Botanic Gardens, Kauai Hawaii
I took this pic a few years ago when Mulan and I spent Christmas with friends in Kauai.
I've been thinking about Voltaire a bit. In our last writing session, Jim reminded me of the poem that Voltaire wrote after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 when all the priests were railing against the people themselves for being the culprit. The disaster occurred because of their sinfulness. And now, 255 years later and we still have the like of Pat Robertson and his voodoo/pact-with-the-devil/Christian belief that Haiti brought all this on itself.
Here is Voltaire's poem: Poem on the Lisbon Disaster - Wikisource
And here is a good excerpt:
What crime, what sin, had those young hearts conceived
That lie, bleeding and torn, on mother's breast?
Did fallen Lisbon deeper drink of vice
Than London, Paris, or sunlit Madrid?
In these men dance; at Lisbon yawns the abyss.
Tranquil spectators of your brothers' wreck,
Unmoved by this repellent dance of death,
Who calmly seek the reason of such storms,
Let them but lash your own security;
Your tears will mingle freely with the flood.
That lie, bleeding and torn, on mother's breast?
Did fallen Lisbon deeper drink of vice
Than London, Paris, or sunlit Madrid?
In these men dance; at Lisbon yawns the abyss.
Tranquil spectators of your brothers' wreck,
Unmoved by this repellent dance of death,
Who calmly seek the reason of such storms,
Let them but lash your own security;
Your tears will mingle freely with the flood.
Pat Robertson is an anomaly now. The public is ridiculing him. This makes me optimistic. In Voltaire's time it the Catholic Church was everywhere and this was the general attitude. I really think things are changing. SLOWLY.
What shocks me is that while the mainstream may mock Robertson, they don't seem to take it a step further. If God didn't cause the earthquake then does God cause anything? Is he a sad bystander? Is he able to do anything about it? Of course not. Then why believe in any God at all? But no one takes it that far. It's PC to extoll the belief that God IS there to rely on, you can cry on his shoulder, you can ask for strength. Why is that so acceptable?
And why did the font on my blog just change? OH! I cannot stop and noodle with it, I have dinner to prepare.
, 
, or
132 comments:
"It's PC to extoll the belief that God IS there to rely on, you can cry on his shoulder, you can ask for strength. Why is that so acceptable?"
Maybe because some people still recognize that there is evil in the world. Not earthquakes, surely, but people like Pat Robertson.
I don't think that earthquakes (or disease) are the result of God's negligence or proof in God's non-existence.
It is how the world/universe works. (Tectonic plates have been shifting for billions of years before we showed up. In fact the beauty you saw in Kauai is a result, but I wouldn't have wanted to be there when it was being 'born'.)
David Brooks had a great column about how the earthquake results were less about geology and more about poverty. The same quake in Southern California would have possibly killed a few dozen unlucky folks. But it wouldn't have killed thousands or hundreds of thousands. (Of course I live in Chicago, and if the New Madrid fault went, this city - and St. Louis - would be dust. So rather than arguing theodicy, perhaps we should be arguing building codes.)
Even for believers, Pat Robertson is a huge joke. He is not the norm. He's nuts. Just like whoever suggested that Obama was responding to the quake only because the victims are black.
They don't disprove God's existence, either, although one can question why even God tolerates idiocy so frequently.
Adam Mann says...
Natural disasters cannot be explained by the Pat answer (pun intended) noramlly given by believers, that evil is the result of man's poor free choice. If someone is killed by a drunken driver, or molested, or murdered, etc..., I can accept their line of thought, but no one chooses to send an earthquake, or tsunami, or mudslide. Only God could do that if he is really in control of everything. At the very least he would willfully choose to allow it to happen.
If God is in control of nature, as most believers proclaim, then he should receive the blame for the death and destruction. but honestly, why would that be so shocking? He is a highly qualified killer, just look at his resume the Old Testament. One just has to do mental gymanstics with his idea of a loving God at this point. Or if God could not stop the disaster, then he is not all powerful. Maybe the answer is, there is no God and things happen for no "higher" reason or purpose other than geology and geography.
Two good books that can get believers wrestling with this issue, which most do not want to do, is Bart Ehrman's 2008 "God's Problem" (Why the Bible Fails to Answer our Most Important Question - Why We Suffer), and Gary Sterns's 2007 "Can God Intervene?" (How Religion Explains Natural Disaster).
God changed your font, to show you as a font-inconsistent sinner! Repent!
It doesn't seem to me that very many believers really believe in an active God anymore. They aren't surprised if the deity is only there to be a shoulder to cry on. This has nothing to do with theism as it has ever behaved until the last century or so, but it's what theists do now.
Christianity is a lot more nostalgia for the terminology than an active belief in an active God. At lest, that's how it looks to me.
Julia,
Even though you identify with atheism, somehow you can't forgive God for the natural tragedies here on Earth and elsewhere.
Believing in the truth of science is moving out of the shadows of mysticism. Proof that is reproducible every time still leaves room for a kind spirit that designed the very laws of physics, but leaves behind the God of the various religions.
The secret of life is to enjoy the passing of time. Nothing else matters!
I can't think that PR was thinking about this verse in Luke 13:
"What about those eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Do you think they were worse than everyone else in Jerusalem?"
It is common for fundamentalists to think something like, "Well, those Haitians are voodoo people and that's why God killed 'em." What hubris! You can also demonstrate that God hates self-righteous folks more than "sinners." The point is, everybody dies.
But I, a former atheist, have one question about atheism and death. I think atheism has to assume that death is final and then nothing.
History demonstrates amply (as does the daily news)that justice is hard to find in this life anywhere. Hitler killed 6 million and died without ever spending a day in jail. If there is no afterlife, there is no ultimate justice.
I don't believe in the Protestant/Catholic "hell," by the way: "eternal punishment." Those two words are a very poor translation of the Greek: aeon krisis. That is, "in the ages to come, justice." The Bible teaches that "God is just." Even the Hebrew belief was that God would one day set everything right.
So I'm wondering: If there is no hope of ultimate justice if we die followed by nothing. If a guy can strap on a bomb and kill a bunch of people and himself, he never faces human justice. That is a cruel universe indeed where one can do evil deeds and never face justice. For that matter, one can do good deeds and never receive a just reward.
How does an atheist address justice for someone like, say, ol' Hitler?
The question of justice is exactly what drove C. S. Lewis to compose a canon of both fiction and non-fiction in the last century. And inextricably bound to that issue is the question of good and evil.
It is not PC to bring up evil these days, but everyone seems to be able to recognize injustice, especially when it is visited upon them personally. How is it that after all our "progress" toward secularity, we as a species are still possessed of hate, greed, lust, envy, and ill-will toward even those who are closest to us, let alone our neighbor?
I do not know what awaits us beyond this plane. Perhaps in the end there is no justice. But the fact that the "ability" to recognize evil means we are being human, so too is the ability to see that it's not fair.
Christopher Hitchens wrote a good article in slate about how plate tectonics causes earthquakes and in todays BBC there is a philosophical piece about if there is a (good) God, then why do bad things happen. cute cat.
Kriss
This morning there was a man on the "Today Show" who was rescued from the rubble of his hotel in Haiti. He said he believed God had a purpose for him and that God saved him. So...by that logic...God had NO purpose for the other thousands of people and wasn't going to bother with saving them. Do people not think about this when they say things like "God has a plan for me." "God rescued me." ???
Julia - Just discovered your blog and have been reading it all morning. Lurve it!
I wrote similar thoughts about Pat Robertson on my site. Through a strange series of events I have a lot of theistic readers and they are not happy with similar conclusions I have made.
I'm so glad "Letting Go of God" is getting more attention (with the Showtime airings.)
...This morning I saw an American survivor of the Haiti earthquake on The Today Show. He kept saying that he knew God wouldn't let him die, and that God was on his side, etc... I kept thinking; So you mean you that believe God hated all of the other 200,000 people who died slow, painful deaths trapped under all the collapsed buildings?
Thank you SO much for your blog. I am new here and I found your blog after listening to an excerpt from your "Letting Go of God" lecture on a older episode of This American Life.
I appreciate your blog because it gives me a connection to life and what I consider my reality to be. I have tried so hard to be successful and important and such. However, choices, luck, and fate (???) have led me to a very common and basic reality that I am kind of OK with. Thank you for your honesty and simplicity. You are inspiring. You are human. And you are special. And you have led me to expect and appreciate nothing less (or more) from myself.
Thank you.
Birds of feather...
Brave enough to question Man Made (The Bible) books. My face book updates may cause for more questions, check me out, all welcome. Vincient Brewington, questions have answers and I have many....
..Questions!
UPGRADES: Old, New Testaments are both written by Man, the next edition should have at least have one WOMAN author?
Religion itself is Law for humans to be civil, but the old technology is not working in todays societies?
"Julie"
I grew up in Richland WA and attended Christ the King Church - I laughed and cried when I saw "God said Ha"! - as someone who has done the cancer drill with loved ones, and experienced the Catholic "thing" FOREVER!
My mom was your mom - raising 4 kids, and 'cometing out the tub' - I knew the So Happy family - I never knew that was YOUR dad -
My daddy died in October - 5 year colon rectal cancer fighter. I saw "Letting Go of God" a month later.
Just wanted to tell you that I'm really happy to know I am not the ONLY person having this fight emotionally!
Pretty sure you led me to wholeness.
Just wanted to say Thank You.
Kelly
thank you ms sweeney for your unique insights and entertainment. you are a fasinating (sp) person. i enjoy listening to you.
wendell
Hi, are you in Wilmette or Evanston? I can't really tell.
Julia, I saw your show yesterday for the first time. I t had me completely mesmerized. Not that I am considering converting, but it made me say hmmmmmmmmmm! I posted somethng on my facebook page and mentioned you and "Letting Go of God" and wanted to know my friends views! All I can say is that it was very interesting! It evokes conversation and not just minimal conversation, but deep and indepth conversation!
Please feel fre to take a peek and read the posting. I also posted a couple of you youtube video's. If that isn't acceptable, pklease let me know and I'll remove them promptly.
I have always been a fan, but now I am a hugggge fan! Continued success to you and God bless (just kidding!) :)
I'm stealing the expression "noodling with it" and will be using it at least 10 times a day!
A friend of mine came up with a design for an earthquake proof house built with very cheap locally available materials and was invited to build a prototype in Aceh after the earthquake in Indonesia a few years ago. He travelled to Indonesia and built the prototype. He came away with some very hard lessons; what he discovered was a nexus between the government agencies responsible for disbursement of aid funds and the various 'charitable' international organizations implementing reconstruction. The end result was a huge amount of money spent on concrete structures wholly unsuited to an earthquake zone....because everyone involved made more money that way....My friend spoke out against the blatant corruption and was summarily ejected from Indonesia and never paid for his design or work.....What do you do when the caretakers are wolves in sheep's clothing...?
That last comment and the question it raises about the corruption manifested by the connection between the government and business in the use of funds dispersed to underdeveloped countries,and even to public enterprises in our own, has more to do with explaining the devastation in Haiti, the collapse of even the iota of genuine infrastructure in a benighted land, than any possible talk of god, and his intentions.
If the tons of talk devoted to god's presence in Haiti weren't so repellent it would be the stuff of comedy: where, oh where is our St. George Carlin when we are stuck with such dangerous, duplicitous garbage?
To continue to give credence to people who imagine that god is good OR omniscient because one pathetic example has emerged from the rubble under which hundreds of thousands have perished is so puerile, so foolish on the face of it, that to give it time and respect is to take both away from any vestige of sanity.
Why we give such pathetic nonsense so much attention is much more of a mystery than why Haiti is in such dire straits.
Norma Manna Blum
Yesterday I watched "Letting Go..." for the second time. At 64my overwhelming feeling is of gratitude that there are folk out there who get it. Raised in an Assembly of God church on the southside of Chicago, it took many years to finally let go. It's one of those things that when you finally see clearly, you can't believe you ever bought in the first place.
I'm pretty sure that if there was a God, Pat Robertson would be dead and in hell. Even Donald Trump wouldn't fail to fire such a poor representative (pun intended). Case closed!
Hi Julia, just want to let you know a Topeka, KS atheist group is watching Letting Go of God tonight. See the promo story at examiner.com. Topeka, home of Fred Phelps, now has a voice on examiner.com where there are many active pro-god writers. We are growing!
If you do not believe in God - Then why do you spend so much time, resources and energy trying to prove he does not exist? If God does not exist in your world - then everything you try to prove is irrelevant!!! God Loves and he is real - so make sure you are prepared.
"If God does not exist in your world - then everything you try to prove is irrelevant!!!" Societies that elevate mysticism remain backwards, Societies that reward reason thrive. I would much rather live in a society with running water and central heat and air then one where mosquitoes rule. Dan
Yesterday my wallet was stolen. I had to cancel all my accounts. Sucks because I was supposed to get paid today, along with a refund from the IRS. I cried all evening not knowing how to pay my bills, buy groceries for my three kids. I wished for a moment I still believed in God so that I could pray and he could possibly make it all better. Then, this morning I woke up and lay on the couch only to turn on your showtime monologue. Awesome. It was the kick in the ass I needed to come back down to reality and show me just how miniscule and petty my problems were. Funny how getting an athiesm refresher makes me feel better. Big fan of yours now!!!
Julia is not dead everybody, she just smells funny.
Just listened to some of your standup on "This American Life ep. 9"...loved it!
kinda reintroduced me to you after my high school years when you were on snl. Look forward to watching your show!
First of all, Pat Robertson does not represent all believers nor all Christians, so his demise is his own, not that of belief and Christianity.
That said, tragedies and suffering happen, and from it, good arises (aid, reaching out, humanitarian efforts). Why do they happen? God's will may not seem an acceptable answer, but it is beyond the grasp.
Many of those who survived Haiti, and many of those helping clean up the mess, and sending money, are Christians. You must envy unshakable faith.-
TL, MD
Hello, sorry to get a little off topic, but Julia, I think I just saw you at the CVS outside Oligilve Metra. If it wasn't, oops, but regardless it prompted me to look up what you have been up to since way back when and I wanted to say, you done good girl. You should be proud. Stay strong and keep doing what you're doing. From, da' Chicago commuter
It saddens me so to hear people say -- 'there is no God' or 'where is God?' when bad, awful things happen our first response is ... Why didn't He just 'save the day'?
Society as a whole has been on a steady course to push God out of everything - our schools - our communities - gosh, even our churches.
I know this of God - He loves us - He gives us strength when we need it -- He gives us hope -- when the world around us is shaking.
I watched as Hatian people sang praises to God after the earthquake and they are living the pain and agony (we are just watching from afar) -- they know from Who their strength comes -- why can't we figure it out?
No where in the Bible did God say things would be easy -- there will be heartache - distruction -- awful things will happen. But when we cling to Him -- the Rock that will never be shaken -- we will stand. That's all He asks of us just STAND. Stand on your faith in Christ His son - the Savior of the world.
In my life I have tried to always stand -- even though life has been hard and heartbreaking at times ---He has never, ever let me fall.
I encourage all -- read the Bible for yourself - forget religion -- seek relationship with Him. Ask God to reveal and speak to you through His Word. - He will, I know He will.
DeVonne
Anonymous: what could god possibly have had in mind in causing you such sadness?
Why any decent god worth his salt would have chosen to make a loyal follower like you happy, simply by eradicating doubt from the face of the earth!!
Now THERE'S a conundrum for ya!!
Here you are, one of god's staunchest stalwarts (albeit ashamed to give your real name) laid low by the fact that god has no power whatever over those who question...and some who actually laugh at - the idea of any possible god.
And moreover, who in fact think of the concept or a god as preposterous, not even worth considering given the negative history of religion and the enormous amount of knowledge that man has accumulated since the bible ...any or all or it.. was written by humans with business in mind.
What makes me sad on YOUR behalf, ANONYMOUS, is that despite having clearly been stomped on so severely by the influence of religion in your life, you persist in believing that the meek will inherit the earth, the
most persistent crock ever offered up to mankind.
Alas, you have unfortunately been deprived of the wit and will to then ask, "what will the meek DO with the earth once they have inherited it?"
The very idea of a god is what keeps the meek in their place...starved by the powerful,beaten, debased, deprived of education, resources, skills and power by their obedience to a worn out and deleterious cacophony of creeds, the majority of which are rooted in the Abrahamic set of lies (the monstrous Yahweh, the phthisic Christ) that still seems to attract more flies with its insidious and toxic honey.
Were there a god, and a god who cared a whit about you, he would have seen to it that nothing existed in this world that could make you as sad as you claim to be about the existence of non-belief.
But.. your god either doesn't have the power to lighten your load... or he just doesn't give a damn.
Does this sound harsh?
Too bad.
But the hypocritical bleating of the lambs of god are increasingly wearing on the bonds of good manners what with their having nothing more substantial or inspiring in mind than the Apocalypse.
If you want respect for your religion stop making such patently ridiculous AND INVASIVE claims for it.
Norma Manna Blum
Wow… Norma you are feisty!
As passionate as you are about the non-existence of God I am equally as passionate about His existence.
Funny that I even came across this blog today, I’m rarely online but was piddling around due to all the snow here. I certainly don’t want to hijack Julia’s blog so….
So my last words to you are –
I know that the reason for sadness, disease and destruction in the world --- it is sin – and yes we all do it.
I know that I know that I know that God exists; He has proven it to me over and over.
I know that the Bible is God breathed and God’s Word is living and active.
I passionately LOVE…. Jesus, Jehovah, The Christ – The great I AM
I am not sad for me – I have joy unspeakable and my load is light. It’s for you, Norma, that I am sad…
I’m praying for you – you’ll hate that – but I am. ;)
A little suggestion maybe try reading the writings of Corrie Ten Boom.
DeVonne White
Please.
Save you "sadness" (whatever you think that means) for someone who has enlisted your care, your concern.
That is not me.
My feistiness?
Damn right.
But it is not directed at god's existence, which is meaningless to me, and in which I no longer have any great interest.
Such existence can never be proved or disproved, and too much time has been wasted on the subject to the detriment of what is really significant to the survival of our planet and our species.
The concept of a god,especially the omniscient one of Abrahamic invention, does not really affect how I live or how I comport myself toward my fellow animals and the planet that harbors us all.
And I doubt very much -do forgive me- if it impacts on how you do either.
However, the retrograde politics and resultant social policy that seem to have a direct correlation to the blandishments of fundamentalist, literalist, evangelical religions, DO on the other hand intrude themselves on my consciousness AND the way I live.
Who would care if his neighbor were religious or not if religion were not already intruding itself in all manner of social policy, in ways deleterious to a secular Republic?
Who would care that you believed in god or worshipped a cow, if your collective religious nose were not firmly stuck in the path of scientific and medical excellence as well as progress?
Who would care that you pray, were those prayers not devoted to the idea that this life on earth is of less importance than some fairy land you have invented in the sky?
Anyone has a right to carry a bible in his or her head where the brain should be.
But you can't really try to remake others in that really pathetic image, without some even feistier response than I have offered you here.
Believe WHAT YOU LIKE: no one has ever tried to stop you...
Just try to control your impulse to sell religious, and in your case, Christian, dogma, where it has no place.
As in "do mind your own business, please."
Norma Manna Blum
Off the subject but wanted to tell you that at a recent concert in Fall River MA of Cheryl Wheeler and Patty Larking, Cheryl stopped in the middle to recommend to Patty to see "Letting Go of God" and how great it is. In Cheryl's introduction to one of her songs, she mentioned that her family attended church but weren't very religious. As she put it "they were only religious enough to love people, we weren't religious enough to hate people".
Norma Manna Blum (Real Name?) I will pray for you as well due to your misguided life. No matter what you believe on this Earth - When you Die you WILL BOW DOWN TO GOD. We all will because of his holiness but non believers will be crying out please forgive me for not believing while on earth. It will be too late at that point, unless you accept Jesus as your savior in your heart while on this earth.
It is by the Grace of God through our Faith in Jesus that we are given the Free Gift of Salvation. No certain religion or church is required or your good works. It really is just a simple act of faith that will change your life forever. Rob Koons
I watched your thought provoking monologue on cable yesterday. I am sorry for your loss of your brother and father. Thank you for sharing about this in an open venue.
You appear to be a voracious reader. Curious if you have read many C.S. Lewis works, specifically "The case for Christ"?
The book gives a logical non-dogmatic support of Christianity from an author surrounded by the ravages of WWII.
Lewis also had a journey, albeit from athiesm to Christianity, and struggled with the loss of a loved one, his spouse, to Cancer.
Yea Rob, that's just what I want, die and find another asshole who wants me to bow down to him. Bite me. This existance is all we get, enjoy it while you're here.
For 'a natural':
"The Case for Christ" had nothing to do with C.S. Lewis, Lee Strobel was the author. Did you read it?Highly doubtful Mr. Strobel was Ever an athiest.
I've read said book, and have to say, Strobel's views are one-sided at best...all supposed 'evidence' to support his 'case' was painfully/ obviously drawn from resources in favor of the outcome he WANTED the world to see. Just like other Christian doctrine.
I was raised a Christian and had my doubts, just like everyone else, and have to say I'm SO GLAD I didn't just sit back and accept the nonsense handed down generation from generation. Most Christians have no idea how their religion started or that the Jesus Myth was told many moons and in many variations prior to the onset of his tale. Through my own research, I've discovered that a historical Jesus Never existed at all. Makes sense, given all other facts associated with God/Gods/Godeesses and Religion in general. The Bible is a work of FICTION.
But please, research for yourself--UNBIASED resourses--else you're defeating the purposes and doing your 'freethinking' mind a great dis-service.
Dariwin was right. We have the fossils to prove it. *BG* Ignoring facts won't make them go away. If more people supported Science instead of Superstition the world would be a much better place! Besides, I saw a great quote that said, "Atheist don't fly planes into buildings".
Hard to believe that in todays world, with all we know and are still discovering, that God and religion are still subjects of great debate. Sad.
Julia, thanks for taking a stand.
Angie
All of you , esp julia sweeney are pathetic. If you think that you are going to get away with saying all these things about God, think again..God shall not be made a mockery of. This is a shame and saddens me to hear you non believers talk about God this way.. I shall pray for all of you.
Ah, always so interesting when "Christians" start spreading that searing love they all rave so much about.
Climb down off the crosses guys, we need the lumber.
For Angie -
I mistyped. Meant to say C.S. Lewis "The Case for Christianity" not "Case for Christ" which you are correct has nothing to do with C.S. Lewis.
The "The Case for Christianity" is a logical exposition of why Christianity makes sense from a non-biblical perspective. The message was delivered through radio addresses in the U.K. during WWII, also a pretty distraught situation as I'm told, and published by McMillan in 1943.
This book also has nothing to do with C.S. Lewis personally. A better text on his personal struggle with the death of his wife of 3 years, who he did not marry until the age of 57, is "A Grief Observed". Both texts are available on Amazon.
To answer your question, I have not read the Strobel book and would agree with you that modern books written by mega-church pastors can be one-sided, as they are often written to sell copies to a captive audience.
Please provide a few of the resources you uncovered in your own research and I will be happy to give them a read.
Thanks for your correction.
I have to wonder if those "loving Christians" even SAW "Letting Go Of God" -
Laughing as I read their tirades - and oddly thinking about Hannity on FOX actually saying out loud that, "Because of all the SNOW - In FEBRUARY - Global Warming is a MYTH".
People that won't even CONSIDER the science on ANY subject scare me...!
re: A Natural,
I would direct you to begin your search at the beginning...with the history of religion and how it evolved in relation to fear and lack of understanding. There are Tons of resources, check your library. The internet is a very good source, although you'll want to watch out for those biased posts via Both sides. Stick with fact based materials.
The Sumerians were more or less the founders of the written word and even they told a tale similar to the biblical flood, etc.
Read up on Isis, Horus and Greek/Roman mythology and how people believed in those Gods (Rome changed the names of the Greek Gods when they adopted as their own) until, once again, Rome decided Chritianity was to be the 'new' religion. Rome stole everyone else's religion...and killed anyone that didn't agree.
This evolved from a majority of people wanting to worship only one God...interstingly enough, Mary, mother of Jesus, rose to her current divine status due to the demand of those former pagens demanding a Godess. While the Catholic church refused to make Mary a Goddess, they ultimely caved and placed Mary her current pedestal to prevent riots among the masses. Look it up and see for yourself.
The Sun worship/Goddess/multiple Gods will/should lead you to question. Read and question the Bible. And Darwin. What seems more rational? Common sense should take over... You may not like the answers, but we all know wishing doesn't make it real.
Angie
It does seem to me(and I am seventy) that something's afoot in our progress as a species. If there are billions of habitable planets and each has a dominant species that develops intelligence and creature comforts.. Then living becomes not just grim survival and procreation but a quest for meaning. We seem to discover that the next rung up the ladder of progress contains potential for our good and for our extinction. Is the universe a lab experiment? Have we got what it takes to choose the right path? We humans are standing in gasoline and the Sarahs , Becks and Rushes have the matches.
Julia, Julia, where art thou Julia? We miss you and hope all is well.
Your adoring fan,
Jim
Julia,
I guess after the Spokane Sheriffs Department broke three of my ribs, gave me Post Traumatic Stress and a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, then tried to have me murdred with individuals who were selling drugs to the wife of a Prosecutor( discussed in depositional testimony), all for sitting next to the Marks family who won the largest tort against Spokane Law Enforcement ever(who I met for the first time in my life the day of the incident), the Marion Image which I have on video, used to catch individuals who broke into my home to steal evidence lowing my business damages in my Deadly Use of Force Tort, means nothing. Even though it is the only thing that has given me the courage to keep on fighting for my Countrymen's and Womens Civil Rights at a time of war.
I will never believe that given what I know about this story.
D.M.
My fellow Brother and Sister in Christ Rob and Devonne, I support you and if only those who have written their comments by making a mockery of God, they will be sorry if they have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
I don't even have to coment read below and it speaks for itself; God is not to be MOCKED!!!
'Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
For whatsoever a man sow,
That shall he also reap.
Here are some men and women
Who mocked God :
John Lennon(Singer):
Some years before, during his interview with an American Magazine, he
said:
'Christianity will end, it will disappear.
I do not have to argue about
That.. I am certain.
Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, Today we are more famous
than Him' (1966).
Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus
Christ, Was shot six times.
Tancredo Neves(President of Brazil ):
During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from
his party, Not even God would remove him from Presidency.
Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before Being made
President, then he died.
Cazuza (Bi-sexual Brazilian composer, singer and poet):
During A show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ),
While smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air And
said:'God, that's for you.'
He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.
The man who built the Titanic
After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him How safe the
Titanic would be.
With an ironic tone he said:
'Not even God can sink it'
The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic
Marilyn Monroe(Actress)
She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show.
He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her.
After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:
'I don't need your Jesus'.
A week later, she was found dead in her apartment
Bon Scott(Singer)
The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC.. On one of his 1979 songs he sang:
'Don't stop me; I'm going down all the way, down the highway to hell'.
On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been
choked by his own vomit.
Campinas(IN 2005)
In Campinas , Brazil a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a
friend......
The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the
drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her
hand, who was already seated in the car:
'My Daughter, Go With God And May He Protect You..'
She responded: 'Only If He (God) Travel s In The Trunk, Cause Inside
Here......It's Already Full '
Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal
accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but
surprisingly, the trunk was intact.
The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact.
To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken
Christine Hewitt(Jamaican Journalist and entertainer) said the Bible
(Word of God) was the worst book ever written.
In June 2006 she was found burnt beyond recognition in her motor
vehicle.
Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name
that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus.
Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still
alive.
'Jesus'
'Jesus'...so the story goes...
I saw this in one of those annoying chain emails not long ago. The thing is, what about all those people that say similar things about 'God' and haven't meet with these tragic ends...or, how about the 'believers' that suffer such demise...these are coincidences, and NOTHING MORE!
Wake up....
Going onto a personal website and imposing an obviously unwanted message denigrates the message and puts God in the light of being a bully.
I hate it when people soil Jesus by acting so unchristian in Gods name. Holy? No. Rude? Yes.
You're awesome.
LOL...
The punishment-retribution cadres among the religious fundamentalists are their own worst enemies...even as they are determined to inflict fear, the cringing from life, upon their own children.
Could any influence for disbelief possibly do more damage to the vision of religion as a form or lunacy as does that threat -laden message listing the names of the dead who have had the temerity to mock god?
Not from my rocking chair.
But I guess there wasn't enough room to list the names of the now billions of dead who dutifully read their bibles, and engaged in babbling from it during their lifetimes.... all gone the way of all flesh.
Don't religious fanatics ever read what they have written before they hit submit?
Or have their critical faculties, their ability to reason been so severely eroded by ignorance, fear and confusions that they incapable of exercising even elementary judgments on matters of life and death?
Norma Manna Blum
Norma Manna Blum
After 52 comments to Julia's blog, I am not sure if anyone is still reading these but here it goes.
It really is a simple choice, mysticism or reason. With mysticism it begins with love and always ends with fear. In previous posts the fear involved retribution for disbelief (which is supposedly a free will choice). Some choice; believe and bow down or burn forever in hell. On the other hand we can choose to accept that the human brain is the highest evolved system on this planet and use it to reason our way through the survival challenges that confront us. It is easier if we have someone smarter and "supernatural" to lean on. Without a mystical being one has to come to grips with the idea that we alone are responsible for the decisions we make. Dan from Montana.
The listng of those who have died because they mocked God is not a coincindence and is not rude, it is simply showing what they said and how they met their demise. To those of you who have wrotten your comments, I don't expect for you to believe. I am in no way a religious fananctic number 1 and 2it does NOT show God in the light of a bully. You are the ones who need to wake up. Rude is it-No it is not, it is simply being passionate about christ. Just as passionate as you are about being a scoffer, I am believer In Jesus Christ. It is your choice and you choose not to believe in Christ, that's on you, you shall have to answer to GOD, YES GOD, on jugdement day. Our people perish because of lack of knowledge, and many more will perish Hosea 4:6- that is not being rude, for the writer who seems to think so- it is scripture. It is not a debate, that is the way it is. You all sound so ridiculous, stopping downing us christians for our belief in christ. It's really sad, no one can tell me God isn't real-my only wish is that you will know him for youself. I feel sorry for you. God is real, it 's just too bad you don't have a relationship with him, but if you ask Jesus christ into your heart, he will reveal himself to you. I'm done here, I am not going to debate about God, I shall pray for you even though you don't want me too, but I am ...and ask God to reveal himself to you..
Blah blah blah.
Julia
I've loved your work ever since I heard you on "This American Life"
You've really hit the nail on the head with this one.
I spent 12 days in Haiti with a Search and Rescue team. The scope of the destruction is simply impossible to describe.
I don't believe in Pat Robertson's version of God. Even if he existed, he would be one sadistic sob that is not worthy of praise.
Keep up the fight
I am so relieved to know that "God" had John Lennon shot & killed. Whew. I can sleep better at night.
A man who was a driving force in a movement of peace and love...inspired a generation...and created art that endures...was a loving father & husband...he was shot dead because he insulted God. Oh, right. That makes sense. (That's sarcasm in case you're wondering).
I'm a born-again non-believer and as someone who walked away from faith and looked to logic & reason in its sted, all I can say is...wow, Christians sure sound stupid when they tell non-believers, "Oh you'll have GOD to answer to!"
I'm shakin' in my boots, people.
There is no need to debate much in whether is there God or no God. It is just simply 'believe it or not'. If you do not believe, so be it. Believe it, then so be it. What most important is to respect each and individual's perception. For believers, i think there is not a need to get so upset about how others react over God (understand you will really want other to believe His existence) but just accept them as they are or rather respect them as an individual. And for non-believers (understand that you really want others to believe He does not exist at all), well, maybe i think you do not need to get so agitated when people talk about how good God is or what so ever issues that concern God. Perhaps the more agitated you are, the more you might want to experience God. Life is just so simple, thus lets not make it complicated then. =)
Joan,
I think religion does much, much more harm than good. I am tired of staying quiet about my non-belief. If more atheists spoke up, we could have some real dialogue. Unfortunately, we're relatively silenced by the Kirk Camerons of the world.
Only when humans begin to accept that there is no afterlife, this life IS all we have...and we need to take care of the planet NOW for ourselves and for future generations will we have a shot of saving humanity.
Unfortunately, thousands...no, millions...of fundamentalist Christians believe Jesus is coming back and taking everyone that "believes" on a stairway to heaven...and who gives a crap about the earth that is left behind for all the non-believing sinners!?! So let's rape & pillage the earth while we can because in a few years it won't matter because all the Christians are going to ***POOF*** dissapear up to heaven!!! Yeah!!! So really, who cares about global warming!?! Use all the oil you want! It doesn't matter! Jesus saves!
"The Rapture"...I grew up hearing about it almost daily. My parents lived their lives expecting it at any minute. My Dad had very little to do with life on this earth and left without so much as making sure his wife of 65 years had money to bury him. Ah yes the rapture...He left me with room after room of trash, things that the Salvation Army wouldn't pick up. It is such a warm fuzzy feeling to believe we will be plucked from this earth and zoom into the heavens to sing God's praises for eternity. It is so warm and fuzzy one forgets that life has just happened and now is ended. Yes, the rapture is a wonderful thing to believe in until you lie fearfully on an emergency gurney and your heart is stopping and you realize you have dreamed your life away, and the rapture never came...
Guess I was wrong, Julia may actually be dead. She still smells funny though.
You're right Joan, there is no need to debate whether or not God exists; Given that you can't prove a negative it is up to the believers to provide actual evidence of God's existance. They haven't and apparently can't, so it is incumbant on the reasonable and logical to assume that gods don't exist given this dearth of evidence.
In other words (to be not so nice about it) believers should shut up until they have actual evidence.
I read the religious comments to your blog and wonder why these people come here. But then I remember, I used to be one of them. I thought it was my duty to tell everyone "The Good News" so they wouldn't go to hell.
Now that I've realized all that was bull, I feel so much happier than I ever was when I was "saved". The fear has been replaced with peace.
Love you Julia!!!
P.S. I grew up in Des Plaines, but now live in Texas. Miss Chi-town!
Something I've been noodling on since watching Julia's "Letting Go of God" (so compelling and thought-provoking... and funny!) is that humankind must be KINDER to one another, regardless of their beliefs (I even joined an online Kindness class I read about it in Time Magazine and I love it).
About justice: that is a tough one, isn't it? We all want to believe that good will always prevail. Is there ANY way we, as a human society, could garantee it? We've failed that task so far.
Regarding Pat Robertson, maybe we should have one of your old friends from SNL, the Church Lady, pay him a visit and try to talk some sense into him.
As for believing in a god/deity/whatever of some kind, if there isn't one, how was the world created? How did we get here?
Faeries.
Where are you, Julia? Miss reading your blog.
thanks for the humor as I tread through some of the sadness about leaving a powerless old man sitting in the corner--to know he does not have the power over me he had. as my used to be at risk now adult child says: later,
the agnostic doc
(hope to see more coming blogs and maybe share a thought or two)
I is amazing to me how many Pentacostal and fundamentalist types are still around. They can't function outside of fear and the threat of damnation. They cannot truly love themselves or others except in an abstract way. Jesus taught love and allowing. If you believe out of fear then the only thing you really believe in is fear. God is abstract. You can make ( Him ? ) anything you want. Love can be real or abstract. John Lennon wanted a better life for us all. That is very real. I challenge you to take the fear out of your life and see what remains.
Richard
Cazuza died of AIDS. Just FYI to the poster above. xoxoxoxo
The media always picks up the minute details that are irrelevant to the real issues. The truth that God exists and loves people and heals people is denied by a great many people. For those who don't believe He exists what hope do you have? I believe He exists and loves me and I can tell you I have been healed of cancer. I choose to believe and if He didn't exist than I'm still OK, but if I choose not to believe and He does exist, then I lose.
"The truth that God exists and loves people and heals people is denied by a great many people."
-Right...because there is no proof that God exists. It is a fairy tale that began with unenlightened people. We are a progressive society and science has proven, without a reasonable doubt, that evolution happened, the world is millions of millions of years old and our place in the universe is miniscule. We are but a blip.
"For those who don't believe He exists what hope do you have?"
I have so much hope! I have hope that society will improve and that my daughter and my future grandchildren will live free of bigotry and hate. I have hope that people will continue to educate themselves and society will progress to a point where we can sustain our planet for the survival of our species. I don't need hope in an afterlife! I enjoy EVERY day and am so glad to be alive, now. I see the world as a fragile space that needs to be cared for. Alternatively, many Christians are SO consumed with the afterlife, they don't care much about the damage being done to our planet NOW.
"I believe He exists and loves me and I can tell you I have been healed of cancer."
That's nice that you think that. Have you ever asked yourself why god chose to save YOU? Also, it's amazing that believers always claim god has healed things like cancer, ulcers, heart problems, etc...but never once has god successfully executed the re-generation of a limb. I am sure there are plenty of "good believing Christians" who have lost a limb for whatever reason. Why doesn't god grow them a new leg? Yes "unseen" diseases are "cured" by god? Ummmmm no. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery cure cancer. Not god. No god.
"Ichoose to believe and if He didn't exist than I'm still OK, but if I choose not to believe and He does exist, then I lose."
That's a wager I'm not willing to make anymore, though I used to. Religion is the source of so much hate and corruption. I don't want any part of it.
Atheist cannot get past something that is coming in the future. We are moving to a World government and Cashless world, based on the anti christ 666 "mark of the beast", disallowing those without the mark from buying or selling anything.
This system is not just a new economic system, but a belief in the Anti Christ as the savior of the world, as god. Those without the mark will perish.
When that time comes, atheist will either take the mark, and acknowledge the anti christ as god, rejecting atheism, or have to realize that what was foretold over 2000 years ago, when no computers existed, giving the ability of the prophecy to come true based on knowledge at the time, is indeed real, true, and proves the bible to be the word of god.
Regardless of your best intentions, your time of reckoning is coming. This is not something you will escape. I believe god is more merciful than we can comprehend, and that when that time comes, if you remember this, ask for forgiveness, profess in Jesus Christ, and reject the mark of the beast. You may be saved by a merciful god yet.
I totally respect that you question God’s existence. I believe this is what He wants ALL of us to do! I absolutely believe in God the Father and Jesus Christ! But, I know that I can’t ever MAKE anyone else believe. All I can do is tell about you my experience and why I believe. I would love to have the opportunity to talk with you…yes in hopes to convert you. But, I know I may not be the one who helps you. I have faith that God will show you how He sees fit...not me. My intent to try to convert you is out of pure love for God and concern that others may not be taking advantage of His love and greatness...not because I think you are a bad person. I saw your movie. I do believe you have been misguided by some people, especially the Catholic Church. If I may make an analogy…it’s like a kid who lives in a very poor neighborhood. He goes to school, but the teachers are terrible so he doesn’t get good instruction. Plus, he can’t focus because he’s so busy running from gang violence. Once he gets his inadequate daily education, he goes home to another challenging environment. As a result, he drops out of school because he doesn’t believe in it. He may not have a bad life. But, he could have had so much more. (When a tree falls in the forest, it makes a noise whether you hear it or not.)
May I please have the opportunity to discuss my beliefs with you? I will have no judgmental thoughts about you saying no. I’m sure you’ve had a flood of Christians contact you. I will understand. Please, do me one favor…whether you speak with me or not…talk to God…please say to Him, “God! IF You exist, please let me know. I honestly don’t believe You do! I believe a lot of people are misguided and follow you like Santa Claus. I feel stupid talking with You now because I don’t believe You are real! I ask You now to reveal Yourself to me. Prove that You exist without question, even if I don’t understand all Your ways. I will do my best to keep an open mind. But, I’m not sure I can even do that. You will have to do all the work. There have been too many years and experiences that I have had that make me think You are not. At this point in my life, I don’t think You can do it. I don’t think anyone can. So here I am. Just You and me…no priests, no nuns, no pews, no crucifix, no incense. So if You are supposed to be so great and my Father who loves me, then don’t forsake me. I’m right here.” You of course can say your own words. This is just a suggestion. God wants you to be honest and downright “raw” with Him, because that’s how He is with us. Challenge Him. Go to Him, just like I know you would want your daughter to go to you with a problem she had with you. You wouldn’t want her to ask her friends, even though they may be smart and have her best interest at heart. Ask Him! Then, sit back, cross your arms, and wait for a response. I know He will answer you. God bless you!
Yup, many of the god people are still stupid. Not that there was much doubt.
Peaceful - You seem like a nice enough person. But instead of pleaing with Julia Sweeney to "convert" maybe YOU should do a little research about YOUR faith. Educating yourself about what "the other side" shouldn't do any harm if you are rock solid in your faith. You really should check out "godless" by Dan Barker or something by Richard Dawkins. I know many atheists who have studied a great deal of Christian (and other faith's) theology. Maybe you should study the logic behind Freethinkers before trying to "convert" us.
Actually, if I did have a daughter, and if she DID have a problem, and she DID have friends who were very smart and DID have her best interests at heart... well, truth to tell I think it would be foolish for her not to draw on such a resource.
Rather than depend on me and the foolish assumption that because I am a mother (and have a uterus) I actually know how to solve complicated problems.
Maternity, indeed parenthood, does snot confer wisdom as if by some magical connection between reproduction and intelligence.
Lots of parents just aren't that smart, and I might be one of them.
And after all, even that god whom you seem to be so enthusiastic about seems to be to be a complete Ff***-up as a Dad, not to mention as a god.
First he creates a completely unreliable couple in his first foray into human creation... and then helps them and their progeny to misbehave and mismanage their live.... just read your bible!!
And finally, he not only fools around with an innocent girl who didn't seem to know which end was up, producing an out -of-wedlock offspring whose life seemed to be one incident of hysteria and pointless invention after another....
And THEN to top it off, god as father sent that son - his only begotten one - off to a painful death for the unreasonable (and impossible) cause of dying for the sins (I think he was referring to sex, because he certainly didn't seem to care too much about murder, war, inequity in health and wealth, starving babies, rapacious religions, or communicable diseases).
For god's sake!!! A father is supposed to protect his children from pain and sorrow, not doom them to failure and death.
A father who sends his only son to die on a cross for what seems to be no discernible reason, should have had that son taken away from him by social services when he was still in the manger.
However, you will believe what you are programmed to believe, what you mind will allow.
I have no quarrel with that, and defend your right to believe and speak of what you believe.
I am more than a little put out, however, by what I consider the invasion of your prayers on my behalf....it does seem like a busy-body thing to do.
But perhaps it's just that you have too much time on your hands... and besides, there is nothing I can do about it as long as you don't force your way into my house to carry on the caterwauling (hopeless) into the air.
Norma Manna BLum
In my more sinister moods, I would take a page from Noam Chomsky and a page from Christopher Hitchens and conclude that, really, those who hire media commentators are more interested in promoting contentment and less interested in promoting critical thinking . . . But with any luck, that's just crazy talk.
I do think we're stepping away from these beliefs, though in a two steps forward, one back, three forward, two and a half back cadence of stepping . . . I try to focus on the very long run, sometimes. The last decade felt like one long step backwards and I'd so like to believe we're transcending that . . .
Owl, you were wondering, "How does an atheist address justice for someone like, say, ol' Hitler"
Well, I'll tell you. It's pretty easy and I am surprised you had to ask it. There's no jusice. That's it. Some people (e.g. Pol Pot) get away with unspeakable horror.
Why do you need to believe in an afterlife to make sure that justice is done? Why can't you just accept the fact that in many cases, justice is never done, that evil people get away with terrible things? That's how it is.
That doesn't mean living humans can't fight for justice. We should. Why you think that means that there is an after-life full of justice makes no sense to m.
Seems to me religion lets people do nothing but ignore what needs to be fixed in the here and now. I mean why care if someone did this or that if they think they will get punished in the afterlife? Letting people starve and die horribly because it is easier to think that suffering is supposed to happen. Lets them be lazy and never really take a stand or risk anything..
http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php?t=280780
Einstein puts the final nail in the coffin of atheism...
*************************************
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7vpw4AH8QQ
*************************************
atheists deny their own life element...
LIGHT OR DEATH, ATHEISTS?
********************************
***************************LIGHT*********
************************************
In case you wanted to learn a little about what theology has to say about the matter, and not what some crazy fundamentalist ramblings are, I would recommend David B Hart.
An article about PR Haiti remarks.
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/01/haitirsquos-devils
And his book on the Tsunami, which actually talks about some of Voltaire's opinions.
http://www.amazon.com/Doors-Sea-Where-Was-Tsunami/dp/0802829767
"It's pretty easy and I am surprised you had to ask it. There's no jusice. That's it. Some people (e.g. Pol Pot) get away with unspeakable horror.
Why do you need to believe in an afterlife to make sure that justice is done? Why can't you just accept the fact that in many cases, justice is never done, that evil people get away with terrible things? That's how it is.
That doesn't mean living humans can't fight for justice. We should. Why you think that means that there is an after-life full of justice makes no sense to m."
Anonymous,
Can you please explain your position more clearly? As it seems to me, it is -- just like Dawkins's -- quite contradictory. You firs state, "There's no justice," you then go on to state, "Why do you need to believe in an afterlife to make sure that justice is done?"
But -- and forgive me if I have been mistaken -- what is a person to make of this implied "justice" that supposedly doesn't exist? Why is an action at all to be considered "just" at all? It seems to me you are argued from a point, to you, that doesn't exist at all.
So why would a person that has used so much time & energy to educate one self to come to the conclusion "theres no God" bother to get married?
Does one really need to have high moral standards with out God?
Why hasnt Julia done as much research on marriage as she did for many years trying to figure intellectually and scientifically the world is cruel and poorley put to-gether therefore there must not be a God.
Why not question the marriage institution?
Whats it for?
Throughout the ages wether Christian or non Christian alike Royal bloodlines,dowries, uniting kingdoms,creating alies,making sure your country is safe by having your daughter marry your strongest enemy, now a days theres always the possibility of devorce the pain involved, the loss of properties. Death of your spouse think of the mental scars it leaves you for the rest of your life. If you have children natural or adapted it ruins thier little lives too no matter what age.
Oh yeah then theres that thing called LOVE and what is LOVE?
Scientifically no different from eating large amounts of chocolate
A Phenylethylamin and Seratonin high.
Is love a magical unseen force created by an unseen God? or just a neurochemical response that makes you feel good?
If its the latter part why be botherd with marriage?
Do you find your answers being the sort of answers Christian give for proof of God? Can your answers of why one should marry be argued?
Sharing unseen feelings that technically your not sharing but you hope the other person feels the same way as you do. You have to assume he/her does and have faith and trust the other party does.
Even though I respect your choice to stop being a "public, personal storyteller", I hope you will continue to blog your thoughts about religion, world events, etc. as you did for this entry.
Today's A.Word.A.Day was munich and the quotation at the bottom reminded me of what you wrote about Haiti and other natural disasters.
Convulsions in nature, disorders, prodigies, miracles, though the most opposite to the plan of a wise superintendent, impress mankind with the strongest sentiments of religion.
-- David Hume, philosopher, economist, and historian (1711-1776)
Just watched "Letting go of God" and my comment is. . .duh. You may have let go of God, but I have news for you. God hasn't let go of you. . .yet.
Louise
Question: Are all the times listed on this blog for today's date? Can we get a date-stamp please?
Another question: Is there a blog and/or support website for folks who want to be compassionate for their loved ones who are chronically depressed or neurotic in some way as a result of their choosing faith over reason? There's a pain in my heart-gut for some family members who have given and still give their lives for a seemingly dead faith that can't be resurrected...but they trudge on in quiet despair, anxiety, as they distract themselves from what they really believe is the truth, i.e. God is not really a Heavenly Father.
I could speak of the disservice you are doing as an enemy of God, but I’m fairly certain that it would fall on deaf ears since you seem to have your agenda against Him carefully planned out.
Your self professed theological understanding of Scripture is truly disappointing, inaccurate and misleading on so many levels and the fact that you manipulate Scripture the way you do in order to meet your own distorted objective, and the level of its acceptance in society, is a sad display of the state of the world and its direction (or rather lack thereof).
You spoke in your “monologue” of earlier days when you state you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I question, based on your actions, weather you ever understood what it meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Not as any understanding you received in your Catholic up-bringing, Roman Catholic Church Bible study class (which seemed inadequate based on your own assessment), or as the happy warm glow you fondly look back on, but as conveyed in Scripture. You would do yourself a favor, as well as those around you, to truly understand what it means to be born again of the spirit. Until you see yourself a disgraceful sinner (as we all are) that needs a redeemer, you will truly remain lost.
May the Lord guide you that you may work to glorify Him, instead of yourself.
What I find disturbing is that those who claim to be "filled with the Holy Spirit" can easily neglect the abundant science that's available about global warming. I'm not saying that all Christians do this, but it's certainly tempting given their belief in the afterlife with an all-loving Heavenly Father.
Nice post! Very interesting.
Keep up the great work. Thanks for shared this with us!
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The truth is that there is a God, whether you believe for yourself if there is or isn't does not change the fact that He exists. God speaks of good & evil, of a devil and a Savior, so to question that there isn't a God because we suffer is dumb....if there isn't a God why is there good & evil? why can't we just be perfect? without Him?
He exists and lives in the hearts of those that believe in Him....
( Pat Robertson included!)
"If the world hates you remember it hated me first. If you belonged to the world it would love you as it's own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
-Jesus Christ
Excellent post.
Weight Loss
"It's not that I don't believe in God, I just feel that he's an underachiever".
Woody Allen
"If Jesus is the son of God and we are all Gods children, what makes him so special?"
unknown (actually I forgot the source)
I just had to get these two quotes off my chest-and this was closest outlet. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Voltaire wasn't an atheist. He was a Deist.
I am inspired by your hard work, keep up the great job.
The topic which you have discussed is very informative as well as valuable for all...Thanks for providing this information for us...
The god of fonts is angry with you, obviously.
Seriously though - you seem to be a smart woman. Maybe it's time to stop confusing God with religion already.
what a stunning job.., keep it up!
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