The Bible †<

"Only faith in Christ gives rise to a culture contrary to egotism and death."- - Pope John Paul II. Stated at a mass rally in Mexico City in 1999

 

"It was Christians, you know, not Pagans, who were responsible for the Holocaust. It was Christians, not Pagans, who lynched people here in the South, who burned people at the stake, frequently in the name of this Jesus Christ"

- Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church, to participants in the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference for the World Council of Churches in 2000-JAN. (In the same speech, he reminded his audience that Christians, not Pagans, also created the racist apartheid policy in his native South Africa.)

I know the majority of readers of this document are in all likelihood going to be Christians, as the predominant religion in the English-speaking world and largest religion globally. I will focus more attention on this faith than on any of the other world faiths. I wish to begin by saying up until the last few years I have always been adamantly Christian. As the religion of my birth, it was all I had ever known.

There are about 2.1 Billion Christians worldwide, the Christian nations have exported it en mass converting whole nations without ever considering the implications, or the rights of the people involved to their own customs and beliefs.

As Edmund Burke, a British statesman and orator, who lived from 1729 to 1797, said "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." So I will continue to speak the truth as I have found it, for this freedom is the right removed from the countries converted by force. And so with that having been said we should begin.

By education most have been misled,
So they believe because they were so bred;
The priest continues what the nurse began,
And thus the child imposes on the man.
DRYDEN.

 

But First a story

A guest pastor walks into a church and starts talking.

“I have three things to say to you today

1) Millions of children die in Africa each year from starvation.

2) You don't give a fuck about it.

3) Most of you are more upset by the fact that I just said 'fuck 'in church than you are about the fact that millions of children die of starvation every year."

-I can’t remember where I read that, but it’s true nonetheless.

 

I think for many Christians, (as it was for me) see their religion as an extension of their personal philosophy and ethical and moral code. So much so that they impose their own beliefs upon it, seeing in it only what they wish to see and ignoring that which contradicts their own image of that religion. The Bible however does not leave room for such freedom it states that it is the word of God. To question its authority is to question the very foundation of Christian belief, and the fast track to hell. Nothing I will state in these pages is a revelation to anyone who has spent any time reading the bible or trawling the Internet for answers, however I find that in a time of ignorance it is necessary to speak the truth as though it is being spoken for the first time.

The gospel Truth

“Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.” – William Shakespeare

The Christian religion more than any other is primarily book based. The Bible is made up of 66 books, written by various authors at various times, covering a period of about 1,000 years. However of these books the faith is based primarily on the first four books of the New Testament, the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These gospels recount the birth, life, death and resurrection of a man called Jesus Christ. Now before we start even Christians will confirm Jesus himself did not write a single line. So who wrote them? It is well known that the original manuscripts, if there were any, are nowhere to be found. We have only supposed copies of supposed original manuscripts. Who copied them?  When were they copied? How can we be sure that these copies are reliable?  And why are there thousands upon thousands of various readings in these, numerous supposed copies? What means do we have of deciding which version or reading to accept?  Why are they not signed or dated? Is it possible that as the result of Jesus’ advent into our world the Son of God, we have only a basketful of nameless and dateless copies and documents? How could these great documents the most important of there kind ever be allowed to perish? The only answer the Christian church can give to this question is that the original writings were purposely allowed to perish, perhaps as a test of faith.

But let us suppose these copies are identical to the originals. Jesus and his twelve apostles were Jews; why are all the four Gospels written in Greek not Hebrew? “The copies where a translation of the originals.” I hear the Christians cry and yet. If they where written by Jesus’ followers who wrote them? After all they where fisherman and alike, it’s hard to believe a fisherman would have even known how to write his name at this time, as writing was strictly the preserve of the wealthy.

Nevertheless here we stand 2000+ years on with a Holy Bible so we must give it points for staying power.

 

Genesis and the Old Testament

Every dictionary defines Christian (n.) as "one who professes belief in Jesus as the Christ" or words to the same effect.  Not a one of them defines Christian as "one who believes in the literal truth of Genesis." If you've ever met a fundamentalist they often make statements like "I don't believe in evolution, because I'm a Christian."  If you’ve ever heard this statement don’t worry it's not because these people are Christians.  It is because they are literalist-fundamentalists, and the minority even among Christians. Many Christians and all sensible people do not consider the Old Testament as literal truth and many accept evolution.  They include many millions of Catholics, not to mention Episcopalians and other mainline Protestants, Mormons, Orthodox, Coptic’s, and many hundreds of denominations.

There are obvious flaws in this book for example god says, “let there be light” and there was light, however this was four days prior to creating the sun and the moon. If this is the case how in the days preceding the creation of the sun did god measure these days? Like most aspects of genesis the facts listed don’t tally with our current scientific knowledge, so while you read the following section think to yourself was this story written by an all knowing God or by a human with incomplete knowledge of the universe. Genesis says:

That the first human was Adam and he was created only 6,000 years ago. This as any scientist will tell you is not true, human beings have been on earth for at least 500,000 years.

Then that God created Eve from one of Adams ribs. Not only this, but man continues to have one less rib than woman for this reason! Obviously not much was known of human biology by God the creator, Unless we evolved another rib in the last 6,000 years, in which case where are the bodies of the lesser-ribbed men and isn’t that acceptance of evolution?

Then Adam and Eve are placed in Eden a garden paradise, and were allowed to stay there on the provision they didn’t eat of the tree of knowledge. Then a snake (that presumably spoke to her in Hebrew) tempted Eve.

Why did the all-powerful God allow this talking snake to speak to Eve? We do not know. But they fall for it and eat of the forbidden fruit and when God finds out that Adam and Eve have fallen for this trick he casts them out and the snake is cursed (and I presume unless snake just can’t be bothered to speak anymore that god removed the snake’s power of speech.)

Adam and all men were cursed to work and Eve and all women condemned to bring forth children in pain and agony, nice huh. And not very P.C. these days as women tend to work to.

The following is one of the most amusing contradictions in genesis. As the snake speaks the truth, it is God who lies:  
 
2:9 "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil."
 
 2:16-17 "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest there of thou shalt surely die."

God says the knowledge tree will kill them if the fruit is eaten. Got that.

3:4-5 "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
 
 So the snake says the knowledge tree will open their eyes, not kill them.

3:6  "She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her
Husband with her; and he did eat."
 
And they died?......

 

No they both lived.

3:7 "And the eyes of them both were opened"

God proven to be a liar was not a happy chappie
 
3:14 "And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this,
thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy
belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:"
 
How did snakes move before maybe they had wings and when did snakes stop eating dust?

How many Christians really believe this story in this day and age? Not many would be my guess. However if you don’t believe even a single part of the bible you do so at great danger to your immortal soul. Now if that story is necessary to keep me out of hell I think I’m damned, but if you can believe it feel free.

Next mankind decides to seek knowledge again, by building the Tower of Babylon. God didn't want us to do it and so he confounded our tongues, so we could not work for we did not understand one another; and that according to the bible is the origin of the languages. I don’t think any sensible person believes that story anymore either. Other Old Testament oddities include Balaam and his talking donkey and Joshua saying to the Sun, "Stand still." and the sun stood still? (Surely the Sun doesn’t go anywhere anyway, unless as believed at the time of publication the universe revolved around the earth.)

Have you got to rid yourself of all your knowledge and all your common sense to save your soul? “Oh no one believes that anymore! It’s figurative” I hear the Christians cry. Then what about the New Testament? Here was a child born of a virgin! Do you suppose you could get any positive evidence that would make anyone believe that story today? Yet in the bible there were four (at least) miraculous births recorded in the Testament. There was Sarah's child, Samson, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Jesus had brothers and sisters older than himself. If Mary were a virgin, were these all miracle births? Or are they from Joseph’s previous marriage and they have just forgotten to mention it?

Jesus’ genealogy is traced through his father, Joseph, with great begetting his lineage is traced all the way back to King David. Via Joseph? Is not God rather than Joseph his father? How is Josephs ancestry relevant?

“No one’s a virgin, life screws us all”

But most creationists do not believe that the Bible is figurative. Instead they believe that it is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Christian fundamentalists pick and choose Old Testament laws at will, anything that supports their point of view such as the six days of creation, or "Thou shalt not kill" in the pro-life camp, is the inerrant word of God. However most of the other 687 laws like not wearing cotton-polyester blend fabrics, circumcision, keeping the Sabbath holy [Saturday not Sunday by the way], punishing rapists by forcing them to marry their victims, etc. they have been excused from observing by Jesus. The New Testament however does not seem to state which details exactly can safely be ignored by fundamentalists.

I challenge any Christian to find a biologist, geologist, physicist, palaeontologist or astronomer who through field or laboratory research came up with any overwhelming evidence that the Earth is less than 500,000 years old, or that a new species did not evolve that he came to the conclusion that it was all created recently. The truth is that the 6,000-year-old Earth as described in the bible isn’t the reality; the Earth is around 4.5 billion years young. But the fundamentalist Christians have such a fragile belief, that to lose this battle would in their mind prove the infallible fallible.

So what of the Gospels of the New Testament?

Most Modern Christian belief on Jesus is taken from the Four Gospels of the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. However there is little consensus within the pages of the Gospels as regards the facts of Jesus’ life. Some of the most prominent contradictions are at the beginning, starting with the announcement of the impending birth in Matthew. The news of Jesus' impending birth was conveyed to Joseph in a dream (matt 1:20). Then in Luke we are told the news was given to Mary by an angel (Luke 1:28). In Luke we are told we are told that they went on a journey prior to the birth (Luke 2:4-7) and in Matthew that they went on the journey after (Matt 2:13-14). Then where was he born? At home as in Matthew (Matt 1:24-25) or in a manger in the back of an inn as in (Luke 2:4-7) and if Matthew is right what of the Christmas Nativity? Then with great begetting and begetting we are told of Joseph his fathers ancestry they don’t even agree on his grandfathers name in one his grandfather's name was Heli (Luke 3:23) in another his name was Jacob (Matt 1:16). The purpose of this is to establish a link to the Jews King David through Joseph but isn't God Jesus father? Wasn’t Mary a virgin? Why if this were the one true revelation of god would he waste time listing page upon page of useless names?

Neither the place nor the time of Jesus’ birth is known.  There has never been any agreement about this matter.  There has been considerable confusion and contradiction about it.  It cannot be proved that the twenty-fifth of December is his birthday. The selection of the twenty-fifth of December as his birthday is not only an arbitrary one, but that date, having been from time immemorial dedicated to the Sun, the inference is that the Son of God and the Sun of heaven enjoying the same birthday, and were at one time identical beings. Baradaens, Bishop of Odessa, says:  “No one knows exactly the day of the nativity of our Lord:  this only is certain from what Luke writes, that he was born in the night.” The most likely explanation is that upon the Romans conversion to Christianity the decision to celebrate Christmas was based more upon attaching this celebration to the already existing celebration of the winter solstice. When the sun begins its journey back across the sky. In order to keep its new pagan converts happy.

So why did God send his only son to Earth?

To bring peace?

Not according to him…

 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth, I did not come to bring peace but the sword. I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter in law against her mother in law, a mans enemies will be the members of his household” (Matt, 10:34-36)

The bible also states:

“If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, daughter, the wife of your bosom or the friend of your soul, entices you secretly saying “let us go and serve other gods” which neither you nor your fathers have known, some of the gods of the people that are around you whether near or far, from one end of the earth to the other, you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him, but you shall kill him. Your hand shall be the first against him and after that others can strike him” (Deut 13:6)

I just hope none of my family, who are mostly Christians, take the time to read this section of the bible or I could be in trouble. Or maybe this as the other excerpts is figurative, if this is the case how are we meant to know what’s figurative and what’s not.

The bible says of Jesus “even the wind and waves obey him” (Matt, 8:27) so the next time a Christian tells you of the power of Christ ask them when 230,000 people drowned suffering a slow death in the recent Tsunami why did he not act to prevent it?

What may come as a surprise, to both Christians and non-Christians is that there is no independent evidence that he ever actually existed. Despite the claims of the gospels that Jesus was a well known figure in Israel (Mk, 6:13; Lk, 7:17) He is not mentioned even once in any contemporary Hebrew, Latin or Greek literature or inscriptions of that time. But for one obscure reference in the writings of Josephus a historical documenter of the time, however all scholars now consider this to have been added by Christians later to establish his existence. The fact that early Christians would have to turn to forgery to prove their case indicates just how little evidence there was and is for his existence.

The Gospel of Thomas is one of about 40 gospels that were widely accepted among early Christians, but which never made it into the Christian Scriptures (New Testament). It make considerably more sense than any of the other Gospels I have read, I feel however that the church removed it for one obvious reason it tells Christians that it is not necessary to build churches or study scripture to find god but rather to look to nature saying, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up a stone, and you will find me there." A beautiful sentiment and this gospel is widely considered to be the closest to the actual words of the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, but as with all matters the church does not want to lose any more power, it would rather lose it’s message.

"If you bring forth what is within you, it will heal you. And if you do not bring forth what is within you, it will destroy you." (The Gospel of St. Thomas)

For those of you who don’t find the above evidence very convincing try looking into Paul who wrote a great number of the books of the new testament.

Although he was around spreading the gospel just after Jesus’ death and as a founding Christian would know of Christ’s teachings and miracles, he never mentions these acts of power, quotes Jesus or mentions his miraculous birth. Not once in any of his writings. Why? I could go on but this section is long enough

- Duncan Rossiter