While arguments rage over religious tolerance, it seems to me that irreligious intolerance is a far larger issue. Irreligious intolerance is endemic in our society. Those of us who openly admit disbelief in the supernatural are the least trusted in our society, shunned by family and former friends .
For example a Pew Research poll of 2000 households revealed that those who profess no religious belief are scored below immigrants, gays, lesbians and yes, even Muslims, even though in some Muslim countries we could (and probably would) be hanged, stoned or beheaded in public for our apostasy.
We need not fear beheading here, but irreligious intolerance still demands we be a “person of faith”, for election to public office. (This is the reason there is only one avowed atheist in a Congress of 535 members.) And it doesn’t seem to matter which faith. Any old faith will do.
A minion of the Mormon Church believes he has a living prophet who receives revelations directly from God. He wants to be our next President. Reverend Rick Warren in his 4 minute and 21 second inaugural prayer intoned: “You are loving to everyone you have made." In that snippet of time 72 children under the age of five died, most from starvation or conditions brought on by starvation. Another 13 million kids under the age of 5 have died since the day Reverend Warren was thanking his god for loving everyone. By this time tommorow, another 1005 will have died. All under 5.
While the 27 million dollar Creationist Museum in KY does a thriving business promoting ignorance, atheists like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Ted Turner are donating billions to education and healthcare. Will it be enough and will it come in time? We can't know for sure but this we can know; education will determine our species survival; not mosques, churches and faith.
We should wish our atheist benefactors well. Education, evidence and reason in place of piety, faith and fear. A no-brainer if there ever was one.
Then again; having a President who has a hot line to his revelator who has a hot line to God is not without its attraction.
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'We need not fear beheading here, but irreligious intolerance still demands we be a “person of faith”, for election to public office. (This is the reason there is only one avowed atheist in a Congress of 535 members.) And it doesn’t seem to matter which faith. Any old faith will do.'
ReplyDeleteIt seems this is the case in the USA. It was not the case in ancient civilizations. In fact,the Romans didn't care what you believed as long as you included the emperor among the rest of the gods. The Jews had a problem with this. We now have an emerging paradigm in religion which dismisses the bible as the literal word of god and allows a belief in many different religions. You can see this in Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Christian Church, United Church of Christ, Unitarians and others. Changes are coming. You might find some religious people who agree with you.
Jim
Charlie, I came across this article and thought I would share it. It is sure to draw fire. Use it any way you choose (at least I think the writer wouldn't mind).
ReplyDeleteJESUS WAS A DEMOCRAT
Say, what! You got it, after an exhaustive study it is my reasoned opinion that a belief in our Bible demands a logical conclusion that Jesus was and is a democrat who supports paying tax, supporting health care, respecting political leaders, and letting folks enjoy fine wine. First, let me establish some facts as understood by 30% of the world’s population. I’ll not insult bible believing Christians by quoting verses to support my claims below. They are such common facts to fundamentalists to render this unnecessary.
1.Our Christian Bible is the inspired word of God and is to be taken literally, every book, chapter, verse, sentence, and word.
2.Jesus is the Son of God who existed from the beginning.
3.As Son of God, he possesses all qualities of his father, God. He is all powerful, all knowing, and always present.
4.Jesus knew everything that was going to happen in the future. Like God, it was impossible for him to be wrong.
5.We use direct commands, examples, and necessary inference to extract the God’s will from the Bible.
Based on these established facts let me now prove my claims by using the Holy Bible. I’ll save the democrat part until last because it uses Necessary inference.
1.We are all acquainted with the fish story where Jesus gave the command to pay tax to the Roman emperor. You know, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar”. In other words don’t listen to the Tea Party (Yeah, Jesus already knew about these people; some of that necessary inference stuff).
2.Of course he supported health care! He went all over Galilee healing people and when Peter cut off the ear of the soldier, why he just healed it immediately.
3.I’m sure he wouldn’t be bad mouthing President Obama. Remember that “Render unto Caesar Comment? This was a command.
4.Now I know this won’t set well with my Baptist friends, but Jesus loved good wine and performed a miracle to make another 30 gallon for his friends after they were already drunk (hey, it’s in our inspired bible). This is one of those examples.
5.Now for the inference that proves he was a democrat. Remember Jesus knew what would happen in the future which includes things like my writing this paper, who was going to be president, Tea baggers, Sarah Palin, and Fox network. Jesus was really into symbolism. He used metaphors to make his point. So, if he really wanted to make a statement on his death about all this political nonsense going on today, what would he do? The answer is given in all four of our inspired gospels. He instructed his disciples to borrow a donkey. Why did he specifically choose a donkey, the symbol of the Democratic Party to ride to his death? Because he knew the future! Why not an elephant which is the symbol of the Republican Party? The Greek and Syrians used elephants to attach the Holy city of Jerusalem just like republicans are attaching our president today. He would never ride the republican’s elephant. He chose and animal of peace and humility to ride to his death. So, there you have it – Jesus was a democrat!
Now I challenge anyone to disprove my logic using the five beliefs above accepted by fundamentalist Christians. My logic falls flat on its face should you disprove this: “Our Christian Bible is the inspired word of God and is to be taken literally every book, chapter, verse, sentence, and word.”
If you deny that Jesus didn’t know about democrats and republicans, you don’t believe he is an all-knowing God. If you don’t believe he commanded people to pay tax, support a nation’s leader, believe in healing people, and letting friends have their wine, you don’t believe our Bible is the inspired word of God. If you reject the Bible, you destroy the very foundation upon which Christianity was founded. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, YOU WOULD BE THE ANTI-CHRIST!
Jim
The writer just noticed a couple of errors in the above and wants you to ignore them. He says he he is not inspired.
ReplyDeleteJim
But then again, neither am I! (he he)
ReplyDeleteJim
Can't argue with the facts.
ReplyDelete(Unless you are a fundy)
Actually, I'm just a democrat.
ReplyDeleteJim
Jim wrote: "If you deny that Jesus didn’t know about democrats and republicans, you don’t believe he is an all-knowing God. If you don’t believe he commanded people to pay tax, support a nation’s leader, believe in healing people, and letting friends have their wine, you don’t believe our Bible is the inspired word of God. If you reject the Bible, you destroy the very foundation upon which Christianity was founded. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, YOU WOULD BE THE ANTI-CHRIST!"
ReplyDeleteCareful Jim. Reason and logic in church can get you in hot water, and later (they will remind you) an even hotter experience.
Your comment reminded me of a quote by George Savile, Marquess de Halifax, 1633-1695:
"Nothing has an uglier look to us than reason, when it is not on our side."
Charlie and Jim. How I love reading you. Went to 2 funerals this weekend, and I must say the "christian" one was harder to stomach than the jewish one. At least the jews didn't try to redeem me at the latter. If there is a jesus, for sure he was a Democrat: he didn't like seeing the poor starve and he never suggested (in his book) that the poor should raise themselves up by their (nonexistent) bootstraps.
ReplyDeleteYou guys. Thank you for helping me know light is better than stumbling in the dark.
Unfortunately, I am finding it less and less comfortable to have found reality. Aggghhh! Don't take this to mean I am going backwards! I am just slowly realizing, through recent experiences, how hard it is to live in a supposedly free society if you don't "believe."
I have a gay son. He will be happy to know I meet with the same prejudice he does! By the way, my experience with the gay community, there are many nonbelievers, given how the church has treated them. They are the lucky ones, aren't they? It is so true, the truth shall set you free!
Thanks to you, Superman (hey I got no god. I need something)! lol
And to you too, Jim.
CA gal