Archive for August, 2009
August 29, 2009
This is the fourteenth chapter in the series My List: Believe the Bible? Read why I started this list in About Me.
God on abortion and baby killing:
God will punish women by aborting their fetus through a miscarriage.
Give them, O LORD–what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Hosea 9:14
God teaches the use of a bizarre ritual using cursed “bitter water” to abort a fetus who was conceived through infidelity.
Numbers 5:11-21
God orders Moses to kill every Midianite woman who was no longer a virgin. (many of these women would obviously have been pregnant)
Numbers 31:15-18
God promises to destroy the infants of Samaria and rip open the stomachs of pregnant women.
The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.
Hosea 13:16
God allows the pregnant women of Tappuah to be ripped open.
At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
2 Kings 15:16
God commands the killing of infants and nursing babies.
Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.
1 Samuel 15:3
God repays your enemies by destroying their babies.
Happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us. He who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.
Psalms 137:8-9
Apparently all life is precious to the god of the Bible, unless it is a fetus conceived out of wedlock or conception happens within an “enemy” nation that does not worship him. The Bible teaches that abortion is acceptable if God performs it or he commands it to be done through contaminated water or by violent force. The Bible doesn’t really specify on the modern surgical method of abortion.
Just to be clear, this post is not my attempt to make a political statement about my position on abortion. Only to show how ridiculous it is to hold up the Bible as proof of the value of human life. Being the father of two children, you don’t have to convince me of the value of human life.
You can be a pro-life supporter, but leave your Bible at home. It’s horrific and violent stories against innocent infants and unborn children have no place in a discussion on morality and the value of human life.
Tags:Abortion, Bible, Conception, Court, Fetus, God, Infant, Jesus, Law, Morality, Political, Pro-Choice, Pro-Life, Religion
Posted in A Cruel God., A Wrathful God., Politics, The List: Believe the Bible?, Why be a Christian? | 31 Comments »
August 25, 2009
“Where the senses fail us, reason must step in.”
“Doubt is the father of invention.”
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use and by some other means to give us knowledge which we can attain by them.
[Letter to Christina of Tuscany]
I think that in the discussion of natural problems we ought to begin not with the Scriptures, but with experiments, and demonstrations.
[The Authority of Scripture in Philosophical Controversies]
It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved.
[The Authority of Scripture in Philosophical Controversies]
“It vexes me when they would constrain science by the authority of the Scriptures, and yet do not consider themselves bound to answer reason and experiment.”
[The Authority of Scripture in Philosophical Controversies]
“Having been admonished by this Holy Office [the Inquisition] entirely to abandon the false opinion that the Sun was the center of the universe and immovable, and that the Earth was not the center of the same and that it moved… I curse and detest the said errors and heresies, and generally all and every error and sect contrary to the Holy Catholic Church.”
[Recantation, 22 June 1633]
Nothing physical which sense-experience sets before our eyes, or which necessary demonstrations prove to us, ought to be called into question (much less condemned) upon the testimony of biblical passages.
[Blind Watchers of the Sky, p. 101]
The doctrine that the earth is neither the center of the universe nor immovable, but moves even with a daily rotation, is absurd, and both philosophically and theologically false, and at the least an error of faith.
[Catholic Church's decision against Galileo Galilei]
Tags:Absurd, Astronomy, Atheism, Atheist, Bible, Catholic, Christianity, Church, Faith, False, Inquisitions, Quotation, Quote, Quotes, Roman, Science, Skeptic
Posted in Politics, Rational Thoughts from a Skeptic, Science & Medicine | 102 Comments »
August 24, 2009
The Bible tells us that God formed the earth and created humans in his image. Based on fossil evidence, Yahweh put humans on the earth over 2 million years ago. Adam and Eve must have been a primitive human species such as Homo Erectus.
So the question is, will there be Homo Erectus humans in heaven? Or did Jesus only die for Homo Sapiens?
The earliest human brain was far too small to understand religious theology. Did God expect them to follow the Ten Commandments, or did they have a more simplistic set of rules and law? Such as, “Thou shalt not drag women by their hair,” or “Thou shalt not hit your neighbor with a big wooden club.” Did they sacrifice small dinosaurs to God to atone for sin, or did lambs exist 2 million years ago?
Whether you believe the earth is 6,000 years old or 4.5 billion years old, you can’t deny the fossil evidence showing various humanoid species that are now extinct. Did God destroy them, or was evolution involved? Please enlighten me with the “truth” found in the Bible.
This is not a sarcastic question. I’m actually curious to hear how Christians answer this. Who knows, maybe one day you and Fred Flintstone will be standing together in paradise.
Tags:Christianity, God, Religion, Bible, Jesus, Genesis, Creation, Christian, Evolution, Science, Cavemen, Caveman, Homo Erectus, Sapien, Flintstone
Posted in Science & Medicine, Thought & Questions, Why be a Christian? | 51 Comments »
August 20, 2009
Does God ever feel shame and repent for his mistakes? Or is he a perfect God?
God is perfect. His ways and his word are without flaw.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.
2 Samuel 22:31, Psalm 18:30
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4
God apologizes, feels shame, feels regret, repents for his mistakes and openly admits that sometimes his perfect plan isn’t so perfect.
The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.“
Genesis 6:7
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Exodus 32:14
And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
1 Samuel 15:35
The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous.”
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
Genesis 18:17, 20, 32-33
Tags:Bible, Conflicting, False, Flawed, God, Imperfect, Inconsistent, Jesus, Mistakes, Perfect, Plan, Regret, Repent, Shame, Word
Posted in Bible Teaching of the Week, Why be a Christian? | 63 Comments »
August 16, 2009
The Covenant Life Worship Center and its 25 members in Haslett, Michigan held a winning ticket for the Lucky 7s raffle held on May 4. The church will receive the full amount of the $70,000 prize because it is a tax-exempt group.
Why is a tax-exempt church even legally allowed to play the Lottery? And wouldn’t Jesus frown on a church using “His” money to gamble? This is wrong on so many levels; I don’t even know where to start.
When pastors across America preach political agendas and sway elections by telling their congregation who to vote for, they are no longer justifiably tax exempt. Christian churches get special treatment because they hold far too much power in our country and it needs to stop. Either that, or they can start paying taxes like everyone else.
I may have just stumbled onto a quick solution to our ailing economy.
Tags:Agenda, America, Bible, Christian, Church, Elections, Exempt, Gambling, God, Greed, Jesus, Lottery, Money, Political, Taxes
Posted in Politics | 20 Comments »
August 15, 2009
Most have read the Gospel story about bad ass Jesus cracking a whip and turning over tables at Herod’s temple in a crazy tirade. The story is in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. I guess Jesus forgot about being peaceful and loving his enemies.
It’s really unfortunate Jesus wasn’t alive during WWII.
(via “Jesus Christ: In the Name of the Gun”)
Tags:Bible, Wrath, Jesus, Cartoon, Hitler, Rage, Nazi, Tables, Whip, Temple, WWJD
Posted in A Wrathful God., Funny Stuff | 35 Comments »
August 13, 2009
This is the thirteenth chapter in the series My List: Believe the Bible? Read why I started this list in About Me.
If you believe in God, the Bible teaches that you don’t need to worry about anything. You will prosper as God provides clothing, food, water and shelter. You only need to seek his kingdom.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
— Luke 12:27-30
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
— Matthew 6:25-26
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
This would be a very compelling teaching if there were any truth to it. The fact is people today (including Christians) still die of starvation and from drinking contaminated water. This teaching is absolutely false.
This god provides nothing except wishful thinking for an afterlife in heaven. He does nothing to actually help people in basic need on earth. There is not a plan for you to prosper unless you are able to provide for yourself.
Whether you believe in this god or not, you can’t tell me this deity provides food, water, shelter and prosperity to all people who believe. A human being only has these things if they are born to the right parents in certain regions of the world. Their belief in a god is irrelevant.
Tags:Atheist, Bible, Christian, Christianity, Food, God, Jesus, Prosperity, Provide, Water, Wealth
Posted in The List: Believe the Bible?, Why be a Christian? | 33 Comments »
August 12, 2009
God is good to all and has a plan for your life.
Psalm 145:9
The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God is not good to all, cursing, destroying and deceiving certain people.
Jeremiah 13:14
I will smash them one against the other, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.
John 12:40
The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts—so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.
Romans 9:18
So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
Tags:Bible, Christian, Conflicting, Destroy, False, Flawed, God, Good, Inconsistent, Plan, Teaching, Wrath
Posted in Bible Teaching of the Week | 36 Comments »
August 10, 2009
I used to love drawing these types of optical illusions as a kid. I stumbled onto this one and had to share it. I love the clever use of typography.
I slightly modified the original illustration.
(via)
Tags:Cartoon, Flip, Illusion, Illustration, Jesus, Opposite, Optical, Satan, Yang, Yin
Posted in Art & Design, Funny Stuff | 6 Comments »
August 10, 2009
- A paranormal claim is just another mystery to be solved;
- No matter how crazy the claim, someone will always believe it;
- Seeing does not mean believing;
- Believing something does not make it true;
- Skepticism can be fun;
- People hoax for all kinds of reasons;
- Witnesses and researchers can be in on the hoax;
- Hoaxers are often motivated by money;
- Even hundreds of the same kind of mystery can all turn out to be false;
- A preposterous real-world explanation is more likely than a supernatural guess.
Some will call you a jaded cynic, arrogant, or even destined to eternal damnation. But without “meddling kids”, unsubstantiated beliefs and propaganda would never be questioned.
The only unsolved paranormal mystery I’m truly interested in is what are in Scooby Snacks and where can I buy them?
(via)
Posted in Funny Stuff, Rational Thoughts from a Skeptic, Thought & Questions | 11 Comments »
