On Evolution

In 1958, Stanley Miller reproduces the early atmosphere of Earth by creating a chamber containing only hydrogen, water, methane & ammonia. He boils the water & exposes the elements to an electric discharge like lightning, simulating Earth's early processes. After a week, he finds organic compounds have formed, including some amino acids, the "building blocks of life."

If Christians actually looked at scientific discoveries, they'd discard the tribal beliefs of Bronze Age and Iron Age mythology.

For more discoveries about evolution see The Science Channel.

Christians stole Christmas from other mythologies. To Christianity: Shame on you!

Atheism is the the absence of a belief in a deity. "You KNOW it's a Myth!" If you don't have an active belief in a god, you're an atheist. It's a very good thing! Millions of atheists are closeted, to find out more about freethinkers and how Christians stole Christmas, read on.

Jesus, if you believe the Bible, was actually born in the Spring, but early Christians changed it to mesh with other mythos.

Christians don't own this holiday, and never did. Christianity is neither the first, nor the 5th, nor the 10th mythology to adopt the Winter Solstice as their major day. Mythra, Bel, Krishna, Horus, and even the Mayan Qetzalcoatl were all born on the Winter Solstice.

Want more fun facts?

In 1999, a poll by Barna found that divorce rates among conservative Christians were significantly higher than for other faith groups, and much higher than Atheists and Agnostics experience.

Associated Press' confirmation of Barna's results. The Associated Press analyzed divorce statistics from the US Census Bureau. They found that Massachusetts had the lowest divorce rate in the U.S. at 2.4 per 1,000 population. Texas had the highest rate at 4.1 per 1,000. They found that the highest divorce rates are found in the "Bible Belt."

Why isn't the death of babies depicted at nativity scenes?

^{Matthew 13} When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
 ¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”^[c]
 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.

What a disgusting story. The all powerful almighty Abrahamic God just sat by and allowed this to happen? My son is being born and I'll just sit around and do nothing. Why doesn't God care? Why is God powerless in this instance? Where is the uplifting moral in this story?

It's easy as  to why the Abrahamic God did not intervene. Invisible imaginary friends who reside in space never do anything for us. They are simply invisible imaginary friends who people claim lives somewhere, out there.

I'm convinced, are you?

"The overturning of "don't ask, don't tell" is likely to create a ripple effect in addressing other gay-rights issues."

The headline above is a quote from a Yahoo news article from today. A ripple affect? Yep. Are Christians outraged? Yep. Why? Because secular law is once again surpassing the repulsive "moral" codes of the Bible.

Anyone in western society agrees that slavery, genocide, the repression of women's rights, child abuse/child labor and the genital mutilation of children is immoral. Yet the Bible, in the Old Testament and New Testament does not denounce slavery, genocide, the repression of women's rights, child abuse/child labor and the genital mutilation of children as immoral.

Why isn't slavery, genocide, the repression of women's rights, child abuse/child labor and the genital mutilation of children denounced as immoral in the Ten Commandments? Because the Ten Commandments are not worth the paper they are printed on.

This brings up a good point. Why isn't equal rights and human rights found in the Ten Commandments? Why doesn't the Ten Commandments insist that injuring, abusing, oppressing, torturing or killing any person is completely immoral? Why are women treated the same as farm animals in the tenth commandment? Why would any woman be part of an organization which states that a woman is simply a man's property. Why aren't women running as fast as they can away from the church and the Bible?

Why aren't there timeless morals and ethics found in the Ten Commandments? They aren't there. The first two commandments of the Bible have nothing to do with ethics, they are simply injunctions. What society says that murder and stealing is allowed? None that I know of.

The Ten Commandments is the best an omnipotent god can do? I'm certainly not impressed. How is it that I've come up with better and timeless morals and ethics than the first few paragraphs of my blog and your omnipotent god failed to do this several thousand years ago? Am I a god? Maybe you think I am. How could I write better morals than those found in the Ten Commandments? It's easy. There is no god. No god inspired the Bible. Ancient primitive men wrote the Bible in the culture and science of their day trying to explain the world around them and they failed miserably.

Don't covet your neighbors property? A thought crime? Gross. To suppress your desire to better yourself, is a bad thing? Christians subscribe to the "Keep up with the Joneses" decree on a daily basis. We've hear the words thousands of times, "God blessed me with material things." How many Christians sell all of their property as Jesus recommends in the New Testament? Christians scoff at this direction by their almighty savior. Christians: It's called cherry picking the Bible. Christians use the Bible for whatever purpose they so desire. It's disgusting.

How many Christians buy that new car, get that kitchen remodel, purchase a new home, move to a better neighborhood, buy that new dress, go to the better restaurant or improve themselves with material things? The list is endless on how Christians disobey the tenth commandment, every single day of the year.

Christopher Hitchens on the Ten Commandments. See YouTube video.

Here's another immoral proposition of the Bible: Circumcision. In case you live in a cave, the medical world (science) has declared that circumcision is an unnecessary medical procedure. Uh?, asks the US cave dwellers. How many female children have you Christians circumcised? Zero? Really? If you think it's necessary for a guy, why not for girls? Get it? If you don't circumcise girls, why do circumcise guys? If you are still shaking your head then you need to read on.

If girls know how to clean themselves, guys certainly can figure this out. The female area is larger and more complicated than the male's. Oh, you don't think it's proper for a female to be circumcised? Really? Get out of that cave! Devout Islams circumcise females and don't think twice about it. Because they get this unnecessary medical procedure from their obsolete religious texts.

The pious Christians think they have the corner on morality. What a joke. You talk to a Christian about abortion, they go crazy. Abortion is wrong, it's morally wrong, wrong, wrong! Really? Have Christians ever heard the terms of human well-being and human suffering? According to estimates, about 1.7 billion people now live in absolute poverty. The number is an estimate. However, it's a huge number. I think it's obvious that Christians really don't have any concern when it comes to real morals—human suffering.

What is more important? Billions of alive children and adults who are suffering on a day to day basis or the issue of abortion? What is the bigger problem? Who is suffering more? Is it better ethics to focus on abortion or to ignore the billions and billions of living adults and children who are suffering everyday in absolute poverty?

What is the more moral issue. The five million children who starve to death each year or gay marriage? The religious spent millions upon millions (at least 20 million dollars or more) in California to stop gay marriage. It's actually called Marriage Equality. I like to call it gay marriage just to make Christians squirm in their seats.

The more than 20 million dollars spent to stop gay marriage could have been used to get food to starving kids, teach people how to plant their own crops, or how about paying off the mortgages of people who were about to lose their homes due to the mortgage crisis. They could have used their money for something to help people but no, the pious Christians used their money to hurt people. Good job! I hope you are happy.

Hey homophobic straight people. Gay marriage is not for you. You ARE straight. We are not asking you to become gay. Gay marriage is for GAY people. Gay marriage can't harm your "straight" marriage, period. The only way gay marriage could harm your "straight" marriage is if one of the spouses in a "straight" marriage are in-the-closet and gay spouse is afraid to be true to themselves. If you are in the closet and married to the opposite sex, you are simply living a lie to you and your family.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." It is a fact that some people who shout the loudest against people who are gay, are in-the-closet gays themselves and can't come to terms with their own sexuality.

A fifth grader knows more about the world we live in than the adults of 30 A.D.

A fifth (5th) grader today knows more about the world we live than a mature adult in 30 A.D. and in fact, a fifth (5th) grader today knows more about mathematics, language, biology, science, space science, history and etcetera, than the primitive men who wrote the Old or New Testament.

Yet two thousand years later, there are millions upon millions of people in the Scientific Age who think these ancient primitive men of the Bronze and Iron Age, knew more how and why the world came into being, than scientists of today—2000 years later.

Science has given us jet airlines, luxury cruise liners, submarines, space ships, skyscrapers, modern homes, cars, trucks, modern medicine—the list seems endless.

What does science say? Science says, we don't know but let's find out. If science is criticized for being wrong, science says, let's make sure we got it right. Science likes criticism, and says if we find better information, then we'll be glad to review and up-date our knowledge base and go with the new information. Science says, if we don't know something, we are okay with that.

"There is a related claim that atheists and scientists generally are arrogant. This is rather ironic. The truth is, is that when scientists don't know something, like "Why did the universe come into being" or "How did the first self-replicating molecules first form on earth", they tend to admit it. Pretending to know things you do not know is a profound liability in science. You get punished for this rather quickly for this." —Sam Harris

What does religion say? We know the ultimate truth. We have the ultimate answer. We don't need scientific studies that other scientists can replicate. We have the answer to some of the biggest questions, "Who made the universe", and "Why are we here?". The religious claim to have the answer and abhor criticism. They don't want more information, they don't like questions and they don't like criticism.

 "Pretending to know things you do not know is the lifeblood of faith-based religion. This is really one of the profound ironies of religious discourse. And the frequency with which you can hear religious people praise themselves for their humility while tacitly claiming to know things about cosmology and physics and chemistry and paleontology, that no scientist knows." —Sam Harris

The people who wrote the Bible did not even know the earth was round or that it circled the earth. They had no idea that our solar system is about half way from the center of the Milky Way galaxy. They didn't k now our galaxy is 100,000 light years in diameter. They didn't even know what light speed means. Yet the religious of the past and of today claim they know the truth about the origin of our entire universe.

Can you see the problem with this line of thinking? The thinking that coming from a position of certainty (and certainty which is based on no evidence) is simply intellectual suicide.

Objections from creationists rebuffed

Article about people in Baton Rouge refusing to allow the mythology of creationism be taught in school.

And I quote:

"Every claim you hear today from the Louisiana Family Forum and its allies—without a single exception—has been refuted over and over again, in state after state, and in federal court, over almost 50 years," said Barbara Forrest, who serves on the board of the National Center for Science Education. "Not a single creationist claim has ever held up under either scientific scrutiny or legal analysis."

And I quote again:
"Baton Rouge high school student Zach Kopplin said up-to-date biology texts are critical to training Louisiana students to compete in a global economy. While there are plenty of jobs for biologists, "There are zero creationist jobs. Zero," Kopplin said."

Comment seen today on a Facebook page:
"What? Talking snakes and burning bushes have no place in high school education? What a shock!"

Stem cell therapy cures HIV positive man in Europe.

Oh, how the religious right or any intolerant, bigoted religious person must hate this news. I am truly laughing my ass off at all the religious people who think that stem cell research is immoral as well as believing that being gay is immoral.

A double punch right in the gut of the pious religious is fantastic.

First Point:
Religious nutcases believe that stem cell research is an immoral proposition based on some interpretation of their religious texts. First punch: Stem cell research cures an HIV positive man. Notice first, that stem cell research worked. It cured a person not only of a disease but it cured HIV, one of the most dangerous and most difficult diseases that humankind has ever faced, that medical researchers have been struggling to find a cure for.

What's the obvious conclusion here? Those people who have tried to stop life saving stem cell research are completely immoral. I propose that the politicians who voted against spending money on stem cell research should face criminal charges.

Second Point:
Religious nutcases believe that gay sex (or gay people or whatever they say) is immoral per their religious texts. Second punch: Stem cell research cures a gay man. The immoral stem cell research not only cured a person, but it cured an immoral person! (An immoral person, according to religious right delusional nutcases.)

I love this double punch that has hit the religious right in their stomach. I know it hurts them and it makes me happier than a pig in mud.

I have one thing to say to all the people who believe that stem cell research is immoral and to all people who think being gay is immoral, per their religious code: "You're an idiot."

'Tis the season to celebrate reason.

Can I say this enough? 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. 'Tis the season to celebrate reason. Falalala lala la la.

Reason not superstition. Ethics not dogma. Respect not worship. Courage not fear. Fact not myth. Morality not religion. Clarity not delusion. Good not god. Skeptic not cynic. Rationality not ideology.

Human solidarity is the reason to be nice to each other. We are all members of the same species. In contrast, most major religions claim the only true solidarity between humans is that you must join their exclusive religious club and subscribe to their tenets, dogmas or teachings. You are in their club or out. Out! What a horrible and fool proof way to divide people.

What major religions, in their religious texts, make the claim that, "We are all in this together" or "We all share the same humanity" or "We affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person" whether you are a believer or not? None that I know of. You have to join their club to be "Okay".

When you reject all religious dogmas (or teachings), what happens? To be human, you don't have to join any club. You ARE part of the club simply by being born.

When we reject the teachings of all religious teachings, we can easily say, "We are all in this together" and "We all share the same humanity" and "We affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person".

It truly is the season to celebrate reason.

(Found "Reason, not superstition" paragraph from: http://www.atheistnexus.org/profile/SubrataBanik)

On moral people.

A moral person needs religion as much as a blind person needs sunglasses.

Gay marriage will ruin the institution of marriage? Uh?

The divorce rate is still 50%, or is it higher? Some notable examples:

Larry King is getting his 8th divorce, Elizabeth Taylor is possibly getting married for a 9th time, Britney Spears had a 55 hour marriage. Jesse James and Tiger Woods are screwing EVERYTHING, yet the idea of same-sex marriage is going to destroy the institution of marriage?

No other group of people can destroy marriage because straight people already destroyed it by legalizing divorce.

People ask me if I'm an Atheist.

People ask me if I'm an Atheist. What? Am I an Atheist? Let me make sure I understand your question.

Are you asking me if I have dismissed—as you have dismissed—thousands of gods which used to be in good standing with our ancestors?

Is this what you are asking me?

Are you asking me if I've used my brain and thought about the mythology of all religions?

Are you asking me if I still cling to the Bronze Age and Iron Age mythologies which have the disgusting love-life with blood sacrifice?

Are you telling me that since you have dismissed all past religions and all current religions—except for your own—that this does not make you an atheist to all the religions you have rejected?

When will the religious understand that they are atheists to all other religions, current and past, (except for their own) with which they do not subscribe.

Are you asking me that for the same reasons you dismiss all other religions, is exactly why I dismiss yours?

The Word of God? Really?

Why would God miraculously reveal "His Word" and not miraculously preserve "His Word"?

The Myth of Original Sin

When people read the Adam and Eve story and learn about the concept of original sin, this is the spot where everyone should close the Bible and say this makes no sense, this is obviously mythology. This is the point where people should run away from Christianity in disgust and horror.

What is our one greatest single asset? Our ability to think. Our search for knowledge, our curiosity and our desire to understand, this is what has allowed the human race to survive.

What does the Bible say? Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge and became sinful and now everyone born into the human race starts dirty. What? How horrible. Why would anyone want to embrace a religion (or any philosophy) where there is something inherently wrong with us from the start? Who in their right mind wants more criticism in their life, claim it's divine wisdom, call it a moral truth and accept it without question?

Everyone born into the human starts pure, fresh—a clean slate. We are good from the beginning. To think, to wonder, to question, to search, to understand, this is sinful? This is a bad thing?

Why do we have jet airliners, advanced medicine, space travel, cars, cell phones, submarines and etc.? The list of human achievements seems endless, all because someone was curious and wanted to make life better.

Our thirst to know is our most beautiful and greatest attribute. This is certainly not something which is sinful or shameful. The Bible got it horribly wrong and yet people drink the Biblical kool-aid myth of original sin with pleasure.

Are we obligated to repect someone's religious beliefs?

People always tell me, "Mike, you should respect people's religious beliefs." If I tell you that I believe that Tennessee is on the West Coast, you have no obligation to respect my belief. Which is why I don't respect anyone's belief in Bronze Age or Iron Age pseudoscience (astrology, psychics, ESP, reincarnation, ghosts, etc.) or mythology (religion).

For those who want to know. To answer the question, "Are we obligated to respect someone's religious beliefs? The answer is no.

This season, what do we celebrate?

This season, celebrate REASON.

Which is the converstation starter and which is the conversation stopper?

Science is always open to new possibilities. Science is searching for the ways things work. If science does not know, it's okay. Science says this is not problem, we can live with not knowing the answer.

Religion is not open to new possibilities, they have found the ultimate truth. They know. Which is the conversation starter and which is the conversation stopper?

Which makes it more exciting to be alive? We don't know, let's explore, let's discover. Or is the attitude of we know, we found it, we know—is this the best attitude to have? If you know, what is there to discover?

For the religious, it's really not that special to be here, right? We know the ultimate truth, been there, done that. We look forward to dying, for that better life. This secret death wish of religions is a very disgusting way to live your life.

Horoscopes: The unchecked pseudoscience

What if horoscopes targeted countries, wouldn't you be offended? Americans need to eat less, exercise more, use less credit cards and not be so arrogant. The Japanese need to learn more English and stop eating so much sushi. The French need to be nicer to Americans and eat less frog legs.

Are you offended yet? I hope so. How do you think I feel when I see horoscopes in the newspaper or posted on Facebook?

Religion: Giving hope in a world torn apart by... religion.

Could this be stated any better? I'd say this is probably as concise as it gets.

The internet is where religion goes to die.

The internet is where religion goes to die. What does this mean? 

 Before the internet, you'd go to a pastor to discuss your nonbelief, he'd probably recommend you go back to church. Now, you go online to see the same question answered by a pastor. In the comments or on other websites, you have dozens of different answers by pastors and they are all contradicting each other.

(This is a paraphrase of Blair Scott, Communications Director of American Atheists who was interviewed by Ed Tyll on Big 810 AM radio, this morning in Florida.)

The World Will Go To Hell Without Religion! Really?

“What is the alternative to a belief in Santa Claus? The answer really is nothing. Now, it's not that a belief in Santa Claus was doing nothing for a child. You know, a child is entranced and consoled and interested and happy that Santa Claus exists.

You take the belief away, you've taken something away—you haven't replaced it with something but whatever conspired to make the belief untenable, perhaps he saw that it was his parents wrapping the presents. The belief disappears and we all know that no one wants to be the last kid in class who believes in Santa Claus.

And imagine how untenable the position of a child would be, if he claimed not to want to throw the baby out with the bath water, he claimed to have found a moderate position on Santa Claus and he could keep the sleigh and the elves but jettison the guy in the suit.

So the first answer to the question, 'What are the alternatives to faith?' there don't have to be alternatives. If these beliefs are false, if they're untenable, we can relinquish them. As many countries in western Europe have done. Only 10 percent of Swedes, 10 to 15 percent are believers of the sort we recognize in the states.”

“We can relinquish these beliefs without an alternative. Let me remind you about how easy it is to see the wisdom of this when we simply change the word God to Zeus. No one is feeling that we should maybe hold on to Zeus.”

—Sam Harris, talking about his book, The End of Faith at the University Synagogue on January 18, 2005. See the entire video of his lecture here.

Don't question my faith, don't say mean things about religion.

You must respect me for my belief. You'll never get me to stop believing in God. The people who don't ask Christ to be in their hearts don't get it. (They are immoral, sinners, they are lost. Oops, I won't say this to anyone but just think this.) I don't want to hear about you saying my religion is mythology. I don't want to hear it. Don't tell me to think about my faith! La la la la la, I can't hear you.

I want you to shut up. How about burning you at the stake? That will make you shut up. Oops! I'd go to jail for murder. Oh hell, what a bitch. I can't burn you at the stake.

Why bring up past horrors of Christianity? There is nothing similiar about today's (21st Century) Christians and those Christians in the 1500s. In the 1500s Christians wanted nonbelievers to shut the hell up. (Hee hee, they definately got them to shut up by burning them at the stake.)

We, the Christians of today, are not like the Christians of the past in any way, shape or form. Well hell, we don't burn nonbelievers at the stake! We don't do this! We are not like them. (Whispering. We don't want to go to jail.)

What are we like today? We'll vote against them. We'll tell them they are immoral. We'll tell them they must respect our beliefs. We'll try to Christianize them by making Christianity into US Law. Nope. We are not like the Christians in the 1500s.

This time we are going to do it right. We've learned from our past Christian brothers. We will change the law so that we can get them when they are young and indoctrinate them. If you still resist our mythology, we'll change the law and make you believe.

Oh... we Christians don't do that to people today (2010), what are you talking about?? Why would anyone accuse Christians of being mean to other people and trying to force people believe in our mythology?

You need a list?

"In God We Trust", "...one nation under God..." (Both of these phrases were added recently in the 1950's by Christians), trying to teach pseudoscience in school, voting against gays, parents holding financial aid from children who are gay, kicking gays out their house when they are young, making life so unbearable for young gays that they commit suicide, refusing to treat gay relatives the same as they treat their straight relatives, parents ignoring their gay son's or daughter's partners, relatives refusing to talk about their gay son's or daughter's partners, relatives not inviting their son's or daughter's gay partners to family functions, etc.

Do I need to list more? I could write for week after week about the way Christians mistreat others in the name of their religion. The list is endless.

I do declare, we the Christians of today (2010) are NOTHING like the Christians of the 1500s.

Gay is unnatural, not moral, it's a choice. If you believe this, this video is for you.

If you are sure of yourself, that the headline is true, then this short video is for you. Youtube video.

(If you are straight and bigoted against gays (against gay marriage, gays should not have equal rights, you think there is something is a little off-kilter about gays, being gay is a sin, being gay is immoral, etc.) and refuse to watch this video, the please keep your bigoted, intolerant comments about gays to yourself and then you can expect that your bigoted thoughts about gays will keep you comforted when you are planted six feet under.

I hope those religious who say being gay is morally wrong are happy.

“In a news release, the group noted that the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association dispute the efficacy of reparative therapies that attempt to alter a person's sexual orientation and said a 2009 study in the medical journal Pediatrics found that telling teens they can change their orientation often increases the likelihood of suicide.”

See entire article “Utah gay activists protest Mormon church remarks” which I just took this above quote from.

Christians and believers of all faiths who believe they know the mind of their god (Damn, I'm impressed, you know what a god thinks! Wow.) and claim it's their duty to belittle and demoralize gays—I hope you are happy at all the people you have helped commit suicide.

This is morality of Christianity and Islam, help young people commit suicide. Yeah, Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths love to believe—without thinking—that hatred towards others is perfectly moral. Hey, I'm offended when you tell me that my religion is immoral. I can be as immoral, errr... “moral” as my god tells me to be.

Damn, Iron Age thinking is the best! Never use your brain, just believe that hurting other members of the human race is as moral as it gets. Hey, love the sinner but not the sin is their code for, “love to influence people that you hate to commit suicide.”

The moral blindness of Christianity, Islam and other religions is transparent to everyone except the believers. I hope all of you who are Christians, Muslims and the like are happy with your “moral” teachings and dogmas. How do you sleep at night?

A quote from Sam Harris' new book.

Harris states: "And the fact that millions of people use the term “morality” as a synonym for religious dogmatism, racism, sexism, or other failures of insight and compassion should not oblige us to merely accept their terminology until the end of time."

—Harris, Sam, The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values, New York, Free Press, 2010, page 53.

Find the book, “The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values” on Amazon.com.

The epitome of stupidity.

Moral blindness in the name of religion.

(The sentence, "Moral blindness in the name of religion." is a variation of a sentence from Sam Harris' new book, "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values.")

Find the new (October 2010) book, "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values" on Amazon.com.

The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris. Excerpt from page 4.

‎"Just as there is no such thing as Christian physics or Muslim algebra, we will see that there is no such thing as Christian or Muslim morality. Indeed, I will argue that morality should be considered an undeveloped branch of science."

—Harris, Sam, The Moral Landscape, New York, Free Press, 2010, page 4.

What human institution puts value on discarding our reason?

What human institution puts a value on discarding the one thing that separates us from the rest of the mammals on earth? Religion and pseudoscience. Religion and pseudoscience demands that humanity discards our ability to reason to accept it's teachings.

If anyone thinks that religion has advanced civilization, think again! The operative word, "Think"! Has the world of pseudoscience, psychics, astrology and religion advanced civilization? Nope.

What human institution makes cars, buildings, ships and airplanes? What human institution advances medicine and surgery? Science.

I submit, we need to use our brains. What do the religious, the believers say? Don't use your brain, all it's takes is faith and belief. Which is better? Use your brain? Or don't use your brain?

Who are the crazy ones? The people who say to discard reason and don't think about it, just believe in religion? Or the people who say, critical thinking and using your brain are important.

The answer is: Use your brain.

When will civilization, en mass, begin to really move forward? When the masses, seeking for answers, begin to look for the natural and not the supernatural.

Sam Harris on Morality.

Religion has the worst morals and ethics. We all agree that slavery, owning people like farm equipment, is morally wrong. However, the God of Abraham did get this wrong, in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Yet people claim that Christianity is of divine origin.

Why would anyone want to cling to the teachings of the Bible when these teachings are immoral? To do good things for bad reasons. You better be good or you'll go to hell. There are many good reasons to do good things. To love and fear your God. That's the very definition of sadomasochism. How revolting.

To love your neighbor. Compulsory love. Disgusting. And furthermore, most people can barely love themselves and/or their partners and/or their families. Show me a family where everyone gets along and I'll show you my unicorn. The commandment of loving your neighbor is not only an impossible commandment to follow but impractical.

How many feet or miles away, do you love your neighbors? The ones on your block, those in a two block radius, a 1 mile radius or more? How many Christians invite all their neighbors to their house every weekend to show their love to their neighbors?

To love your enemy. What? Sorry, Christ got it wrong. This is an absolutely bad moral. You defend yourself against your enemy. How many Christians want to dismantle the US Military?

I can reassure you that my Christian relatives love the military. They certainly liked Bush and the way he waged war. Where is the love there? Christians say their Bible is divine yet completely ignore the teaching of loving their enemy. Christians ignore any verse of the Bible when it's convenient for them to do so.

Sam Harris wants to begin talking about morality and human values in the context of our growing scientific understanding of the world.

Sam Harris is interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. See the interview here online.

Can there be a science of good and evil?

“I was one of those who had unthinkingly bought into the hectoring myth that science can say nothing about morals. The Moral Landscape has changed all that for me. Moral philosophers, too, will find their world exhilaratingly turned upside down, as they discover a need to learn some neuroscience. As for religion, and the preposterous idea that we need God to be good, nobody wields a sharper bayonet than Sam Harris.”

— Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene, The God Delusion, and The Greatest Show On Earth

See Sam Harris' article about his new book here.

Another Sam Harris quote

“Ever religious person feels the same criticism of other people's faith that we do as atheists. They reject the pseudo miracles and the pseudo claims to certainty of others.

And they see the confidence tricks in other people’s faith and they see it rather readily. Every Christian knows the Koran can’t the perfect word of the creator of the universe and anyone who thinks it is, hasn’t read it closely enough.

And it’s just in this hermetically sealed discourse that isn’t really being self-critical—we make a very strong case when we point that out.

And point out also, that whatever people are experiencing in church or in prayer—no matter how positive—the fact that Buddhists and Hindus and Muslims and Christians are all experiencing it, proves that it can’t be a matter of the divinity of Jesus or the unique sanctity of the Koran.”

–Sam Harris, 30th of September 2007

Sam Harris quote.

“We are offending people (religious believers) but we are also telling them that it’s wrong to be offended.

Physicists aren’t offended when their view of physics is disproved or challenged, this is not the way rational minds operate when they are really trying to get at what’s true in the world.

Religions purport to be representing reality and yet there’s this peevish and tribal and ultimately dangerous reflective response to having these ideas challenged and I think we’re pointing to the total liability of that.”

–Sam Harris, 30 September 2007.

Some thoughts

“Everyone gives themselves permission to behave absurdly when religion is mentioned.” –Christopher Hitchens

Some examples of the bad behavior of the religious...

The scared, the intolerant, the deluded, the self-devaluing (You need religion because you are born bad.), the delusion of mind-reading (Your god can read your mind.), secret death wishes (Doesn't matter if you die since you'll go to heaven. If you see a city or cities blown to bits by a nuclear bomb, you secretly are happy since you think Christ is about to come back.), the grandiose delusion of thinking that you know a god, the bigoted and the erotomaniacs are all characteristics of the religious.

Iron Age thinking or Scientific Age thinking.

Iron Age thinking or Scientific Age thinking. Is it really that difficult of a choice?

The atrocities of the Catholic Church by Christopher Hitchens

If you like Christopher Hitchens and are not fond of the Catholic Church (or if you really don't know much about the atrocities committed by the Catholic Church and would like to know more), you might like this video.

And if you feel that God-bashing is still taboo and disrespectful to believers, in our society today, I submit this is exactly the same attitude of the church leaders when they were burning heretics (those who reject the teachings of the church) in the 1500s.

The video is from the debate called Intelligent 2 Debate. See Christopher Hitchens video here.

Note: After you watch this video, if you are still Catholic, I submit, you are part of a cult.

In Defense of Witchcraft

I can hear Christians gasping with fear and horror at the thought of talking about witchcraft. Lightning and thunder, Fear Not.

Okay, I take it back. For those religious who dislike the words "In Defense of Witchcraft," you should be worried because Sam Harris shows that the way Christians treat atheists today are very similar to their Christians counterparts, who burned witches in the 1500s.

Except that Christians today don't burn heretics (people who reject the teachings of the church) or atheists as they call us, because they know they'd go to jail for murder.

Christians today want atheists to be quiet. Christians of the 1500s wanted the same thing. Christians today say they have very little in common with their Christian counterparts of the 1500s. It's funny how Christians today can easily fool themselves.

Christians today use slightly different tactics.

• "Don't criticize my religious beliefs, I don't criticize yours." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• "You need to respect my beliefs." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• Atheists are immoral people." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• It's a taboo in our society for people to criticize my religious beliefs." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."
• Stop criticizing people's religious beliefs, let everyone believe whatever they want to believe in." And under their breath, "If it was the 1500s, I'd burn you at the stake."

Sam Harris' entire article is found here online: "In Defense of Witchcraft"

Religion is not dangerous for society. Wrong! Of course it is dangerous.

When the religious masses are homophobic, this allows for the sick gay ministers to flourish, promoting homophobia at the pulpit and then in private doing what they will to unsuspecting youth. Just like priests of the Catholic Church.

So, I hope all you homophobic straight people are happy at the conditions you have helped create to allow these sick people to flourish. I know so well, the excuses that the straight people use. "Oh, that minister or priest isn't sexually molesting children, how could you say such a thing." Or after the abuse is reported, "Well, he asked for forgiveness, it was just a phase, he'll never do it again."

Sick, sick homophobic straight people. Will you ever get it in your head that you are born gay and that being gay is not a phase?

See entire article here on: "Bishop Eddie Long"

God's Bigmouths.

"God's Bigmouths. Men like Bishop Eddie Long are fouling the legacy of the civil rights movement." See article by Christopher Hitchens.

America was not founded by Christians.

"A few Christian fundamentalists attempt to convince us to return to the Christianity of early America, yet according to the historian, Robert T. Handy, "No more than 10 percent—probably less—of Americans in 1800 were members of congregations."

The Founding Fathers, also, rarely practiced Christian orthodoxy. Although they supported the free exercise of any religion, they understood the dangers of religion."

For entire article see: http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer97/secular.html

If you think Nationalized Health Care is a bad thing, think again.

If you don't think the function of government is responsibility towards it's citizens and for nationalized health care (medical, dental and vision), by the way, then don't use the (socialized) public library system and don't put your kids in (socialized) public schools.

My parents don't want socialized health care but, oops... they put me through the socialized K-12 public school system. How quickly do they forget?

Don't drive your car on the (socialized) public roads and please disobey the (socialized) traffic lights, our tax dollars paid for them, so just ignore them, they are anti-American, isn't that what you are saying?

Don't call the (socialized) police when you need them, don't call the (socialized) fire department when your house is on fire and don't call a (socialized) ambulance when you need one.

Don't accept social security (social, socialized, get it?) when you qualify, don't accept (socialized) medical and medicare when you qualify, don't accept (socialized) welfare if you need it, don't accept (socialized) unemployment checks when you need it and don't accept (socialized) first start for your kids.

Don't accept any government (socialized) grants or loans for college or business, don't accept any form of (socialized) food assistance from the government. If you need a (socialized) court appointed lawyer—don't accept it, just figure it out for yourself.

If you have disabilities, don't ask the government for socialized help for medical equipment and by god, don't use government required handicapped parking spaces. The government went too far by demanding we have handicapped parking spaces, too much government control in our personal lives, right? Some people say the government should have less control in our lives and in business? Really?

Don't visit any (socialized) city parks or (socialized) national parks—yep, yep, government workers maintain these parks. Our tax dollars keep these parks going—wow, socialized park and recreation areas are so anti-American, is that what you are saying?

Don't fly in airplanes, we have socialized air traffic controllers. Yep, yep, government taxes pay the wages for air traffic controllers. Are you saying that flying in airplanes controlled by government paid air traffic controllers is anti-American?

Don't visit Washington DC and see the many (socialized) attractions there for free (or at a low cost), god forbid, please don't see socialized Washington DC.

If you are in a lake or in the ocean and are in trouble, don't call the Coast Guard or life guards, paid for by our taxes, our socialized rescue teams.

And please don't support the US Military—who needs this form of socialized military? Our taxes pay for the military, if you don't want socialized military forces, then pay for the military out of your own pocket. Which jet did you want to purchase today?

Why does religion pride itself in devaluing humanity?

How can anyone be serious about a "divine" being who created an institution which devalues our humanity by it's basic teaching that we are born sinful? Why would a deity take pleasure in devaluing our own humanity?

Why would anyone promote an idea of a better life after death when it's impossible to prove this proposition. Anyone can make any claim about life after death because no one can prove them wrong, since people don't come back from death. And again, saying that life after death is something to look forward to, devalues our humanity.

If I tell you there are multiple heavens, who are you to tell me I'm wrong?

Who wants to be part of an organization where in many of it's teachings devalues our humanity? Why would anyone care to believe in an organization which devalues our humanity?

What is a better moral? A) Enjoy each day to it's fullest and do your best to never harm another person. Or... B) To think this life is basically okay (but could be better because of your belief in evil and sin in the world) and you secretly look forward to dying because you believe there will be a better life for you. Which is a better teaching to live by, A or B?

How moral is the teaching of an afterlife? Is the secret death wish that all followers believe in and tell others about, (do you really believe that this) is the height of wisdom of your religion or deity?

Paying ATT phone bill using the automated prompt menu by phone.

This section is to help you pay your ATT phone bill over the phone using their automated voice prompt system using your phone key pad without having to speak to their computer.

1 (877) 377-2790 (Phone number to pay ATT bill using their automated phone system.)

Note: When their system makes a mistake (or if you make a mistake) and they try to transfer you to an operator, I just hang up and start over.

• As soon as you hear the recording you can start by using your key pad to enter your area code and followed by the rest of your phone number. (Wait for prompt.) (Note: It won't allow you to add your phone number and the 3 digit security at the same time.)
• Enter your 3 digit customer code. (Wait for prompt.)
• You can press 1 which indicates you’ll pay the entire amount. (Wait for prompt.)
• OR... if you are going to make a partial payment, you can enter the amount you are going to pay on your telephone key pad and use the * (the star symbol) for the decimal point. (Wait for prompt.)
• They will repeat total of amount you want to pay. Press 1 for yes, or 2 for no. (Wait for prompt.)
• For check: press 1, for credit card: press 2. (Wait for prompt.)
• Enter routing number. (Wait for prompt.) Press 1 for correct. (Wait for prompt.)
• Enter the account number. (Wait for prompt.) Press 1 for correct. (Wait for prompt.)
• Then confirm which account you are using: Press 1 for checking. Press 2 for savings. Or press 3 if you are using another type of account. (Wait for prompt.)
• ATT will repeating order, to say yes, accept press 1. (Wait for prompt.)
• ATT will give you your confirmation number and then you can slam the phone down on the receiver or hit end on your cell.
  

The Vienna Declaration.

The Vienna Declaration summary statement: The criminalization of illicit drug users is fueling the HIV epidemic and has resulted in overwhelmingly negative health and social consequences. A full policy reorientation is needed.

What this states is the war on drugs has failed. The War of Drugs is actually the Prohibition of Drugs. "Prohibition" of alcohol failed (from 1920-1933) and was started by the religious (and it failed also), so why would the war on drugs work? It simply has not worked and will never work.

However, what has been proven time and time again (which the masses don't know) is that HIV research has advanced the medical world by leaps and bounds. HIV research has helped all people under a doctor's care whether they know or not.

HIV research has compiled lots of statistics the world don't even know about. For example, there are many women who have anal sex. It has been learned that women won't admit to their doctors that they have annal sex, the reason? Condoms aren't needed and no babies are made. So the man has hotter sex and the woman does not get pregnant.

Worldwide half of the people who have HIV are women. It's now half men and half women. So, it turns out that there are all sorts of bisexual men transmitting HIV to women through annal sex. Now we know there are more bisexual men, than people thought.

If it wasn't for gay activists pushing for new drug therapies for HIV, world health care would be in a much worse position.

Again, HIV research has shown that the "War on Drugs" is helping to spread HIV, to both men and women. It's not a gay disease, in case you forgot. The Vienna Declaration is asking for signatures. You can do this by following either link below.

The Vienna Declaration home page.

The Vienna Declaration Statement.

Read more about the International 17th AIDS Conference being held in Vienna, Austria from July 18-23, 2010, here: Abandoning moralistic war on drugs becomes centre piece of AIDS meeting

What is immoral about questioning a religious belief?

Christians are offended when I ask them to question their belief. What is immoral and unethical about asking someone to use their brain?

Which is immoral, A or B?

A) To ask a Christian to question the truth claims their religion makes.

OR

B) To tell Christians to blindly accept religious propositions which can never be proven.

What a perfect proposition! Make a claim that no one can prove because the proposition claims things happen after someone dies.

Hindsight is 20/20.

I used to work in the Reservations Department for US Airways in the 1990s. Formerly, USAir and Allegheny airlines with host of mergers and other problems, by the way. I had a phone conversation I will never forget.

The person calling on the airline's 800 number was complaining about the complexity of the air fares. I said it was due to deregulation.

(Normally I would not give such a flippant response to a potential customer but after hearing that same complaint for the 10,000th time and not withstanding the fact that Americans had so readily applauded deregulation, the response simply flowed from my mouth.)

She paused and completely changed her tone of voice, to my surprise, and confessed she worked in the government office that had deregulated the airlines under Reagan. She said they felt deregulation was the best thing that could happen to airline industry.

Then she said, if we would have known that deregulation would have caused the majority of airlines to collapse and hurt the untold thousands if not millions of airline employees, we would have never deregulated the airline industry.

The Bible. Divine origin or man-made origin?

It would be child's play for an all powerful God who is all wise, all knowing, all knowledgeable, perfect, omnipotent and who knows the past, present and future to write and publish a book with timeless morals and ethics that would apply to any culture in any time period of human history and would never be able to be misinterpreted by anyone who would read the Bible.

Yet, this did not happen. Why would anyone cling to any Bronze Age or Iron Age mythology with it's blatant immorality and then claim it's not only still applicable but it's of divine origin.

Certainty. A False Goal.

“Certainty is, I think, a false goal. We’re achieving functional certainties in science and just… in our day to day lives. I mean, it’s a functional certainty that I’m sitting here talking to you, though it’s possible I could be dreaming or, you know, deceived by an evil demon.

Those kind of philosophical, epistemological worries don’t really relate too much to the ordinary practice of science, the very useful practice of science and our ordinary task of just negotiating our lives and finding happiness in this world.

We recognize there is a range, there’s a continuum of, you know, “I’m not sure,” “You know, it’s a coin toss, 50/50”, understanding of our circumstances, to be functionally certain about what is so.

And many people are pretending to be functionally certain or believe themselves to be functionally certain about things like “Jesus is going to come back and judge the world in their lifetime,” and 20% of the American population claims to be functionally certain that, that is going to come to pass and 78% think that Jesus is going to come back sometime, not necessarily in their lifetime.

And these certainties do real work for us. The person who is certain that the soul enters the zygote at the moment of conception, is the person who wants to veto stem cell research despite the fact that tens of millions of people are suffering conditions for which stem cell research is the best line of research to generate therapies.

So, these are ideas that are not just of academic interest or personal, private, spiritual relevance, I mean, these are shaping policies, they’re shaping the national conversation. And when you look at the Muslim world they are causing people to blow themselves up on street corners.” —Sam Harris

Watch video here: Is there certainty in science? (Hint: Choose the video titled, "Is there certainty in science?")

The Big Think website does not give the date this video was recorded. However, it's most likely after 2006, not sure.

6-Story Jesus Statue In Ohio Struck By Lightning

‎6-Story Jesus Statue In Ohio Struck By Lightning on June 14, 2010. Seriously, if you believe in the Abrahamic God, don't you think it's obvious that you chose the wrong God? I think Zeus was slightly pissed, don't you agree?

Read NPR news article here.

Gillard won't play religion card.

Australian PM Does Not Believe in God. Read full article here on ABC News.

The dagger of reason is here to stay.

“The dagger of reason will not stop cutting until the spread of religious cancer is gone from this world.” –Mike Hampson

Autobiography of Mark Twain to be published this year.

"Mark Twain's Autobiography Set for Unveiling, a Century After His Death." Read PBS July 7, 2010, article and/or watch video here: Mark Twain PBS article and video here.

Mark Twain: "There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory. The invention of hell measured by our Christianity of today, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the deity nor his son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled."

Christopher Hitchens speaks. Authors at Google.

Author Christopher Hitchens discusses his book "God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" as a part of the Authors at Google series. This event took place on August 16, 2007 at Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA.

Watch YouTube.com video here: Christopher Hitchens speaks for Authors at Google.

The least loving are the religious. The most controlling are the religous. See the problem?

The most intolerant people against gays are the religious. How could anyone call their religion a true religion when it divides humanity so easily? If your religion is true, then why does it not unite everyone worldwide, overnight, whether you believe in it or not?

Look how your religion divides people--like a sharp knife. Christians and non-Christians. If you are not part of the club, it is moral for Christians to demonize those who are not in their club. What an immoral doctrine.

You believe in a perfect God. A perfect being needs nothing. A perfect being does not need anyone to believe in him. A perfect being would not be offended if you did not believe in him.

Why are the non-believers saying the words, "We all share the same humanity." Why are the non-believers saying, "We affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person." Why are these words of love, of human solidarity, not coming from your keyboards and pulpits. Why do the religious hate the doctrine, "Love one another?"

Why is there so much hate for those who are not part of your club? Because, all religions are man-made, not god made. Sin is a man-made concept. Many men, made many Gods, not the other way around.

Why is slavery, genocide, racism, sexism, the repression of women's rights, the demonizing of non-believers, secret death wishes (Can't wait to get to heaven and I can't wait for Earth to be blown to bits), being good for bad reasons (be good or go to hell), love your enemy (You defend yourself against your enemy, not love your enemy. I.E. Suicide, by not defending yourself is moral), thought crimes (Example: Coveting other people's things is totalitarianism.), a celestial dictatorship (believe or go to hell, it's not a choice, it's a dictatorship) is moral per the Bible. And... the mandatory love of someone and fear at the same time is Sadomasochism.

Why was the Bible written this way? Ancient primitive men wrote the Bible in the culture and science in their day trying to explain the world around them. And they did a horrible job.

When will people leave Iron Age beliefs, horrible morals and the bad ethics of ancient mythologies and get into Scientific Age?

I asked legitimate questions to Christians, to which I usually get no good answers. Simply excuses as to why theri God can't perform and can't love everyone. No surprise there.

Claiming to know there is a God is claiming the impossible. For the 1 millionth time, the burden of proof as to the existence of a god is on the believer, not the non-believer.

The Bible is the best a god could inspire?

It would be child's play for a god who is all just, all wise, all knowing, perfect, omnipotent, all powerful and who knows past, present and future, (and who by the way, just created the entire universe) to write and publish himself (or inspire people and have people publish) a book filled with impeccable morals and good ethics which would apply to any culture in any time period in human history which would never be misinterpreted.

You believe that God answers prayers. You say that God answered your prayers for your new SUV or your Prada handbag or your kitchen remodel. Why won't God heal amputees? God could heal an amputee with the wink of his eye. Yet he is deaf to their prayers. What about the 5 million children who starve to death each year? They are simply praying for a bowl of rice each day, yet your God ignores their prayers. Why is this? So many questions and no answers from the believers.

See Matthew 6:25-27 where it says that God feeds the birds, and people are more important than birds, so you don’t have to worry about where your food will come from. God can’t do something as simple as feeding 5 million starving children per year?

Where is Equal Rights and Human Rights in the Bible? They are no where to be found in the Bible.

The premise that a God made man leaves many questions and no answers. The premise that many men made many gods explains why contradictions, Iron Age thinking, disgusting morals and bad ethics permeate the entire Bible.

Credo Ut Intelligam vs. Intelligo Ut Credam

[Around the 1300’s, when scientific experiments began to be conducted correctly in Europe,] “Where men had once said, ‘Credo ut intelligam’ (understanding can come only through belief), they now said, ‘Intelligo ut credam’ (belief can come only through understanding.” In 1277, Roger Bacon was imprisoned for an indefinite period for holding these opinions. Free and rational investigation of nature was to come hard in the clash between reason and faith which would echo down to our own time.”

Burke, James (2005). The Day the Universe Changed, Little, Brown and Company, 1985, page 53.

Sam Harris talks about how religion is a conversation stopper.

“The problem with religion is, it is the only mode of thought that systematically closes people to real conversation. Because it is the only mode of thought that puts a positive value on a person’s perpetual immunity to new evidence and new argument. And this closure is euphemistically called faith. And it is generally thought to be beyond criticism, even by atheist scientists who don’t share it.

Now I want to make it clear, I’m not advocating new laws, I’m not advocating that we infringe people’s religious freedom. I’m advocating new rules of conversation.

There is no law against believing that Elvis Presley is still alive. How have we kept this belief from invading our board rooms and our academic departments (and political arena)? The principle of our immunity is really quite simple. Anyone who seriously espouses that Elvis is still alive, either in a lecture, or in a job interview or on a first date, immediately pays a consequence (pays a price), in ill concealed laughter.

There is a general principle at work here. People who claim to be certain of things they clearly can’t be certain of, have a problem meeting their goals in life, except when these certainties are on the subject of religion.

But such people do not get asked to run our major corporations on any other subject, when they espouse these certainties on any other subject. They don’t get invited to present at conferences. They are apt to find their business cards discreetly placed in the trash.

Notice, we don’t have to pass any laws against bad ideas, to reliably deliver these reviews. We simply have to be free to criticize bad ides, and we are free to criticize bad ideas, except we are not availing ourselves of this freedom on the subject of religion.

We have been cowed into silence. We have learned to be terrified of the peevishness and irrationality of our neighbors. We’ve learned to fear their suffering which is, notice, different than feeling compassion for their suffering. We have learned to fear that the only remedy for their day to day suffering is the false consolation of false ideas."

Sam Harris, Beyond belief, Enlightenment 2.0, November 2, 2007, Sam Harris, Beyond belief, Enlightenment 2.0

On Belief

If you are a Christians or claim a religious believer or believer is some power, you believe you have the ultimate truth, the only answer.

What the religious do is issue a proclamation, a statement, they are not able to engage in a conversation, debate or even a real discussion. For simply, they already know the truth. They don't have to look elsewhere. As for Christians, they have been told from their scriptures to not even think about any other religion or else!

The real question is, do you seek the ultimate truth, at all costs or do you simply think you don’t have to seek or think any further.

The religious cleverly made it taboo to criticize religion. They want to keep this taboo alive. We as humans, don’t respect religious beliefs. It’s only the religious who demand respect for their beliefs because of the insane teachings their scriptures propose.

The religious are afraid to criticize other religions because this would now allow their own religion to be open to scrutiny.

If I told you I will win the lottery this week, I know this. It is my truth. Would you respect my belief? Nope. Would you respect my belief that the world is ending tomorrow? I hope not. We don't respect beliefs, only the reasons for beliefs.

The immorality the Bible seems endless. Some examples. Christians and non-Christians. What an immoral teaching. There is no "them", non-Christians. We all share the same humanity.Why does the Bible want to divide people?

In fact, religions are a their core, immoral. They want you to join their club. You are either ni the club or out of the club. If you are in the club, you are good, if you are not in their club, you are bad. Why does not Christianity (or any religion) unite the entire world, whether we are believers or non-believers? Religion is immoral.

Doing good things for bad reasons. You better be good or you'll go to hell. How immoral of a teaching. There are many good reasons to do good things.

Love your enemy. An utterly immoral teaching. You defend yourself against your enemy. How many Christian churches are calling for the US Military to be dismantled? None.

Is this the best a god could provide us? I propose the Bible's immoral teachings are more harmful to society than good.

The religious pronounce their religion is the only real religion and all other religions are rejected. The religious know what it is to reject all other religious belief systems, except their own.

Nontheists simply go one religion further and reject all religious beliefs.

Theory of Evolution

“Christians who doubt the truth of evolution are apt to say things like “Evolution is just a theory, not a fact.” Such statements betray a serious misunderstanding of the way the term “theory” is used in scientific discourse.

In science, facts must be explained with reference to other facts. These larger explanatory models are “theories”. Theories make predictions and can, in principle, be tested.

The phrase, “the theory of evolution” does not in the least suggest that evolution is not a fact. One can speak about the “germ theory of disease” or “the theory of gravitation” without casting doubt upon disease or gravity as facts of nature.

Harris, Sam, (2006). Letter to a Christian Nation. New York: Knopf. Page 69.

I've quoted this several times in my blog but this is something which the general public in America needs ingrained in their head, don't you agree?

Christian’s last ditch attempts are now claiming abuse by those who break the self-made taboo of not allowing anyone to question their faith.

Recently, I've noticed when Christians (and other religious people) are questioned about the validity of their belief, their hair stands up on the back of their neck and proclaim, you MUST respect my belief. Don't tell me I can't believe. Don't be abusive to me! You are disrespectful to me. You make me feel uncomfortable being around you. You are obviously angry and bitter to talk to me in a negative way about my faith.

Really? First, we don't respect people's beliefs, only the reasons behind their beliefs. Of course, for eons, religious people have wallowed in their own taboo which disallows criticism of their belief or faith. They have to have this taboo because their beliefs are simply mythology of old and for some reason, the masses cling onto these beliefs, like a drowning man, grasping at a razor blade to save his life.

If I tell you I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard. Wouldn't you want some proof?

What if I said, I wouldn't want to live in a universe where I did not believe I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard. Or if I said my life would not be meaningful if I did not believe I have a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard.

Wouldn't you want some proof as to if I had a diamond, the size of a refrigerator, buried in my backyard? Would you respect my belief?

The reason people say they believe in Christianity is the Bible. Okay. Take a look at the Bible... is this the best an all knowing, all wise, all perfect, all powerful god—who knows the past, present and future—could write or inspire?

So many translations, so many interpretations. Why wouldn't a god simply write and publish his own book? This would be child's play for an omnipotent god to write a book filled with timeless morals and ethics and a book which would never be misinterpreted. After creating the Universe, was god tired?

I know when Christians are called on the carpet about this, their brain will be working on uttering some excuse to defend why their god could not write (and publish) an all perfect, all moral, all ethical book which would apply to any culture in any time period in human history and which would also apply to any alien planet in our galaxy or in the universe.

Why isn't there equal rights and human rights in the Bible? Why does God want you to fear and love him at the same time? Fearing and loving the same person are the words you'd expect to hear from a dictator or totalitarian leader.

Why does God want you to do good things for bad reasons? Be good or go to hell! There are many good reasons to do good things. Is doing good things for bad reasons the best a god could come up with?

Why does God want you to love your enemy? A horrible moral. You defend yourself against your enemies. How many Christian churches are recommending we dismantle the entire US military? Yet, Christians preach love your enemy. Are they nuts?

Also, the Bible says that slavery is moral. The Bible says the repression of women's rights is moral. The Bible says discrimination against gays is moral. The Bible says that genocide is moral. The Bible says that human and animal sacrifice is moral. The Bible says that murder is moral. (Examples, if a child curses his parents, it's okay for the parents to kill their child.) The list seems endless.

One of the most horrible teachings of the bible: Christians are taught that demonizing nonbelievers is moral. What a perfect example of how religion divides people. If Christianity was so fantastic, why would anyone need to believe in it? Why doesn't Christianity unite the entire world whether you believe or not? Religious beliefs divide friends, families, marriages, co-workers, partners, communities and nations. For this reason alone, religion is not only immoral but a clear danger to a productive, free thinking, rational, progressive civilization.

And the one of the biggest problems of all, if not the biggest: Is it ethical to believe another person can take on the responsibility for your actions? Christ as a human sacrifice for your sin is an utterly immoral proposition. (Another problem, sin is a man-made concept.) The Christ sacrifice that eliminates personal responsibility is utterly immoral because personal responsibility is what all ethics and good morals depend.

Christianity Celebrates Dividing People Apart.

The mere belief in claiming to know a god divides people. To top if off, Christians demonize those who do not believe.

How incredibly stupid is it that Christians are proud to announce their own religion divides people. I'm a Christian (Psst... they are non-Christians).

Religions are truly sick, sick institutions promoting hatred between people. Is this the best a god could do? To create religious organizations which divide people by their core belief? To have their believers tell non-believers they know their god is the one true god and if you don't believe, you are excluded from their group?

When did perfection need anything?

Religion is fantastic. God is perfect.

Errr... let me get this straight. Religion is fantastic! Right? Then why do I have to believe in it? And another point... why does religion not bring everyone together, believers and nonbelievers?

Let's see... god is perfect. Okay, got it. A perfect being needs nothing. I got it! Great! I'm getting it. Oh, I have a question. If god is perfect and needs nothing, then why does god need me to believe in him? Errr... put it another way, why would a perfect being be offended if I did not believe in him?

Psst..., here's the answer: There is no god. All religions are man-made.

It is Time to End the "Diplomatic Immunity" Which the Vatican Claims Protects the Pope.

Many individuals have wanted the entire Catholic Church brought to justice but individuals typically don't have the knowledge or clout to get this type of action taken.

What religious groups, politicians or governments have taken on the responsibility of bringing the end to the Catholic Church's run on the sexual enslavement of children? None that I know of.

Who would have thought that scientists and scholars would be the ones to be outing the Catholic Church as the criminal organization that it is, by the sexual enslavement of children, and to demand the end (by trial) of the "diplomatic immunity" which the Vatican claims protects the Pope from any responsibility.

Read Sam Harris' article, "Bringing the Vatican to Justice" here.

Do you want to know the truth about religion at all costs?

It's actually quite simple to out religion as the fraud that it is.

Item 1:
If a certain religion was such a great thing, why would anyone have to believe in it?

Item 2:
And if a religion was the true religion, why would it not bring humanity together regardless of anyone's belief or non-belief?

Item 3:
Believers think their god is perfect. Believers even tout that a perfect being needs nothing. But the believer can't put two and two together. If a perfect being needs nothing, then a perfect being does not need anyone to believe in him/her/trans/it or his/her/trans/its religion.

A calling for a National Day of Islamic Prayer.

Isn't it time we all vote and try to pass into law a National Day of Islamic Prayer?

Huh? No? Scoff, scoff? You don't agree?

How would you propose to not allow a National Day of Islamic Prayer becoming law?

Here is the Christian response:

Errr... errr.... errr....

Oh yeah... let's see, let me sort through the U.S. Constitution. Normally, we would dismiss the U.S. Constitution when it comes to passing laws promoting Christianity into US law but we do have our standards.

We don't want other religions made into US law. However, we will fight and scream when Christianity is not made into law. We will not have a National Day of Islamic Prayer. No, NEVER!

The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

Errrr.... errrr... that's it. The wall of separation of church and state protects us from the evil of Islam.

We have to make sure there is not a National Day of Islamic Prayer.

The wall of separation of church and state protects us from a National Day of Buddhist Prayer, also.

And... the wall of separation of church and state protects us from a National Day of Jewish Prayer.

And... the wall of separation of church and state protects us from a National Day of Hindu Prayer.

And, god forbid, the wall of separation of church and state protects us from a National Day of Satanic Prayer.

However, as Christians, we want a National Day of Prayer. It's code for National Day of Christian Prayer. And the movement to try to Christianize America.

People are sick of the religious pushing their immoral dogmas and teachings on others.

People are sick and tired of being pushed around by the religious who claim to know the impossible. How arrogant is it to claim to know a god and to claim to know what he thinks. (Arrogant: offensive display of superiority or self-importance.)

When your god tells you to kill other people, are you going to do it? Oh, I guess, they already have. The human race will not stand for the immorality of ancient religions to hurt civilized society anymore.

Before science, the only thing people had to explain the world around them were religious texts. And the explanations were horrible. It's very odd that people still cling to these immoral and unethical texts in today's world.

For several hundred years, science has been advancing at a rapid rate. Now, the ancient religious texts are being outed for the poorly written texts they are, and are now are being crushed by the billions of science books, journals and studies.

It's only a matter of time and the world will be free from religious oppression and from their insane teachings.

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear the Boy Scouts Balboa Park lease case.

(The copy of this blog entry was sent to the San Diego Union-Tribune. I doubt they will publish this as they are weak. I did not send the sections to the San Diego Union Tribune noted with square brackets.)

How could anyone religious claim to be mad or offended by the court concerning the Boy Scouts in Balboa Park? The religious are mad because they claim to know the will of a God. Belief is required for action to occur.

For those who don’t know, in June 2000, the Boy Scouts of America (a private organization) achieved their victory, in the United States Supreme Court, to proudly exclude and discriminate against gay youth (or straight youth with gay parents) and agnostic or atheist youth (or believing youth with nonbelieving parents), and gay, agnostic or atheist adult scout leaders from membership.

[Therefore, in San Diego, a lawsuit (as in many cities) was taken out against the Boy Scouts renting city property in Balboa Park. There is a San Diego City Ordinance which does not allow discrimination based on sexual orientation. §52.9601 Statement of Policy. “Discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity deprives the City of the fullest utilization of its resources and capacity for development and advancement. Such discrimination poses a substantial threat to the health, safety and welfare of the community.”

§52.9606 City Facilities and Services. (a) Unlawful Service Practices. (1) City Facilities: “It shall be an unlawful service practice for any person to deny any individual the full and equal enjoyment of, or to place different terms and conditions on the availability of the use of any City facility on the basis (in whole or in part) of such individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Yet another example of how society's morals have surpassed the the morality of the Bible. Need I remind people that slavery is not moral. Human rights and equal rights were never in the Bible. You don't love your enemy, you defend your against your enemy. You don't do good things for bad reasons, an immoral precept. (You better be good or you'll go to hell forever.) There good reasons to do good things. If I continue with giving examples of the immorality of the Bible, I'd have to write a book. Which, by the way, I am doing.]

Where does the Boy Scouts of America get their impetus to discriminate? Follow the money. The money road leads directly to the steps of the Mormon Church. And the Mormons know their God does not like gay people. And the followers of many other religions feel the same way.

[66.9% of Boy Scout troops are charted by faith-based organizations. See Chartered Organizations and the Boy Scouts of America. And oh how the faith based love to discriminate. Oooooh, the puss of discrimination oozes from the faithful and it is disgusting and insulting to the human race.]

Why is sexual orientation a higher priority to God than the starvation of 5 million children per year? See http://www.bread.org/. God’s highest wisdom? Belief is required for action to occur. The priority of the religious is sex in bed over the starvation of 5 million children annually? That's an immoral conclusion.

Is it God’s will to send a message to American youth that discrimination is an acceptable ethic? Are the followers of a loving God saying they don’t believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and are they saying that all men are not created equal? If this type of thinking the height of their God’s moral wisdom, I want no part of it. More immoral conclusions.

[Why do nonbelievers have to continually point out the immorality of religious dogmas and the immorality of the people for believing in these insulting and insane precepts?]

Christians laugh at others who believe in Zeus, Buddha, Allah or Elvis. And Christians demonize those who do not believe. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” See Psalm 14:1and Psalm 53:1. How dehumanizing is this type of religious teaching? It’s insulting to hear this type of talk aimed at the human race.

The numerous divisions of religious organizations alone points to a major flaw in religious belief. Then take the dividing of friends, families and communities due to religious beliefs, this is immorality at the core. Then to top it off, the religious claiming that killing others for their nonbelief is insane. If religion is so fantastic, why does it not unite everyone worldwide regardless of anyone's belief? Because it's simply not true.

Christians reject the dogmas of all other religions except their own. The religious deeply understand the reasons as to why they reject all other religious teachings.

Christians are atheists to all other religions. Christians will never admit this, but they know exactly what it feels like to be an atheist to all other religions.

Why don’t Christians understand that nontheists reject the non-Christian religious teachings for the same reasons as they do? Nontheists simply go one religion further and reject the religious teachings of Christianity as well.

Is it moral to believe that your sins can be forgiven by the punishment of another person?

“Is it moral to believe that your sins can be forgiven by the punishment of another person? Is it ethical to believe this? I submit that the doctrine of vicarious redemption by human sacrifice is utterly immoral.

A positively immoral doctrine that abolishes the concept of personal responsibility on which all ethics and morality must depend.”

—Christopher Hitchens (debating Alister McGrath)

Link for Hitchens/McGrath debate.

Do the religious know the definition of "respect", "indoctrination" and "cult"?

Do the religious know the definition of "respect", "indoctrination" and "cult"?

I doubt it, they are afraid to know the truth at all costs.

Respect:

3. esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.

4. deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect's right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.

5. the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.

Which exactly why the religious' unending request to receive respect is a con and swindle. We don't respect religious beliefs of others, for the same reason why people won't ever respect the belief of an adult who has an invisible friend.

Indoctrination:

1. to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., esp. to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view.

Imbue:

1. to impregnate or inspire, as with feelings, opinions, etc.: The new political leader was imbued with the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

Cult:

1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

The first definitions of a cult describe any common religion believed by the masses today. And the religious don't get it when people don't take their religious beliefs seriously.

Conclusion 1:
Believers see all other religions as false, they understand this. They understand the definitions of the words above in the context of all other religions other than their own.

Conclusion 1a:
However, when it comes to their own religion, they tense up, feel offended and don't understand the definitions above and certainly don’t see how the same definitions above apply, to their own religion.

Conclusion 1:
Change the subject to all other religions in the world but their own, and the light goes on again and they understand the meaning of the words above and their definitions and how they apply to all other religions.

Conclusion 1a:
Change the religion back to their own religion and immediately, at the flip of a switch, the light goes off and they don’t understand the definitions of the words above and they certainly don’t see how any of the words above could apply to their own religion.

Conclusion 1:
Change the subject to any religion other than their own, they understand the above words.

Conclusion 1a:
Change the subject to their own religion, and they not only don’t understand the words above and but they don’t understand how they could apply to their own religion.

It's an endless circle.

Is it time to move the Statue of Liberty?

I think it's time we move the Statue of Liberty to the Arizona-Mexico border.

Huffington Post article: The Arizona of 2010 Is the Alabama of 1963

Religious belief and respect.

Why should I respect anyone's religious belief that claims to know the impossible?

I don't and many people don't and you shouldn't either.

Oh, do you respect the belief of religious terrorists? I guarantee you the faith of the religious terrorist is stronger than a religious person who does not terrorize in the name of their god.

For those Christians who are now as mad after hell reading this. Pick up a dictionary and look up the word, "respect." Or is that too much of a challenge for you?

Is God deaf?

Examples.

A selfless prayer for would be for two Christians (Or how about 1,000 Christians or more? Maybe you need more for a big prayer? Not sure the Bible is not clear on this one.) to pray for one amputee to be healed. Of course, no amputee has ever been healed by the power of (thunder and lighting) God.

However, I wonder what excuse Christians will use to explain why their all powerful God can’t do something as simple as restoring a person’s limb? Salamanders can restore their tail without even praying. Obviously, it can’t be that hard of a thing for a god to accomplish if a salamander can do it on it's own.

How about two or more Christians praying that all cancer be healed worldwide over night? This is a selfless prayer. What excuse will Christians use to explain why God won’t answer their prayer.

How about praying to God to spontaneiously heal all people with birth defects? Is this too big of a task for God to handle? What excuse will Christians use to explain why God won’t answer their prayer.

Is God deaf? Not sure of the answer?

God is imaginary.

Church seats empty.

Imagine a religion which stated that all people are equally important, have inherent worth and dignity.

A religion that says it takes all of us to make our planet a good place to live. Gay, straight, lesbian, bi, trans, black, white, red, brown, yellow, etc., Asian, African, Indian, Mexican, European, etc., female, male, intersex, gender neutral, young, old, tall, short, thin, muscular, heavy, handsome and homely.

What if churches did this hundreds of years ago?

Churches, today, would be packed and their bank rolls would be overflowing.

Intelligence does not preclude credulity.

"Intelligence does not preclude credulity." I'm wondering if I'm the first person to publish these words in this order? Not sure. Mike Hampson

A quote by Blaise Pascal.

“Men (and women) never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.” —French mathematician Blaise Pascal

A quote by Physicist Steven Weinberg

“Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion.” —American physicist Steven Weinberg

What about magicians? Why would this be important?

Magicians? Hmmm... tricks, smoke and mirrors. So what? Deception, trickery, ruse, sham, fraud, con, cheat, swindle, racket, hoax, deceit, dupe, defraud, bamboozle, take advantage of.

When boys, girls, and trans are young, it's fun to know a secret and fool people. Some continue as an adult either as a hobby, a part-time or full-time job. So what?

For those magicians who study Houdini, it becomes apparent quite early that he wanted to believe in spirits, ghosts and the after life. He and his wife started out with a spiritual act which was all tricks, pretending to be a spiritualist. He knew the tricks.

When his mother died in 1913, his interest in the paranormal increased and he did everything he could do, to find a way to the other side to speak to his mother. He wanted to find the door to the other side but never found it.

However, Houdini found something. Houdini found that all the psychics were using were tricks and ruses. He searched his entire life for one paranormal thing to be true, he never found one paranormal event to be true. Ever.

After Houdini's death, many scientists, intellectuals and magicians have studied the paranormal and world religions and have found none which measure up. None are true. There is no magic. Except for magic tricks, that is magic tricks for magic shows, for entertainment.

Take a lesson from magicians, believe in yourself and your own humanity to solve your problems and to find meaning in your life. Why even consider devaluing your own humanity by thinking an invisible old man is out there, somehow, influencing your life.

Belief is a virtue? No, it is not.

People take pride in blindly believing in religious nonsense and then are offended when you point what utter nonsense religion is.

They scoff at all the other cults and religions for not getting it right. When asked point blank if they see the similarity between their blind belief and other the blind belief of people of other cults and religions, they look at you with a straight face and say, no, I don't see the similarity.

Making water into wine. Alchemy? Walking on water? Wow. A burning bush? Is a light year more incredible with a burning bush?

I wonder if followers wonder if string theory, quantum mechanics and astronomy beat the stories of the Bible. Was the burning bush the best a god could do?

The promise of infinite life or infinite punishment. Was this the best a god could come up with? Do good things for bad reasons. It is immoral to suggest that people do good things for bad reasons. Is that the best way to motivate people? No, it's not.

Where is the justice? Finite sin equals infinite punishment. Really? There is no limit to the punishment for doing finite things? This is absolute justice? No, it's not.

Could these things have been written by a god? No. Could these thing have been written by ancient primitive men trying to explain the world around them in the culture and science of their day? Yes, of course.

Enya.

Some suggest that if everyone would listen to Enya's music, there would be no more wars.

If all uptight religious people would listen to Enya, would they come to the conclusion that we are all equally human?

Would the masses then agree on the universal moral that we need to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person?

We are all atheists. A very appropriate quote.

"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." —Stephen F Roberts

Muslims Threaten To Kill South Park Creators

Anderson Cooper reported on April 20, 2010, on CNN, that Muslims in the United States are threatening to kill the South Park creators. See CNN report here.

Who insists that we respect anyone's religious belief, now?

Note: The last few minutes of this video have excellent words of wisdom from Ms. Aayan Hirsi Ali who has been in hiding in the United States due to Muslim threats on her life.

Sam Harris' quote on challenging a person's religious belief.

“…we are offending people [by challenging their religious beliefs], but we are [also] telling them that they are wrong to be offended.

Physicists aren’t offended when their view of physics is disproved or challenged. This is not the way rational minds operate when they’re really trying to get at what’s true in the world.

And religions purport to be representing reality and yet there's this peevish and tribal and ultimately dangerous reflexive response to having these ideas challenged.

We are pointing to the total liability of that.” - Sam Harris.

We are calling the believers on carpet and they don't like it. Too bad, so sad.

We are calling the believers on carpet and they don't like it. Get used to it.

People are sick of the ridiculous claim that their faith (or belief) in religion demands an exaggerated measure of respect.

And people are sick of those who claim that you know, for sure, that people are damned to hell without religion.

"What can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof." -Christopher Hitchens

We don't respect your belief. Period.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

The claim to fame of the faithful is that the stakes are high. Believe or burn in hell. Obviously, a Christian knows that the Islam faith is not real, it's a false religion. The Koran did not get it right. Their belief is wrong. And Muslims feel the same thing about the Christian faith. Christianity is not real, it's false. Their Bible did not get it right. Their belief is wrong.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

Christians have told me time and time again, they respect the faith of others. What a lie. What liars they are. LIARS. They believe, due to their faith, that all other religions are false, fake, zero. Therefore, Christians, Muslims and Jews don't respect other people's faith. They simply don't.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

The only reason why the religious claim they respect other people's faith or belief, is if they did not say this, then it would leave the door of criticism open to their claim that everyone needs to respect their faith. If they say they don't respect another person's faith, then they have taken the first step in pointing out that no one has to respect another person's faith. They would not be able to make the claim that faith demands respect.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

You only respect the people in your own club. What are some other reasons Christians, Muslims and Jews don't want to admit they don't respect other people's faiths? Because this would prove that religion actually divides people, it does not unite the world's population.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

One of religion's major flaws is that no religion unites everyone. To gain members, a religion has to recruit. If the religion is so great, why does it have to recruit in the first place? And religion only unites it's own believers, maybe. In truth, religion does a bad job of uniting their own people. Look at all the different denominations in Christianity. The believers of the same faith aren't even on the same page. It's disgusting.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

Why don't we respect your belief? Because the only way the religious can get respect for their beliefs of insane ideas is to demand respect for it.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

The claim to know the impossible is insane.

We don't respect your belief. Period.

The fact is, no one knows the impossible.

We don't respect your belief. Period.