CHRISTIANITY'S ORIGIN

Christianity's Origin
Christianity as antiquity.-- When we hear the ancient bells growling on a Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a jew, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world; a justice that accepts the innocent as a vicarious sacrifice; someone who orders his disciples to drink his blood; prayers for miraculous interventions; sins perpetrated against a god, atoned for by a god; fear of a beyond to which death is the portal; the form of the cross as a symbol in a time that no longer knows the function and ignominy of the cross -- how ghoulishly all this touches us, as if from the tomb of a primeval past! Can one believe that such things are still believed?
from Nietzsche's Human, all too Human, s.405, R.J. Hollingdale transl.

THE GREAT DISTANCE

THE GREAT DISTANCE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MzPT0q6PLo
I recently have had some very significant events that have pushed me deeper into the abyss. Day after day, I see great wrongs being committed, innocence punished, and the weak exploited. How could this be, I ask myself. Religion, I am told is a place of sanctuary when the world around you has slipped into madness. Is this true, could I have been so foolish as to have overlooked this incredible assistive device? Certainly not, I have pondered the mysteries for answers and been forced to forfeit my subscription to the Hebrew God of Abraham. Blaspheme you might say, but I say logical rationale. Below I will continue my twisted journey seeking shelter from the rhetoric of my peers.

How can so many people be wrong? Religion is an issue that will drive brothers to fight to the death to prove their God is stronger. Wars and rumors of war are rhetoric of all men and are not specific to revelations in the Christian Bible. Man, with his innate aggressive behaviors have achieved dominion over his environment through is ability to unlock his imagination and realize ingenuity. Not because of divine intervention, if this were the case a grizzly bear would pull a plow. Maybe religion is a means to achieve dominion over other men.

The Hebrews surely have learned some hard lessons from their horrific past and man look at them now. Moses, sure put the kybosh on the Pharaoh, with the ten plagues and killing his first-born son. I guess what amazes me the most is that how the Jews went from rags to riches and rags to riches again. It really is not that hard if you follow the money trail, and yes, this is another the Jewish banker conspiracy plot. Religion is a great way to amass wealth! I believe Jesus knocked over the collection table as he witnessed poor farmers handing over tides that could have put food on their tables. It was the same Jews who decided to have Jesus crucified and used as an example to all. Which brings me to a point to ponder; did Jesus come for all men or just the Jews?

Genesis clearly tells of the first humans Adam and Eve. Nevertheless, the story gets a little murky as the realization of other races of men comes into play. For example if the Holy Bible is correct, we are all Hebrew and no need for Paul to allow conversion of the Gentiles. Logic and religion are not good bedfellows. If Jesus was the Messenger (messiah) then clearly no one was listening. As more and more bloodshed continued to saturate the ground even to this day in his name, I sit in awe of this tragedy. Moses came, followed by Jesus and finally Mohamed. Three strikes your out! Man has an incredible knack for his boundless imagination. His ability to explain phenomenon without the slightest regard for evidence, it is just so! I am one of the many who require a little more than faith to sell out lock stock and barrel. Meaning if you are religious, you are 100% resolute not 60-70%. I subscribe to the all of none theory when it comes to this subject and this has been a constant reminder of why I remain skeptical.

The distance between the Hebrew God of Abraham and me continues to grow and to my peers my punishment will be the complete separation from God. In a way, I have always been separated from God as well as others in this brutal world. Millions upon countless millions have suffered fates no words could ever describe. Including the atrocities the Jewish Bankers unleashed upon their own kind during the Holocaust of WWII. No one wanted to believe such accusations, but if one desired to conceal a plot and come up with a foolproof way to allow your race to dominate the Banking world with no questions asked, playing the victim has been a success. As many of you may know the word holocaust actually means burnt sacrifice! A thinning of the herd to attain global domination is not a new concept and unfortunately will ultimately be used again in the very near future.

Bottom line;

I work in healthcare and see the affliction of horrible pathologies, motor vehicle accidents, burns, etc. and I constantly ask myself why do good people have to suffer. If you have ever watched a married couple of 50+ years sit in a day room and one has no idea who the stranger across from them really is, then you have no idea the pain in which I have described here. Millions of starving people from all over the globe are dying while brimming silo’s are allowed to spoiled for the sake of stabilizing the price of grain. Radical Muslims have infiltrated the mosque of good people in order to kill the infidel, as radical Christians scream the same battle cry, while the Elite Jews (not the majority!) sit in awe as their master plan plays out. Would these bank cartels have so much control if we were allowed to remove our social behavior training wheels? Some would say that in nature, the weak will be exploited by the strong and I would have to agree. Are we so indoctrinated in the belief that war is always the end that justifies the means? Can man overcome his innate bestiality and find peace in this world. Religion offers no answers only hope of a omnipotent deity that will right the wrongs. While science demonstrates promise in decoding the mysteries of our mind and body as well as the universe, we are attempting to coexist. Religion will only be proven false as time will tell, unfortunately we may not have enough time to realize our folly.

ABRAHAMS MORALS

ABRAHAMS MORALS

I know that it is hard for some to come to terms with the celebrated great patriarch Abraham's unethical and immoral ways, to demonstrate such insane acts only for financial gain. I was shocked to have never heard of this story, through the many years of Sunday school indoctrination. However, Richard Dawkins drew my attention to the verses, right there in the good book. Here I would like to discuss this incredible tale and prove that in religion we only see what we allow ourselves to see.
Below God has sent Abram (Abraham) to territory outside of Egypt (Negev I believe) during this time a famine came over the land forcing Abraham to go into Egypt.

Ge 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
Ge 12:11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are.
Ge 12:12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.

Now that the stage is set for welcome speculation, first God instructs Abraham to leave his home and go out into the desert in search of God’s purpose. He found himself in a hostile environment a famine and was forced to enter Egypt. He decides that he will be killed and his wife taken because of her beauty. So he formulates a plan to deceive the Egyptians and claims Sarai (Sarah) to be his sister.

Ge 12:13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
Ge 12:14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that she was a very beautiful woman.
Ge 12:15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.

The plan is going well and the desert dweller arrives on the scene with a woman so striking that he is taken in to the palace. Sarah must have been a knockout, because anyone who has been camping for and extended time would know that it is hard to remain beautiful under these harsh conditions.

Ge 12:16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
Ge 12:17 But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai.

Everything is great, but God inflicts serious diseases on Pharaoh or does he. It does not take a rocket scientist to theorize what kind of diseases Sarah has unleashed. Now what puzzles me the most is why the Pharaoh does not have Abraham and Sarah drawn and quartered?

Ge 12:18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
Ge 12:19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”
Ge 12:20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

Besides the venereal disease Pharaoh asked what trick has Abraham played. He claims her as a wife and then curses her and orders Abraham to go. Now this part is a bit to swallow. The Pharaoh does not kill these deceivers, but instead rewards Abraham by making him wealthy. Abraham and his tainted wife were allowed to leave with all their recently acquired possessions. Now maybe I do not understand politics, but it is my understanding that you do not piss off the king, even an Egyptian Pharaoh. I imagine that you are saying that sometimes when the going gets rough we have to hard things to survive. I agree with that logic, but as you will see below Abraham breaks bad with some commando tactics to further his status.

Ge 14:11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away.
Ge 14:12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

Lot gets caught in the middle of a war zone and is captured, Abraham vows to rescue his brother.

Ge 14:14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
Ge 14:15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
Ge 14:16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

Rambo has nothing on this Hebrew hero, Abraham is over seventy years of age and with a band of shepherds 318 men he is able to defeat four kings and return with spoils of war, such as Lot and his possessions and women and other people. Also note that Lot was living in Sodom ( a nice little town of brotherly love).

Ge 14:23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you (referring to the king of Sodom), not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
Ge 14:24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

Now we see that Abraham has become a bit self-righteous, his Tailiban warriors have ruled the day and he wants to make it clear that the King of Sodom had nothing to do with the victory. However, being a truly frugal Hebrew, he decides that it would be wise to let his men have the food they have already eaten and the share that belongs to the men (how much of a share was this?). Abraham has now become a true con man and god warrior (magi).

Bottom line:

I would like to point out that most everyone you ask will surely tell you that we get our morals from the good book. Clearly, the morals of Abraham’s time are a lot different from today’s standards or is he the mischievous entrepreneur I paint him to be. I stand with others in agreement that we learn morals for the social and cultural norms that surround us in our environment. This begs me to pose the question can we live a moral and ethical life without religion. My answer is yes, we can experience love, companionship, community, and a sense of purpose without religion. I take it upon myself to prove this statement not with words but with my actions. I respect others and try to have a positive affect on their lives without striving for a reward in the clouds, just a simple thank you.

Reach out to your neighbor, loved ones, coworkers, or a complete stranger. Resolve to take comfort in your terrestrial action and it alone that is making the difference.

John R Hill.

FOR ETERNITY

FOR ETERNITY

One of the most challenging things for us humans to do is to comprehend concepts on a large scale. Many theories about the human minds capacity have been proposed, and I concur that we humans are only capable of comprehending medium sized concepts. For example when we evolved on our humble medium sized planet, our minds needed only to perceive and adapt to our medium sized environment such as the sun, moon, mountains, seas, and clouds in order to survive. There was no need to develop minds that could fathom the abyss of physics. I also admit to my own shortcomings when it comes to rationalizing such enormous concepts as expanding universe, big bang theory, or even what a billion one-dollar bills would look like stacked in three columns. Where are you taking me, you ask. Well, I have attempted to imagine what it would be like to exist for eternity. I did several thought experiments in order to gain some insight to the ludicrous idea that eternity would be a pleasant existence. If the prophets are correct and those chosen to exist in heaven for eternity worshiping the one god, what would it be like for these chosen few? Below I attempt to answer the massive question that is clearly beyond our medium comprehending minds.

I stumbled across this idea during a service in a Baptist church. It was a magnificent place full of warm and loving people. The preacher gave praise to the lord and reminded the congregation that we would all soon be in heaven to worship the lord for eternity hallelujah, hallelujah! Looking across at my father-in-law a curious idea formed in my mind, here is a man who cannot stand in a restaurant line for more than five minutes looking forward to an eternity surrounded by these same patrons. As the idea continued to form, I could easily ask the same of each man and woman in the whole church. Then the question was put to me, could I be happy for eternity? It does not take long to realize the size of this mammoth question and for years following that service I have mulled the concept repeatedly. After reading an incredible book on the life of Albert Einstein, I found a tool of his to be rather helpful, a thought experiment.

Our thought experiment begins with a small room 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 6 ft. with a small window off to our left. To our right hangs a large round clock, the time reads 9:00 am. The air is still and the temperature is comfortable there is little light but no sign of its source. Our heart beat and the gentle sound of the air that exhales from our mouths seems almost deafening in the small space. A glance at the window only reveals blurs of colors and various degrees of light. Drawing our attention back to the clock, we notice that the second hand has stopped on the six-minute mark. Puzzled, we step forward to inspect the timepiece and are unable to discern if it is running. Another glance at the window reveals an incredible amount of motion too rapid to distinguish. Our heart rate quickens as we become slightly disoriented asking ourselves, “What is this madness”. Unaware that we are unaffected by time and the universe around us is growing cold and dying. The light from the window is becoming less sporadic and the light begins to fade. Still, the clock reads 9:00 am and six seconds. A frozen minute hand has yet to move while the universe’s life cycle is at an end of 230 billion years.


Bottom line:

When time is irrelevant and we lose all perspective, what is the sense of being eternal? Religion paints a blissful setting with us gathered around the savior, the father, and all of our love ones, but this is only a beautiful emotion. Critical thinking skills allow us to analyze the problem rationally. Nothing in physics evens hints at any element being eternal. I believe most important of all that there could be no logical or spiritual reason for becoming eternal. I do know that life is precious and we should embrace each moment as well as the ones around us. As you read this you must feel that I am filled with doom and gloom, but I say to you maybe this is as good as it gets. Let us live on earth here in the present, not in heaven.

No my child there is no Santa Clause....

“No my child there is no Santa Clause”,…the father lamented piercing the delicate bubble he guarded so diligently for all those many years.

This is a situation most fathers’ have or will experience with their children. It is with no pleasure to see a child’s imagination demolished in a single unrelenting debunking of Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, and Bogey Man. However, society demands that we tear down childhood dreams and replace them with the reality of death and taxes. How cruel life can be for those who depend on such a fantasy world existence to make it through their dreary days. No magical mystery tour, elves, fairies, or trolls lying in wait under bridges to demand toll in order to pass as we mature we must come to face the facts. Nevertheless, what age is appropriate to illuminate these wonderfully expanding minds, 11, 12, or 14? I know there has to be some empirical evidence to suggest a proper age and manner in which we strip a child of his pseudo- reality and introduce the one we hold to the mark. A voice deep inside me cries out, “Ah come on we have to grow up sometime, everyone knows that no one can fly the entire globe in 24hrs delivering a variety of specially made toys to children of middle to high class society”. So there we have it my subject of debate, why do we continue to lie to our children only to admit to deceiving them at a later date.
My question is not as simple as it may seem on the surface. True we are deceiving our children but it is to maintain a special environment in which they will grow and be nourished in the understandings of life lessons such as giving. Who would want to see a broken hearted child trembling beside a poorly lit tree with only a bag of fruit to give him/her joy? A bigger question may arise; if we lie to them today will they trust us tomorrow? Children need our love but they also need honesty, and yes in my opinion, a little white lie can be just as harmful as an out and out blasphemous rhetorical one. So what are we to do, punish our children while the mothers and fathers of other children celebrate! Now I believe my question becomes a complicated one. Any time you go from personal choice to social choices and preferences your black and white becomes massive shades of gray. “How dare you, how arrogant can you be as to think that what you decide is good for my children!” I think most would agree that this is exactly the response one would get from making such a proposal, like being honest with your children.
Are you still with me, most Americans would have sensed a dark force beginning to pull them into a state of irrationalism and loss of credibility. We are not good at taking advice from anyone unless they promise wealth, health, weight loss, hair growth, and how to get a stain out of our new carpet. Depressing is it not when you think of how we continue to assume that we are the superior nation and our ways are the best things since sliced bread. Even though it is true that we are innovative capitalist (not always a respectable image) living in a country full of self-righteous people fulfilling their life long ambitions through their own children. And with that in mind are we some how lying to ourselves in some deep mysterious way seeking to recapture some of our lost childhood moments seeking to replace them with brighter, and grander schemes.
Now that I have your attention, what should we consider about other critical issues such as abortion, capital punishment, corporal punishment, alcohol and drug abuse, homosexuality, credibility of government, and finally religion? Again the same voices chime in a discontinuous chorus of threatening resolves, “How dare you arrogant man, how dare your even consider such nonsense!” As you can see there are no easy answers to the multitude of questions that will continued to spin off each other into the infinite number of possible scenarios, as blacks and whites diversify into endless shades of gray. On second thought maybe we can be honest with our children and still encase them in a semi perfect environment in which they can grow and build trust with no let downs during confessions explaining why Bobby down the street didn’t receive any presents this year because his parents were Jehovah’s Witness. (bibbidy, bobbidy, boo! )
Abortion continues to bring out the most radical idiots of our time. Can anyone look at an issue objectively anymore? Crime of passion does not come to mind when someone is decapitated by a crappy explosive set up outside a clinic that so happens does the community a great service. My point being with all the hate crimes we see on the news, babies found in dumpsters, children born addicted to crack cocaine, rape victims pregnancy, and child abuse who are we really serving here, ourselves? A high school History teacher stated a profound statement that has stuck with me through many years and I can still hear his voice today, “There is nothing good about bringing an unwanted child into this world.” Do not allow a kneejerk reflex have you lose the emphatic point he is alluding to. Unwanted can mean many things to many people, but to a child there can be no refuse from rejection. The voices return, “You ignorant ranting lunatic how do you sleep at night.”
Capital punishment is a no brainer to me, but then again I have never been on death row either. Here I feel torn on giving the State or Federal Government the power to put me to death if I am found guilty of a heinous crime, or do they already have that power? No one can clearly appreciate this issue unless they were directly involved with a heinous crime affecting a loved one. And clearly there is a difference between a semi-tractor trailer running over a child in an intersection and a drive by shooting where clearly the punishment seems appropriate for the later only. Another driving point is that we find out that “Joe” has been incarcerated for twenty years and by DNA testing is acquitted. “Yeah, wise ass how about that one!” Definitely anyone born with enough logic to notice the difference between a Summer and Winter can safely reason out that statistically the error of putting to death less than a percent of these miracle cases could not out weigh the overwhelmingly guilty whom have taken innocent lives leaving broken hearts and homes in their wake. Tax dollars that we spend bathing, clothing, educating, counseling, heating and cooling, feeding, provide health care including dental, access to the internet, legal advice, conjugal visits, seeing loved ones, and influence others on perfecting their crimes in order not to get caught, are being wasted. When we could have spent the billions of tax dollars on education, health care for law-abiding citizens, improving impoverished areas giving them an environment in which they have a fighting chance at making something out of themselves, I guess that is exactly what we do not want.
Another critical issue that is a favorite of mine, and is one that is close to my heart because it has directly affected my own child development, Corporal Punishment. Here the voices of ignorance rein supreme, “Nobodies going to lay a hand on my child, not even me.” Sing it from the rooftops friends because in the end what that cute little child has coming to them is nothing in comparison to a paddling. How about 30 years to life in a high security prison because mummy taught me that there are no physical punishments only verbal punishments. And yes ladies and gentlemen if you are wondering spare the rod will ruin the child and that child will become a rotten adult. No one wants to intimidate children, even if it is for their own good. An effective corporal punishment is more about losing face in front of your peers not counting blisters. Yes, I could see the gleam and confusion in my child’s eyes as he wrestled with the concept of “they can not eat me at school, but when I get home I am going to get it”. Whatever action you plan to take consider this advice, never confuse your children with rules and the punishments that accompany them. Big example, when I was growing up it was considered rude to talk to loud at the table, but when I joined other friends homes it was not enforced. What was allowed at my friends house would surely get a dismissal from dinner at least. Bottom line or take home message is to talk to your children giving them rationale for your rules and the consequences that may follow. Then when the infraction occurs it is up to you to follow through to the letter, heat those hams.
Alcohol and Drug abuse should these substances really be considered separate. Yes, because alcohol is legal to those above the age of 21 and that is the only reason. We all know horror stories of alcoholics living miserable lives unable to shed their dependency not unlike a heroin addict. Marijuana still can never be given a fair shot at becoming a legal substance due to some heavy lobbying in the early twentieth century ensuring that everyone came to know the evils of this drug. Sorry folks but the jury is out on this one because anyone who had ever utilized the substance knows that you become a timid, fearful, anxious, homebody that cannot drive to the store in fear that they most certainly be arrested. Unlike the boisterous drunk college man fighting, driving reckless, and displays no fear of authority. We need to think about the issues folks. Another educator made a lasting impression by alluding to the fact that legalizing and making available these drugs would increase revenue! Yes, folks that means more money for schools, roads, businesses, abortion clinics, and rehabilitation centers for substance abuse. Not money for Al-Qaida and other shady characters like cartels and extremist who by the way do not share our American Dream (yes it has been a long time since you heard those words).
Here is one of my personal favorite critical issues that make everyone feel uncomfortable homosexuality. I will try my best to remain unbiased, even though we have pro-homosexual themes forced down our throat through the media. If you think my biased is glaring through consider this little ditty. My family made the great journey to visit the great Mickey Mouse in Florida. If you have made this journey on a modest income you will appreciate my complaint. Upon entering the park I noticed something peculiar, there was a lot of same sex couples scattered throughout the park. A few hours into our first day at Disney World we learn that it was Gay Celebration Week. Now if there ever was a place one would feel safe from the perversions of our modern age it would be a family oriented theme park, but sorry Gay people have more money. This is a point we need to comprehend, if your group makes lots of money you will find your rights will increase dramatically. If you doubt this, test it will comparison rights for women and blacks in how many years it took to gain the acceptance of homosexuality. It is agreed that we all have desires and I do believe that people have truly uncontrollable sexual orientation. But the difficult part comes when I have to submit my children to witnessing two men kissing and giggling like school girls while glaring at me cynically.
Credibility of government is probably a null point, since anyone who is pro government will simply declare that my views are that of a radical conspirator. If you have doubts about the crookedness of our misleaders you are not alone, but the puzzling part comes into play when you realize that no one will voice their opinion. When this subject comes to mind I hear these words, “The road to hell was paved with good intentions.” If you have kept up with the news and have wondered if big business runs our congress then take note when they attempted to make the big oil companies justify their extreme profits amidst a national crisis. Of course it all was justified and the fan fair ended not even ruffling a single feather, wow. If it hasn’t become obvious yet it will if you only follow the paper trail. Every elected official can be traced in some way to large corporations, of course there are a few individuals wealthy enough to move voters or should I say delegates. I have a theory and would love someone to prove it false, everything that happens in politics happens for a reason with a calculated result in mind.
Finally religion, if there ever were a more delicate subject I don’t believe I am aware. Religion has been around as long as man has gazed upon the wonders of the natural world and attempted to understand this complex phenomenon. Innocent in its beginnings and quickly was perverted as the power of control grew. I too was a very spiritual man before science and reason obliterated my beliefs. Admittedly, they were weak at best because even at an early age the good old bible stories didn’t make sense. As my knowledge grew so did the complexity of my questions and the lack of sound answer and so down came my beliefs. I am not a cynic and can appreciate the beauty of religion with fellowship, self awareness, moral teachings, and the introspection of human nature. It is a bright beautiful illusion and I wish to rob no one of their oasis from the dark, dreary, and cruel world. But if you understand the nature of being on the outside looking in you are quickly disillusioned as the radicals crack their whips. If you have trouble seeing my point you only have to look to the past to see how many good people were tortured, raped, mangled, black balled, and put to death for their lack of conformity and in most cases paranoia and suspicions. They were not put to death by maniacs or evil people, but people who honestly believed that they were doing God’s bidding.

Bottom Line; We should take care of what we teach our children. Never to teach hate for any reason, enhancing critical thinking skills enable children to think for themselves. Unbiased knowledge resources and encouraging our children to challenge the spoken word will empower them to become healthy adults. I love my country because I able to speak my mind, why should I revoke that right from my child?

Live long and prosper,

John R. Hill