By WizenedSage (Galen Rose) ~ A few weeks ago I was visited by two young men representing the Jehovah’s Witnesses . I invited them in and we chatted because I love to talk about religion. I have described this encounter in some detail in an earlier post on ExChristian.net titled “ Still Learning .” As they were leaving, one of the men said, “We believe the Bible proves itself.” As they were already halfway out the door, I didn’t get to ask for more info on this remarkable claim. However, I have thought about this frequently since this episode, wondering just what he meant by his statement. Finally, it dawned on me that I could probably get a pretty good idea about what he meant by simply googling the question,” Does the Bible Prove itself?” Most of the sources Google turned up dealt with the question of whether and how we can know that the Bible is the word of god. There were many, many answers, some claiming it is the word of god and we can know it, and some claiming it just ai...

By Carl S. ~ I f you follow what's said about him traditionally, Jesus never married because he was totally committed to his mission of evangelizing. Like many other things about Jesus, it flies in the face of what was an obligation for every young Jewish man, which was to get married and procreate. But there might have been other reasons why we never hear of Jesus marrying. And these might be more related to the expectations of the potential wives around him. Why wouldn't they take him up on an offer of marriage, if, say, by any chance in hell he proposed? We asked Rebecca. She grew up in the same neighborhood as Jesus. These are her answers. Well, one reason is that the guy is always on the road. He's a celebrity and belongs to the World. There’s no future with him. He'd never be there for me or the kids. If he didn't go off at the end of the day, like he often does, he'd come home grouchy and exhausted, wanting to eat and go right to bed, only to be u...

By summerbreeze ~ W ell, Easter is soon upon us. It's my least favorite Holiday. In fact, I hate it. With it coming in March or April, and in our neck of the woods, that means the snow has mostly melted, and the ugly fast-food paper bags, cups, wrappers, french-fry holders, combos bags, empty cigarette packs, beer cans, one boot or one shoe laying by the road (it's always one...why is that?) plastic bags, and who knows what all, is right there to see and be appalled by. Then there's the mud, cloudy skies, and no flowers and no leaves. And if there IS snow, it's covered with dirt. What a perfect time of the year to celebrate the Lords' being risen ! Don't mind me, I'm just in a bad mood thinking about Easter. We always "celebrate" it with my husband's sister. Or, better known as the christian ding-bat. She has always been a christian ever since I've known her. And she has been married six times. She and her 1st husband stol...

By WizenedSage (Galen Rose) ~ C hristian apologists usually manage to ignore the really tough questions posed by the Bible. But, occasionally, we read of one who will tackle a tough one head on. On the one hand we have to admire the fact that at least one Christian writer sees and understands that there’s a serious problem in this passage or that, but on the other hand, we can’t help but deplore a clumsy and/or dishonest explanation. I came across just such an example recently on the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry site. The article was titled, “ Why were only the virgins left alive among the Midianites? ” (Numbers 31:17-18). The article explains, “The Midianites were descended from Abraham and Keturah (Gen. 25:1). They inhabited the land of Moab and were apparently involved in seducing Israel into going after false gods. Because the Israelites fell into idolatry this way, God told Moses to order the deaths of all who had bowed to the false gods in that land...

By Undercover Agnostic ~ A nyone who has Christian friends on social media can relate to the public prayer requests: Job interview tomorrow. Prayers appreciated. Or Urgent prayer request! Mother is undergoing tests. Please pray that the results come back normal (as if God can just go in and tweak the lab numbers from his magic ipad). Then Christians respond with, “Praying,” “Just prayed,” “Family is praying,” “You are in our prayers,” “Hang in there! God is on the move,” “We claim victory in the name of Jesus!” or “Done,” confirming that the request for intercession has been granted. I’ve been trying to pinpoint, why these posts are so irritating and why I refuse to participate. It could be that I’ve been bewitched by Satan to writhe and convulse at the mention of prayer. But I think a more reasonable explanation lies in the fact that I’m convinced it doesn’t work and is thus an exercise in futility; I don’t want to pretend that talking to an invisible deity will change anyone’...

By Carl S. ~ T he biblical Abraham is used as an example of virtue and its reward in three Abrahamic religions . Have you read the whole story of Abraham‘s test, in detail? Sure, children are taught he is to be emulated as an example of obedience to his god; indeed, he is, according to the text, exceedingly rewarded beyond his expectations. I looked into the story, in my Bible, as written in Genesis, ch.22. It begins: God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your ONLY son, Isaac , whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah (they call the land, Moriah) and offer him there as a BURNT OFFERING on one of the mountains that I shall show you. (Sometimes it’s hard to figure out who is talking, or if ol’ A-ham is hearing his own voice.) So Abraham rose early in the morning. saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. He cut the wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the place in ...

By Matt ~ S o I’m not an atheist yet but am not a Christian either. I’ve done investigation and am convinced that there are miracles, believe that prayer has power, and that there is some providential power greater than myself caring for me. Well over the last two years, whatever Theism I embraced has been dwindling. I would rather there was no God than one like the one that is portrayed as punishing people for ever. Would rather there was no God if God is the angry Czar who wills people should wail and gnash their teeth for eternity because of the mistakes they make in this brief life. Especially when we are so blinded and often just following our nature when we sin. I know prayer has power and the people that loved me unconditionally and took me in were almost always Christian,. I'll never say "there is no God" because an insignificant speck of dust who has no authority to make such a declaration shouldn't. If God would will that people would have t...

By Dr. Marlene Winell ~ T he first crime of religion is to convince us that the world is not okay as it is. Let’s think about the real immensity of this crime. Picture the canopy of stars on a clear night when you can see hundreds of faraway galaxies along with familiar constellations, beautiful shades of color on planets, and the occasional “shooting star.” Imagine the billions of light years it took for light to reach you from those remote parts of the universe and think about the exploding stars that once dispersed the same chemical elements that you have in your body. Now take a trip in your mind to soar above the Grand Canyon viewing the kaleidoscope of layers of rock carved around a river; now a trip down the mighty Amazon with jungles that contain more species of life than can be identified while birds cry and flash by in brilliant color; now beneath the sea at a coral reef where all is silent and the world is a liquid sonata and the stunning sea creatures large and smal...

By Marlene Winell, Ph.D. ~ P eople notice and wonder why Christians of the literal Bible-believing kind are so angry. Doesn’t their faith provide any peace and love or uh, “Christian” spirit toward others? Yet they are known for being judgmental. And if an evangelizing Christian doesn’t get a receptive response, there is always a threat about where one will spend eternity, often delivered with a touch of "you'll get yours" vengefulness. But there are serious problems for a person with Christianity as a framework for living in the modern world. The anger is because it is a failed religion. The reasons for resentment are well below awareness, and taking it out on other people is not appropriate. In general, all sides appear to be rather confused about the hair-trigger emotional reactions to many issues, the rush to defend God and morality, the frequent condemnation, and the strange vitriol. The thing is that Christianity is not just a cognitive set of beliefs. ...

By Brisancian ~ F aith has never been either trivial or ancillary in my life: from childhood to the present, it has always carried a noted cost. This blog began primarily as an extended letter for my friends and family, who will no doubt struggle to understand exactly why I have come to reverse my position on issues of faith. The purpose of Journey is to convey as clearly as I can the tumultuous year that has transpired in the quiet background, consuming my attentions, troubling my dreams, and robbing my sleep. It is not my purpose here to persuade, except perhaps to plead that I have not gone mad or shifted recklessly. There have been only a few with whom I could struggle through these things, and that with fervor and diligence. The struggle has also been largely private with the hope of staving off unwarranted turbulence in my broader circle of friends and family. The hope of the situation naturally diffusing has since passed, and so these private struggles come now to a junctur...

By Austin ~ O ver the years I have been questioning everything. Even as a little kid who didn't understand much, I still questioned my faith. I turn 21 this coming Friday and have never felt like I belonged. My family has always been "super" Christian and so I tried... and tried. I always felt like I had to believe or I wouldn't fit in. I live in a small town (about 1100 people) and every Sunday I am the only person not in church. I just kept questioning until just here recently (thanks to Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Cosmos). I still cannot tell anyone what my beliefs are because I know that I will be shunned. My parents would treat me different, and my wife would lose interest in me. We got married in a church, because that's what she wanted. But listening to Star Talk one day I had asked "Why does 'God' let bad things happen. If he loves everyone why would he have given Eve a chance to eat the apple if he knew he what she would do. Why?" ...