Deleted due to reconsideration.
OK, that is a very emotionally charged picture. What is going on, you are a stated atheist, who now appears to be promoting the scripture.
Exodus 22:18
King James Version
18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
I request no one post any horrorific pictures of acts the scriptures advocate, such as mutilation, dismemberment, and so on.
Hi David, no it was not my intention to promote scripture, in fact, it was the opposite. The bible makes many bold claims that are patently untrue - and as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. If this post misses the mark I am happy to delete it.
Thank you for the clarification.
The bible is rife with failed promises, outright lies, and disinformation.
My current big question is how come such a powerful and intelligent god who decided to imaprt the biggest message for mankind could not deliver a clear and concise message?
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I agree that mankind does not appear to have received any concrete evidence from a god to prove its existence. In my case, after 30 years of being a former Christian I can definitively attest to the fact that a god never proved its existence to me ( though apologists maintained that we all have more than enough evidence to verify the existence of their god).
I have witnessed family members gathered in a hospital chapel, fervently praying for their loved one. They returned to the patient’s room, to be informed that person had expired.
I have been there on more than one occasion. Watching people you love, die, while believing that god has sent them to hell is pure torture.
John 16:24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
This verse is a lie. As is
Matthew 18:19-21 19 “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth concerning anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven.
And for just one more New Testament lie -
James 5:15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
—and?
Why do you think it’s necessary to preach to the choir?
Stephen fry said it very well:
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Because I have just joined the choir and am enjoying the singing.
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Also why did he wait billions of years from the big bang, to just evolve the one species of ape that his message is for, communicating it just a couple of millennia ago?
And why the fuck did he spend 100’s of millions if years tinkering with dinosaur evolution only to wipe them pretty much all out?
Did we really need more than one species of slug?
Almost ten years of Sunday school, and those questions remain unanswered.
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If it’s available, probably YouTube. If not, you might enjoy the one linked below:
Debate on the problem of evil
@boomer47 Tell that to all the unfortunate victims of abuse by Catholic priests, over the many years, and see if any of them believe that, right?
From my experience, prayer is a complete waste of time. No one has moved a mountain or raised the dead (except this dude and don’t believe your eyes)with second thoughts, no, I won’t bother you with the Nigerian bullshit scam. We all die (even Jesus) and there is no proof of anyone being raised from the dead. If you want to be an arsehole, go and shit somewhere else. If you want to be a complete arsehole, put on a frock and tell me you have the truth while your brethren are molesting children. FUCK RELIGION.
For you and for me, certainly. We are not believers.
Because I grew up catholic, I remember how comforting prayer could be and how it seemed to help when some one died.
It is my position that all human behaviour has or had a reason. That behaviour meet human needs. Religion and ritual almost certainly help in say coping with the fear of death, providing a sense of reason and purpose where non exists and providing the comforting illusion of being in control over thing over which one has no control.
I could not care less about the personal superstitions of others. Nor am I arrogant enough to presume to teach others in matters metaphysical. As far as I’m aware, metaphysical claims about such things as gods are unfalsifiable.
Thought for today ; “Religion; Man’s attempt to communicate with the weather”(Graffito, Cambridge England 2000)
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A fair and reasonable conclusion.
First, please don’t shoot the messenger. I simply posted a debate without comment.
Second , your claim has led you to a non sequitor. That many members of an institution have committed disgusting crimes does not in an of itself support a claim that the institution is without merit.
My position is that the catholic church has been innately corrupt from the fourth century at the latest. That occurred from when the emperor Theodosius made a small sect of followers of “The Way” the official state religion. With the approval and encouragement of the emperor, they immediately began murdering anyone who disagreed with them, and burning any dissenting books they could find. That practice continued for over 1000 years. In my opinion they’d still be at it if they could.
As vile as it is, the abuse of children is the tip of a very nasty iceberg, which covers a millennium. Even so, I’m unable to demonstrate a claim that the church does no good whatsoever
My basic position remains. Viz; that organised religion is the greatest confidence trick ever perpetrated on the human race 
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You need different ones for different types of salad.
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Perhaps we should be considering whether the church does net good by weighing the evils against the benefits.
On the negative side, you’ve got child abuse, inquisitions, religious wars, resistance to scientific and social progress…
On the positive side there’s some amazing hats and costumes that make even the Nazis look dowdy.
Some would also point to religion’s contributions to art, architecture, education, social cohesion, care for the sick and aged… However, modern secular societies achieve all of these things far better without gods, and modern hospitals certainly work better without Mother Teresas running them.
I wonder what Michelangelo would have achieved if he hadn’t wasted his time doodling on the Pope’s ceiling.
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