Something I found that perhaps answers one question...
> Hi Virians,
>
> Church of Virus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
> version 0.01
>
> (a) What the hell is this Level thing you guys keep arguing over?
>
> (b) What is a meme?
>
> (c) What's wrong with believing in God?
Dear Believer
Freedom From Religion Foundation
Excerpts from "Dear Believer," a "non-tract" published by the Freedom From Religion Foundation of Madison, Wisconsin. "Dear Believer" was the Foundation's response to Gideon Bibles found in hotel rooms nationwide.
Dear Believer,
You ask for me to consider Christianity as the answer for my life. I have done that. I consider it untrue, repugnant, and harmful.
I find it incredible that you ask me to believe that: the earth was created in six literal days; women came from a man's rib; a snake, a donkey, and a burning bush spoke human language; all animal species, millions of them, rode on one boat; a detached hand floated in the air and wrote on a wall; Jesus walked on water unaided; fish and bread magically multiplied to feed the hungry; water instantly turned to wine; a fiery lake of eternal torment awaits unbelievers under the earth while there is life after death in a city that is 1,500 miles cubed, with mansions and food, for Christians only.
If you believe these stories, then you are the one with the problem, not me. These myths violate natural law, contradict science, and fail to correspond to reality or logic. If you can't see that, then you can't separate truth from fantasy. It doesn't matter how many people accept the delusions inflicted by "holy" men; a widely held lie is still a lie.
If Christianity were simply untrue, I would not be too concerned. Santa is untrue, but it is a harmless myth that people outgrow. But Christianity, besides being false, is also abhorrent. It amazes me that you claim to love the God of the Bible, a hateful, arrogant, sexist, cruel being who can't tolerate criticism. I would not want to live in the same neighborhood as such a creature!
The biblical God is a macho male warrior. Though he said "Thou shalt not kill," he ordered death for all opposition. He punishes offspring to the fourth generation; ordered pregnant women and children to be ripped up; is partial to one race of people; judges women inferior to men; is a sadist who created a hell to torture unbelievers; created evil; spread dung on people's faces; sent bears to devour forty-two children who teased a prophet; punishes people with snakes, dogs, dragons, swords, axes, fire, famine and infanticide; and said fathers should eat their sons. Is that nice? Would you want to live next door to such a person?
And Jesus is a chip off the old block. He said, "I and my father are one," and he upheld "every jot and tittle" of the Old Testament law. He preached the same old judgment: vengeance and death, wrath and distress, hell and torture for all nonconformists. He never denounced the subjugation of slaves or women. He irrationally cursed and withered a fig tree for being barren out of season. He mandated burning unbelievers. (The Church has complied with relish.) He stole a horse. You want me to accept Jesus, but I think I'll pick my own friends, thank you.
I also find Christianity to be morally repugnant. The concepts of original sin, depravity, substitutionary forgiveness, intolerance, eternal punishment, and humble worship are all beneath the dignity of intelligent human beings. They are barbaric ideas for primitive cultures cowering in fear and ignorance.
Do you see why I do not respect the biblical message? It is an insulting bag of nonsense. You have every right to torment yourself with such insanity-- but leave me out of it. I have better things to do with my life.
Freedom From Religion Foundation
P.O. Box 750
Madison WI 53701
http://www.infidels.org/org/ffrf/
> (d) Why start a religion?
>
> (e) What is Universal Darwinism?
>
> (f) What is the paradigm shift involved with memetics?
>
> (g) What is clarity of purpose?
>
> (h) What is phaith?
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> (i) Why is dogmatic faith a sin?
>
> (j) What is UTism?
>
> (k) What is Virus?
>
> (l) What is Religion?
>
> (m) What is Science?
>
> (n) What is Truth?
>
> etc.
>
> just tossing out ideas here...
>
> ERiC
>