Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Diet of Worms


Most Christians don’t enjoy the Diet of Worms (1521)
Or any of the history of the Christian Church because it’s evidence of just how much of it is really humans deciding and doing things. God hardly enters into it at all. Sure they would claim that these religious figures of history were divinely inspired at least as long as what they find attributed to them could be said to be “good” but when less “divine” actions, from political maneuvering to expropriation, persecution, torture or murder are documented, well then the blinders go back on and the naysaying begins. This is because religion was a source of power for nobility, - especially royalty.
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Martin Luther is the one history remembers for his founding of the Lutheran church and the start of the reformation, or what should be more accurately called the split in the Catholic Church that led to the spawning of many new sects of Christianity. Before the “happy” happenstance of protestant churches dominating and being accepted, back then, Martin Luther was just another heretic to the Catholic Church, and he was very lucky to not be caught and executed.
If you look at the history of the Church of England and the English Reformation, the politics, and violence are horrifying. All were human activities, not “acts of God” though I’m sure some saw gods hand in everything. It’s this history that led to the age of enlightenment and the founding fathers of the United States came right out of this strife over religion. Seems history supplanted by “social studies” in schools doesn’t really touch on these delicate details very much though.
Time after time, History has shown us that religion and religious power mixed with governmental power leads to despotism, persecutions and unnecessary death (all things incongruous with the tenets of the myriad sects of Christianity). Hence Science may be #1 on the religious fanatic’s shit list, but History is a close second.
So many Atheists would like to see religion eliminated,

Thursday, January 15, 2015

We can choose to be good to each other

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In the northern hemisphere January is often the most depressing month of the year.  What will you do to make it better for yourself, or for someone else?  Will we find a way to get through the most depressing time of the year? and is knowing that spring comes enough?

Some people have faith in God, others choose to have faith in each other:

http://imgur.com/a/eTtNu?gallery

 Will you choose to have faith in humanity? will you be the reason someone else has their faith in humanity restored?

The Good is that which leads to health, The Right is that which leads to
peace. Purpose is ours to choose, Meaning is the story we choose to join.
We are all members of Darwin's family, all kin from the beginning of life.
If you value anything, value other humans, for they are the only help you
will have in times of trouble. The Godless Universe is vast and wondrous,
and more than enough. We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful
of the night.

[John Hodges, 1999] - from quote file on infidels.org