear other believers say they were certain they were on God’s predestined path because they just felt “a peace about it”?

However, when the stakes are really high—when it really matters if you’re right or wrong (when, say, you’re deciding whether to snip the red or blue wire going into the bomb)—even this “peace” isn’t good enough. It doesn’t provide us the specifics we need. “Where are you, Oh Lord!” they cry. “Why won’t you speak to me?”

That’s what I’m saying.

A cautionary tale from Planet Mormon

I’m reminded of the story of Spencer Kimball, onetime prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As such, Kimball was God’s mouthpiece—a “special witness of Christ” who was said to converse with the savior as one would talk to one’s shift supervisor at the cranberry plant—amiably but never so amiably as to be anything but obsequious. (Kimball probably laughed too hard at Jesus’ jokes trying to make a good impression, get a leg up. A sober glance from Christ would tell Kimball if he was getting too familiar.) Mormons are very proud that they are a church that rests on Modern-Day Revelation. God still speaks! To Mormons!

How could that not be the case in a religion that was founded by a guy who said he found golden plates from God buried in the hard-packed earth of upstate New York? Modern-day revelation. That’s their shtick. Funny thing, though: The revelations kind of dried up after old Joe Smith was gunned down. In fact, pretty much the only Thus Sayeth The Lord revelations that have surfaced after Brigham Young (who snatched the mantle of prophet from the bullet-ridden body of Smith) have been to reverse revelations from Smith and Young.

First, the church was under tremendous pressure from the federal government to renounce polygamy, and it finally caved, releasing the so-called Manifesto in 1890 swearing off the practice of celestial marriage. (At least on earth, for now. Polygamy is still practiced in heaven. In fact, Heavenly Father has a whole bevy of Godwomen and he copulates nonstop.)

Then, in 1978, the church capitulated again to the federal government—this time for its insistence that black men couldn’t hold the priesthood. I won’t bore you with Mormon doctrine other than to say that this meant black folks couldn’t get into heaven. By the middle of the 20th century, this sounded positively benighted to non-Mormons. Not surprisingly, Jimmy Carter was threatening to take away the church’s tax-exempt protection—and he didn’t get angry too easily. But the priesthood ban was doctrine.

You can see the pinch this put on Kimball, the prophet at the time.

How could he reverse the doctrine without saying the past prophets were wrong? A prophet can’t be wrong, can he? On top of this, it seems that Kimball was personally troubled by the priesthood ban, as well he should be, drawing breath during the second half of the Twentieth Century as he was. Kimball prayed and prayed for Heavenly Father to show him a way out of this pinch.

Nothing. And, remember, this is the prophet we’re talking about. He talks to Christ, according to the Party Line. (The Party Line doesn’t mention all that stuff about Jesus being Kimball’s supervisor at the cranberry plant and such. I just made that up to be clever.)

Finally, at his wit’s end, Kimball struck a bargain with God. Kimball decided that he would reverse the priesthood ban—unless Heavenly Father intervened and told him not to. God was predictably silent, so the church reversed more than 150 years of practice. God’s One True Church decided to treat black men with dignity and fairness 14 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

Halleluiah.

Why couldn’t Kimball just come before the faithful and say, “Look, folks, I just don’t hear Heavenly Father on this one. I know I’m the prophet and all, but I just don’t feel it. If you ask me, I think we should stop this silly priesthood ban. Isn’t that good enough?”

Because religions don’t do that kind of thing. They’ve fully bought into the myth that God speaks plainly to us.

My point is, why not just give up the pretense that God reveals His moral will to us—through scripture or through our intuition? Let’s accept responsibility for our moral development. Let’s admit when we’re boneheaded. We will find the answers we need by ourselves.