Here are a few kernels of truth, wrapped liberally in extreme exaggeration. I know. It's pretty over the top. But so is the assertion that the bible is a holy book. That's a massive exaggeration. Most of it isn't even "pleasant".
The bible is revolting. It is sickening. It is nowhere NEAR as nice a book as what an ethical human could come up with, so why on earth does it have this reputation as having been written by the very author of love itself? It wasn't. It was written by human men - and pretty horrible men by the sounds of things.
And why is it that it only ever seems to be the ugly bits of the bible that are ever taken out of context? Why don't we ever hear christians complaining of John 3:16 being taken out of context?
Look, I know it's possible for things to be taken out of context. Creationists do it all the time, and it bugs the hell out of scientists and rationalists. Even I've been quoted out of context. Sure, it's annoying. But no context is large enough to write off some of the horrors of the bible. I mean - is September 11, for example, completely justified by recourse to a larger "context"? No, and neither are some of the horrors mentioned in the video.
I had a conversation recently (on youtube) and we talked about stoning. It occurred to me, that as an atheist, I will never, ever be called upon to defend the appalling practice of stoning. However, a christian who believes that their heavenly father mandated stoning, does have some kind of obligation to EXCUSE those who practiced stoning, and to even implicitly, DEFEND the practice, seeing, as it was, Yahweh's favored punishment.
THIS is what's wrong with christianity. And yes, I know that there is more to it than that. But how warped are your morals, compared to those of an atheist, if the atheist can outright condemn practices such as stoning and burning alive, but you can't, due to your apparent deep personal relationship with the supreme moral law giver of the universe? You know, that supreme moral law giver who said burning people alive was OK? Something is seriously wrong there.
Or, come out and say that the old testament laws were absolutely hideous! Come and join the rest of us. It's far clearer over here. No double-think. Come and live an ethical life based on what you TRULY believe about how best to live among others.
2 comments:
That's a great video, and the point you make is even better.
Fundamentalist believers in the literal "truth" of JudeoChristian Scripture can never either recognize or accept any of the myriad instances that, to any rational observer, give irrefutable evidence that their Bible is in error. To do so would totally undermine their ability to cope with what is often the frightening, unkind reality of this world, let alone their unwillingness to accept that this life is "all there is". Since it is the only affirmation that they "have it right" that is available to them in this life, it also explains why they must try to convince everyone else of the infallibility of Scripture and/or "apologize" for it. Logic and intelligent refutation of Scripture is doomed to make no inroads on this mindset.
Post a Comment