Let's Discuss Religion.

[Vlad]

If you like that, you'll probably enjoy this 8 minute clip: http://www.theholyatheist.com/podcast/episode-1-standup

Good stuff.

I am listening to the Rabbi episode now and it is fascinating that all the religious Jewish people take it as granted that Moses wrote first 5 books of the Old Testament... even though it is talked about Moses' death in 5th book, the Deuteronomy.. did he write about his own death and funeral?

[Vlad]

I read a post on FB today about how the Colorado fires are God's judgment because the state is moving toward marriage equality.

Whoever says such a thing is probably not even worthy of a response. It's just sad that a fellow human being can say such an immoral phrase and almost in a way be proud of it.

[Vlad]

For once, Texas gets a brief respite from being on the bottom of the pile.

That did not last long..

[Vlad]

Just a subtle difference between them...

[dryrunguy]

That did not last long..

The first minute didn't surprise me all that much. But I was actually quite shocked about the blatant honesty of the statement that appeared at 1:00. I mean, we all knew that about them, but I had no clue that they were being so honest with themselves about the "dangers" of critical thinking.

[Vlad]

Can real Christians believe in evolution (meaning rejecting Adam and Eve) and Jesus Christ as a Savior?

There is a pretty good case why it is not possible.

[Vlad]

This sounds like a pretty neutered and unnecessary being... I mean, if God doesn't work by magic (and by this I assume you mean anything that breaks our natural laws) then why posit a God? If everything God supposedly did could also have happened without him, why complicate things?

One of the last bastions of religious arguments I hear is "something can't come from nothing, only God can do that because he's not bound by those laws". But if even that isn't true, there's no argument left!

I completely agree with the notion that any intelligent being will only complicate things and bring even more questions. Occam's razor sort of a thing. If there is a simple explanation, then it's probably it. We know most of the energy in the Universe is in EMPTY space. Something CAN come from nothing as we know it. Ideas in Quantum mechanics show us that what we think of nothing is not really nothing. There is always something, in the way of virtual particles popping in and out of existence at random. So, it's funny to listen to someone arguing that "something can't come from nothing" even though they clearly can not even define nothing.

[Vlad]

Well-researched video on "ten commandments".

[Vlad]

Pretty good video. Mostly because it is TRUE! Angels are really nice though.

[Vlad]

Excellent essay by Paula Kirby of Washington Post about the role of women as demanded by religions.

Religion lies about women

“The discrimination against women on a global basis is very often attributable to the declaration by religious leaders in Christianity, Islam, and other religions that women are inferior in the eyes of God,” former President Jimmy Carter said last week. Many traditions teach that while both men and women are equal in value, God has ordained specific roles for men and women. Those distinct duties often keep women out of leadership positions in their religious communities. What is religion’s role in gender discrimination?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...9mXD_blog.html

[suliso]

Religion is to a large extent about preserving traditions. In per-technological (or even early technological) societies a strict separation of gender roles is a necessity. Very few roles could have been served equally well by either gender.

[Vlad]

Religion is to a large extent about preserving traditions. In per-technological (or even early technological) societies a strict separation of gender roles is a necessity. Very few roles could have been served equally well by either gender.

You mean pre-technological right?

With that I kind of agree, but the roles (if not enforced strictly by local culture or religion) will still be observed naturally. In early times, women would still be considered "weaker" gender even with no religions, but at least there would be less punishment, abuse and injustice. Women in the Bible are property of men. Just read the 10th commandment and it puts women in the same sentences as oxen and asses (donkeys).

In today's society, however, there is not a single reason that I see why would anyone follow the religious texts or even get inspired from them. As far as morality goes, I think it is fair to say that freedom, democracy and free thought by far trumps the best morals that a Bronze age group of Palestinian goat-herders could ever offer.

Christianity has been forced to evolve on many issues and it certainly did not come from within. Islam, however is still as primitive and dangerous as religion can get, particularly in the area of women's rights.

[Vlad]

Has anyone watched Mr. Deity episodes on youtube? They are pretty good

[ponchi101]

New Bible translation has screenplay format
From Here

"That's pure Hollywood, but the team behind "The Voice" says it isn't a gimmick. They hope this new version will help readers understand the meaning behind the sometimes archaic language of the Bible and enjoy the story enough to stick with it."
Translation: "Reading The Bible is an ordeal of, well, how else can you say it, Biblical proportions, and in this way we can fool people into believing they are reading the Bible without having them actually read it and come to grips with the fact that it is utter nonsense"
----
""The biggest thing, the unexpected plus, is that people will read an entire book of the Bible because it reads like a novel," Couch said."
Translation: "The biggest thing, the unexpected plus, is that in a few decades, if this catches up, The Bible will read like a 21st Century Story, and people will not notice that God is one of the strangest, weirdest characters ever concocted. Who knows, we may even slip it in as ´Harry Potter and the really, really, really, REALLY BIG GUY!¨

""The Voice" not only reformats the Bible but also inserts words and phrases into the text to clarify the action or smooth transitions. These words are generally in italics so the reader can tell what the additions are. At other points, the order of verses is changed to make the story read better."
Translation. The bible is so self contradictory that anybody with one iota of critical thinking can look at it and tell it makes no sense whatsoever. This way we want to cover for the fact that, well, God was a great writer but no so hot as an editor"
---0---
So much for the Everlasting, perfect voice of God. This definitely proves there is nothing sacred nowadays (not that that bothers me one bit)
(Can't wait for these people to pull the same thing with the koran)

[ponchi101]

Has anyone watched Mr. Deity episodes on youtube? They are pretty good

Some are pretty hilarious. The guy was trying to get to do a full length movie, but guess what? Somehow he could not get the funding.
I hope you got to the part where God talks to Jesus about the crucifixion. And Lucy is quite interesting.