Agnostics “R” Us...

Robert G Ingersoll

“This century will be called Darwin's century. He was one of the greatest men who ever touched this globe. He has explained more of the phenomena of life than all of the religious teachers. Write the name of Charles Darwin on the one hand and the name of every theologian who ever lived on the other, and from that name has come more light to the world than from all of those. His doctrine of evolution, his doctrine of the survival of the fittest, his doctrine of the origin of species, has removed in every thinking mind the last vestige of orthodox Christianity. He has not only stated, but he has demonstrated, that the inspired writer knew nothing of this world, nothing of the origin of man, nothing of geology, nothing of astronomy, nothing of nature; that the Bible is a book written by ignorance--at the instigation of fear. Think of the men who replied to him. Only a few years ago there was no person too ignorant to successfully answer Charles Darwin, and the more ignorant he was the more cheerfully he undertook the task. He was held up to the ridicule, the scorn and contempt of the Christian world, and yet when he died, England was proud to put his dust with that of her noblest and her grandest. Charles Darwin conquered the intellectual world, and his doctrines are now accepted facts. His light has broken in on some of the clergy, and the greatest man who to-day occupies the pulpit of one of the orthodox churches, Henry Ward Beecher, is a believer in the theories of Charles Darwin -a man of more genius than all the clergy of that entire church put together.

...The church teaches that man was created perfect, and that for six thousand years he has degenerated. Darwin demonstrated the falsity of this dogma. He shows that man has for thousands of ages steadily advanced; that the Garden of Eden is an ignorant myth; that the doctrine of original sin has no foundation in fact; that the atonement is an absurdity; that the serpent did not tempt, and that man did not 'fall.'

Charles Darwin destroyed the foundation of orthodox Christianity. There is nothing left but faith in what we know could not and did not happen. Religion and science are enemies. One is a superstition; the other is a fact. One rests upon the false, the other upon the true. One is the result of fear and faith, the other of investigation and reason.”

― Robert Green Ingersoll, Lectures of Col. R.G. Ingersoll: Including His Letters on the Chinese God--Is Suicide a Sin?--The Right to One's Life--Etc. Etc. Etc, Volume 2

 

Thank you Luman for posting this piece by Robert Ingersoll.
I had never seen this brilliant write up.

The church continues to hold on to, what is left of its congregation, by sheer fear alone.
It is absolutely crucial for every individual to re-examine and reassess the indoctrinated ‘lessons’ absorbed in childhood.

 

Yes, Tanni, that does bother me too.
I have come to reconcile that in several ways.

• I think about:
  • Who sets the standard for what is truly right and wrong? Who is to say what kind and benevolent is? Can we judge God by the Bible that teaches us the character of God?
  • What may have been the purpose for such rules under that specific theocracy? Jesus addressed a related topic in a small way by answering a question about why Moses allowed divorce or sending away: Because of your hardness of heart... " not because it was God's intention. I know that doesn't address it well, but it does provide some logic for the apparent inconsistencies.
  • What do we not know about the situation? Of course, we have seen this played out in numerous situations in recent years with videos of crimes and other incidents. We see a partial video and come to a clear and obvious judgement, but then see the remainder or another angle and recognize that our judgement was entirely inaccurate. There is quite a good book on this topic, Is God a Moral Monster? by Paul Copan. It has some good contextual answers, but it doesn't leave you feeling fresh and happy, nor feeling that God is an endlessly forgiving Teddy bear, but it does help one understand how God does certainly seem to be living up to the standard which he sets.

SLAVE TRADING PUNISHABLE BY DEATH in the...

 

I agree entirely Dave. All of us have a very strong tendency to believe what is comfortable. Life and reality are not comfortable. If all of our beliefs lead us down and to a comfortable path and destination, the probability is that we are mistaken.

 

I would say less fear and more ignorance. I find that most people in and out of the church are not reflective. They have not dug deep into why or what they believe. The members of most churches are composed of club members. It's a club that teaches their kids how to behave and gives the kids and parents that are generally respected and well-behaved.
There may be some blind faith that resides with that type of church-attender/club member, but not a well-grounded and reasoned faith that is built on facts and experienced in transformation.

 

There is an interesting rebuttal by a Christian to this book titled: "Is God A Moral Compromiser?"...you can download it for free here:

http://religionatthemargins.com/2011/06/is-god-a-moral-compromiser-second-edition/

It is quite long... 344 pages!

 

Hey Dave, have you ever visited Lullingstone Roman Villa? I don't think it's that far from where you live. Anyhow, it's an interesting day out. You get a real sense of the beginnings of transition from paganism into Catholicism with things like the existence of a "cult room" that had to be hidden from view, and swastikas adorning the mosaic flooring!

 

I just might do that buddy.

Thanks
Dave x

 

There's a fine line between a long, drawn out sermon and, a hostage situation.

 

"Therefore...?"

 

‘What a load of BOLLOX!’

 

I spent years searching for Jesus's middle name. It seemed that all the people, when they became upset always hollered "Jesus H Christ." So asking for a friend what the H stands for I received no answer. With that I searched high and low. Finally after studying a prayer that some fool had written, I stumbled on his middle name. There in the prayer it hit me. Yes staring me in the face. Bold print it said Hallowed be thy name. Well fuck all these years and there it was.

When I told the Mrs. I found the middle name, her reply was,"well that is what you Americans say, but in our country it is "Jesus Fucking Christ."

I should have known I had it all wrong.

 

I’m warming to your missus Elmer.
A bit of irreverence always cracks me up.

But I believe the correct answer is
‘Jesus Holy Christ.’

I was told that by an Irish gal,
so it must be true.

 

Your girl must have been a city girl. The Mrs is country and there's things that come from her that I just wonder over. Like would ye ever look at that spare prick at the wedding.

 

You believe in a book that has talking animals, wizards, witches, demons, sticks turning into snakes, burning bushes, food falling from the sky, people walking on water, and, all sorts of magical, absurd and primitive stories, and you say that we are the ones that need help?

Samuel Clemens alias Mark Twain.

 

‘Same joke - Catholic Version’

 

Whenever we had a family get together my wife would never allow me to say grace.
Shame - I had two good ‘uns:

“Gawd bless these sinners
as they eat their dinners.”

—————————————

”For ham and eggs, and buttered toast,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

 

Whomever wrote that wrong should have read Vatican IS evil.

 

I don't know but my god must have gone to bumfreck because I sure as hell ain't seen or heard a damn thing from it.

An Irish man and his nagging wife were on holiday in Jerusalem when the wife suddenly died. The local priest told the husband he could bury her here for 50 euro. Or we can ship her home for 5000 euro. The husband replied I will ship her home.

The priest said but sir it's much cheaper to bury your wife here.

Are you fuckin mad or what, seems to me some god died here, then came back to life 3 days later, no fucking way am I burying her here.

 

The fire never got hot enough to melt the cross, it was probably some god that started the fire.