Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Your Christianity WTF of the day.
How people can quote this book as historic, or use it as the foundation for their morality has always eluded me.
Uh.... yes I know! This book is nothing but writings of men, telling the tales they want to tell. Nothing more. Nothing divine or inspired. Drivel to control the masses. Someday Harry Potter series may serve the same purpose for another civilization.
Could it be b/c the library of Alexandria was burned? http://bit.ly/WIuVCs
I was talking to someone last night, She used to be a Deacon of a church and she said "The bible is nothing more than stories".
Which I thought was extremely interesting. So everything in "the bible" should not be taken "literally" . Having never actually read one I ordered a "good news bible" from Amazon for .01.
I mean even fairy tales were based on "something"?
If you notice no attention is hardly ever given to the "Dead sea scrolls" that are being uncovered....which could hold the truth of it all....
But the reThugs continue to hold a "book of stories" over our head as some sort of Truth? Oh and worship $$$$. If Jesus came back he would smite all these self righteous moneychangers!
According to Azlan he didn't give a crap about them! (money changers, power brokers)Wouldn't all these bible thumpers be surprised?
A liberal Christ?
who hates capitalism, wants to feed the poor, and shelter them?
OMG they would call him a socialist, commie faker! Can you imagine? Then he would make them all disappear! The end. :)
I've always felt that if the stories of Sherlock Holmes had been written a couple thousand years ago, today he would be believed to have actually existed.
I remember hearing a similar comment about the lack of evidence of a Jewish presence in Egypt. It was an archeological program but I've no idea which one now.
The best source for this statement is a book called "The Bible Unearthed" written by two archiologist. I believe one was name Israel Finklestein. It is a fascinating book that points out that forty years wandering in the desert would have left a melva of hess in debris of which there is none. The book also disproves a lot of other myths including the fall of Jerico and Solomon's temple both of which happened but way out of the time frame indicated by the Bible. And, yes, not one word about the Jews in all the miles of writing the Egyptions did.
This book is available in both book form and Kindle edition on Amazon - great reviews also. There is also a movie one can watch on the computer. Just highlight The Bible Unearthed above and right click and then go to search online option for all the choices.
It was interesting seeing Reza Aslan on the book tour for his jesus book admitting that the stories about jesus in the bible are less true in the sense of facts and more true in the allegorical sense to symbolize ideas and concepts. Do you think the old testament is more factual or less factual than the new? Yeah, I'm going to say less.
I've just placed a hold on this book from my local library - and purchased a Kindle edition of "The Bible Unearthed" above. Gotta study up to refute the biased and baseless arguments of the religious right. Actually, probably won't be talking to any of those folks as they do not associate with me, even the ones in my family. Their loss in so many ways.
From a newspaper article published in Israel about a dozen years ago. It caused quite a furor when it appeared.
"This is what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel: the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. "
Sorry, but there is no proof your statement is correct either..
A lot of stories are also told that have an anti-Semitic basis. And they are used to prove that Israel shouldn't exist. And if people don't realize this, they are very naive about the strength and prevalence of anti-semitism.
I personally believe the old and new testaments are fairy tales but I'm careful about how I present it because of this.
As I've said before and I'll keep repeating: Many if not MOST "Christians" haven't read the Bible.
Case in point: I was fishing this morning and two elderly couples showed up. The two women were jabbering like crazy. And the gramma kept saying things like "God wants this" and "God wants that" and such.
Then the quote that floored ME was "God didn't say help the sick - God said 'help those who help themselves.'"
I believe you. There's a whole camp of them who devoutly believe that Jesus was a capitalist and that he had nothing to say about a responsibility to help the down and out... I had an online public screaming match with one of them that ended when I posted ALL the New Testament quotes of Jesus's sayings on those subjects.
The writings of the ancient egyptians are original texts and hieroglyphs, whereas the bible has been translated many times from original texts which are no longer in existence. Big difference. We don't have an "original bible".
They carved a lot of things on stone and a lot of papyrus has survived the ages. We should be so lucky to have so much survive of our culture. M from MD
The bible was written by men who were not even living when a person named Jesus was around. Jesus was a common name at the time. The writings did not even start until 50 or 60 years later and continued to be written even 200 years later. Ideas were changed to suit the wishes of the people at different times. Check out Christianity Disproved website.
The stories are like fireside stories handed down to next generation and embellished with each telling.
If I recall, there is at least one reference to the Hebrews and it is on a wall depicting all the peoples one of the Pharoahs (and his army) whomped the hell out of. Can't remember which Pharoah at the moment and it isn't something that pops up readily in a search engine. Ah well, I'll find it eventually. M from MD
I agree with you, Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteUh.... yes I know!
ReplyDeleteThis book is nothing but writings of men, telling the tales they want to tell.
Nothing more.
Nothing divine or inspired.
Drivel to control the masses.
Someday Harry Potter series may serve the same purpose for another civilization.
Could it be b/c the library of Alexandria was burned? http://bit.ly/WIuVCs
DeleteI was talking to someone last night, She used to be a Deacon of a church and she said "The bible is nothing more than stories".
Which I thought was extremely interesting. So everything in "the bible" should not be taken "literally" . Having never actually read one I ordered a "good news bible" from Amazon for .01.
I mean even fairy tales were based on "something"?
If you notice no attention is hardly ever given to the "Dead sea scrolls" that are being uncovered....which could hold the truth of it all....
But the reThugs continue to hold a "book of stories" over our head as some sort of Truth?
Oh and worship $$$$. If Jesus came back he would smite all these self righteous moneychangers!
According to Azlan he didn't give a crap about them! (money changers, power brokers)Wouldn't all these bible thumpers be surprised?
A liberal Christ?
who hates capitalism, wants to feed the poor, and shelter them?
OMG they would call him a socialist, commie faker! Can you imagine? Then he would make them all disappear!
The end. :)
I've always felt that if the stories of Sherlock Holmes had been written a couple thousand years ago, today he would be believed to have actually existed.
DeleteGryphen,
ReplyDeleteYou didn't give credit for that statement, so is it yours or did someone else say it? I would be interested in knowing the origin.
@4:21 - it is known fact - repeated for generations.
ReplyDeletego back to records of the exodus...oh yeah, there are none.
I think it's ironic that Pharaoh Akhenaten's 'Hymn to the Sun' was copied years later in Psalm 104. Akhenaten is credited with 'monotheism' (one-god).
DeleteI remember hearing a similar comment about the lack of evidence of a Jewish presence in Egypt. It was an archeological program but I've no idea which one now.
ReplyDeleteThe best source for this statement is a book called "The Bible Unearthed" written by two archiologist. I believe one was name Israel Finklestein. It is a fascinating book that points out that forty years wandering in the desert would have left a melva of hess in debris of which there is none. The book also disproves a lot of other myths including the fall of Jerico and Solomon's temple both of which happened but way out of the time frame indicated by the Bible. And, yes, not one word about the Jews in all the miles of writing the Egyptions did.
ReplyDeleteThis book is available in both book form and Kindle edition on Amazon - great reviews also. There is also a movie one can watch on the computer. Just highlight The Bible Unearthed above and right click and then go to search online option for all the choices.
DeleteIt was interesting seeing Reza Aslan on the book tour for his jesus book admitting that the stories about jesus in the bible are less true in the sense of facts and more true in the allegorical sense to symbolize ideas and concepts. Do you think the old testament is more factual or less factual than the new? Yeah, I'm going to say less.
ReplyDelete@8:55 have you read Aslan's book? I want to read it...Did you like it? (If you read it)
DeleteI've just placed a hold on this book from my local library - and purchased a Kindle edition of "The Bible Unearthed" above. Gotta study up to refute the biased and baseless arguments of the religious right. Actually, probably won't be talking to any of those folks as they do not associate with me, even the ones in my family. Their loss in so many ways.
DeleteFrom a newspaper article published in Israel about a dozen years ago. It caused quite a furor when it appeared.
ReplyDelete"This is what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel: the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. "
http://rense.com/general12/decon.htm
Great article! Thanks @GarColga6:07 AM
DeleteCampfire stories, that's all the bible is. About as credible as Grimm's fairy tales which are actually a lot better read.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but there is no proof your statement is correct either..
ReplyDeleteA lot of stories are also told that have an anti-Semitic basis. And they are used to prove that Israel shouldn't exist. And if people don't realize this, they are very naive about the strength and prevalence of anti-semitism.
I personally believe the old and new testaments are fairy tales but I'm careful about how I present it because of this.
And the Holocaust didn't happen either.
DeleteAs I've said before and I'll keep repeating:
ReplyDeleteMany if not MOST "Christians" haven't read the Bible.
Case in point:
I was fishing this morning and two elderly couples showed up. The two women were jabbering like crazy. And the gramma kept saying things like "God wants this" and "God wants that" and such.
Then the quote that floored ME was "God didn't say help the sick - God said 'help those who help themselves.'"
I kid you not.
I believe you. There's a whole camp of them who devoutly believe that Jesus was a capitalist and that he had nothing to say about a responsibility to help the down and out... I had an online public screaming match with one of them that ended when I posted ALL the New Testament quotes of Jesus's sayings on those subjects.
DeleteSome of you believe the writings of ancient Egyptians but not the Old Testament. That's pretty interesting.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe either!
The writings of the ancient egyptians are original texts and hieroglyphs, whereas the bible has been translated many times from original texts which are no longer in existence. Big difference. We don't have an "original bible".
DeleteWeren't a lot of Egyptian records destroyed by fire?
ReplyDeleteThey carved a lot of things on stone and a lot of papyrus has survived the ages. We should be so lucky to have so much survive of our culture.
DeleteM from MD
The bible was written by men who were not even living when a person named Jesus was around. Jesus was a common name at the time. The writings did not even start until 50 or 60 years later and continued to be written even 200 years later. Ideas were changed to suit the wishes of the people at different times. Check out Christianity Disproved website.
ReplyDeleteThe stories are like fireside stories handed down to next generation and embellished with each telling.
@ 9:24
DeleteJust a bit of a correction for you. You need to say THE NEW TESTAMENT didn't exist when jesus was around.
If I recall, there is at least one reference to the Hebrews and it is on a wall depicting all the peoples one of the Pharoahs (and his army) whomped the hell out of. Can't remember which Pharoah at the moment and it isn't something that pops up readily in a search engine. Ah well, I'll find it eventually.
ReplyDeleteM from MD
Found it. Possibly the only reference to the Israelites during the reign of Merenptah on his Victory Stele.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.memphis.edu/hypostyle/2004_season_report.php
M from MD
Thanks... was going to quote this stele but couldn't remember the name of the pharoah. It dates to between 1220-1208 B.C.
Delete