Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Secular Bible?

http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/04/04/a-c-grayling-writes-a-secular-bible/

Sounds a lot like the Jefferson Bible.  

There's some good stuff in the Bible.  Lots of things worth keeping for moral instruction.  Such as:

Yeah, sounds good to me!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

He had a cool interview on the Guradian UK. It was that 5 minutes series. good stuffs.

K

LadyAtheist said...

Is it this one? http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/03/grayling-good-book-atheism-philosophy

L.Long said...

Anything in the buyBull that is any good has been good for most everyone from the beginning and is still good in a completely secular way and no psychotic g0d is required.

Never Was An Arrow II said...

WHATEVER SIMPLETONS should do—one thing's for sure, they shouldn't read the Bible.

As always, you have some great examples of idiocy, whether content, or comments. Keep up the good work!

B.R. said...

@Never Was An Arrow II;

As usual, every sentence you type shows you to be a weak-minded moron. It's also ironic that you say simpletons should never read the bible, since atheists in general know a lot more about it than many Christians. How did you like the links, Arrow? Is that what pissed you off?

"As always, you have some great examples of idiocy, whether content, or comments. Keep up the good work!"

Hey, what do you know? Arrow is talking to himself.

LadyAtheist said...

Yes, you have to have a Ph.D. in Religious Studies or Philosophy or some such head-up-your-arse field in order to know which parts of the bible to throw out and still remain a believer.

It takes great effort and mental desterity to rationalize belief in a ridiculous fairy tale.

Never Was An Arrow II said...

"since atheists in general know a lot more about it than many Christians."

Atheists know diddly, BR.

Evangelicals, atheists…are the flip side of the same coin of ignorance.

Let's see what you know. I want to take a trip to the former site of the Garden of Eden, tomorrow. Where would I book my flight?

Tell me what the parable of the Good Samaritan is about?

"Yes, you have to have a Ph.D. in Religious Studies or Philosophy or some such head-up-your-arse field in order to know which parts of the bible to throw out and still remain a believer."

Well, it might help. I mean, only a few posts ago you were stating that Christianity is a cult!

I once thought maybe, my Catholic Church was a cult. After a presentation on cults at my high school, by Council on Mind Abuse, I worriedly tendered that question to Ian. Ian laughed. He assured me that the CC wasn't a cult because they don't use mind control techniques like, say, Scientology does. Lovebombing, protein and sleep deprivation, etc. A Catholic always retains his free will. A Scientologist does not.

But then, I was only 18, so I had an excuse for my ignorance. Anyone north of 30 who suggests the same is only parading their laughable ignorance of the matter.

Eventually, Ian's organization, COMA, was sued right out of Canada. By the (Church) of Scientology.

Ian has since returned to England where he can safely de-programme cult members in relative financial safety.

Fairy tales are for atheists. Atheism has only teenage angst…it doesn't have any answers. But I see it's the crutch you use to prop yourself up. And that's okay, now your life has meaning. Direction. You're finally in a place where you might be able to pick yourself up, from.

Peace, sister!

B.R. said...

"Let's see what you know. I want to take a trip to the former site of the Garden of Eden, tomorrow. Where would I book my flight?"

This question is irrelevant. Apologists can't even agree where this mythical place was supposedly located, though most of them would select Iraq Or a location called Edinu.

So, how does one justify the racial and sexual discrimination against the handicapped in Deuteronomy 23; 3-11?

The Good Samaritan; that a person can choose to do the right thing regardless of their heritage and origins, and just because some people regard themselves as good doesn't necessarily mean they are.

How do you explain Exodus 21;20-21?

B.R. said...

Christianity is a cult, whether you admit it or not. Any religion that promises a magical afterlife to it's adherents(if they obey their leaders and scriptures) and eternal punishment if they don/t is a cult. Tell a kid he's going to be burned and tortured in hell for all eternity if he doesn't believe in Jesus, and that he's morally superior to all-non Christians, and it's unlikely that he'll ever intelligently examine his beliefs. This is called "brainwashing".

"Fairy tales are for atheists. Atheism has only teenage angst…it doesn't have any answers. But I see it's the crutch you use to prop yourself up. And that's okay, now your life has meaning. Direction. You're finally in a place where you might be able to pick yourself up, from."

You really are retarded. What fairy tales, exactly, do atheists believe in? When last I looked, we were not the ones who believe in talking animals, mythical creatures, witches, Cosmic Zombies, global floods, magic eclipses, virgin births, and vengeful gods--all without any evidence. The only crutch is magical beliefs that make cretins like yourself feel special, "saved", and "holy".

LadyAtheist said...

Arrow, there are many atheists who used to be devout believers, and some have Ph.D.s in religious studies. Some are ex-ministers. Some are ex-cult members -- yes, there are Christian "destructive" cults (vs. the ordinary denominations)

Catholicism doesn't have to do love-bombing because they have you from birth. They don't have to suck you in because you're already there. Then they just have to use standard fear tactics to keep you there.

Modern "evangelical" Christianity uses love-bombing and sleep deprivation. In Fundyland where I live they have "retreats" that are very spooky sounding. You may technically be able to leave but they have your psyche by the balls.

Never Was An Arrow II said...

B.R. :::: CHRISTIANITY is not a cult. It does not fit the criterion. You can't make up your own meaning for terms. The Garden of Eden, like at the beginning of time is centre of the world. And it will continue to be so…right up to that point, when the Psalmist's words ring true, "…the earth shall wear out like a garment."

The Good Samaritan is only a morality piece on its lowest level of meaning. If that is all it was talking about, it would practically be worthless as a parable. The parables are meant to tell us something about God.

The passages you cited, I reviewed them, and found them to be in order. What exactly is your difficulty with them?

LadyAtheist…cults strip away free will. You are failing to note this great difference between authentic religion and cults. Comprehension is everything.

FEAR is not a tactic. Spurning God has consequences. Ignoring a nation's laws, also, has consequences. Fear is a reasonable motivator. Not all are high and mighty. Many can be impulsive.

B.R. said...

"B.R. :::: CHRISTIANITY is not a cult. It does not fit the criterion. You can't make up your own meaning for terms."

Who's making up anything? Xianty has all of the trappings of a cult. Believers are promised eternal bliss if they obey, and eternal agony if they don't. Jim Jones used the same tactics, as have many other cultists.

The Garden doesn't exist. The entire Adam myth is exactly that--a myth. And since our planet is a globe, there is no point on our surface that can be called the "center of the earth".

You asked for a summary; you got one. Just because you like to interpret this parable as having some metaphysical lesson about god doesn't mean that it does, or that everyone agrees on what it is.

Nothing at all, if you don't mind racism, discrimination against the handicapped, or slave-owners being granted the right to beat their slaves to death.

As I've pointed out, Xianty is a cult to those whose eyes are open; naturally, Christians won't admit that their religion is a cult, but that doesn't change the fact that it is. Fear tactics are employed by cults.