I would like to invite Bible Bashers to troll me in this thread please, but try to read

Oh and by the way talking about out of context - there is a reason why there are 100's of different denominations in christianity - so they mock the book itself.

Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and tortuous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistant that we call it the word of a demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.

Whence arose all the horrid assassinations of whole nations of men, women, and infants, with which the Bible is filled; and the bloody persecutions, and tortures unto death, and religiosu wars, that since that time have laid Europe in blood and ashes; whence arose they, but from this impious thing called religion, and this monstrous belief that God has spoken to man?

I ain't no bible basher, Christians are just reading it up side down.

Had the news of salvation by Jesus Christ been inscribed on the face of the sun and the moon, in characters that all nations would have understood, the whole earth had known it in twenty-four hours, and all nations would have believed it; whereas, though it is now almost two thousand years since, as they tell us, Christ came upon earth, not a twentieth part of the people of the earth know anything of it, and among those who do, the wiser part do not believe it.

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

Maybe you can explain to me then,
why my own people's heritage would
be lesser than that of distant Hebrews?

Why the heck would I bow down before
obscure deity of faraway desert goat
shepherd people?

And just what would make "YHWH"
more real than any other deity ever
worshiped by 1 or more humans..?

Etc etc etc.

Nothing ever spread 'Christianity' effectively
around here, but brute military force.

Oh yeah - how to make tiny, insignificant
Israel a political lever to shift the entire
planet again and again and again.
The global mindf**k is just...mind-boggling.

In short:



but by all means,
to each his own,
and feel free to
"bow down before the one you serve
- you're going to get what you deserve"

No thanks, I do think I'll always prefer free,
basic thinking.


Nothing personal, though. :)
Most Christians seem to be rather decent folks.

That's the nice thing about organized religion, it provides answers and blame for the state of things. And for the questions we don't have answers for, a magic hat trick, faith. Because God is mysterious and his ways are not man's.

Which is a nice way of saying churches are authoritarian organized community instruction centers where you are programmed by those speaking for God to behave in an acceptable manner to authority.

Sure lots of good advice, community to help you through the tough times...but that comes at a cost, and for me God is about freedom not the devil in the details.

The kingdom of heaven is within. As soon as you start looking for an external solution...you are seeking a yoke to break you. And that isn't God nor grace. It is man.

Will someone explain why God needs a book to talk to people when, you know, He's God and he can interact with each of us personally, simultaneously, without the problems of confusion, interpretation?

I mean, really, does God want people not to believe in Him? Does God want Protestants to kill Catholics and Catholics to kill Huguenots and everyone to kill the Indians?

Why do you have to read a book whichever one, there must be dozens different "Holy Books" each one the word of God himself, passed along to man. Why doesn't God speak for himself?

And what's the point of waiting to come back? He's God. What difference does 1,000 years, 10,000 years, 1,000,000 years mean to someone who's infinite and timeless? Why not do it immediately, right now, or why not just make everything perfect from the start. I man, you don't see God coming back to fix the earth because it's falling apart. Everything seems just right, working really well, in good shape except people. Why is that?

Of course all religions are equally implausible. If any one were in fact proven to connect to God, every single person on earth would be lining up to join.

Last Edited by nmhaupt on 06/24/2014 11:00 AM

I was born and raised a Christian. I think I was a pretty good one...church and Sunday school every Sunday, prayed and gave thanks before every meal, prayed every morning and at night before bed time. As I got into my mid to late teens I began to question things in the bible, so I came to believe most of what was in the old testament was history and tales of an ancient and superstitious people, with much symbolism, but I still believed in God and Jesus and did communion because I wanted my "sins" to be forgiven so I wouldn't roast in hell.

By my mid 20's I rejected religion and became a theist, feeling there must be creator, but the bible and all religions were only man's interpretation.

Finally, by my 40's, I rejected all of it and became an atheist...not a hard atheist, but one who felt there MAY be a God, but there hasn't been any solid enough proof for me to accept one God or another.

At the age of 58 (7 years ago) I had a heart attack and a NDE. From it I found that consciousness goes on. There is no judgement or hell, only enlightenment. This is a real problem for many Christians and atheists alike. But, I don't care and I actually support anyone that rejects my NDE story because it's something that can't be proved, and we must never take what anyone says as gospel truth...especially without any evidence, of which I have none.

So, my stance personally is that it's not what you believe or don't believe. What's important is what a person is inside...not for the sake of not roasting in hell, not to appease some God, not even because whatever you do or say affects others and eventually yourself (even though it does and will), but because the inner peace that comes from treating others as you'd like to be treated. Inner peace can't be found in a building, a book or a movement. It can only come from within. That's what is meant when Jesus (who, if he indeed did exist, was no more a son of God that you or I or anyone else is a son or daughter of God) said "the Kingdom of God is within you" (there are a FEW truths in the bible, but not many).

So, no going to church for me (thanks for your concern, though). I do really good with what I've found within, in fact much, much better than when I worried about punishment from "God"...what or whoever he-she-it is.