The central tenants and doctrines of Christianity are severely flawed, but there just might be one theological statute that takes the cake as the most blatantly immoral – vicarious redemption. Christopher Hitchens says it best (as usual), and I’ve posted the video below. What is vicarious redemption? The concept is that a person can throw … More Vicarious Redemption
Tracie Harris from the Atheist Experience – she has moments of brilliance. Here is a great point about the question, “What does it hurt to believe?”
Angie made a great point on one of her comments that I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of – there are people on this Earth that have suffered far more than Jesus on the cross. Prisoners of War, AIDS victims, slaves, torture victims, and cancer patients have all suffered far more than a few hours of agony. When … More Jesus’ Minor Suffering
“We don’t know God’s reasons.” This is what I call The Great Christian Cop-Out and it comes up on a regular basis during debates. Basically, when all logic and reason seem directly opposed to God existing or being good, all-knowing, all-powerful, loving, merciful, etc. a Christian comes out with a statement analogous to the great … More The Great Christian Cop-Out
Last night, I flipped through HBO On-Demand and made the mistake of ordering “Paradise Lost,” a documentary following the case of three Memphis teens charged with murdering three 2nd-grade boys (I was not convinced of their guilt and it turns out that they were later released – that part is fascinating). First, let me say the … More Paradise Lost
Let’s say I were a Christian, but my kids were not. How could I possibly enjoy heaven with the knowledge that my children were burning in hell in endless suffering? I would resent God and wouldn’t want to be with him in heaven because of his lack of mercy. How could I want to stay in heaven? Or … More Enjoy Heaven?
Apparently, Jesus’ own family – the very people who should know better than anyone else that he was born of the virgin Mary, lived a life without sin, was the Messiah, etc. – did not believe him to be the son of God. Moreover, they thought he was crazy. Here are two verses that made me tilt … More Jesus’ Own Family Did Not Believe In Him
Possibly the most important story in Christianity is Jesus’ death. The idea, in short, is that God sacrificed his only son to pay the debt of the sins of the world, and anyone who has faith in Jesus will be granted eternity in heaven. One of the most important verses in the New Testament is John 3:16 … More Jesus Didn’t Truly Die For Our Sins
I have attached links to the two books that I feel sum up the theological debate as well as the implications of religion in the 21st century. Sam Harris’ The End of Faith and Vincent Bugliosi’s Divinity of Doubt are profound indictments of religion and the consequences of irrational belief. As I read both of … More Two books that say it all
