Christianity Out Of Context
I’ll admit this up front, I’m going to base this post on a paragraph taken out of context from another post (read it here) I’m not even going to mention the blog named ‘Roll To Disbelieve’ or that the OP is about Ryan Bell in some way. Nope, not going to do any of that. I’m going to take this all kinds of out of context. Here is the paragraph that woke me up like a bucket of cold water. (emphasis is mine)
I should not be surprised by this comparison. She genuinely thinks that as her religion loses cultural dominance that “iniquity will abound,” and even cites a Bible verse (Matthew 24:12) she thinks props up her assertion that Christians today are living in the “Endtimes,” that mystical apocalyptic ending of the world that will involve the Rapture, then (or before or during the Rapture, depending on exactly what Christian you’re talking to) a period of great persecution called the Tribulation, and then the Battle of Armageddon and the final destruction of the planet Earth, which in the minds of many Christians like her will start when her religion experiences a great “falling away.”
I read the above paragraph (whole post actually) and as I did it occurs to me that the belief that without religion that iniquity would abound in the world is a belief that can ONLY be held by people who are absolutely, positively, without a doubt, beyond repair, ignorant of the news.
We are living in, one of the most peaceful time in human history, but there is this:
Studies demonstrate the world is becoming less violent, and that human warfare is on the decline. There is one aspect of the human existence, however, that continues to ignite humans to commit violence and atrocities against fellow humans. A major new study published by the Pew Research Center shows that religious hostilities reached a 6-year high in 2012.
We can look at the news and see ‘random’ ‘psychotics’ attacking police officers while chanting to their deity. There are no stories of atheists attacking cops while shouting there is no god.
Then there is Evangelicals trying to kill the gays wherever they can:
Do we need to look at how much money the LDS wasted trying to prevent same sex marriage in a different state?
It is estimated that the amount of money the US government loses in tax exemptions for religions could feed the hungry, clothe and house the homeless and improve our medical services every year, year on year, because the amount that religion steals from the rest of us is perhaps as much as $71 billion a year.
I’m just getting started. Do we have to mention the mess that the Roman Catholic Church has made around the globe by abusing and raping children? Do we need to put links to every Christian pastor who raped or stole? Do we have to example every mega-church pastor’s problems? I don’t think so. The news is littered with stories about the religious doing iniquities left, right, and center.
That doesn’t even begin to cover the self proclaimed religious politicians and lobbyists and their iniquity. There are more convicted felons in the houses of congress across the US than there are employees in most small businesses. Go ahead, Google that one.
Back when everyone was a ‘believer’ and religion ruled Europe they had a name for it, it was called the dark ages. Toward the end when humans began to decide that we needed a different way, one of the first was some pissed off barons who took King John out in the woods and made him sign the Magna Carta and it is these precepts of law (and others) which were spread around the world, refined here and there by various colonists as they gained freedom. Forget the believer’s god and its hell, people should be afraid of law enforcement and citizens with guns. Those citizens do not like to be robbed, raped, and treated poorly. Those citizens created revolutions across most of the globe now. While they did not choose to eliminate religion most of them have removed religion from government… for a reason.
Before you get all huffy, from this we can easily conclude that being part of a religion (even an integral part) does not make you a good person.
Now, to say that iniquity would happen if religion disappeared is blindingly stupid. The laws don’t stop these people and religion certainly doesn’t stop them. In fact, for much of it, it is religion that makes their crimes possible or often enough the religion hides their crimes.
Why do we allow such people a public speaking post? This is exactly the kind of person that should be laughed at and mocked and shamed into silence. That one thought is so stupid it is offensive.
myatheistlife 
Concerning tax money flowing to religion, Germany and Austria have a interesting system. When you move to a city the you must register at the city hall. In the the registration you may declare your religion. If you do (and only if you do), you pay a tax, which goes directly to your church.
I’d rather see them sink or swim on their merits. Let’s not guarantee them anything but the chance to survive. They do have an interesting take on it though, it’s still governmental support.
On that note I’d also like to see kosher and halal butchery outlawed as cruelty to animals.
Religions have a lot of offensive bits to them.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
In Spain there is a different system. You can choose to pay part of annual tax for Catholic Church (only Catholic).or not.
But the Catholic Church has an annual allowance that the state must pay. If the allowance is, for example, 10, and the willing contribution is 4, then the state pays the other 6 as well. So, if you chose not to pay them, you pay anyway.
And they say Spain is a secular country, lol.
It’s still better than the system in the USA and it is a secular country. Go figure. Thanks for commenting!
Religions are always barking that the world will fall apart without their influence. Every time the leaders of it fail then it’s just the fault of human sinfulness. A lot of people are bad and will do bad things with or without religion sure, but poorly conceived and run systems of authority make great outlets for bad people to act badly. Religion doesn’t have a monopoly on goodness, it has a monopoly on excusing badness.
Ramen!
If these people are so convinced it is the end times, why hang on to a miserable existence? Isn’t it time they just dispatched themselves to be with their god sooner?
Well, suicide is supposed to be an unforgivable sin, but you’d think they would hang out in hospitals that much.
Why would they insist on life support then? I find believers a very confused lot
They indeed are very confused. Sad that they are so adamant about it as well.