Forgiving Evangelicals

I confess to feeling a lot of anger and a lot of frustration with the American Christian right-wing, whether we call them evangelicals or fundamentalists or some other less flattering term.  This group of folks has me totally stymied and dumbfounded.  Claiming to be the most Christian of the Christians they act in ways that defy both logic and belief.

For now, let’s set aside their stringent commitment to falsehoods, beliefs that are totally contradicted by fact, knowledge and reason.  Among those set-asides are the beliefs that the earth is around 6,000 years old, humans and dinosaurs walked the planet together, the earth is flat, it was created in 6 days, there really was a Noah and an Ark and a flood, and evolution is not a fact.  There are more, but just looking at the belief structure that is in such denial of reality might be enough to get most of them certified and committed.  But, for now, let’s set that aside.

Let’s not set aside the primary tenets of Christianity as defined in the New Testament.  Whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, an atheist or a Hindu the core teachings are pretty obvious even to the most superficial reader:  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  Have no hatred for your brother.  If anyone has worldly goods and sees his neighbor in need he does not have God’s love in him.  Honor everyone.  It is more difficult for the rich to enter heaven.  Love your enemies.  Everyone is a child of God. 

So, for 8 years this group attacked the President.  They claimed he was not born in America.  He was.  They claimed he was a Muslim.  He is not.  They claimed he would come and take their guns away.  He did not.  What he did was save our economy from destruction due to the conservative policies of the previous years, he enacted health insurance for the poor and needy, he improved our international relations with other nations, he took great steps in ending the conflicts in the middle east, and he worked on protecting the climate.  There was no hint of scandal or corruption, and yet the Christian right continued their assault.

Now, we have a President who is a known adulterer, a known sex offender, a bigot, a misogynist, a racist, a person who unleashes verbal assault on anyone who dares question him, a person who consistently lies and misrepresents reality, and a person who prides himself on his wealth.  And yet, the Christian right not only ignores those attributes, they defend him fervently.  There are even some who believe that God chose this man to become our President when it is growing more and more clear the Russians chose this man to become our President.  What am I missing? 

If we lay the basic tenets of Christianity down and attempt to align Trump’s programs we have a total mismatch.  Accusing immigrants of being criminals is anti-Christian.  Building a wall to keep people out is anti-Christian.  Dismantling a health care system for the poor and for children is anti-Christian.  Placing oneself above all others is anti-Christian.  Using women as sex objects is anti-Christian.  Blaming the victims of poverty as villains is anti-Christian.  Having great wealth and not sharing it with the neediest is anti-Christian.  And on and on.  This man is clearly the most anti-Christian President we have ever had and yet he enjoys the support of the Christian right-wing more than any other President.

I can reach only several possible conclusions.  Those who call themselves Christian are liars and charlatans.  Or, those who call themselves Christian really rely less on the tenets of their beliefs than they do their own fear and prejudice and greed.  Or, Christians are just stupid sheep.  I can find no way to salute their stand.

Unless, their position is that we should forgive our neighbors.  But, if that was the basis of their support, why did they attack the previous President so much?  No, it cannot be that.

Those of us who struggle with our beliefs, who wonder if there really is a God and if Jesus really existed and was His son, are rocked to our core watching those who claim to be Christian.  I do not understand why so-called Christians are not rising up and offering both forgiveness of Trump and a demand for his impeachment.

Unlike those so-called Christians, I am at least attempting to forgive the evangelicals for the harm they are doing to our country.  I am not there yet.  But I am trying.

The Eyes Don’t Have It

I have recently encountered faith-based arguments that claim that the complexity and functionality of the human eye is evidence of a divine designer, a creator.  And I had to laugh.  If this is the best design a creator can come up with then it is a pretty dumb creator. 

Every human eye has a blind spot.  The blind spot exists because the optic nerve enters the eye at the rear in one single pipe.  Other animals do not have such a blind spot.  The octopus, for example, has the optic nerves entering from a variety of sources so that there is no blind spot.  In humans, this is a design flaw.

The human eye eventually will have a detached retina.  Other animals do not experience that as they age.  In humans, this is a design flaw.

Other animals perceive a much wider range of light.  Humans perceive a narrow little zone.  (See below.)  In humans, this is a design flaw. 

So, if the complexity of the human eye is evidence that a god designed it we must question the actual design.  Richard Dawkins says that if a modern day engineer were handed the human eye design he would send it back for revision.

But not even that is the most compelling argument against creative design, or intelligent design, or whatever the faith-based people call it.  If the hypothesis is that such complexity in our bodies and in our universe can only be accomplished and explained by a supernatural creator, then clearly the question must be answered, who designed the supernatural creator if complexity requires a creator?

The human eye has evolved as have all the other eyes on the planet.  It is a remarkable organ, but we can trace its development over time as we can with other animals.  The eyes have complexity, but they lack proof of a creator.  If one accepts that the eye is proof of a creator, then one accepts an imperfect creator.  The eyes don’t have proof.

Making Excuses for God

This morning I received no less than 4 requests to pray for people.  These requests were not sent to me as a personal request, they were posted to a group.  Each request dealt with some kind of illness or ailment or sadness.  And I remain dumbfounded. 

John 14:13-14  NLT New Living Translation

¹³ You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴ Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Anything?

In context this passage reflects Jesus response to his insecure disciples.  They are all concerned about where Jesus is going, how they will get there themselves, etc.  Jesus’ big pitch is that God is in him and he is with God.  Know Jesus, know God.  So when Jesus says ask for anything and He will do it He said He would do it to glorify God.

Right.  So, why do we need prayer warriors, prayer circles, prayer chains, etc., etc.  Seems pretty straight forward:  Ask for something in Jesus name and Jesus will make it happen.

Problem is, of course, that those requests do not happen or tend not to happen.  How can we explain that?  Biblical scholars have been making excuses for God and Jesus ever since Jesus reportedly said these words. 

Some scholars say Jesus/God will make it happen only if one is truly on the path as a faithful follower.  If you are not a truly faithful follower you do not get your request answered.  Therefore, if you ask and nothing happens, time to get right with God.  This is a pretty transparent excuse.  Jesus will grant you anything if you are faithful to Jesus.  If you ask and do not receive you are wasting His time because you are not an all-star follower, just a bench warming follower.   Such a crock.  If I ask and do not receive and I conclude I am not a true follower why would I ever ask again?  On the other hand, if I am an all-star follower and get every request answered, why not advertise?  I know of no one who makes such a claim so I suppose there really is no one who is an all-star follower.

Others say Jesus/God will only make it happen if it is part of His plan.  In other words, you can ask for anything, but you will only get what God wants you to get because it must be aligned with what He wants for you.  Another flimsy excuse for God.  If we only get what he plans on us getting anyway, why ask?  Why not simply ask that He reveal His plan for us?  Of course that won’t happen.  And it won’t happen because no doubt you are not an all-star follower.

Bottom line, there is no point in forming a group to pray.  If any member of the group is an all-star and then what the group prays for will happen as along as it is God’s plan.  If a prayer group ever prays to heal someone dying of a terminal disease and they die, then the group should disband.  Or, wise up and stop praying.

Enough excuses.  If there is a God/Jesus and He says I will do anything you ask if you ask it in my name, so you ask and it is clear that it does not happen then the promise in John is a crock.  Or, if we can grant such excuses to God for an error in understanding when the text is very clear, why not do that with everything He said or everything in the Bible?  Is it the truth?  Is it literal?  If not and we can make excuses for God then why don’t we just pick the passages we do not like and ignore them by making other excuses.  If we can do that, then none of what is in the Bible is binding or believable.

God should not need excuses when He fails to keep His word.  Unless, the Bible is wrong, Jesus is not true His word, or it doesn’t matter what we ask for because we are going to get what He wants us to get, or it is all made up malarkey.

Jesus will not do “anything.”   That is clear.  I’m leaning toward malarkey.

Disclaimers and Caveats

I am amazed at the number of advertisements on television for prescription drugs.  Early in the ad there is always announcement of hope and positive change.  Near the end the ad always lists the possible negative side-effects, most of which sound like you may fall apart and die.  I assume the pharmaceutical companies are required by law to list these possible side-effects as disclaimers and caveats to avoid being sued.  In other words, after the positive promotion, the truth of the matter must be revealed.  (And I am not even going into the question of why pharmaceutical companies promote drugs that can only be attained by prescription.  Save the ad money and reduce the prices!)

What if churches had to do the same?  Suppose before the end of every sermon disclaimers and caveats were required to be announced.  What if it was made clear that believing something to be true does not make it true?  If so, a preacher might have to say the following:

After hundreds of studies there is no evidence that prayer makes a difference for sick or dying people. They will get well or die at the same rate whether they are prayed for or not.

There is no historical evidence that Jesus actually existed.

There is no historical, factual, scientific evidence that Jesus was a deity.

There is no historical evidence that the gospels were written near the time of Jesus’ reported death.

The creation story in Genesis is blatantly false.

Abraham was a fictional character.

Moses was a fictional character.

There is no historical evidence that the Jews were ever slaves in Egypt.

There was no required Roman census prior to Jesus birth, if he was born at all.

Herod died 4 years before Jesus birth, if Jesus was born at all.

There is no empirical evidence that heaven exists, that hell exists, or that there is life after death.

(There are many more fallacies and contradictions that could be listed, but the above is likely sufficient.)

Now, let us pray and pass the offering plate.

Seems to me if I am misled by any organization for any reason there should be consequences, especially if they seek my money.  If a scam artist steals my money I have legal recourse.  What if I give my money to a church then discover that it is a scam?  Should I have legal recourse?

I wonder how long organized religion would survive if every congregation had to listen to these factual disclaimers and caveats.  Seems to me that church membership would decline greatly leaving only those people who prefer false belief over fact.  Such groups already exist in the KKK, American Nazi Party, Fox News, and some wings of the Republican Party. 

More interesting would be if a political candidate announced he or she was a Christian how long that claim would be made if people started laughing. 

Yes, churches should begin every worship service and every Sunday School Class announcing these disclaimers.  Elsewise they can be sued for false advertising and people could get all their tithe money back.

Christianity First

If one more person tells me to put Christ back in Christmas I am likely to take his or her head off. How in the world can people live with their hypocrisy? How about putting Christ back into Christianity first? The dominant political thinking in this country now is to protect the rich, promote the rich, and give the rich tax cuts. Seems to me Jesus had something to say about that. The dominant political thinking in this country now promotes the end of health care for children and poor adults. Seems to me Christ had something to say about that. The dominant political thinking in this country supports robbing Social Security and Medicare so that the rich can have tax cuts. Seems to me Christ had something to say about that. The dominant political thinking in this county now is to tolerate the abuse that showers down on Blacks, women, Muslims, Hispanics, gay, transgender, etc. Seems to me Christ had something to say about that. The dominant political thinking in this county is to ban Muslims and Latinos from coming here. Seems to me Christ had something to say about that. Meanwhile, the support of the dominant political thinkers stands behind pedophiles, bigots, sexual assaulters, climate change deniers and liars.

If there is a God he or she better wake up his or her followers before they destroy not only this country but the late, great planet earth.

Followers of Christ appear to have shifted from an agenda of love, tolerance, support and caring to an agenda of me first, anger, fear and bigotry. Any one wrestling with his or her faith during this time of year has but to look at the followers of Jesus, watch what they are doing and saying, to see what is in their hearts. It ain’t pretty. Give me an atheist who cares for the sick, promotes the poorest among us, cares for those who are cast offs in our society, and supports humans regardless of their physical characteristics or belief systems over the so-called Christians I see today.

You want Christ back in Christmas? Put him back in Christianity first.

Non-Believer’s Christmas

I am not sure how to prepare for my first Christmas as a non-believer.  I know I love the trees and tinsel and lights.  I love Christmas carols and Christmas movies.  I will give gifts to family and loved ones, not because of the Magi but because atheists are good people.  I have hung lights all over the house.  I would pay to sing Messiah again.  But it occurs to me that all the superficial decorations, celebrations and gift giving are just that.  Superficial.  I will likely be extolled to remember the “reason for the season”.  We know it was a Roman compromise to celebrate Jesus’ birthday on what was already a “pagan” holiday and that Jesus, if he existed at all, was most likely born in March.  Doesn’t matter.  (Funny that we conclude anyone who believes in a deity different than our own favored deity is a pagan or an infidel.  So sad.)

Does it matter that I now know there never was a decree from Caesar Augustus to take a census anytime near the birth date of Jesus?  That was just made up.  Does it matter that I now know that Herod died 4 years before Jesus was born?  Does it matter that it is impossible for a heavenly body to hover over a specific city, and if it did planet earth would be toast?  A helicopter perhaps, but not a star.  Does it matter that believing Mary was a pregnant virgin is such a stretch, no pun intended, and that I simply cannot imagine insemination by a spirit?  Miracles, miracles, miracles.  All believable for simple folks with no knowledge of what lightning is or how to make stainless steel.  Most of the events in their lives were mysteries, if not miracles.  Does it matter that upon deep reflection it occurs to me there was really no reason for God to father a human child, though many other “gods” of that era did so.  Especially if the sole purpose of that son whom he supposedly loved was to grow up and die a terrible death.  Goodness.  What an awful thing to do to a son one claims to love.  But the answer is, yes it does matter.  I find it sad much as I found it sad when I learned Santa was a myth.  But it is all mythical.

But I am not bah humbug about the pageantry of Christmas.  I just view it as secular, the very thing I used to rage against.  Yes, I can sing “Away in the Manger” and know it is a myth just as I can sing “Rocky Raccoon” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and know the same.

OK, perhaps I will survive my first Christmas as a non-believer.  Just please don’t ask me to honor the reason for the season as I now believe we all really know it is for commercial, retail success. 

Happy Holidays!  Or, Merry Christmyth

Religious Folly: the Bible Museum, the Ark Encounter

The Hobby Lobby $500 million dollar Bible Museum is to open today in Washington DC.  This is the same company that fought all the way to the US Supreme Court arguing that based on the religious beliefs of the owners they should not be required to offer health insurance that included contraceptives for women employees.  They believe contraceptives are a sin.  Unbelievably the current conservative Supreme Court ruled in Hobby Lobby’s favor and exempted them from the federal law mandating such coverage as part of the Affordable Care Act.  Evidently, it is OK to discriminate if you are a certain flavor of Christian.  That is one of the most moronic and oxymoronic positions I have ever heard.  Why not fight providing drugs for HIV to single people?  Premarital sex is a sin.  Why not fight providing mental health coverage for divorcees?  Divorce is a sin.  Why not fight any mental health coverage because it is caused by the infestation of demons?  Nope, the only issue for Hobby Lobby was contraceptives, which are not even mentioned in the Bible. 

Once again, fundamentalists stake out turf that is pure lunacy. 

I remain flabbergasted that people take the Bible literally.  In what state of mind must one be to argue that if it is in the Bible it is true and believable?  First, those folks are clearly in denial of all the science we have discovered and developed since we started saying “AD”.  The earth is not the center of our solar system or the universe, it took billions of years for earth to evolve, dinosaurs and humans were never on the planet at the same time, there was no great flood and no ark could hold the 2 million species present 4,000 years ago, etc.  The Bible is not a science textbook.  The Bible was written by humans, not God.  The Bible wasn’t even “official” as we know it today until about 400 years AD.  On and on and on.  No way can a thinking person believe this book is somehow literally correct.  And, if one can simply say I know these passages are wrong but I follow these passages, then clearly this is not a holy work.  Can’t have it both ways.  I suggest that everyone who believes the Bible is a literal truth should give up all the other accoutrements science has provided since 400 AD:  cell phones, air conditioning, automobiles, microwaves, air travel, computers, and on and on.  To be in denial of science should require the forfeit of the fruits of science.

Meanwhile, opening a museum to outline the history of the Bible seems OK as long as we all understand this cannot be a holy book because of all the errors recorded between the covers.  Surely a god would not make so many mistakes.  (My favorite boo boo is God supposedly created all the animals, male and female, but when it came to humans He forgot to make a female until Adam asked for one.  Give me a break.  You must be ribbing me.)  So, it is a work of fiction, concocted by humans and handed down to establish the church as an authority and the threat of hell as a punishment. 

And the Ark Encounter in Tennessee is a fiasco.  Though it is run as an amusement park it seeks tax exempt status as though it was a church.  Why does God need to be tax exempt?  Meanwhile, the whole format is fiction, flying directly in the face of known science.  There was no flood.  There was no ark.  Both would be impossible.  And I find some comfort in knowing it is all allegory because it describes an incredibly mean and hostile deity willing to destroy his creation if humans do not do as he asks.  Pretty funny since he gave us free will in the first place.  Poppycock and balderdash.

Millions and millions of dollars have been spent by Zealots and Pharisees to enshrine their own particular religious beliefs even though they are clearly false.  We should stop protecting such entities and enterprises.  If we find a flaw in a textbook, we correct it.  Not so, evidently, with the Bible.  The flaws become sacred and are held in high regard by people who abandon their brains for the sake of their hearts.  And such beliefs will not help us solve the problems of this century and beyond but will continue to serve as divisive practices triggering conflict and war.

Please, just let it go.  Spend those millions of dollars on helping people, not extolling your own particular archaic, non-functional, non-fact-based belief system.  Abandon folly for reason.