Self mutilation - Matthew 5:29

The new testament is seen as being the less cruel one.

In it, Jesus is seen as the role model for Christians.

However, he is not shy about the natural attraction humans may experience between them (lust):

"If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell."

Even after reading Jesus suggesting mutilation of your own body, people will hide this crazy talk with the metaphor excuse, and how it should not be taken literally. They forget the most important thing there is when reading the Bible: there is no fine print in the Bible stating anywhere what is and what isn't a metaphor.

It should be very obvious to any rational human of the 21st century that feeling attracted to another human is not a strong enough reason to self mutilate. Some would say that is not only cruel advice, but the plain evil kind.

I wonder if Jesus would think I would ever look at the Bible in search of good morality or life lessons after this one.

I would surely prefer to look at any beautiful woman with both eyes and enjoy eyesight together.

Richard Dawkins on Militant Atheism

A few years ago, Richard Dawkins made some very clear points about a reasonable stance to have on religion. This presentation he gave, is part of TED Conferences, and focuses on several aspects that defend the militant atheism stance.
If you have 30 minutes and crave a challenge, press play:

I thought this speech was a very good way to make a 30 minute point for militant atheism. It also highlighted very clearly, some of the problems and contradictions of religion. Some of those will be covered in this blog.

Genesis 3:16 - Men rule Women. Period.

Discrimination:
Discrimination is a sociological term referring to the treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group that is taken in consideration based on class or category.

Genesis 3:16

"I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing;

with pain you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."

In other words, women are supposed to bend to men's will. No ifs, no buts, plain and simple. If you are a woman and you have a husband, he owns you. You are no longer free.

If you like to worship a God that discriminates based on gender, Christianity is for you. And if your are a man, you're in the good side of the deal.

Exodus 31:14 - Desecrate the Sabbath, die!

In Christianity, New Testament, all variants of such religion claim to worship an infinitely merciful and just God. Except on one day of the week:

Exodus 31:14

"Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you.

Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death;

whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people."

In other words, do anything unholy on the sabbath and you must be put to death. That is how far God's kindness and tolerance goes in this day of the week. And in case your decide to work, that will cut you off from your people. Very fair, considering that all obstacles of Nature towards Mankind also happen during the Sabbath.

In my humble opinion, I believe the Bible needs to reassess the meaning on the word "infinitely". Because if for some reason another God shows up that is kind and tolerant every day of the week, such new God would be even kinder and more tolerant than the Christian God.

The newer God would then be kinder than the already infinitely kind one we "have" today. Can you really surpass infinity? According to Christianity, yes. They allow infinity to have exceptions.

Faith and Doubt events - Part II

How was my first trip to the event about faith and doubt?
I was caught by surprise from the start. In my experiences with religious people and the fiery debates that come from the usual conflict between religion and atheism, I am used to resistance, and in some unfortunate cases, disrespect and aggressive stances towards atheists.
This time it was going to be different. It started with a quote from the Bible:

"…Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect."
1 Peter 3:15

Be gentle and respectful when anyone questions your faith. Seriously? I was impressed. I immediately got those images in my head of the most extreme of Christians. Those who preach by yelling, those who preach with a closed fist and loud voices, and would call me Satan, or devil, just by asking the wrong question. This didn't happen here. But it was right after listening to Peter's quote that I glanced at the concentrated look of my friends and decided: "I am going to see this through".

Congressman Forbes, Religion and Government.

Not all leaders believe that we should be free to be religious, as well as to be free from religion. Some are bold and selfish enough to take their religious beliefs to the government, a place that should rule us all fairly and religiously unbiased. Congressman Forbes goes even further, by bringing his religious convictions to the place that also represents non religious citizens.

Congressman Forbes:

I feel that in light of so many false statements by a member of government, one should make things clear about some of the people from back in the day, just to leave things in a fair and unbiased state:

"The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma."

-Abraham Lincoln

"I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature."

-Thomas Jefferson

"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it!!!"

- John Adams,

letter to Thomas Jefferson

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear."

-Thomas Jefferson,

letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent."

-Thomas Jefferson,

letter to Francis Hopkinson, March 13, 1789

And my favorite from one of the brightest minds the world has ever seen:

"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."

-Albert Einstein

Turns out, Mr. Einstein, that most of us still are in that poor place, and most of us still neglect the opinions of the intelligent.
Maybe the 16% of non religious Americans(1) should be more respected in their own government by seeing a private matter, such as religion, kept private.
Reading, learning, and thinking clearly about the sides and opinions that stand against ours can be difficult. But it is rewarding nonetheless. Maybe Congressman Forbes should read about both sides of the story as well, and keep his or any religion outside of government. We are already free to worship whatever we want.
Government should be free from religion exactly because some of those who the government represents also are.

(1) C.I.A.
Jefferson Quotes
John Adams Quotes
Abraham Lincoln Quotes

[Quote] Albert Einstein on questioning:

In the previous post, I mentioned questioning. I wanted to question both sides of religion: the believer (which I was) and the non believer's side.
At some point in life I came across famous people's quotes.
One of the world's most intelligent human beings in history once said:

"The important thing is not to stop questioning."

I have to admit that once I found out about this quote, I felt really proud to have started my questioning early on in life.
To keep the questioning habit going: Have you been questioning anything lately? ;)