There are many sincere, good people who are Christians but are fooled and caught in the trap of the roman church and its bible. This is a spiritual article written by a believer, but to mainstream Christians it may seem more skeptical and more antagonistic than atheism.
First, let’s take a look at the crucifixion.
This is not to support Deism, but some of the parts of Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason are interesting. Think about it, if you would ask a child who never heard about the crucifixion described in the bible: which one should be crucified? a)The Son of God. Or b)The Devil. Most probably the child would say “The Devil of course!!”. Who would want the Devil to get away without punishment? Who would want the Son of God punished?
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/reason3.htm
“Had the inventors of this story told it the contrary way, that is, had they represented the Almighty as compelling Satan to exhibit himself on a cross, in the shape of a snake, as a punishment for his new transgression, the story would have been less absurd — less contradictory. But instead of this, they make the transgressor triumph, and the Almighty fall.”
“Can our gross feelings be excited by no other subjects than tragedy and suicide? Or is the gloomy pride of man become so intolerable, that nothing can flatter it but a sacrifice of the Creator?”
H.G. Wells’ book God the Invisible King makes a similar point. Why would the church portray Jesus’ suffering as a good thing? How does suffering in itself bring victory? Why does the church use the crucifixion and painful death of Jesus Christ as its symbol? Why not use Jesus’ rising from the dead which gives strength and hope?
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1046/1046-h/1046-h.htm
“It is not by suffering that God conquers death, but by fighting. Incidentally our God dies a million deaths, but the thing that matters is not the deaths but the immortality. It may be he cannot escape in this person or that person being nailed to a cross or chained to be torn by vultures on a rock. These may be necessary sufferings, like hunger and thirst in a campaign; they do not in themselves bring victory. They may be necessary, but they are not glorious. The symbol of the crucifixion, the drooping, pain-drenched figure of Christ, the sorrowful cry to his Father, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" these things jar with our spirit. We little men may well fail and repent, but it is our faith that our God does not fail us nor himself. We cannot accept the Christian's crucifix, or pray to a pitiful God. We cannot accept the Resurrection as though it were an after-thought to a bitterly felt death. Our crucifix, if you must have a crucifix, would show God with a hand or a foot already torn away from its nail, and with eyes not downcast but resolute against the sky; a face without pain, pain lost and forgotten in the surpassing glory of the struggle and the inflexible will to live and prevail. . . .”
Then let’s take a look at what Amitakh Stanford in her book The Personal Devil has to say about the Crucifixion and about the Eucharist. Consider this: what do you think about Satanists who symbolically drink human blood and symbolically eat human flesh in their ceremonies? What about Satanists who symbolically drink the blood of God, and symbolically eat the flesh of God? Would you deem this a satanic act or a divine act? And what happened to taking responsibility for your own actions(which includes one’s own sins)?
http://www.canng.com/articles/personal_devil_2008.pdf
“The eating of flesh and drinking of blood of animals and humans who have been conquered is an ancient custom in many cultures. It is still done in many societies, whether overtly or discreetly, by those who worship the Devil. Many Christians are sickened by customs that require ritual drinking of animal blood, yet they have been so programmed by the Church that they accept the symbolic drinking of Jesus’ blood as a “holy” sacrament. In reality, the ritual of the Eucharist was implemented under the Devil’s influence to attempt to signify a supposed conquest over Christ by Darkness. It is a celebration of a victory that Darkness will never have. Those who sincerely love Jesus have been deceived into partaking in the Devil’s pleasure of mocking the Christ. The Church has become the Devil’s tool.
The Church has repeated the lie of the Eucharist so frequently and fervently that the followers are thoroughly desensitized to the point that such gory images and re-enactments do not even bother them. In fact, they been brainwashed to believe that such sacrilege is in fact sacred. Here is another case where the Devil has made demonic acts appear godly.
The Church also hangs crosses with an effigy of Jesus being crucified throughout cathedrals, and has encouraged people to wear jewelry with the cross displayed, often gruesomely containing the effigy of Jesus. The Church says this is to remind the followers that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. If Jesus had actually died for the sins of the world, there would not be any more sins in the world. But, the sins continue, irrespective of people’s religious beliefs.”
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Talking about the devil, lets take a closer look at him. In a world where evil exists, the concept of a devil makes a lot of sense. But let’s take a closer look at the specific concept of the devil in mainstream Christianity. How did the devil come into existence according to the church? Who created the devil? Why isn’t he stopped from doing evil? According to the church the devil can only as far as God allows, so it seems like mainstream Christianity is stuck with a “God” who deliberately allows the devil to do evil and cause suffering, and deliberately does not stop the devil from these evil acts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_teaching_about_the_devil
“Traditionally, Christians have understood the Devil to be the author of lies and promoter of evil; however, he can go no further than the word of God allows.”
This quote from the Old Testament further confirms that mainstream Christianity is stuck with a “God” who deliberately creates evil:
“Isaiah 45:7 (King James Version)
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Why would Yahweh be worried about other Gods? Is he imagining them? Or is he worried because Yahweh knows that he is NOT the father of Jesus?
And why would Yahweh want to punish the innocents, the children up to the fourth generation? Do you think that the children of criminals should be punished for the crimes of their fathers? Do you think that the children of the children of criminals should be punished? Should the children of the children of the children of criminals be punished?
“Exodus 20:5 (King James Version)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”
Why is Jesus talking about two different fathers when monotheistic mainstream Christianity says that there is only one God, who is omnipotent and omniscient? Given that assumption, then everyone must be of God.
“John 8:47 (King James Version)
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
Again, why would Jesus say that his mission is to cause division if the monotheistic mainstream Christians would have it right? This only makes sense if dualistic Christians got it right, and God isn’t strictly omnipotent/omniscient. The Devil would then be a separate entity from God and Jesus would want to cause division between the followers of the Devil(as a separate being, which monotheistic Christianity denies) and the followers of God.
“Luke 12:51 (King James Version)
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division”
This is also evidenced in the Parable of the Tares. The church usually keeps quiet about the Parable of the Tares because of its dualistic nature of good versus evil. Remember that according to mainstream Christianity God is in full control of the Devil, so the Parable would make only sense if God would deliberately cause evil, which is a lie and blasphemy. Also there is an implication in the Parable that although God is perfectly good, that God is not strictly omnipotent. The Parable of the Tares is the most logical when you consider that God is the highest power there is and has the power to eradicate evil forever. However God wants to prevent damaging the wheat which is bundled together with the tares, which is why evil temporarily exists until the time of the harvest.
“Matthew 13:24-30 (King James Version)
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
First, let’s take a look at the crucifixion.
This is not to support Deism, but some of the parts of Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason are interesting. Think about it, if you would ask a child who never heard about the crucifixion described in the bible: which one should be crucified? a)The Son of God. Or b)The Devil. Most probably the child would say “The Devil of course!!”. Who would want the Devil to get away without punishment? Who would want the Son of God punished?
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/reason/reason3.htm
“Had the inventors of this story told it the contrary way, that is, had they represented the Almighty as compelling Satan to exhibit himself on a cross, in the shape of a snake, as a punishment for his new transgression, the story would have been less absurd — less contradictory. But instead of this, they make the transgressor triumph, and the Almighty fall.”
“Can our gross feelings be excited by no other subjects than tragedy and suicide? Or is the gloomy pride of man become so intolerable, that nothing can flatter it but a sacrifice of the Creator?”
H.G. Wells’ book God the Invisible King makes a similar point. Why would the church portray Jesus’ suffering as a good thing? How does suffering in itself bring victory? Why does the church use the crucifixion and painful death of Jesus Christ as its symbol? Why not use Jesus’ rising from the dead which gives strength and hope?
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1046/1046-h/1046-h.htm
“It is not by suffering that God conquers death, but by fighting. Incidentally our God dies a million deaths, but the thing that matters is not the deaths but the immortality. It may be he cannot escape in this person or that person being nailed to a cross or chained to be torn by vultures on a rock. These may be necessary sufferings, like hunger and thirst in a campaign; they do not in themselves bring victory. They may be necessary, but they are not glorious. The symbol of the crucifixion, the drooping, pain-drenched figure of Christ, the sorrowful cry to his Father, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" these things jar with our spirit. We little men may well fail and repent, but it is our faith that our God does not fail us nor himself. We cannot accept the Christian's crucifix, or pray to a pitiful God. We cannot accept the Resurrection as though it were an after-thought to a bitterly felt death. Our crucifix, if you must have a crucifix, would show God with a hand or a foot already torn away from its nail, and with eyes not downcast but resolute against the sky; a face without pain, pain lost and forgotten in the surpassing glory of the struggle and the inflexible will to live and prevail. . . .”
Then let’s take a look at what Amitakh Stanford in her book The Personal Devil has to say about the Crucifixion and about the Eucharist. Consider this: what do you think about Satanists who symbolically drink human blood and symbolically eat human flesh in their ceremonies? What about Satanists who symbolically drink the blood of God, and symbolically eat the flesh of God? Would you deem this a satanic act or a divine act? And what happened to taking responsibility for your own actions(which includes one’s own sins)?
http://www.canng.com/articles/personal_devil_2008.pdf
“The eating of flesh and drinking of blood of animals and humans who have been conquered is an ancient custom in many cultures. It is still done in many societies, whether overtly or discreetly, by those who worship the Devil. Many Christians are sickened by customs that require ritual drinking of animal blood, yet they have been so programmed by the Church that they accept the symbolic drinking of Jesus’ blood as a “holy” sacrament. In reality, the ritual of the Eucharist was implemented under the Devil’s influence to attempt to signify a supposed conquest over Christ by Darkness. It is a celebration of a victory that Darkness will never have. Those who sincerely love Jesus have been deceived into partaking in the Devil’s pleasure of mocking the Christ. The Church has become the Devil’s tool.
The Church has repeated the lie of the Eucharist so frequently and fervently that the followers are thoroughly desensitized to the point that such gory images and re-enactments do not even bother them. In fact, they been brainwashed to believe that such sacrilege is in fact sacred. Here is another case where the Devil has made demonic acts appear godly.
The Church also hangs crosses with an effigy of Jesus being crucified throughout cathedrals, and has encouraged people to wear jewelry with the cross displayed, often gruesomely containing the effigy of Jesus. The Church says this is to remind the followers that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. If Jesus had actually died for the sins of the world, there would not be any more sins in the world. But, the sins continue, irrespective of people’s religious beliefs.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talking about the devil, lets take a closer look at him. In a world where evil exists, the concept of a devil makes a lot of sense. But let’s take a closer look at the specific concept of the devil in mainstream Christianity. How did the devil come into existence according to the church? Who created the devil? Why isn’t he stopped from doing evil? According to the church the devil can only as far as God allows, so it seems like mainstream Christianity is stuck with a “God” who deliberately allows the devil to do evil and cause suffering, and deliberately does not stop the devil from these evil acts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_teaching_about_the_devil
“Traditionally, Christians have understood the Devil to be the author of lies and promoter of evil; however, he can go no further than the word of God allows.”
This quote from the Old Testament further confirms that mainstream Christianity is stuck with a “God” who deliberately creates evil:
“Isaiah 45:7 (King James Version)
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”
Why would Yahweh be worried about other Gods? Is he imagining them? Or is he worried because Yahweh knows that he is NOT the father of Jesus?
And why would Yahweh want to punish the innocents, the children up to the fourth generation? Do you think that the children of criminals should be punished for the crimes of their fathers? Do you think that the children of the children of criminals should be punished? Should the children of the children of the children of criminals be punished?
“Exodus 20:5 (King James Version)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”
Why is Jesus talking about two different fathers when monotheistic mainstream Christianity says that there is only one God, who is omnipotent and omniscient? Given that assumption, then everyone must be of God.
“John 8:47 (King James Version)
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
Again, why would Jesus say that his mission is to cause division if the monotheistic mainstream Christians would have it right? This only makes sense if dualistic Christians got it right, and God isn’t strictly omnipotent/omniscient. The Devil would then be a separate entity from God and Jesus would want to cause division between the followers of the Devil(as a separate being, which monotheistic Christianity denies) and the followers of God.
“Luke 12:51 (King James Version)
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division”
This is also evidenced in the Parable of the Tares. The church usually keeps quiet about the Parable of the Tares because of its dualistic nature of good versus evil. Remember that according to mainstream Christianity God is in full control of the Devil, so the Parable would make only sense if God would deliberately cause evil, which is a lie and blasphemy. Also there is an implication in the Parable that although God is perfectly good, that God is not strictly omnipotent. The Parable of the Tares is the most logical when you consider that God is the highest power there is and has the power to eradicate evil forever. However God wants to prevent damaging the wheat which is bundled together with the tares, which is why evil temporarily exists until the time of the harvest.
“Matthew 13:24-30 (King James Version)
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”