2) Christianity the Cult of Evil
I'm a live and let live kind of guy, but Christians are really starting to tick me off. Their beliefs are starting to hedge in my life, liberty, and pursuit of all that.
I can't tell you how to feel about something like that, but that is an oversimplification
The final straw was this new creationism museum. This is when I new things where starting to tip, NOT in my favor.
Is it me or are Christians getting stupider. There seems to be a revival of this "take the bible literally" movement recently. Personally I thought it was better when they when it was mostly thought of as parables and stories.
Not all Christians take the Bible as the LITERAL word. Many (if not most) take it as the inspired Word, ineffeble only in matters of faith and religion. Yes, Evanglical and Fundamentalist theology is on the rise in the US, but they are by no means the majority. They are simple the most vocal and the media loves to show them. Oh, the Catholic Church also fully acknowledges the legitimacy of Evolution.
Christians always worked through fear, FEAR God, your going to Hell. But recently their Alarmism and ignorance is really putting me off of a lot of issues.
Again, oversimplification. I was brought into the (Catholic) Church by love. Not one person mentioned Hell. In fact, the Church emphasises love over all things. The Church does not take say that if you don't do this or this you are going to Hell. Rather, the Church stresses that it's teachings only help one come into communion with God for prosperity in this life and the next.
Like Stem cell research. They seem to have it in their little minds that scientists use aborted baby fetuses for their research. When the cells they use haven't seen the inside of a woman since the egg was harvested. They are just sitting in cold storage until they will be disposed of as medical waste. Or somatic cell nuclear transfer which doesn't even involve the fertilization of an egg.
First of all, not all Christians share the same theology. Second, that "harvested" egg IS fertilized outside of the womb and then destroyed. I suggest you read up on different Christian perspectives on Sex and Natural law. It would help you at least understand where we come from. "Theology of the Body" by Pope John Paul II is supposed to be very good for this.
My arguement is this
Lets assume God is Real, I don't pretend to be able to argue with blind faith.
I don't pretend to aruge it's easy.
My question is this, IF you believe in Him, WHY would you want to?
GOD is an as$hole. He doesn't display any characteristics that I find virtuous. He is a vain, ego maniacal bully. Outside of what ever feel good sermons they give on Sunday, the bible is full of God advocating, if not out right participating in Murder, rape, slavery, and human sacrifice. All things generally consider pretty freaking evil by today's standards. But I guess it's OK if God says so right?
I'm sorry, but this regurgitation of the Dawkins/Hitchens malarkey is very one sided. That which is God is ineffable. The Old Testament had very disturbing stories, but they aren't condoning all of those actions. In fact, most Old Testament stories are examples of "What not to do." Life back then was harsh, society different. Men's understanding of God would also be different, harsher.
Lets take a look a JOB, a fairly common story. Because of Gods 'Pride' in the faith of job he consents to the Killing of relatively Innocent people such as his servants? and children. When Job asks for some justification for this, God comes down and says, because he can. He goes on and on about all He knows and all He can do, and pretty much just makes the argument of Might Makes Rights. God is all powerful, so he can do whatever he wants. That sounds like a bully to me. How about when he killed the first born children of Egypt were they not innocent, are your children innocent?
The story of Job is a complex one, and even I struggle with it. However, isn't it possible that the Biblical writers were writing to an audience that WOULD think God would kill others as punishment? Perhaps it is told from that perspective so that those hearing the story would know what it was to suffer as Job did.
Why would God condemn a good man to hell for not Worshiping Him. In other words why would God condemn a man to hell for not appealing to His vanity. If you are a good man, in that you have never committed a sin against another man. The first 4 commandments all appeal to Gods vanity so anyone who was not a believer is automatically a sinner, but the next 6, the ones people actually know...
Not all Christians believe all Non-Christians go to Hell. In fact, in Catholic theology we have what is called "Babtism by desire." The goodness and love of these men who either could not accept Christ or never heard is Gospel baptized them. Also, I wouldn't call it vanity. The Old Jews, you must understand, where not Monotheists. God tried to point them in the direction of what the Divine was, one single omnipotent being. To put any other God before him wouldn't be in the Jews best interest since it was they he chose to reveal himself through. The human soul, heart, and mind pointed out certain things that are true in all religion, (men partly understanding Logos) but God showed them what it all was. And he showed it fully in Christ, the manifested word.
1) I am the Lord your God
2) Thou shalt have no other gods before me, Thou shalt not make for yourself an idol
3) Thou shalt not make wrongful use of the name of your God
4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
...These ones...
5) Honor Thy Mother and Father
6) Thou shalt not murder
7) Thou shalt not commit adultery
8) Thou shalt not steal
9) Thou shalt not bear false witness
10) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house.
Say he didn't break commandments 5 through 10. That man should spend eternity in hell? Any man who could be considered saintly by his peers by virtue of his deeds should spend eternity in Hell fire, for being Buddhist or whatever? I don't buy that, that's not any Justice I know of. And how is eternity in Hell a fit punishment for any sin of earth, life is short, eternity is forever.