David Fitzgerald On The (Non)Existence Of Jesus

An excellent talk, well worth the hour.

 

South Carolina Celebrating Those Good Ole Days

You know, the good ole days when the darkies knew their place and a good, God-fearin’ Southern Gentleman could own a few of ’em.  So, South Carolina, the home of a big sack of nutty politicians and religious leaders, is celebrating the December 20, 1860 secession from the United States.  There will be huge costume balls and galas and re-enactments.

[…]

I know individuals have a right to do what they want as long at they’re not breaking laws, harming others or infringing on others’ rights. They can believe what they want, even if it’s not true. But it’s scary that folks can get this worked up about secession, bask in it, and then return to the real world where they work, shop and live with people whose ancestors were enslaved and treated as chattel during the period they just celebrated. When they remove the costumes, will they shed the mindset as well?

Nothing good can come of celebrating secession.

Should we note it? Yes. It changed the course of history and led to the deaths of more than 600,000 Americans. It eventually led to the emancipation of black slaves. It plunged South Carolina into poverty, which was in a way poetic justice, because the state had become the wealthiest in the union on the backs of slaves.

We should commemorate this past with solemn faces and heavy hearts. It’s a period that we ought to collectively remember, discuss and — to some degree — debate. But even then, we must not bury the truth. Pretending that slavery wasn’t the central reason South Carolina seceded is just plain wrong.

Members of the S.C. Sons of Confederate Veterans, a co-sponsor of the ball, argue that slavery was only one of several issues that caused the Civil War. Don’t take their or my word. Decide for yourself. We published the secession convention’s “Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union,” along with an editorial, on Thursday; go read it. While there are many things that can be debated, the reason for secession, in the secessionists’ own words, is not only clear but limited to one issue: slavery. They even lamented “the election of a man (Abraham Lincoln) to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”

[…]

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/12/20/105478/commentary-celebrating-south-carolinas.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_term=news#ixzz18fUWEcpO

 

The Jesus Con

Here’s a good read on the complete historical absence of any mention of Jesus of the Bible.  It is a complete fabrication.  Here’s an excerpt, emphasis added:

[…]

Due to modern science these are now recognized as forgeries by all scholars both Christian and secular. A total of about 40 to 50 interpolated lines are the only supporting evidence of the existence of J.C. a man-god who supposedly shook up the whole world of that period.

The other historians of that time, Arrian, Lucius Seneca (4 BC – 65 AD) Dion Pruseus, Pliny the Elder, Pater Calus, Suetonius, Juvenal, Theon of Smyran, Martial, Phlegon, Persius, Pompon Mela, Plutarch, Quintus Curtius, Lucian, Apollonius, Pausanias, Valerius Flaccus, Quintilian, Forus Lucius, Lucanus, Phaedrus, Epictetus, Damis, Silius Italicus, Alulus Geuius, Statius, Ptolemy, Columella, Diochry Sostom, Hermogones, Lysias, Valerius Maxiimus, Cornelius, Titus Livius, Cluvius Rufus, Publius Petronius (the Roman consul) who lived in Jerusalem. All these heard nothing, not a word was written about J.C.

These historians wrote about early religions but never mentioned J.C. or the spectacular events that the church said accompanied J.C.’s life. It is easy to come to the conclusion that the J.C. story is pure fiction. The deafening silence by all the historians and writers of that era is the most damning proof that J.C. never existed, and all the stories that the church promoted to try and back up a non-existing character are all made up of myths and legends of past gods.

The church and believers have no answer to this although they trot out various excuses from time to time. This evidence is set in concrete. The god of the Hebrews did not exist before the 6th century BC. All deities who preexisted were named — Brahma, Horus, Osiris, Isis, Marduk, Ahuramazda.

After these there were many others — Allah had to wait till the 5th century AD to be invented by Muhammad.

It is all summed up very nicely by Pope Leo X (Giovanni De Medice) who was Pope 1513-1521. At a Vatican feast he toasted with a glass of wine held high, “How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us and our predecessors…” The Church  tried to hide this unsuccessfully, because it was recorded by two who were present, Cardinals Bembo and Jovius.

[….]

.. the Jesus con ..

.

The Bible Is Repulsive

From GodIsImaninary.com, Proving that the Bible is repulsive:

Also, a wonderful quote from GodIsImaginary:

The way to change the world is to change people’s minds. As more and more people openly discuss the fact that “God” and “Allah” are completely imaginary, the world becomes a better place. The people who believe in “religion” look sillier and sillier. Eventually, religion becomes a fringe activity that is meaningless.

Spread reason, not superstition.

Sodom And Gomorrah: The Köfels Asteroid Impact

The event was recorded by many civilizations, including the Genesis account.  If folks today still believe that natural disasters happen because of God’s displeasure with whomever they think deserves it, then they’ll still readily believe that “God” sent the asteroid to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, rather than it being a natural event beyond the control of humans or imaginary gods.

From the article:

Mark Hempsell, one of the researchers from Bristol University who cracked the tablet’s code, said: “It’s a wonderful piece of observation, an absolutely perfect piece of science.”

He said the size and route of the asteroid meant that it was likely to have crashed into the Austrian Alps at Köfels. As it traveled close to the ground it would have left a trail of destruction from supersonic shock waves and then slammed into the Earth with a cataclysmic impact.

Joseph Farah’s call for “theocratic dictatorship”?

Joseph Farah (image from Jesus' General)

Ed Brayton’s blog Dispatches From the Culture Wars post on Joseph Farah‘s “rationale for theocratic dictatorship”:

Today is the Big, Scary Rally For Religious Freedom

Bluster Fest 2009

… even though no one has lost any religious freedoms.  The Hate The Christians Act™  and the Homosexual Terrorist Coalition™ are manufactured crises behind the Big Bluster Fest, also called the Rally For Religious Freedom being held today at 1:30 in Washington, D.C. to “raise alarm” — people won’t send in money if they aren’t scared and alarmed:

The Rally for Religious Freedom is meant to raise alarm over the nation’s new Federal “hate crimes” law just passed by Congress and signed last month by President Obama. The intention of the rally is to assert the freedom of speech of ministers and Christians in general to declare biblical truth in the public square. The Rally will also expose the unconstitutional nature of the hate law.

Ministers from various denominations will preach from the Bible, especially those parts that speak to the sin of homosexuality. This will serve to reassure ministers and Christians that they are free to do the same.

A letter from Matt Staver of Liberty Council will be presented to Attorney General Eric Holder that expresses our concerns about the many unconstitutional aspects of the hate crime bill. Specific legal challenges also may be announced then.

The Rally for Religious Freedom in front of the Department of Justice (click here for map) is intended to force Holder to enforce the law as he interprets it, which he has said he was eager to do. Will he protect the right of ministers and Christians to proclaim God’s Word or not?

(continued below the fold)

Texas jurors consult Bible to determine sentence

Bible Jury

WTF?  From the Telegraph:

“It later emerged that while deciding whether he should be given the death penalty, jurors consulted the Bible. Four jury members admitted that several copies had been in the jury room and that highlighted passages were passed around.”

Granted, the defendant, while burglarizing a home, shot the victim in the face and beat him with his own rifle.  But, why the fuck are they allowing Bibles in the Juror’s chamber and why the fuck were they allowed to use them to determine the man’s sentence?  Were there not any jurors to object to this?  Are these “bible jurors” too goddamn stupid to make a decision based on the facts of the case?

What’s the next case that will be determined by jurors cherry-picking Bible verses?  Yeh, we all know that Leviticus passage.  Why wasn’t that used in the Lawrence v. Texas case in Texas?