Atheists & Agnostics
Related: About this forumChristopher Hitchens critiques the 10 commandments
then offers ten of his own
BOSSHOG
(39,716 posts)Did God make man or did Man make God? Thank You Christopher and Duckworth
Gosh, I wonder why man would make (a) god? For what purpose? To what end?
Warpy
(113,130 posts)to help them bully everybody else?
Sorry, got nothin' else.
BOSSHOG
(39,716 posts)And our new Speakers owners manual is the Bible.
Farmer-Rick
(11,308 posts)If you're king, if you're the top capitalist oligarch, if your Putin or a dictator, forcing people to do what you want is an all day chore. People are always trying to get freedoms, be happy, have fun, eat, sleep and have sex in nice comfortable ways that they prefer.
They don't want to pay for the kings castles, the taxman's Porsche or the filthy-rich's tax give aways. They especially don't want to die to protect all the filthy-rich crap
But the kings and the filthy-rich want other people to do all the work and provide them with protection. So, a god is a very handy thing to have in order to bludgeon all those people who would rather be doing something fun or good for themselves.
Make those people feel bad and sinful for only doing what comes naturally. Then they will shut up and do as they are told. Threaten them with eternal punishment for a momentary sin. Make up all sorts of crap and feed it to them from birth. Then they will be easily manipulated and controlled ...all in the name of your favorite super daddy in the sky.
It's a very well developed con and manipulative tool. Without it, many people would be taking back all the wealth stolen from them. Without religion people would want justice today instead of waiting for a god to take its slow time in punishing evil only after death. If you know this is the only life you get, maybe you wouldn't jump at the chance to work for slave wages all your life.
This god idea is such a handy little tool for keeping the status quo that some people think it's actually real.
Warpy
(113,130 posts)in service of the Empire, of course. Everytthing changed, even the art. Instead of a Jewish sect that spread like wildfire because it gave hope to the poorest that the next life would be better than this one,, the ceremonial sharing of bread and wine done mostly in private homes with big enough public rooms, it became a hierarchical organization and official buildings were built or existing Roman basilicas were converted to the purpose.
Jesus was the boyish Apollo. Christ was Zeus.
And so it goes, the poor automatically condemned to hell because they lack the money to bribe their way out. The rich destined for heaven because they bribe their way out of hell and given caret blanche to abuse the poor. I'm just amazed so many people fall for this crap.
I share Gandhi's view on Jesus and Christians.
That isn't to say there are some Christians out there who got the point. When I meet them, they are my friends.
Farmer-Rick
(11,308 posts)The Our Father prayer is basically about socialism.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." That was literal. They thought God was coming to earth and it was going to be like heaven. Earth would be heaven.
"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debt as we forgive the debts against us "
What more could a good socialist want but food and no debt.
I bet most people don't even realize the prayer's real meaning.
maxsolomon
(34,968 posts)all Gods are made for that reason
JoseBalow
(5,007 posts)(* I think the 3rd should be always included, regardless)
duckworth969
(966 posts)mahina
(18,906 posts)Or doesnt, as he passed in 2011
I like his top 10.
Timeflyer
(2,610 posts)He is sorely missed. Thankful he left us his wonderful writings.