John W. Loftus over at Debunking Christianity has been fine-tuning his “Outsider Test for Faith” for a few years now. It’s a fantastic thought experiment which should be taught in Sunday School. His latest variation is copypasta below.

When believers criticize the other faiths they reject, they use reason and science to do so. They assume these other religions have the burden of proof. They assume human not divine authors to their holy book(s). They assume a human not a divine origin to their faiths.

Believers do this when rejecting other faiths. So dispensing all of the red herrings about morality and a non-material universe, The Outsider Test for Faith simply asks believers to do unto their own faith what they do unto other faiths. All it asks of them is to be consistent.

The The Outsider Test for Faith asks why believers operate on a double standard. If that’s how they reject other faiths then they should apply that same standard to their own. Let reason and science rather than faith be their guide. Assume your own faith has the burden of proof. Assume human rather than divine authors to your holy book(s) and see what you get. If there is a divine author behind the texts it should be known even with that initial skeptical assumption.

So The Outsider Test for Faith uses the exact same standard that believers use when rejecting other religions. If there is any inconsistency at all it is not with The Outsider Test for Faith. It is how believers assess truth claims. For it should only take a moment’s thought to realize that if there is a God who wants people born into different religious cultures to believe, who are outsiders, then that religious faith SHOULD pass The Outsider Test for Faith.

If Christians want to reject The Outsider Test for Faith then either they must admit they have a double standard for examining religious faiths, one for their own faith and a different one for others, or their faith was not made to pass The Outsider Test for Faith in the first place. In either case all of their arguments against The Outsider Test for Faith are based on red herrings, special pleading, begging the question, the denigrating science, and an ignorance that I can only attribute to delusional blindness.

Skepticism vs gullibility.

1) We are all raised as believers. As children we believed whatever our parents told us, all of us.

2) We were raised in our respective families and cultures to believe what our parents told us about religion.

3) Psychological studies have shown that people have a very strong tendency to believe what they prefer to believe. Cognitive Bias studies show this.

4) Psychological studies have shown that most of us, most of the time, look for that which confirms what we believe rather than that which disconfirms it, even though the latter is the best way to get at the truth. This is known as Confirmation Bias.

5) Neurological studies have shown that people have a sense of certainty about the beliefs they have that is unrelated to the strength of the actual evidence, as Robert Burton argues in On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You’re Not

6) Skepticism is not usually an inherited characteristic. We must acquire the capacity to doubt what we are raised to believe. Skepticism is the adult attitude.

Full stop. There are a lot of books on these subjects. This data is undeniable, noncontroversial and obvious. We must think about the implications of what these undeniable facts tell us about who we are as human beings. If we were raised as Christians then we seek to confirm what we were raised to believe because we prefer that which we were raised to believe. If we were raised as Muslims then we seek to confirm what we were raised to believe because we prefer that which we were raised to believe. If we were raised as Orthodox Jews then we seek to confirm what we were raised to believe because we prefer that which we were raised to believe. If we were raised as Scientologists then we seek to confirm what we were raised to believe because we prefer that which we were raised to believe. If we were raised as Hindu’s then we seek to confirm what we were raised to believe because we prefer that which we were raised to believe.

7) When there are billions of people who are certain of an inherited faith they all learned in the same manner, who live in separate geographical locations around the globe, who all prefer to believe what they were raised to believe, and who all seek to confirm that which they were raised to believe, it should cause them to doubt what they were raised to believe. What is there not to understand about this?

8) It will not do to argue against atheists that this data applies to us too. This is a fallacious argument that cannot be used to sidestep the implications for one’s own inherited religious faith. All believers who are certain of their faith will use this same fallacious argument against atheists. But doing so does nothing to solve the problem of religious diversity, since they still have not come up with a method that can solve their own differences. Atheists are doubters. We are skeptics. Knowing this data causes us to require hard, cold evidence for that which we can accept. We have concluded this requirement is never met by any religious faith.

9) Skepticism is a filter that adults use to help us sift out the wheat of truth from the chaff of falsehood. We cannot doubt that filter! There is no other alternative.

10) The Outsider Test for Faith is the best and only way to get at the truth if you want to know the truth. Examine your own faith with the same level of skepticism you use when examining the other religious faiths you reject. We cannot have a milquetoast test when it comes to the truth. We cannot merely say to people that they should be skeptical without offering a standard of skepticism. Why? Because if we ask believers who are certain of their faith to test it with doubt then to a person they will say they have, and that their faith is sure. But ask them to test their faith with the same level of skepticism they use when examining the other religious faiths they reject and that will get their attention. I have their attention now.

If anyone thinks the Outsider Test for Faith is unfair or faulty in any way then propose a better alternative. What is the alternative? Further reading.

If you really believe that death leads to eternal bliss, then why are you wearing a seatbelt? – Doug Stanhope

I was a Christian recently enough to remember what it felt like to really believe the Creator of the universe talked to me, to really believe I would go to heaven and unbelievers would go to hell, to really believe that prayer made a difference. Other Christians also tell me they really believe that stuff, too. But something’s not quite right with that.

I assume my family really believe that I am going to hell now that I am no longer a Christian. They believe I am going to be tortured forever. Literally. However, they don’t seem too upset by this devastating “reality”. They’re probably upset that I’ve rejected values and “truths” I learned as a child. But the concern doesn’t seem on par with an eternity of hell torture. But it’s not just my family, obviously. It’s Christians in general. If Christians really believed that, wouldn’t there be serious mourning? Pleading? Great distress? There is a shocking discrepancy between the amount of concern warranted for an eternity of torture and the amount of concern gauged. And there’s something not quite right about that.

A question for Christians

This is not a post for attacking Christian beliefs or promoting atheistic views.  This is a post about understanding. I’d like to understand Christians better. So, Christians: I have a question.

If you really believed some of the people you love dearly were going to spend an eternity in hell, wouldn’t that motivate you to try harder to save them?

Let’s say we all lived in Poland at the start of World War II and you got word that soon, the Nazis were going to invade the town where several of your friends and family lived. The Nazis were going take everybody off to concentration camps in chains, and possibly kill them. And let’s say this information came from a very reliable source, so that you really believed this was going to happen.

Would you just go on about your life? Would you just mention this to your friends and family in passing, and send them the occasional pamphlet with information on the threat of the Nazis? Would you merely pray for them to see the threat and save themselves? Or, would you do everything you could to save your friends and family? Maybe you would drive out there and try to convince them of the threat until you were blue in the face. Maybe you would refuse to leave until they came away with you. Maybe you would… I dunno what, but it would be pretty drastic. I know if I were in that situation, then I would do some pretty drastic things to save my friends and family.

But this is not what Christians do for their friends and family who they really believe are on the verge of falling into eternal torture, even though they say they really believe this, and even though they feel they really believe this. So something weird is going on. Millions of Christians really believe this stuff, but they don’t act like it.

As best we can tell, humans always act so as to fulfill the strongest of their current desires, given their beliefs. But I very much doubt that Christians do not have a strong desire to save their spouses, their children, and their best friends from eternal agony. So there seems to be something weird about the belief end of the equation.

Do Christians really believe what they say and feel they believe? What’s going on here?

If you really believe this, you shouldn’t have to tell yourself, “You’re right, I really should try harder to evangelize.” No, if you really believed, you would already have that motivation! You wouldn’t need to try to manufacture it! And if you really believed, you wouldn’t need to constantly repeat the doctrines of Christianity to yourself, and do everything you can to “build up your faith.” I don’t need to remind myself that the Holocaust happened or that gravity is real. I don’t need to constantly “build up my faith” in the existence of magnetism. Something is fishy here, and I don’t get it.

Any thoughts? 

The Bible does not read like a divine revelation. First, it reflects too many of the ideas and beliefs of the time and culture in which it was written. One would expect a divine revelation to transcend ideas of its times. For example, why isn’t slavery condemned or an explanation offered on the oft-documented ‘demon possessions’?

Secondly, it contains too much trivial information unimportant and unworthy of a divine being. For example, why include detailed instructions on how to obtain, beat, have sex with and sell slaves? (Leviticus 25:44-46, Exodus 21:20-21, Exodus 21:7-11) Or include endless genealogies (nine whole chapters in 1 Chronicles) or document David’s collection of 100 Philistine foreskins (or 200 – depending on whether you read 1 or 2 Samuel).

Finally–and in this case, critically–the Bible is completely ambiguous on it’s core message: salvation.

Paradoxically, mans’ “whole duty” is permanently shrouded in vague and contradictory instructions; furthermore, documented in a book complied by men (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Given the object of worship is neither “the author of confusion” nor wishes “anyone to perish” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 2 Peter 3:9); Christianity is surely flirting with cognitive dissonance on the grandest of scales. Salvation is–made apparent by it’s own instructions–a meaningless oxymoron.

Why is the notion of salvation so hazy? Consider this survey of sixteen major denominations. Chemists all agree on the fundamental facts of chemistry. Doctors all agree on the fundamental facts of medicine. Engineers all agree on the fundamental facts of engineering. There is no more reason that they should be confused or in the dark about this than that chemists, doctors, and engineers should be confused or in the dark. So why can’t all Christians agree on the fundamental facts of salvation?

Richard Carrier posits,

One would expect God who wanted us to make an informed choice would give us all the information we needed, and not entrust fallible, sinful, contradictory agents to convey a confused mess of ambiguous, poorly supported claims. The fact that God hasn’t spoken to us directly, and hasn’t given us all the same, clear message, and the same, clear answers, is enough to prove Christianity false.

So, what must one do to be saved? It depends on which Christian you ask. Even though they all agree that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, no one seems to agree on what it says. Hardly the outcome of a divine revelation.

If the Bible is really a revelation from God and if God really loves man and really wants to reconcile man to himself, would he not have made it much clearer how someone is to be saved?

I know that if my children were separated from me and I had the opportunity to write them a letter to tell them how to get back to me, I certainly wouldn’t do it in parables and language that’s ambiguous enough that it can be interpreted a thousand different ways. I would do my best to make it crystal clear how they could find me .. and if I would do that as a finite human being, certainly God being infinite and being omniscient could find a way to do that. Interview with Ken Pulliam [mp3]

The conclusion is inescapable. If Christianity were true, then the Gospel would have been preached to each and every one of us directly, and correctly, by God–just as it supposedly was to the disciples who walked and talked and dined with God Himself, or to the Apostle Paul, who claimed to have had actual conversations with God, and to have heard the Gospel directly from God Himself.

Thus, if Christianity were really true, there would be no dispute as to what the Gospel is. Instead, it seems salvation is simply a matter cherry-picking a suitable scripture.

Here is one hundred and fifty. Take your pick:

150 ways to get saved

Call on the name of the Lord.
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13

Be a member of a saved person’s household.
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household. - Acts 16:31

Say the right things.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified. — Matthew 12:37

Burn your work.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:15

Do the right things.
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life. — John 5:29
I the Lord … give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. — Jeremiah 17:10
For we must all appear before the jugment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. — 2 Corinthians 5:10

Believe the right things.
A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. — Romans 3:28
Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 5:1
A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. — Galatians 2:16
For by grace are ye saved through faith. — Ephesians 2:8

Do and believe the right things.
Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. — James 2:17

Work your way to heaven.
For you render to each one according to his works. — Psalm 62:12
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. — Matthew 16.27
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. — Revelation 20:12-13
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. — 2 Corinthians 11:15
The Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work. — 1 Peter 1:17
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? — James 2:14, 17, 20, 24, 26
I will give unto every one of you according to your works. — Revelation 2:23

Do what is lawful and right.
When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness … and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul. — Ezekiel 18:27

Do God’s will
He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. — 1 John 2:17

Do the will of Jesus’ father.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. — Matthew 7:21

Be a doer of the law.
Who will render to each one according to his deeds. … For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. — Romans 2:6, 13

Call upon God.
As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. — Psalm 55:16

Trust in the Lord.
The LORD shall … save them, because they trust in him. — Psalm 37:40

Get to know God.
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. — 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Wait for him.
Wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. — Proverbs 20:22
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us. — Isaiah 25:9

Just look at him.
Look unto me, and be ye saved. — Isaiah 45:22

Get lost.
The Son of man is come to save that which was lost. — Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10

Get lucky.
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. … Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. … Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: — Romans 9:15-22

Hope.
For we are saved by hope. — Romans 8:24

Repent.
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. — Luke 13:3, 5

Don’t be so darned wicked.
When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul. — Ezekiel 18:27

Don’t offend the little ones.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. — Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:14, Luke 17:2

Don’t be filthy or naughty; receive the engrafted word.
Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
– James 1:21

Walk upright.
Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved. — Proverbs 28:18

Don’t lust.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. — James 1:15

Bridle your tongue.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. — James 1:26

Believe in Jesus.
Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. — John 3:16
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. — John 3:36
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. — John 6:47
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. — Acts 16:31

See Jesus and believe in him.
Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. — John 6:40

Confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. — Romans 10:9

Confess Jesus before men.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. — Matthew 10:32
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. — Luke 12:8

Obey Jesus.
And [Jesus] being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. — Hebrews 5:9

Hear the words of Jesus and believe in whoever sent him.
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life. — John 5:24

Hear and do the sayings of Jesus.
Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. — Matthew 7:24

Keep Jesus’ saying.
If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. — John 8:51

Drink Jesus’ water.
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. — John 4:14

Be dead with Jesus.
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: — 2 Timothy 2:11

Be born again.
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. — John 3:3

Be born of water and the spirit.
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. — John 3:5

Believe Paul’s gospel.
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Believe and be baptized.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. — Mark 16:16

Have a contrite spirit.
The LORD … saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. — Psalm 34:18

Don’t be deluded by God.
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned. — 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Don’t be blinded by God.
Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. … God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. … Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. — Romans 11:7-10

Bear good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. — Matthew 7:19, Luke 3:9, 13:9

Be grafted in.
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. — Romans 11:23

Be chosen, not just called.
For many are called, but few are chosen. — Matthew 22:14, 20:16
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. — 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Be perfect.
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. — Matthew 5:48

Be meek.
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. — Psalm 76:9
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. — Matthew 5:5

Be washed by the Holy Ghost.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. — Titus 3:5

Get your sins remitted by someone who has received the Holy Ghost. (Or who has been
breathed on by Jesus)
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. — John 20:22-23

Be pure in heart.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. — Matthew 5:8

Be upright in heart.
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. — Psalm 7:10

Be converted and become like a little child.
Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:15

Be a saint.
The LORD … forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever.. — Psalm 37:28

Be a child of the needy.
He shall save the children of the needy. — Psalm 72:4

Be persecuted for righteousness sake.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 5:10

Be righteous.
Righteousness delivereth from death. — Proverbs 10:2, 11:4
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. — Matthew 25:46

Be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees.
Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 5:20

Forsake all that you have.
Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. — Luke 14:33

Hate your own life.
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25

Lose your life for Christ’s sake.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. — 10:39, Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, Luke 17:33

Belong to a household that has at least one believer.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. — Acts 16:31
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. — 1 Corinthians 7:14

Get saved by your spouse.
For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? — 1 Corinthians 7:16

Save your whole family by hearing Simon’s magic words.
Call for Simon … who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. — Acts 11:13-14

Follow the commandments (at least some of them).
If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. — Matthew 19:17-19
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? … Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. — Mark 10:17-19
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. — Revelation 22:14

Keep some of the commandments, give all your money to the poor, and follow Jesus.
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? …
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
…thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.– Luke 18:18-22

Keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. — Revelation 14:12

Do the commandments and teach others to do them.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 5:19

Sow to the Spirit.
He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. — Galatians 6:8

Endure to the end.
He that endureth to the end shall be saved. — Matthew 10:22,
24:13, Mark 13:13

Wait until you die and then hear the voice of the Son of God.
The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. — John 5:25

Be faithful unto death.
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. — Revelation 2:10

Get buried with Jesus by being baptized into death.
We are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. — Romans 6:4-5

Always wear a wedding garment.
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. — Matthew 22:11-13

Don’t get married. (Married people don’t go to heaven.)
They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. — Luke 20:35

Have lots of babies (and be faithful, charitable, holy, and sober).
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. — 1 Timothy 2:14-15

Become a eunuch for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
There be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. — Matthew 19:12

Don’t defile yourself with women. (Be a virgin male.)
…the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were
not defiled with women; for they are virgins. — Revelation 14:4

Don’t love your family more than Jesus.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. — Matthew 10:37

Abandon your home and family for Jesus’ name’s sake.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. — Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18:29-30

Hate your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and your own life.
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children,and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. — Luke 14:26

Don’t hate your brother.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. — 1 John 3:15

Ask your parents to beat you with a rod.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. — Proverbs 23:13-14

Receive a child in the name of Jesus.
Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me. — Luke 9:48a

Receive a Christian.
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. — Matthew 10:40

Receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. — Matthew 10:41

Receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man.
He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. — Matthew 10:41

Receive the gift of eternal life from God through Jesus.
The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. — Romans 6:23

Don’t despise government or walk after flesh.
The Lord knoweth how … to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. — 2 Peter 2:9-10

Don’t resist the powers that be.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. — Romans 13:2

Wash your wicked heart.
Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. — Jeremiah 4:14

Wash your face and anoint your head when you fast.
When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; hat thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. — Matthew 6:17-18

Heed yourself and the doctrine.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. — 1 Timothy 4:16

Get saved by Jesus’ name.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name [beside's Jesus'] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. — Acts 4:12

Get saved by God’s name.
Save me, O God, by thy name. — Psalm 54:1

Get saved by God’s shining face.
Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. — Psalm 80:3, 7, 19

Don’t doubt.
He that doubteth is damned. — Romans 14:23

Don’t fall away after you’re saved.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. — Hebrews 6:4-6

Don’t eat your own vomit.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. — 2 Peter 2:21-22

Don’t blaspheme the Holy Ghost
He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. — Mark 3:29, Matthew 12:31-32, Luke 12:10

Don’t let God make you wicked.
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. — Proverbs 16:4

Convert a sinner.
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death. — James 5:20

Turn yourself over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so your spirit may be saved. (For fornicators only.)
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you … deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. — 1 Corinthians 5:1-5

Enter at the strait gate.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. — Luke 13:23-24

Enter through the Jesus door.
I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. — John 10:9

Don’t look back.
Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. — Luke 9:62

Become an Israeli citizen.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. — Romans 11:26

Don’t be a Jew.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. — Matthew 8:12

Don’t be a serpent or a viper, and make sure none of your ancestors were prophet killers.
Ye are the children of them which killed the prophets … Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? — Matthew 23:31-33

Don’t be an unrighteous fornicator, idolater, adulterer, effeminate, thief, covetous, drunkard, reviler, extortioner, or an abuser of yourself with mankind.
The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. — 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Don’t be fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murdering, whore mongering,
a sorcerer, an idolater, or a liar.
The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. — Revelation 21:8

Fear God.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. — Proverbs 14:27

Fear God and cry a lot while praying.
[Jesus] who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared. — Hebrews 5:7

Don’t let your eye become evil.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! — Matthew 6:23

Pluck out your eye if it offends you.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. — Matthew 5:29-30, 18:8-9, Mark 9:43-49

Cut off your right hand if it offends you.
If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. — Matthew 5:29-30, 18:8-9, Mark 9:43-49

Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. — Matthew 6:4-5

Be ordained to eternal life.
As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. — Acts 13:48

Be drawn by by the Father.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44

Be elected by God before you’re born.
For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. — Romans 9:11
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. — 1 Thessalonians 1:4

Don’t be ashamed of Jesus.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. — Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26

Don’t let anyone see you do anything good.
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. — Matthew 6:1

Don’t let anyone say anything nice about you.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! — Luke 6:26

Don’t love the world or the things in it.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. — 1 John 2:15

Don’t be a friend to the world.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. — James 4:4

Be given by the Father and come to the Son.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. — John 6:37

Come to the Father by Jesus.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. — John 14:6

Be given by God to Jesus (or whatever).
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. — John 17:1-2

Be saved by Jesus’ life (if you’re a friend) or by his death (if your an enemy).
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. — Romans 5:10

Don’t get circumcised.
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing … ye are fallen from grace. — Galatians 5:2-4

Be dead in your sins and uncircumcised flesh, and then let God quicken you with Christ.
But God … when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. — Ephesians 2:4-5

Be chosen from the beginning.
But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. — 2 Thessalonians 2:13
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. — Colossians 2:13

Be predestinated by God.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate … Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. — Romans 8:29-30
He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Having predestinated us … according to the good pleasure of his will. — Ephesians 1:4-5

Be poor, not rich.
He shall … save the souls of the needy. — Psalm 72:13
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. –Matthew 5:3
Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. … But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. — Luke 6:20, 24
Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. — Matthew 19:23-24
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. — Luke 6:24
Ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. — James 5:1

Be poor in this world, be rich in faith, and love God.
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? — James 2:5

Be sad.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. — Matthew 5:4

Cry a lot.
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them. — Psalm 107:13, 19
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. — Luke 6:21

Don’t laugh.
Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. — Luke 6:25

Be last.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. — Matthew 19:30, 20:16; Mark 10:31; Luke 13:30

Be least.
He that is least among you all, the same shall be great. — Luke 9:48b

Eat the bread that comes down from heaven.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. — John 6:50

Eat Jesus’ body and drink his blood.
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. — John 6:53-54

Have faith in Jesus’ blood.
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. — Romans 3:25

Be saved and justified by Jesus’ blood.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. — Romans 5:9

Make people revile you, persecute you, hate you, avoid you, say bad things about you, and call you names for Jesus’ sake.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. — Matthew 5:11
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven. — Luke 6:22-23

Follow peace and holiness with all men.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. — Hebrews 12:14

Believe in the foolishness of preaching.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. — 1 Corinthians 1:21

Be innocent.
He [God] shall deliver the island of the innocent. — Job 22:30

Give a cup of water to a Christian.
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. — Matthew 10:42, Mark 9:41

Love Christians.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. — 1 John 3:14

Love your enemies, do good to them, and give them lots of money.
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. — Luke 6:35, Matthew 5:44-45

Love God and your neighbor.
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. — Luke 10:26-28

Be a peacemaker.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. — Matthew 5:9

Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. — Matthew 25:34-36

Be merciful.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. — Matthew 5:7
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. — James 2:13

Forgive people.
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

Don’t judge.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. — Matthew 7:1,
Luke 6:37

Be humble.
He [God] shall save the humble person. — Job 22:29
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 7:1

Love the truth.
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. — 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Do good. Avoid evil.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. — Psalm 37:27

Don’t pray in public.
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. — Matthew 6:5

Just ask.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. — Matthew 7:7-8

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? You decide.

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.

Proverbs 1:26-28

It’s time for us all to send a message to God.

Just after I posted this, I found this: here. I’m reblogging it here, as it is far more thorough than mine and contains a wealth of interesting links. Enjoy!

A religious person might say:

The Bible God is real. Nope, the Bible is factually incorrect, inconsistent and contradictory. It was put together by a bunch of men in antiquity. The story of Jesus was stolen from other mythologies and texts. The motivation for belief in Jesus breaks down when you accept evolution.

Miracles prove god exist. Miracles have not been demonstrated to occur, and the existence of a miracle would pose logical problems for belief in a god which can supposedly see the future and began the universe with a set of predefined laws. Why won’t god heal amputees?

God is goodness (morality). ‘Good’ is a cultural concept with a basis in evolutionary psychology and game theory. Species whose members were predisposed to work together were more likely to survive and pass on their genes. The god of the Bible is a misogynistic tyrant who regularly rapes women and kills children just for the fun of it. The moment you disagree with a single instruction of the Bible (such as the command to kill any bride who is not a virgin, or any child who disrespects their parents) then you acknowledge that there exists a superior standard by which to judge moral action, and there is no need to rely on a bunch of primitive, ancient, barbaric fairy tales. Also, the Euthyphro dilemma, Epicurus Trilemma and Problem of Evil.

Lots of people believe in God. Argumentum ad populum. All cultures have religions, and for the most part they are inconsistent and mutually exclusive. They can’t all be right, and religions generally break down by culture/region. “When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours”.

God caused the universe. First Cause Argument, also known as the Cosmological Argument. Who created god? Why is it your god?. Carl Sagan on the topic. BBC Horizon – What happened before the big bang?

God answers prayers. So does a milk jug. The only thing worse than sitting idle as someone suffers is to do absolutely nothing yet think you’re actually helping. In other words, praying.

I feel a personal relationship with god. A result of your naturally evolved neurology, made hypersensitive to purpose (an ‘unseen actor’) because of the large social groups humans have. BBC Doco, PBS Doco.

People who believe in god are happier. So? The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. Atheism is correlated with better science education, higher intelligence, lower poverty rates, higher literacy rates, higher average incomes, lower divorce rates, lower teen pregnancy rates, lower STD infection rates, lower crime rates and lower homicide rates. Atheists can be spiritual.

The world is beautiful. Human beauty is physical attractiveness, it helps us choose a healthy partner with whom to reproduce. Abstract beauty, like art or pictures of space, are an artefact of culture and the way our brain interprets shapes, sounds and colour. [Video]

Smart person believes in god or ‘You are not qualified’ Ad hominem + Argument from Authority. Flying pink unicorns exist. You’re not an expert in them, so you can’t say they don’t.

The universe is fine tuned. Of course it seems fine tuned to us, we evolved in it. We cannot prove that some other form of life is or isn’t feasible with a different set of constants. Anyone who insists that our form of life is the only one conceivable is making a claim based on no evidence and no theory. Also, the Copernican principle.

Love exists. Oxytocin. Affection, empathy and peer bonding increase social cohesion and lead to higher survival chances for offspring.

God is the universe/love/laws of physics. We already have names for these things.

Science can’t explain X. It probably can, have you read and understood peer reviewed information on the topic? Keep in mind, science only gives us a best fit model from which we can make predictions. If it really can’t yet, then consider this: God the gaps.

Atheists should prove god doesn’t exist. Russell’s teapot.

Atheism is a belief/religion. Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color, or not collecting stamps a hobby. Atheism is the lack of belief in a god or gods, nothing more. It is an expression of being unconvinced by the evidence provided by theists for the claims they make. Atheism is not a claim to knowledge. Atheists may subscribe to additional ideologies and belief systems. Watch this.

I don’t want to go to hell. Pascal’s Wager “Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” — Anonymous and “We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes.” – Gene Roddenberry

I want to believe in God. What you desire the world to be doesn’t change what it really is. The primary role of traditional religion is deathist rationalisation, that is, rationalising the tragedy of death as a good thing. “Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements – the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life – weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be today.” – Lawrence Krauss

Christians are persecuted. Believers claim the victim and imply that non-theists gang up on them, or rally against them. No, we just look at you the same way we look at someone who claims the earth is flat, or that the Earth is the center of the universe: delusional. When Atheists aren’t considered the least trustworthy group and comprise more than 70% of the population, then we’ll talk about persecution.

Why can’t atheists just leave us alone?

1. Because Christianity and by extension Religion have been, and continue to be, responsible for countless horrors throughout human history.
2. For all the problems we face as a society, many theists choose not only to do nothing to help, but actually engage in sabotage by actively preventing solutions from being instigated, usually by supporting irrational political positions.
3. Because as a functional member of society it benefits everyone if your decision making process is founded on evidence and reason, not superstition. Faith isn’t a virtue; it is the glorification of voluntary ignorance.

Militant atheists are just as bad as religious ones. No, we’re not. An atheist could only be militant in that they fiercely defend reason. That being said, atheism does not preclude one from being [stupid], we just prefer that over killing one another. A militant atheist will debate in a University theatre, a militant Christian will kill abortion doctors and convince children they are flawed and worthless.

Where is god? Why is it now that we have rational inquiry that we hear only a deafening silence from a god who once regularly engaged in human affairs? Why does god not simply speak to us or appear before us as he supposedly used to? Why are we the losers in the dice roll of time? If god places such a high value on us worshipping and believing in him then why not simply make his existence obvious to us?

The Logical problem of Jesus. If Jesus is God then presumably he is omnipotent. If this is true, then when he allowed himself to be sacrificed, didn’t he do this with the knowledge that he was immortal? If so, then how exactly was it a sacrifice for him? What did he sacrifice?

Atheism leads to a worse society. Atheism is correlated with better science education, lower poverty rates, higher literacy rates, higher average incomes, lower divorce rates, lower teen pregnancy rates, lower STD infection rates, lower crime rates and lower homicide rates. Atheists also have the highest reading/writing proficiency on average. Irreligion by Country, Democracy Index, Education Index, Economic freedom, Overall Human Development. Atheism is correlated with higher intelligence: Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 Source 4 Source 5 Source 6 Source 7.

Atheism inspired Nazism/Communism/Social Darwinism. These ideologies are as atheistic as Democracy.

I want to go to heaven. (Argument from wishful thinking). “I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking, feeling, remembering part of me will continue. But much as I want to believe that, and despite the ancient and worldwide cultural traditions that assert an afterlife, I know of nothing to suggest that it is more than wishful thinking. The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.” – Carl Sagan

Atheists are closed minded. Incorrect.

“If God is the Potter, who are we to say what he does with his clay?” Why would a perfect potter create an imperfect mold, order it to be perfect and then judge it based on the imperfections he gave it?

“Some would ask, how could a perfect God create a universe filled with so much that is evil. They have missed a greater conundrum: why would a perfect God create a universe at all?” – Sister Miriam Godwinson, Alpha Centauri 2239

Additional Links:

• Science saved my soul.
• Why I am no longer a Christian (First Episode)
• PBS’s The Human Spark Part 2 Part 3
• Sam Harris on science and morality
• ‘A Universe From Nothing’ by Lawrence Krauss
• BBC Horizon – What happened before the big bang?, Is everything we know about the universe wrong?
• Cruelty in the New Testament.
• Qualia Soup Critial Thinking, Open Mindedness, Putting faith in its place, Skewed View of Science, Evolution.
• The Ultimate Rube Goldberg Machine + Reverse Engineering the Universe
• Cosmic Voyage
• Carl Sagan: A Universe Not Made For Us
• Earth – The Pale Blue Dot, Another Interpretation
• Carl Sagan on “God” and “gods”
• The Known Universe
• The design of the universe
• Your purpose without god, and why you’ll be ok.
• Animals Cooperating (Video): Monkeys, Crows, Chimps.
• The laryngeal nerve of the giraffe, Evolution of the Eye
• Taking the Bible out of context, Debating Christians (NonStampCollector).
• Richard Feynman on doubt, uncertainty and religion
• Welcome to this World
• The God of the Gaps (by Neil deGrasse Tyson)
• Instruction Manual for Life
• From Christian to Atheist in 5 minutes

1. Speaking in tongues has nothing to do with the Biblical concept of “salvation”. Furthermore, speaking in tongues is a naturalistic, learned behavior which predates Christianity.

2. Evolution is a scientific fact of life. Creation isn’t. Every branch of science points to evolution; none point to creation.

3. Prayer does not work. There is not one single piece of documented evidence that suggests prayer favors Christians any more than any other religion or out performs the well-documented placebo effect.

4. There is no evidence that any God(s) exist. Absence of evidence for God is, indeed, evidence of absence when the evidence should be there and is not.

5. The God documented in the Bible is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. *

6. Bible Numerics is a nonsensical and flawed pattern that can be found in any text.

7. Jesus was not God. There is not one single piece of archaeological, forensic or documentary evidence that shows Jesus was anything more than a misguided Apocalyptic prophetic. Nothing was recorded about Jesus the man until decades after his death. Additionally, He falsely preached that God would intervene, destroy all evil, and establish a Kingdom of God on earth (rather than in heaven) and that this would occur during his lifetime. It didn’t.

8. The Bible is an ad hoc and contradictory assortment of mythical stories written and complied by men with questionable morals and no scientific understanding of the world they document.

9. Christianity doesn’t make sense. Original sin, Atonement, the ascension, the Trinity, salvation and Hell, are all man-made and non-falsifiable works of fiction.

10. Life is short. Dogma and guilt are debilitating.

Recommended reading

Easy God is Imaginary
Medium Why Christianity is False
Hard Why I am not a Christian

1. There is no evidence for the resurrection outside the Bible. Non-Christian historical references to Jesus don’t occur until about six decades after the time when Biblical scholars think he probably died. When these non-Christian sources refer to Jesus’ miracles, there’s no reason to see them as anything more than a report of what Christians of the time believed.

2. There is little evidence that the Gospels were written by eyewitnesses, or based directly on eyewitness accounts. Most of what the Bible says about Jesus’ life and supposed resurrection is in the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, (a.k.a. the Gospels). But Biblical scholars now agree these books were originally anonymous, their names added later. The traditional Christian claims about who wrote them is now widely doubted by scholars.

3. This means that the Gospels can’t be trusted as evidence for miracles. Imagine someone trying to convert you to another religion based on the “proof” of the miracles worked by the religion’s founder… in the form of a handful of anonymous tracts recounting his life. Would you accept that “proof”? Of course not. Among other things, the stories could just be legends.

4.One of Paul’s letters provides evidence that a number of people claimed Jesus had appeared to them after his death. But this isn’t proof of a miracle. The passage is 1st Corinthians 15:3-9, and most Biblical scholars agree it was really written by Paul. But again, would you accept similar evidence in favor of another religion’s miracles? The Mormon church has statements signed by several people attesting to miracles that are supposed to confirm the truth of the Book of the Mormon, but you probably won’t convert to Mormonism based on that. Also, Paul doesn’t tell us how he knows about all these appearances, so we can’t be confident his report is accurate.

5. Reports that Jesus’ disciples were martyred prove nothing. Reports of the martyrdom of Jesus’ disciples do not occur in this historical record until long after their deaths would have occurred, and accounts sometimes conflict with one another. It could be that most, even all, of these stories are legends. In any case, not only do people sometimes give up their lives for delusions, even outright charlatans have been killed for their claims. Joseph Smith was probably a charlatan, but he died at the hands of a lynch mob. So we can’t rule out deception among Jesus’ followers.

6. Claims that this or that individual couldn’t possibly have hallucinated are nonsense. Even apparently sane people hallucinate for a wide variety of reasons and under a wide variety of circumstances. We can’t rule this out for people who claimed to have seen the risen Jesus.

7. Even if there were several people in Paul’s day who would have claimed to have all seen the risen Jesus at the same time, their testimony might not have stood up to scrutiny. There have been cases where a group of children have claimed to see the Virgin Mary, and been taken seriously by adults who should have known better. In many of these cases, the children were questioned individually and their descriptions of what they saw didn’t match, suggesting deception or delusion. via

What I used to believe

• The entire universe was created for me; my admiration, my “pleasure”.
• Everything in life was part of some divine plan: at which I was the center.
• God had direct access to my thoughts and “listened in” all the time.
• I was able to communicate with God, at any time, by “praying” in my head.
• I believed that I could, through God, work miracles and heal any disease,
• If it didn’t work, it wasn’t part of God’s plan–or I didn’t have enough faith.
• When it did work, it was God; never a coincidence. Trying to deconstruct this mystery was likened to looking through a “glass darkly”.
• Miracles from other religions either didn’t happen or was they were Satan trying to deceive.
• The Bible had zero mistakes, errors or contradictions.
• Everything it said was true; evidence to the contrary had to be reassessed (read: ignored or ‘contextualized’).
• This included talking snakes and donkeys, raining frogs, walking on water, cross-breeding of men and angels, rivers being turned to blood, languages of the world being invented instantaneously, and so on.
• God gave me a divine and angelic language only He could understand.
• Hell was created by God, likened to an eternal “lake of fire” to torture bad people.
• I could end up here by not having the special language or by committing “adultery in my heart” (Matthew 5:27)
• Everyone who didn’t speak in tongues went to hell (always rephrased politely).
• I wholeheartedly believed testimonies recounted by members which opposed modern science, without skepticism (though I was skeptical of miracles occurring in other religions).
• Evolution was a worldwide conspiracy with an atheistic agenda.
• The Earth was created instantly and species could only reproduce “after their own kind” (Genesis 1:20-25)
• There were no transitional fossils (e.g. half-reptile, half-bird) if something like this was discovered it was fraudulent or at least up for speculation.
• Numbers had magic meanings. Numbers like 7 were good and numbers like 13 and 666 were bad.
• Ordinary events in my life were able to be “read into” and God’s will determined accordingly.
• Dripping olive oil on someone’s head had magic healing properties.
• God was concerned about my personal well being and listened to my every prayer.
• As such, everyday mundane events in my life were able to be controlled by me/God, including “traveling mercies”, help in exams, assistance finding carparks, confidence in a job interview, and so on.
• I believed this without questioning why my prayer would be answered – when He supposedly ignored 23,000 starving children’s prayers each year.

I’ll continue to update this list as they come to mind; feel free to make suggestions in the comments.

Here are some reasons to be ashamed (and not a fan) of Jesus.

He told his followers to hate their families.

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26

He came to break apart families.

I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. Matthew 10:35-36

He insisted that his followers love him more than anyone else (including their families).

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. — Matthew 10:37

He encouraged people to abandon their home and family for his name’s sake.

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. — Matthew 19:29, Mark 10:29-30, Luke 18:29-30

He was rude to his own family.

Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! Matthew 12: 47-49

He was dismissive of other people’s feelings.

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. Matthew 8:21-22

He was a hypocrite. He told his followers not to call anyone a fool.

Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:22

Yet he often called his critics and disciples fools.

Ye fools and blind. Matthew 23:17, 19

Ye fools. Luke 11:40

O fools, and slow of heart to believe. Luke 24:25

He encouraged his followers to mutilate themselves to avoid hell.

Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out … And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:28-30

If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Matthew 18:8-9

And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off … And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off … And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:43-48

He encouraged men to castrate themselves.

There are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Matthew 19:12

He approved of God’s killings in the Bible.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words … It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Matthew 10:14-15

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:37

As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man … the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot … the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all … Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:26-32

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: John 3:14

He believed in the Old Testament’s stories.

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12: 40

He accepted Old Testament laws.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Matthew 5:17

God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Matthew 15:4

Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Mark 7:10

He and his dad plan to torture billions of people forever after they die.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 7:19

Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:41-42

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:49-50

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment. Matthew 25:46

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16

Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Luke 12: 5

He implied that all Jews are going to hell.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12

He was a false prophet.

Verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. Matthew 10:23

This generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Mark 13: 30

But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. Luke 9:27

He was a warmonger.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Revelation 19:11

He was a megalomaniac.

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed. Mark 8:38

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God … he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:18, 36

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:16

He condemned entire cities to dreadful deaths and to the eternal torment of hell because they didn’t care for his preaching.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! … And thou, Capernaum … shalt be brought down to hell … it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. Matthew 11:21-24

Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. Mark 6:11

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not … it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! … And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. Luke 10:10-15

Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: … The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. Luke 12:51-53

He spoke in parables to confuse people so he could send them to hell.

And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. Mark 4:11

He believed in a God (himself?) who had his enemies slaughtered in front of him.

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. Luke 19:27

He believed in devils, evil eyes, and unclean spirits.

And he … cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:34

Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils. Luke 9:1

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. Matthew 12:43-45

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. Mark 3:11-12

An evil eye … defile the man. Mark 7:22-23

But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Matthew 6:23

There was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit … And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. Mark 1:23-25

He gave them power against unclean spirits. Matthew 10:1

He was a bit of a racist.

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. Mark 7:26-27

He got kind of gross sometimes.

And he … put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue. Mark 7:33

He took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. Mark 8: 23

Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life … For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him … He that eateth me, even he shall live by me. John 6:53-57

He approved of slavery and said that God is like a slave owner who beats his slaves.

And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. Luke 12:47

Someday he’ll fight against people with a sword sticking out of his mouth.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Revelation 2:16

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. … And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:15, 21

He threatens to kill children (with death).

I will kill her children with death. Revelation 2:23

He’s going to kill billions of people with his sickle.

Upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. … And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Revelation 14:14-20

He unnecessarily killed 2000 pigs.

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. Matthew 8:30-32

And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine … And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. Mark 5:12-13

Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. Luke 8:33

He killed a fig tree by cursing it. (Because it didn’t have any fruit that he could eat.)

When he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. Matthew 21:19

And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. Mark 11:13-14

He lied to people about prayer.

If ye have faith, and doubt not … if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:21-22

That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11: 23-24

He talked complete nonsense about the end of the world.

Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. … In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. Mark 13:8, 24-25 via

How many false, natural religions are there in the world?  Even if he is a dedicated adherent to one he believes is of supernatural origin, a reasonable believer will have to acknowledge that there have been thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of them.  For most believers in a particular religious tradition, the vast majority of other religious traditions have natural origins and are therefore false.  Even if there is a God, it is obvious that human history spawns great numbers of false, natural religions.  Countless religious ideas spring from human social and mental life, then some catch on and become the start of a whole religious movement.  Thus far, even the deeply committed Christian should concur with all of my premises.  But now I’d like to explain what I take to be a devastating problem for the Christian in reconciling the view that his or her personal religious views are authentic while so many others are false.  The question that should be deeply troubling to the Christian from the inside is this:  why would the one true God who sought to establish the only real religion bury, confound, obscure, or hide it in the midst of so many other false, natural religions?

Here’s what I mean:  Christianity has relatively inauspicious origins.  What we have today is a very small number of copies of  writings that were written decades and even centuries after Jesus is alleged to have preached, been executed, and the returned from the dead.  Two hundred years or so after the alleged events, the modern Bible was sifted from thousands of early writings that gave very different accounts of Jesus and Christian principles.  A very long and complicated  process with unreliable nodes of transmission provides us with claims of highly dubious origins.  Numerous doubts accumulate at the beginning with the alleged eye witnesses, then the stories are repeated an unknown number of times by an unknown number of people before they are written down by a small group of unknown authors.  They these stories are copied and finally the Bible we know is culled from thousands of other written works.  At each stage of transmission, we should have several worries about the fidelity of the process that accumulate and amplify by the time the Christian stories get to us.  I’ve discussed these layers of doubts and their cumulative, amplifying effect in many early posts.

The people engaged in the creation and transmission of these early ideas would have been subject to all of the same natural phenomena that affected the foundations of all of the false religions in the world:  psychosis, bereavement hallucinations, the Asch effect, source amnesia, superstition, false supernaturalism, Iron Age ignorance, paranormalism, confirmation bias, fabrication, hedging, revised memories, poor eyewitness abilities, propaganda, spin, mythological influences, heightened paranormal expectations, suggestibility, the lack of the scientific method, gullibility, and so on.  At the very least, the Christian must acknowledge that these phenomena are real, and that they very frequently are responsible for spawning other religious movements.  Even if Christianity is truly of a supernatural origin, and none of these doubt amplifying factors affected its formation, they would have been close at hand, and their presence obscures and undermines our ready acceptance of it.  We know that these phenomena affect people and that they spawn religious movements.  And we have very little reliable information about the origins of Christianity that might convince us that they were not a factor.

So the question for the Christian is, why did your God make your religion indistinguishable from all the natural religions in so many of these ways?  The puzzle is made worse by the facts that, by your own reckoning, your God has the power, the knowledge, the intention, and the will to make himself and real supernatural origins of the Christian religion evident to all humans.  In fact, by your own reckoning, he is going to hold every human in history morally and epistemically culpable if they do not acknowledge the real supernatural origin of Christianity by condemning them to an eternity of unimaginable torture. Yet despite having the ability, knowledge, and desire to transcend above all of the false, natural religions, he does not.

The embedding of the one, true religion—Christianity—within human history in a fashion that makes it look like so many false religions should create deeply troubling cognitive dissonance for the believing Christian.  The simple and inescapable answer is that Christianity isn’t the one, true supernatural religion.  Your religion is a natural religion, just like all of the others.  And now you’ve been right to brink of accepting the conclusion.  You already acknowledge that the vast majority of religions in history arose by misguided, natural avenues.  And you can see that the origins of Christianity resembles those false religions in many salient ways.  You have to acknowledge that we have very little, reliable information about the origins of Christianity.  And you can see that God, if he were real, and if he had the power and character that you have imputed him, would have done it differently.  He could have and would have done it better. All that remains is for you is to abandon the wild gyrations and rationalizations that are typically attempted to escape this dilemma to explain God’s hiddenness. The simple and obvious solution is that Christianity is a natural religion. via