We're running Modern Applications on a Caveman Operating System By James Aames ~ I n order to understand why humans have a seemingly instinctual inclination toward religious answers, you have to believe in evolution. If you don’t believe in evolution, stop reading now. You won’t agree with anything I’m about to say. Here’s a statement that we don’t often consider; we evolved to do four things.   Stay alive  Attract a mate  Procreate  Raise children to the age where they can procreate That’s all evolution was good for and nothing more. Those are the only things you needed to do to replicate your egotistical DNA. Our brains did not evolve to show us what is true or to help us be our own person. If you meet someone who believes in fairy tales, or simply follows the tribe, they are not less evolved than you. Rather, they are the template of humanity. People who reject mystical answers have rebelled against many instincts that humans evolved to survive. Cavema...

By James Hollingsworth ~ I read Exchristian.net from time to time because I enjoy hearing people's stories about when and how the light bulb came on for them. My fellow exchristians have taken multiple paths to the realization that religion is all made up. For some it happens in a flash, for others it is a long painful process. For me it was when my friend Joe used the word " dualism " to describe religion. Dualism means that there are two separate and distinct worlds. One is physical. It has substance, flesh and blood; the stuff we feel, taste, and experience. It is where carrots grow, fish swim, birds fly, and galaxies revolve. The other world is supernatural. It exists outside the physical experience and will be our reward or punishment once we die. Religion is the struggle to reconcile these two worlds. This is a contrived dichotomy that only serves to justify the need for religion. There is only one world. What you see is what you get. And, religious...

By James Aames ~  I t’s considered bad form to condemn all versions of Christianity, so most leading voices in religious journalism will only speak negatively of “high-control” religions or simply “cults.” However, the subtle implication of those terms is that “low-control religions” or “non-cults” are not harmful. This has always caused me to stop in my tracks. It’s wrong. Even though Christianity is a continuum of beliefs, all versions of Christianity are indeed harmful. For the purpose of this article, I need to define the word “Christian”? Any version of “Christianity” that does not believe in the redemption from original sin through the crucifixion of Christ is probably misnamed. Based on this definition, every Christian, in spite of all the good things they might do, are still partly responsible for America’s toppling into the chasm of a police state. They are all responsible for making parishioners chronically insecure and susceptible to strong-man leadership. They are al...

The following is a short interview with Bill Burkland, the author of a soon to be released book entitled " The Misconceived Conception of a Baby Named Jesus ." The book is available for preorder now. W hy did you write The Misconceived Conception of a Baby Named Jesus? I began the book because I wanted to make people laugh, and finished the book because I wanted to make them think. Sometimes humor is the best way to approach controversial or sensitive subjects. What sort of controversial subjects do you touch on in the book? Well, the book essentially challenges the entire Christian origin story. It challenges everything from the prophecies (and prophets) hundreds of years prior to the birth; it challenges the notion of a virgin birth, the role of the Wise Men and shepherds, the absurdity of miracles, and it challenges how Gospel writers like Luke, stitched together their stories. It challenges these stories through parody and satire. Why did you reach out to exChr...

By Carl S ~ P eople sincerely believe this crap: In chapter one of their book, their god creates everything, and pronounces this creation "Good."  In chapter 8, he wipes it out.  On top of that, in the very same chapter, at verse 25, he proclaims that never again will he destroy the world by drowning, because... and get this, he concludes after it, that "man's heart is evil from his birth"! Wait one minute. Concluded this. Shouldn't he have known this before he committed genocide, nature-cide (ecocide)? True believers are stupid to believe stories like this.They want it both ways; a loving god who is at the same time, excused for the evils he constantly commits. We've had over two thousand years of this shit. Apologists "explain" why his evils should be tolerated, why evil is good, telling us "You can't understand the mind and wisdom of God."

By Cassandra Brandt ~ I was told from further back than I can remember, that belief in God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ would save my soul. Not unlike three quarters of the American population, my parents raised me on the Bible and in church. My faith was a huge part of my life which I didn’t know to question until it was so much a part of me I was terrified to let go. I was born belonging to the evangelical Christians whose customs and beliefs were a bit crazy to the outsider or apostate’s eye. As a child I grew up used to seeing respectable adults in their Sunday best flopping around on the floor “slain by the spirit”, jumping and shouting prophecies and praying in “tongues”👅. My first Bible was a red hardcover comic strip Bible with awesome illustrations. I loved how the paper smelled. I read those stories over and over and over. I loved the Old Testament stories about Joshua and the Wall of Jericho, Moses and the plagues; I knew all the New Testament parable...

By Webmdave ~ P eople with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) display a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, a need for admiration, a lack of empathy, a heightened sense of self-importance, believe they are unique or “special,” and demonstrate an inability to take responsibility for their actions. I have experienced – up close – the abusive behavior these individuals are capable of inflicting on those around them. The biblical God is the ultimate example of these unhealthy traits. He believes the universe exists solely to worship him, and his vision of heaven revolves around constant adoration. Revelation 4:11 : “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” Narcissists tend to devalue or attack those who threaten their self-image. The God of the Bible displays this tendency by punishing all who stray from His worship and condemning all unbelievers to eternal damnation. Romans 1:18...

By Webmdave ~ I grew up in the 1960’s in what I thought was a normal stable family, nicely accessorized with a father who went to work every day (at short-term, low-paying jobs) and a mother who stayed home to keep house. Over time I came to realize my father suffered from a learning disability coupled with a disturbingly explosive temper. Today he might be diagnosed as having lower cognitive and emotional quotients. My mother’s intelligence was at or above average, but her personality was heavily seasoned with many of the symptoms of Narcissistic personality disorder . Although fiercely committed to their marriage vows (divorce was a big taboo for them), the tenuous poverty-level lifestyle was frequently accented by shouting, fighting, and hitting – a routinely colorful attribute for our normal, “stable" family. Early on I opted to cope with the stressful atmosphere by wetting the bed and playing with matches.  At about 11 years old something changed. My grandmother invited ...

By Webmdave  ~ diversity, equity and inclusion: noun A set of values and related policies and practices focused on establishing a group culture of equitable and inclusive treatment and on attracting and retaining a diverse group of participants, including people who have historically been excluded or discriminated against — Merriam-Webster D iversity, equity and inclusion are among the political clarion calls of our modern culture. I read an article today about how the original Star Trek series received criticism for including no female speaking parts in an episode entitled “ The Devil in the Dark ." In the 60’s, Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek was experimenting with all kinds of possible futuristic scenarios while promoting going beyond current cultural boundaries, but apparently sometimes fell short. Diversity, equity and inclusion has been on the forefront of the minds in the media, politics and the wider culture for quite some time.  The word diversity can rattle s...

By Pinkbunion ~    H ello, guys. It's been 4 years since my first post here, which detailed the start of my deconversion, which was on July 2022. So, now, 2 years on from that post, I'm going to give an update. Currently, I am very happy with where I am right now. I have remained agnostic since that 2022 post. I haven't changed much in being agnostic, except that I always change between being an agnostic atheist or spiritual agnostic on different days. I want to remain agnostic because I just want to learn about different belief systems and religions, take whats good in them and discard the things that aren't true or are not beneficial. 

By Raul ~    T his is my first article ever posting on this site. So, if you are reading this, please don't criticize it too much. Thank you. One main Christian belief is that Jesus conquered death through his resurrection. This however contradicts passages in the bible that state god created death himself. Let's have a look at some of them. Genesis 3:19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

by WizenedSage ~    Thanks to Carl S. for the idea. W hen the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door, this is what I wish I had said… Men lie. We have all lied; most of us many, many times. In fact, lying among humans is so common that there are currently at least 700 different creator deities worshipped in the world today. TODAY! So, when we come across a wild or outrageous religious claim, shouldn’t we always ask, did someone lie? And isn’t that the most likely, almost certain truth of the matter, EVERY TIME?   

By Carl S ~ I 've known my relative and his family for over 25 years now. I decided to share something with him in an email: "I woke up at 5 a.m. with a very peaceful and comforting thought. I don't know if there's an actual Heaven or Hell (no one does), but it doesn't matter because after I'm dead. there won't be a 'me' to experience either one."  (You can imagine the responses to that.) Later on,  "This particular Carl you think you know, will be dead, and won't experience Hell, Heaven, Paradise, Reincarnation, or any other 'afterlives' ignorant men have created." Once again I was chided with his repetitive – over 25 years – interpretation of Pascal's Wager,  "If I'm wrong, I've lost nothing; if you're wrong, you've lost everything."  (WTF?). I told him, “That's ridiculous.”  I knew all the good he'd done, so I couldn't think he wasted his life if he didn't bet on belie...

By Webmdave ~ Animals often strike us as passionate machines -- Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition A s scientific advancements unveil the mysteries of the universe, it becomes increasingly evident that everything appears to operate mechanistically. Atoms, molecules, stars, planets, cells, and biological systems are fundamentally mechanical. If the existence of a supernatural, invisible soul within my body is negated, then it is undeniable that I too am a machine. Complex machines, including self-programming ones, remain machines nonetheless. Some individuals may contend that life forms are fundamentally distinct from inanimate objects, despite both being composed of atoms and molecules. However, a closer examination reveals that this distinction is tenuous.      

The Tower of Babel by Pieter Brueghel the Elder By Carl S ~ C hildren are still being taught the Tower of Babel tale about building something so high it would enter God's realm in the sky. For thousands of years it's been a warning: Don't ever go there. Be afraid, don't even think of going there. What's up doc? What if we do? Pictures coming from the James Webb Space Telescope are available for the whole world to see. So why aren't the Christians broadcasting them in their megachurches and singing "How Great Thou Art" to the one they claim created everything? Do you suppose it's because there's no relation between their puny biblical deity and reality? And, oh look! No “Heaven" in the Universe with "many mansions," nor Paradises for Muslims, JW's, or Mormons! No god is in control in the billions of light-year distances. Certainly, not their "God" who cares about the sex lives of humans occupying a pin-prick of i...

From a series of stories in the Provo Daily Herald in July and August 1985 warned of satanism in Utah County. By Wertbag ~  T he Satanic Panic was at its peak during the 1980's, where preachers around the world jumped on the bandwagon to claim that Satanic cults existed and were inflicting sexual and physical abuse on people as part of Satanic rituals, and that almost every form of pop culture was Satanic and hence evil. Some of these claims developed into anti-elite or anti-government conspiracy theories that exist to this day, including bizarre groups such as Qanon who claim a group of the world's wealthiest people gather to do child sacrifices, sexual abuse and child pornography. It is thought that the start of the Panic was in large part due to the hugely popular movies The Exorcist (1973), Rosemary's Baby (1968) and The Omen (1976). When people who claimed to be victims of such cults were tested, the images they commonly referred to were scenes from the movies,...

By Wertbag ~  W hat is a true Christian? What are you required to believe or practice, and which parts can be skipped while remaining a Christian? The majority of Christians will point to Mormons as being false Christians, and yet they follow the Protestant bible (plus 3 extra books), believe in God, Jesus and the resurrection. Their heresy makes them labelled as false, and yet the core of the religion remains the same. Would God really care that people who are actively looking to have a relationship with Him have been led to believe in extra books? By such logic the Catholic church can declare the Orthodox church heretics, the Protestants can declare the Catholics heretics and the Ethiopian Orthodox church can declare all the other heretics. There are some Christians who say you must be baptised to be a true Christian, but this is not universal and amongst those who do practice it some believe in a splash of holy water while others say it must be full immersion. Some C...

By Wertbag ~  C ognitive Dissonance is the fascinating ability of humans to hold two beliefs at the same time which are contradictory to each other. This is commonly done by simply never comparing a person's beliefs to each other, each being looked at as a separate subject on its own. Some such contradictory ideas may be held by special pleading, that is saying certain ideas are exempt from universal beliefs that apply to everything else except the claim. Some examples of this include "It is ridiculous to think the universe came from nothing" and "God made the universe from nothing", or "Life cannot come from non-life" and "Adam was created from dirt". In each of these cases a universal unavoidable standard is held which makes scientific claims impossible, while having the belief that the exact thing declared as impossible was done. Perhaps the most obvious version of this is the belief that God is all-loving, that all people are equ...

By Wertbag ~  H eaven is classically described as a place of pure happiness, where there is nothing negative ever and you live with the angels for eternity. This does sound very much like a carrot and stick situation, where if you accept the claim, you are rewarded, not just with some benefit but with the greatest thing ever, oh but if you don't agree then you'll suffer the worst thing possible. It's the very extremes of the two views, perfect happiness verse unending torment, that points to it being just the greatest thoughts in each direction that the author could come up with. The problem with trying to propose a place where there is no sadness, is that such emotion is a normal part of being human. We have empathy and care for our fellow humans, but we are expected to believe that we can be in heaven and not care for those cast into hell? Upon arrival in heaven, you find your wife, husband, children, parents or other loved ones didn't make it, so the alternat...

By Wertbag ~  W ithin Christianity there is a split in how Jesus is viewed. By far the most popular position is the Trinitarians, who believe that Jesus was God, while the other, the Unitarians, believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the chosen one or the son of God but not God himself. Each group will point to the others as misled and, in some cases, claim that being misled in this way makes them not a true Christian. The Trinitarians will say failing to believe in Jesus's divinity will mean you don't have faith and in the case of faith only salvation, can lead to failing to reach heaven. While the Unitarians will say God said to have no other God's before me, so elevating Jesus to be God's equal is against God's direct laws. Some Trinitarian believers will say Jesus had to be God, as that is the only way his sacrifice is worthy of redeeming the world. The sacrifice of just a man, no matter how pure, is not enough to cover the whole worlds sin, while Unitari...

By Wertbag ~  T he simplest version of a God is the deist version, that is an unknown force behind the universe. Such a definition doesn't claim certain features, powers or even a mind, just that there is something beyond what we understand. Such a definition could be a force of nature, or a being, but it says that we don't know from our perspective. While this kind of vague definition is the hardest to disprove, due to its lack of any real claims or clarity, it is also possibly the least important, as any such force would be apathetic to us and if it doesn't interact or care, then its existence is irrelevant to us. So, the focus of apologists and counter apologists is on the claims of interactive, intelligent and supernatural beings who it is claimed have revealed themselves and their wishes to their chosen people. Even once we say we are looking at a being and not just a force of nature, the numerous possible claims and features this being can be said to have makes...