A Non-believer Goes on a Quick Rant while being Judged by the Christian God After Death

Yahweh) Early in your life you believed in me but you later denied my existence as you grew older and no longer followed my book. In fact, you spent much of your life getting people to question their beliefs about me, what say you?

Non-believer) It’s true, I once believed in you very much, but I had questions about you that my peers weren't asking. So I asked these questions to men who had dedicated their lives to you and none of them had good answers and often their answers were very different to the same question - which was also odd since many of them claimed they could communicate with you! It’s as though your biggest fans didn't actually know you and just liked the idea that someone as powerful as yourself was on their side.

So after thinking about these questions further, I could no longer believe in you.

Morally I couldn't follow/worship a deity that would give instructions for slavery (Leviticus 25:44-46) and genocide (Deuteronomy 13:13-16). In the book you had written for you, it says you are perfectly moral. So when I looked at the evidence, the most rational conclusion, was that you didn’t exist and was merely a delusion just as all the thousands of other gods humans have believed in.

And for crying out loud God, the 3rd verse in your book says you created light before you created my planet's' host star along with all the other stars in the cosmos. Light only exists because of the existence of stars. If the creator of the universe wrote a book, it wouldn't get something as simple as that wrong.

Now if you are going to throw me into your hell for not following a deity that endorsed slavery and genocide, and who asks people to follow him on nothing but faith, than you would be the one deserving of hell.

Faith is the most unreliable way of determining what is true, and if there were an evil being trying to gain followers, it would use FAITH along with FEAR to achieve it!

Why would you set up a world in which those who followed the evidence would come to the conclusion that you don’t exist? It’s as if you wanted to reward the gullible and punish those who dared to think critically about their beliefs.

Yes, for much of my life I did try to get people to question their beliefs, but not just their belief in you - but their belief in all gods. I did this because beliefs matter and actions are strongly tied to beliefs. We had people of other religions killing others for simply not believing as they did, and their holy books supported these actions. Your book supported these actions as well (Deuteronomy 13:7-9), but thankfully people stopped taking that part of your book so seriously!

Other than attempting to destroy these people, what other options did I have but to try and get people to think critically about their beliefs?

To require people to accept you based on faith was extremely idiotic and cruel; because those who rely on faith can’t demonstrate that they are correct and there were many people of other faiths unwilling to give theirs up. In fact, those that could demonstrate that they were correct, were completely ignored and often killed because it went against the faith of others!

So you ask me why I didn't continue to follow you, it’s because I wanted to do the right thing and wasn't going to follow a dangerous belief just because I thought it would keep me from being tortured for eternity. What would it say about me if I was willing to sacrifice my morality and integrity just because something more powerful than myself threatened to torture me if I didn't follow it? 

Top 10 Popular Memes 2

A little over a year ago, I did a post about the Top 10 memes posted on the Discovering Reason Facebook page, and well - I think it is time for 10 more!

The link to the post is above so you can easily see what others had to say about it OR so you can share your thoughts whether it be positive or negative with others who have commented. Because as I have said before, unlike religious pages, I encourage people who don't agree to comment and won't block those who do(unless they are immature or obnoxious). 

1. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/513651978688776/?type=3&theater

Atheists/non-believers have pretty much heard all of these at some point in their life, which one bothers you the most? 

If there is a phrase that really irritates you that isn't listed, please share it with us in the comments below!

2. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/516006055120035/?type=3&theater

                                                            I think most individuals want to be good moral people, but unfortunately many have bought into the idea that in order to be moral - they also have to believe in a god/be religious. As Daniel Dennett has said, "People want to be good, we just have to help them with structures so they can amplify their goodness and join together. The sooner we can create institutions that can do better than religion at helping people to be good - the sooner toxic varieties of religion will fade away. So let's do it." 

You can find Dennett's quote here in the form of a meme:

http://on.fb.me/1qAmMLL 

3. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/548725138514793/?type=3&theater

A moral god couldn't possibly sit by and do nothing when seeing the horrific actions of his own followers. Either this god watched these actions and did nothing, or watched and couldn't do anything about it. In any case, it is evidence that this god is not moral or is not all-powerful - which would mean the god Christians believe in does not exist. 

4. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/700054883381817/?type=3&theater

I get a little frustrated when atheists claim atheism is a viable solution to problems in the world. Since atheism is a lack of a belief in a god or gods, it can no more be a solution than just not believing in unicorns. As history has shown, atheists can do horrible things just as religious people can, but religion is the only way to get good people to do horrific things.

5. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/549581981762442/?type=3&theater

6. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/508991445821496/?type=3&theater

Prayer seems to be the opposite of faith and trust in god, and more on the lines of, "God I don't like your plan and here is my idea for a better one, please use it instead".

7. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/590825267638113/?type=3&theater

8. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/553447358042571/?type=3&theater

9. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/515039038550070/?type=3&theater

10. https://www.facebook.com/discoveringreason/photos/a.279728938747749.92041.218404284880215/692079704179335/?type=3&theater

                                  This was so popular that many people on the page suggested I put it on a t-shirt - I listened to them and will be making it available soon. So if you'd also like to have this on a shirt be looking for it on the FB page.

Hopefully some of these ideas will help you when debating religion. However, if you are religious and disagree with any of these, please leave a comment and share your thoughts on why you disagree and why you think your religion/god is real.

Why Do Atheists Ignore the Good Religion Does

Christians often ask atheists, "Why do you ignore the good Christianity does?"

This is an odd question since I never see Christians promoting the good done by other religions. Why would Christians think atheists should promote anything good they do?

I'm not one who denies that Christianity ever does anything good. I'm sure many religions do good, and it's a shame that with all the money and power they have they don't do more.

Instead, they seem to use their money and influence to take rights away from those they disagree with. It's one thing for them to have their opinion, but it's another to go a step further and influence politicians into creating laws that restrict people's freedom. 

Atheists who promote reason aren't focused on highlighting the good an organization does whether religious or secular (although it's great when they do and we often encourage it) - it's to get people to think critically about their beliefs.

Beliefs matter, beliefs are what cause religious terrorists to blow themselves up killing others around them. Beliefs are what cause some to think climate change isn't an issue to worry about because their god is ultimately in control.

As Sam Harris has said, "I know of no society in human history that ever suffered because its people became too desirous of evidence in support of their core beliefs."

Yes, irrational beliefs can still motivate people to do good, but the good that comes from religion doesn't make up for the bad - and even if it did, it wouldn't make that religion true. Anything good that comes from religion can also be done without it. If we understand the reality of an issue we have a better chance of improving it, unlike relying on wishful thinking or superstition.

God’s Plan and Prayer – Are They Compatible?

Many Christians believe their God (Yahweh) has a perfect plan for their life and that everything happens according to his divine plan. However, many Christians also believe in the power of prayer. I don’t think many Christians have given much thought to the compatibility of these two concepts. They also haven’t given much thought to God having a plan and freewill - but that’s a different discussion.

Let’s assume it’s true that a God exists who has a divine plan for our lives. If this is true, why are believers praying to this God asking him to intervene in some way? If God has a plan, aren't those who pray just believers who don't trust God's plan? It would be arrogant of us to think we have a better plan than God, and by praying we are basically asking God to alter his plan.

Now many Christians reading this may be thinking, “But when I pray, I thank God for what he has given me and ask that everything happens according to his plan”. Yes, Christians do thank God in their prayers and they do pray for things to happen according to his plan. But I've been to church many times, and during prayer people are constantly asking God to heal a loved one of an illness or accident.

On a side note, what is the purpose of praying to God that his will be done? If an all-powerful God wants his will to be done, it will be done whether he gets encouragement from believers or not. Think about it, it makes absolutely no sense to pray for God’s plan to happen because it is HIS plan - Christians are basically asking him to grant his own wish! It seems almost like people are trying to suck up to God so that he will help them later when they really need it.

If God does have a plan, his plan is indistinguishable from not having a plan. We always hear from Christians about how great their God is, but it is very easy to think that when blinders are on which keep us from seeing how much suffering really goes on. It is easy to say, “You are where God wants you to be at this very moment” when living in a developed country with luxuries which we can thank science for. But can you imagine anyone telling one of the children in this photo that they are where God wants them to be?

It’s odd that people who claim to have “Faith” in God and his plan are always trying to alter it to what they feel is best for them. However, this is not surprising, because we all want to enjoy our lives and we’ll do just about anything we can to make it better. We also want to believe that everything is going to be okay, and for believers it is comforting to think their God has a divine plan.

But this is where their cognitive dissonance comes into play - believers want to believe in these two concepts because one is comforting and the other is a possible way to improve their life or the lives of others. If prayer worked, it would also be the easiest way to improve our life because it requires little to no effort at all and when given a task we usually will choose the easiest way to accomplish it. If we believe prayer works, we feel like we did something to make a difference without doing anything at all - and this is tragic for those who need real help. As Lawrence Krauss once put it,

"If you are choking next to me and either I could preform the Heimlich maneuver or I could pray for you, which would you choose?  

There is no evidence for a god, but even if there was a god – believing that it has a divine plan and also answers our requests which would alter his plan is completely incompatible.

Top 5 Questions to Ask Yourself If You Don’t Think You've Been Indoctrinated

Here are five questions to ask yourself to identify if you have been indoctrinated. While these questions all refer to religion, they may also be applicable to other beliefs such as political views or your understanding of an event.

1- Did you believe in Santa Claus at the time you accepted your religion?

2- Were you taught only one religion and that’s the one you've accepted?

3- Were you told you must accept your religion on faith and that faith is all you need?

4- Have you been discouraged from learning things which might challenge your religion as it might be Satan trying to deceive you?

5- Have you read the entirety of your holy book?

If you answered YES to any of #1-4 and NO to #5, then you HAVE been indoctrinated. If you care whether your beliefs are true, I urge you to examine them as critically as you would if they weren't your own. If you don’t care whether your beliefs are true or will only look for evidence to confirm them rather than looking for evidence against them – then don’t waste your time. If a belief is correct, you won’t be able to find evidence to disprove it. However, if you look only for evidence to confirm your belief - you will be able to justify believing whatever you want.

If you chose not to challenge the claims of your religion - please don’t teach others your religion or vote in elections. You also waive your right to mock other religions no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

Why Republicans Didn’t Celebrate MLK’s “I Have a Dream Speech” as Democrats Did

Yesterday, August 28, 2013, was the 50^th Anniversary of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream Speech". Many liberal/Democratic Facebook pages celebrated the speech, but on popular Republican pages such as Being Conservative, Mr. Conservative and Conservative Daily there was little to no mention of the speech. 

However, Positively Republican made a post encouraging people to watch the speech, but it didn't go over too well. It didn't get nearly the amount of "like's" as other posts on the page and in the comments many called Dr. King a "plagiarists", "a racist", along with a comment that said, "My family will never sit down and listen to King a communist backed negro… Stop being ashamed for being white!" (this comment sadly received many likes).

This was odd since Republicans often like to claim MLK as their own. But as I have said before, "Republicans care about the political label MLK identified himself with - Liberals care about the rights MLK fought for." Yesterday showed this to be accurate.

Republicans get upset when they are called racist, and rightfully so for those who aren't (and many aren't). If Republicans are not racist, then what possible reason would they have to not want to celebrate this famous civil rights speech?

The only conclusion for ignoring this speech is that the GOP didn't want to anger the racists who identify as Republican. The GOP likes to claim moral superiority, but there is nothing moral about choosing not to celebrate equal rights for fear of losing the support of racists. To not speak up against racism seems to be just as immoral as racism itself.

Some may say it's unfair to judge people based on what they don't talk about and to some degree that is true, but we can understand what people really value based on what they support and celebrate. The fact Republicans didn't celebrate MLK's speech speaks volumes. Let's hope voters remember this next time Republican leaders try to claim moral superiority.

The Root of the GOP’s Problem

We often hear from Republicans that they need to improve their message in order to better connect with minorities and women, and the GOP is struggling to figure out this new message. Texas senator, Ted Cruz suggested recently that Republicans just need to “stand up and win the argument”, as if they haven’t already tried that. But is changing their message enough to turn the party around? I don't think so. There are many issues with the Republican Party’s positions, but there is no need to mention any of them because their positions are only a result of the party’s real problem.

In Carl Sagan’s book “The Demon-Haunted World” he wrote, “Those who have something to sell, those who wish to influence public opinion, those in power, a skeptic might suggest, have a vested interest in discouraging skepticism.”

The GOP may claim to be skeptical, but they have confused skepticism for denialism. Denying reality and creating conspiracy theories is not skepticism despite what they may think. Skepticism is the approach that requires all information to be well supported by evidence - creating theories based on no evidence and demanding others to prove it wrong is not skepticism, yet this is what Republicans continue to do.

Science is a way of gaining knowledge through observation, experimentation and carefully examining evidence - it is absolutely mind blowing that we have leaders who are against this way of thinking. This is the root of the GOP's problem - they discourage critical thinking and are anti-science.

The GOP is against critical thinking because they prefer their own traditional beliefs over reality - in order to hold these beliefs, they must deny any facts that would undermine their beliefs. Many Republican politicians believe God is on their side and if information disputes the Bible then it must be wrong. The religious right believes evidence and reason is “Satan’s” way of testing their faith, and they aren't interested in considering that they might be wrong.

Republicans wouldn't be struggling if it weren't for the growth of critical thinking and atheism in the US; it’s difficult to manipulate voters through their religion when more people are questioning religious claims. This puts the GOP and especially Republicans who haven’t completely denied science and critical thinking in a tough position. If they speak up against the party’s irrational views - they won’t get elected. If they pander to irrational beliefs – moderate and semi-rational Republicans won’t vote for them.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has even said, “We've got to stop being the stupid party.” But he doesn't understand that as long as the Republican Party sticks to their current positions – the party will be dependent on ignorant voters.

Republicans can continue to talk about how they need to improve their message, but the problem is that they don’t really want to change their message. They like who they are and even if they do change their message they won’t mean it. Engaged voters are smart enough to know that changing their message is only an attempt to manipulate them for their vote. Because let’s be honest, when we hear Republicans say, “we need to improve our message” they are really saying, "we need to do a better job manipulating the public by telling them what they want to hear even though we don’t really believe it." If they believed it, they wouldn't need to change their message - because it would have been their message from the start.

If Republicans aren't going to embrace critical thinking, their only hope is that the public doesn't either.