Biblical Flaws? August 2, 2008
Posted by atheismandhappiness in Religion.Tags: Bible, Catholic, Christianity, Flaws, Inaccurate, Wrong
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This may be nitpicking, yes. Still, I found these interesting:
DT 6:5, MT 22:37, MK 12:30, LK 10:27 Love God.
DT 6:13, PS 33:8, 34:9, 111:10, IS 8:13, LK 12:5, 1PE 2:17 Fear God.
1JN 4:18 There is no fear in love.
PR 30:5 Every word of God proves true.
2TH 2:11-12 <- Heh, well, not every. (More: 1KI 22:23, 2CH 18:22, JE 4:10, JE 20:7, EZ 14:9 )
MT 16:28, MK 9:1, LK 9:27 Jesus says that some of his listeners will not taste death before he comes again in his kingdom. This was said almost 2000 years ago. (They have all tasted death)
MK 16:17-18 A believer can handle snakes or drink poison and not experience any harm. (Note: Many unfortunate believers have died as a result of handling snakes and drinking poison.)
Note that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John along with some other books are all included above…
The Pope is supposed to be divinely guided. Popes have made many mistakes. (See: Crusades, Inquisition, et al) The Biblical authors are supposed to be divinely inspired. The Biblical authors have made many mistakes. Not only have the authors made mistakes, though, but also the group that chose which books were worthy for the Bible itself. Further, I’d wager that at least some of the innumerable copyists who edited the Bible over thousands of years have written some things incorrectly. I also think that if there were inspired gospels, it is highly possible that some might not even be in the Bible for the reason stated above.
So what to do when part of the Bible is wrong, part is missing, and another part is up for debate over its interpretation? Read it for ideas about how to believe in god yourself, if you do believe in god. Don’t cling to it and look to it for reasons to condemn gays, smoking, gambling, and wearing earrings. Form opinions and stances for yourself, and don’t be afraid to be different than the book or even the church itself. I’m sure an all-loving and compassionate god would understand, given the circumstances.
Communion is Bullshit July 31, 2008
Posted by atheismandhappiness in Atheism, Religion.Tags: Atheism, Christianity, Communion, Idiocy, Jesus, Sacraments
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Hebrews 10:10: “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
John 19:30: ”It is finished.”
Why is a sacrifice still going on that was supposed to have ended 2,000 years ago? According to the parishes where I live, and my personal upbringing, Catholics do believe that the sacrifice actually takes place in communion – that the host is actually god. So why torture god by dividing him, mashing him between your teeth, and boiling him in your digestive system when it isn’t needed? As a sign of respect? Possibly. But there are other ways of showing respect.
Where do you get the authority to sacrifice your own god on a weekly basis without reason? I also just don’t understand why you would eat your god – or even why you would need a ritual to do it when god is supposedly already in all things.
Is it to remember? The Crucifixion is remembered through statues of Jesus hanging from crosses, not through a reenactment. You might think this a rediculous comparison, but to be honest they amount to the same: the ruin of the body of Jesus.
It interests me to think about how Communion came about. It sure makes for a strong reason to make sure people come back every week. Since, of course, they don’t have the authority to break their own bread or remember on their own.
Top Ten Religions July 25, 2008
Posted by atheismandhappiness in Religion.Tags: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Religion
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Apparently, a third of the world is now Christian. Followed by Islam (20.1%), Hinduism (13.3%), and Buddhism (5.9%).
A few things are really suprising with this list. First, whoa, one in three people are Christians. But second, whoa, one in five people are muslims.
You might be thinking Judaism is next after Buddhism on this list. It’s not. Sikhism is. Once a frontrunner in the race for souls, god’s people have seemingly not shown the endurance necessary to outpace some of the younger religions. Here’s the complete list (Numbers are estimated, of course):
Religion Members Percentage
Christianity 2.1 billion 33.0%
Islam 1.3 billion 20.1
Hinduism 851 million 13.3
Buddhism 375 million 5.9
Sikhism 25 million 0.4
Judaism 15 million 0.2%
Baha’ism 7.5 million 0.1
Confucianism 6.4 million 0.1
Jainism 4.5 million 0.1
Shintoism 2.8 million 0.0
In my ignorance, I didn’t even know what Baha’ism was until I saw this list and looked it up, and I must say that it looks like a pretty solid religion, if that’s what you’re into. I could definately see myself becoming a Baha’ist (?) before most of the religions on this list, with the exception possibly of Buddhism (Rebirth(Sorry Ichxian!) sounds pretty cool).
As for the movers on the list, Islam is growing the fastest, followed by Baha’ism, Sikhism, Jainism, Hinduism, and then Christianity. (Percentage growths)
