tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81017122084739526412024-03-12T20:56:05.530-04:00Haitian AtheistHaitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-53399073950474311192018-07-06T19:01:00.002-04:002018-07-14T17:36:42.096-04:00The Case For Crass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Strobel</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I just completed watching the movie "The Case For Christ" movie on Netflix. This movie is an adaptation of the book written by Lee Strobel by the same name. It carries on the popular and pernicious portrayal of an atheist character as a jerk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the past, I suspected that Strobel was a conman who is making money selling Christians a story they desperately want to hear. Now, I can confidently say that Strobel was (and may still be) an asshole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He conflates his drunkenness, unfounded insecurities, and his general lack of good nature on the claim he was an atheist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read "The Case For Christ". I remember where I was when I finally finished it. I was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti visiting some cousins around 2006 or 2008. I was really happy to finish this book which was recommended to me as part of a group of literary work that was supposed to make me feel more confident in the Christian religion. At the time I read the book I had learned far and beyond what I had expected to learn about the Bible and Christianity. But what I was learning was heavily in favor of Christianity, God, and the Bible as being flawed. It was around this time in my life that I was told about people like Ravi Zacharias, Josh McDowell, and Lee Strobel. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its about TIME</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I know this genre of writing as "apologetics". But back then it was just a book that I felt I needed to read in order to give a fair chance in a losing fight to Christianity and the Bible. The book did its job for the most part. In it I met extremely confident; no outright cocky Christians, who effortless answered Strobel's questions and satisfied his "investigation". Although I did notice that he did not get ANY perspective from people who could have added some interesting insights such as a Jews, Muslims, and of course those "asshole" atheists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I quieted my skepticism enough to contemplate the arguments put forth. I don't remember finding anyone of them particularly impressive but Strobel's enthusiasm rubbed off enough to make me think that Christianity had SOMETHING it could counter with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't have anyone to discuss these things with at my church. I felt like I was alone in my personal journey to find these answers. I was pretty much a religion nerd. My peers seemed satisfied with the superficial offerings of the church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One day, I landed in the review section of the book on Amazon's website. I don't think I had ever really read reviews on Amazon's site before. I began to study how they were set up. I took a glance at a few positive reviews. I did the same with the negative reviews. One review burst my optimistic bubble and brought me back to reality. In it, the author deftly highlighted some of the problems of the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Strobel wasn't so much an "avowed" atheist as much as he was an ignorant asshole who was working with antiquated assumptions about Christianity. He presents himself as an astute sleuth who has credentials in both LAW and JOURNALISM. But the review made me realize that Strobel wrote the book from the lens of "Christian" Lee Strobel as opposed to "Ignorant Asshole" Lee Strobel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The book has been out for many years now. I am confident that Strobel's flaws have been pointed out by various people to him by now. In fact, Robert M. Price wrote a counter to Strobel's book called "The Case Against The Case For Christ". Price is a renown expert in Biblical studies who I recommend reading. So, I think there should be some adjustments made by Strobel if he is still interested in the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was motivated to watch the movie after seeing a video by former Mormon Brian Dalton (also known as "Mr. Deity"). His assessment of the movie was dead-on. I am frustrated and borderline offended at the continuous notion that atheists are jerks. There is a backhanded compliment that comes with these strawman atheists though; we are acknowledged as being "intelligent". See the antagonist in the "God's Not Dead" movie to see this personified in Kevin Sorbo's character. Being an atheist is just one part of a person. It does not tell you if the person is good, bad, smart or dimwitted. You would not know this by watching this film though.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being a jerk is not the same as being atheist, Mr. Strobel.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If I ever get a chance to talk to Lee Strobel I would strongly advise him to own his bad behavior and have him acknowledge that being an "atheist" has nothing to do with being a jerk.</span><br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-13606269609549707572017-05-26T19:39:00.001-04:002017-05-26T19:39:43.045-04:00Great video. Fun Islamic Facts en francais: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NRY3pKfe3Y&list=PLWDEgGaWtkbWnLme97EuacxNK9H7u1RNWHaitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-92038327048313580182017-03-16T19:13:00.000-04:002017-05-11T19:21:41.099-04:00#92- Zipporah: An Unsung Heroine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fOnIVSaVzSo/WMsa8BInhSI/AAAAAAAAxT0/ifZKLCOv0V4gMfPNcPz3GngZpa8spS5TQCLcB/s1600/220px-Midian.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fOnIVSaVzSo/WMsa8BInhSI/AAAAAAAAxT0/ifZKLCOv0V4gMfPNcPz3GngZpa8spS5TQCLcB/s320/220px-Midian.png" width="216" /></a>Moses is one of the bigger heroes in the Jewish and Christian Bibles. But did you know that he was almost murdered by Yahweh for absolutely no reason? This tale appears in the book of Exodus and has never been shown in any movie involving Moses that I know of.</div>
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As most people know, Moses high-tailed it from Egypt after killing an Egyptian slave driver. Moses was able to get away (somehow) and made it all the way to Midia; which was a neighboring land to the east of Egypt.<br />
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After helping the 7 (a Jewish magical number) daughters of Jethro, a Midian priest (read "spiritual leader of a different religion"), Moses is asked to dine with Jethro and his family. Eventually, Moses is "given" Zipporah in "marriage"(like a used shoe that one donates to Goodwill). <br />
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Moses wastes no time and knocks up Zipporah who produces two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. I know you did not expect daughters, did you?<br />
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A quick side note: How and why the second son, Eliezer has the prefix "El" in his name even though his mother is a Midianite and Moses did not know or meet Yahweh/ELohim yet is not explained.<br />
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Of course, most of us know about the infamous burning bush episode that followed when Yahweh introduces himself and then sent the reluctant Moses on a mission to rescue the Hebrews.<br />
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But then after Moses agreed to the plan, Yahweh (who is clinically insane and psychotic) inextricably tries to murder Moses! The story is described like this in the King James Version of the English Bible:<br />
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<span class="passage-display-bcv" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; padding-right: 10px;">Exodus 4:24-27</span></blockquote>
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<span class="passage-display-version" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline;"><span style="font-size: 19.8px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="text Exod-4-24" id="en-KJV-1626" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">24 </span>And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span> met him, and sought to kill him.</span><span class="text Exod-4-25" id="en-KJV-1627" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">25 </span>Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.</span><span class="text Exod-4-26" id="en-KJV-1628" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">26 </span>So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.</span><span class="versenum" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">27 </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">And the</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="small-caps" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.</span> </span></blockquote>
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This is not explained in the Bible but raises some questions in my mind:<br />
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1. How did Zipporah know Moses was in danger?<br />
2. How did she know what to do?<br />
3. Why would Moses continue to serve Yahweh (assuming he did it voluntarily)<br />
4. How does a foreskin stop a celestial murder?<br />
5. Does the Christian Satan know of Yahweh's aversion to foreskins?<br />
6. Doesn't this provide convincing evidence that Yahweh is not omnipotent?<br />
7. Why does the foreskin have to be thrown at his feet?<br />
8. What is a "bloody husband"?<br />
9. Did Zipporah see Yahweh? If so, why didn't she die?<br />
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According to Wikipedia, the reason that Yahweh may have tried to kill Moses is because Moses did not circumcise his son. But how would Moses have known to do such a thing? What if Zipporah did not want her son to be mutilated?<br />
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Either way, Zipporah's actions saved Moses and allowed him to continue his mission to free the Hebrews from the Egyptians.<br />
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So, why does she not get more praise? I think their reasons are the following:<br />
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1. The story is extremely stupid and embarrassing to believers.<br />
2. The story does not paint a positive picture of Yahweh.<br />
3. Jews can't give praise to people from other religions.<br />
4. She may have been a woman of "color".<br />
5. She is a woman (duh!)<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-7828535148124956802017-01-16T12:33:00.000-05:002017-01-16T12:33:07.193-05:00#91- The Fool Says In His Heart (Psalms 14:1): A ResponseA couple of days ago I corrected a word on a Christian apologists post on Facebook. I left a message saying that us atheists notice these things-referring to minor mistakes in writings and thought processes of the religious.<br />
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The man responded with:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">"The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+14&version=NIV" target="_blank">Psa. 14:1</a>).</span><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"> </span></span></blockquote>
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This is a quote from Psalms 14 which is a popular retort that I've heard believers use towards myself and other atheists. So I decided to respond here.<br />
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The Psalms are a collection of poems, lamentations, and songs that are either credited to King David of Ancient Israel or is said to be about him. In this particular psalm, the author is talking about a particular situation that he is dealing with. In the previous psalm, the author lamented about Yahweh not talking to him and "hiding his face" from him. It has elements of a teenage love drama. <br />
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In 14 it talks about a "fool" who says there is no god "in his heart". I told the apologist that it is impossible for anyone to say anything in their heart. This is a fact. I fully understand that this is hyperbole and that the Psalm has to do with events happening in the time it was written. King David had a curious "relationship" with the voracious monster Yahweh. Thus this writing comes off as just a comparison between people the author claim are evil and those who believe in Yahweh. There is a footnote that says that the word "fool" is meant to denote one who is morally deficient.<br />
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It seems that when a Christian uses this, it is meant as a slight. But by no means am I a fool; even in the morally deficient sense. The atheists that I've encountered tend to be more intelligent and knowledgeable that the average Christian. There have been polls that have demonstrated that atheists tend to know and understand religious books better than believers. There tend to be less atheists in prison/jail as well.<br />
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In the past, I've asked the person using this verse against me if they think they are calling me a fool. Usually they quibble but it is clear that they intend to insult me. This is fine because normally the person does not know me, my level of intellect, or how moral I am.<br /><br />In the atheist community, the use of Psalms 14:1 is so well known that a witty response has been formulated.<br />
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"If the fool figured it out, what is taking you so long"</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-37965466693382786792017-01-16T11:32:00.000-05:002017-02-17T19:48:25.183-05:00#90- Mocking Religions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Islam has led the way in sensitivity in the last few years but it is by no means the only religion that wants extra "respeck" on their name.</div>
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Sometimes these insults are direct and intentional. Other times the insults are unintentional or the result of a misunderstanding. There is no doubt that unbelievers have prodded the theists on that front. But rarely has the disrespect that believers levy on each other has been examined. I will discuss a few ways that I've seen many religious people be disrespectful to each other with little reprimand.</div>
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Because of the popularity of monotheism and how the English language mechanics work, you will often see the capitalization of the word "God" used for the preferred diety of the person writing something. I've seen and read several examples of believers deliberately using a lowercase "g" to write about other deities that they don't worship. Sometimes these gods are defunct. Other times it is used to talk about gods that are currently en vogue. That is where the disrespect is overt. The offender often claims that their god is the "true" god while the others are somehow imposters. Other times the capital "G" is used to imply a uniqueness to the preferred deity while talking about other gods worshiped by others.</div>
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Idolaters</div>
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Pagans<br />
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There are hundreds of religions. Within those religions, there are thousands of denominations. The Abrahamic Trio of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have forged a divide between themselves and everyone else. I've never heard the members of the Trio use the term "Pagan" without contempt. Growing up I thought that a Pagan was a depraved person. I had no idea that it was the Hebrews who were the savages as reported by their holy book. The term tends to trend heavily during the fall and winter holidays when conservative types try to out-Pharisee each other by showing disinterested people that their jolly holidays have "Pagan" roots.</div>
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Old Testament/Qur'an<br />
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In my opinion, the naming of the Hebrew Bible as an "Old Testament" is a slight to the Jews. Christians believe that a new covenant was made with them by the Hebrew god Yahweh when Jesus became the focus of worship for the new cult. Just like that, all the promises and binding commitments of Yahweh shifted to his new darling followers. Of course, the Christians don't see it that way. They see their bible (the New Testament) as PART of the Jewish canon and as one book (Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox bibles have 66, 73, and 81 books respectively). </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q2uWQhYdttg/WHzyU7II_eI/AAAAAAAAvkw/Dr6fcsTcjSUZ-KvvVfR8E9m0hd38pNqsgCLcB/s1600/Blasphemy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q2uWQhYdttg/WHzyU7II_eI/AAAAAAAAvkw/Dr6fcsTcjSUZ-KvvVfR8E9m0hd38pNqsgCLcB/s640/Blasphemy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Jews do not see the New Testament as divinely inspired at all. About 600 years after the supposed death and resurrection of Jesus came the last revelation to mankind via Muhammad. So in a way, the New Testament (or Gospels/Injeel) is now a compromised and antiquated document; at least to Muslims. Needless to say, Christians do not acknowledge Muhammad just like the Jews do not acknowledge Jesus. Human blood has been spilled over these concepts in order to prove which tribe the god of Abraham favors at the moment. Who knows, maybe the canon will continue to evolve.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-41873352612670733632016-11-02T18:16:00.000-04:002016-11-02T18:16:05.789-04:00#88- Debating 101<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<header class="luna-data-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="dbox-pg" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 20px;">Debate</span></header><header class="luna-data-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="dbox-pg" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></header><header class="luna-data-header" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-align: center;"><span class="dbox-pg" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 20px;">noun</span></header><br />
<div class="def-set" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; padding-bottom: 17px;">
<span class="def-number" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; padding-right: 5px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">1.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">discussion,</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">as</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">of</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">public</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">question</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">an</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">assembly,</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">involving</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">opposing </span><span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">viewpoints:</span></div>
<div class="def-block def-inline-example" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #979797; text-align: center;">
<span class="dbox-example" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">debate</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">the</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Senate</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">on</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">farm</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">price</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">supports.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="def-set" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; padding-bottom: 17px;">
<span class="def-number" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; float: left; padding-right: 5px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">2.</span></span><br />
<div class="def-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-left: 37px; text-align: center;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">formal</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">contest</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">in</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">which</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">the</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">affirmative</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">and</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">negative</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">sides</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">of</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">a </span><span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">proposition</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">are</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">advocated</span> <span class="oneClick-link" style="box-sizing: border-box;">by</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">opposing</span> <span class="oneClick-link oneClick-available" style="box-sizing: border-box;">speakers.</span></b></span></div>
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By the summer of 2005 I was done with traveling the world and ready to persue the degree that eluded me.<br />
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It was during that time that I attended Miami-Dade College's Wolfson campus in downtown Miami. It was a wonderful time to be alive. I was free from the troubles of war and my mind had grown by leaps and bounds after traveling to Europe.<br />
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I don't remember how it happened but I was given the opportunity to attend a debate camp in Vermont at the University of Vermont for about 2 weeks. I could not resist so I signed up.<br />
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I remember taking a small plane that landed in Burlington. When I arrived at the airport I remember hearing the distinct sound of my mother tongue; Haitian Creole. I remember thinking how we Haitians are EVERYWHERE in the world. I secretly wondered if there was a Haitian person living and working on the South Pole. Hearing the sound of your native tongue in an unexpected place is like smelling your favorite food in the kitchen of a foreigner.<br />
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The town and campus were lovely. It was very green in Vermont. I was not use to such a small town, cozy feel in America. It kinda reminded me of the peace and tranquility of Austria/Switzerland. The people of Vermont are very progressive and that was the right atmosphere for me.<br />
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We were staying at one of the dorms and I eventually met my room mate. He was a younger white kid from either Tennessee or the Carolinas. He was pretty quiet and serious. It was around that time that I decided to read the book of Revelations which is the last book in most current Protestant Bibles. I remember how the book started and how I imagined it in my mind. That book was surprisingly captivating mostly because it was so weird. As usual I walked away from Revelations totally blown away at how different what I learned directly from the book was from what I was taught at church by lay Christians.<br />
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As far debating itself goes, I had no formal experience in it. When we attended the actual courses I was blown away at how much goes into formal debating. We were given large stacks of files every single day that we had to not sift through but actually read. I quickly felt discouraged, outclassed, overwhelmed. The other students stayed up through the late hours of the night reading the files which were the size of phone books. The information varied from interesting to dry and boring. We dealt with subjects like international relations with China.<br />
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From what I was able to learn I figured that I could just show up and win the debate matches with pure eloquence and gamesmanship. <br />
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My roommate and I took part in 4 debates. We won 3 of them. I only remember the loss. We faced a team of 2 females. I remember walking in the room thinking how cute and harmless looked. However, when the match started these two ladies turned into what can only be described as vicious pitbulls.<br />
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They were relentless and it fell like they spewed toxic acid all over us as they used their words as clubs to beat us down like cruel hunters do to baby seals in the arctic. At the end I felt like I was molested. I let my guard down because they were females and I paid dearly for it.<br />
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At the end of each match the judges would tell you why you won or lost and why. I was in a trans when we got our constructive criticism. That loss lingered for me for days and I think I still carry some of the experience with me today. I went to my room playing the scene over and over again. I felt as if I went to the debate wearing a skirt with no underwear and my lovely opponents simply lifted my skirt and proceeded to show the judges I lacked any kind of noteworthy genatalia.</div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-73733093799254595222016-11-02T18:13:00.001-04:002016-11-02T18:17:43.969-04:00#89- Abortion And Christianity: Pro- Life VS. Yahweh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yI75wWyraXA/WBpk2OXT9wI/AAAAAAAAubo/kUeQmknADDUceJ-9do08nDBrYZn_e9mxgCLcB/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yI75wWyraXA/WBpk2OXT9wI/AAAAAAAAubo/kUeQmknADDUceJ-9do08nDBrYZn_e9mxgCLcB/s640/download.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
A few years ago I had a few spirited exchanges on Facebook with a man who I found out has a BlogTalkRadio <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/truradio" target="_blank">show</a>. The show has a particular day where they focus on <a href="http://prolifefridaysradio.com/" target="_blank">abortion</a>. He and his wife host the show where they vigorously wage Christian war against this practice.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MhHYy6IrwDM/WBpkVwy2UoI/AAAAAAAAubk/PSnNbDJIXUcfkMUwiVPHvW0Cp3ct4rmkQCLcB/s1600/ProLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MhHYy6IrwDM/WBpkVwy2UoI/AAAAAAAAubk/PSnNbDJIXUcfkMUwiVPHvW0Cp3ct4rmkQCLcB/s320/ProLife.jpg" width="320" /></a>Many people are against abortion. Most people understand why. It takes a special kind of human to dislike kids because they are often seen as innocent, vulnerable, and cute. Being religious is not necessary when in comes to being anti-abortion or "Pro-Life" as it is more commonly known.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAy0TTKVuUM/WBpkVwtn3rI/AAAAAAAAubc/QV0Ww_2pMn8BrH1uCcHcphxv0D3Y4rprQCLcB/s1600/699245ed84b1545e5d74c02758e8b2e7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAy0TTKVuUM/WBpkVwtn3rI/AAAAAAAAubc/QV0Ww_2pMn8BrH1uCcHcphxv0D3Y4rprQCLcB/s320/699245ed84b1545e5d74c02758e8b2e7.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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What is strange to me is that the gods of the Jewish and Christian Bibles (Jews currently worship Yahweh while Christians worship Jesus essentially. The holy book of the Jews is the Old Testament of the Christian bibles) have ZERO problem killing kids. This includes the unborn in their mother's womb.<br />
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If you need examples I will gladly point you to this <a href="http://www.evilbible.com/evil-bible-home-page/god-is-not-pro-life/" target="_blank">site</a>. These people don't mention how their god drowned the entire world in the Noah flood that did not happen in reality. The god has ordered the slaughter of men, women, and children in order to steal their land. How then is this a "Pro-Life" deity?<br />
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Well, I guess you can follow their show to find out how Yahweh/Jesus went from a nefarious rancid megalomaniac to a deity who dislikes killing.<br />
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As for myself I am not for abortion but I am pro-choice. I understand that sometimes there are situations where an abortion is best especially when done early. If these believers were interested in preventing unnecessary abortions or child births you would think that they would champion the latest and effective birth control methods. But I believe they still espouse the antiquated no sex before marriage technique.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lkJRpzMbA8M/WBpkV6eHZ3I/AAAAAAAAubg/Cji22om_xmkf7OLyJ1iGJ5OODASGU5KtgCLcB/s1600/prochoice13sh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lkJRpzMbA8M/WBpkV6eHZ3I/AAAAAAAAubg/Cji22om_xmkf7OLyJ1iGJ5OODASGU5KtgCLcB/s320/prochoice13sh.jpg" width="222" /></a>The debate over abortion is still raging on. It is an issue that some people use to determine who to vote for. Many provisions made for women after the landmark <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_roe.html" target="_blank">Roe V. Wade</a> decision have been undermined at the state level.<br />
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I've seen people demonstrating in front of the Planned Parenthood near my home. I find it very curious that believers don't just pray abortions away. Isn't it their gods that oversees the creation of the fetus? How do they justify miscarriages? Do believers have a plan for unwanted children if abortions become illegal?<br />
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What are your thoughts on this topic?</div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-3981603976509725842016-11-01T20:36:00.004-04:002016-11-01T20:36:56.829-04:00#87-ACN: A Cult Experience - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pQEfewhoEHI/WBkz8AVCxlI/AAAAAAAAubA/wKCjoyVxqf0jp_sBXa3gaPD7-9vLQKSuACLcB/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pQEfewhoEHI/WBkz8AVCxlI/AAAAAAAAubA/wKCjoyVxqf0jp_sBXa3gaPD7-9vLQKSuACLcB/s1600/download.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trump with an ACN video phone</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I paid to have my own turn-key business with the company ACN after being convinced by a few visits with "Dynasty International's" head man, Max Knowles. ACN was referred to me by a young lady who I worked with. She told me about some company that Donald Trump was promoting on his show "The Apprentice".<br />
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I only became interested in the "opportunity" after my break up with a former girlfriend. I knew that I was being a bit emotional and I tried to guard against making rash decisions. I also wanted to be more aggressive about the way I was pursuing my dream of financial freedom.<br />
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The meeting at the hotel featured a lot of people who were chasing similar dreams. I remember feeling the desperation and the desire for hope from the crowd. It was interesting to see these people. It was disturbing to be among the desperate, but here I was. <br />
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In retrospect, this was during the time of the recession caused by the housing crisis. People everywhere were reeling from the economy. We were lured in by the promise of "residual income".<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ5U5wRswAk/WBkz7-LkSkI/AAAAAAAAua4/JSbBBxUTTaQCV-yUqEV43uOJXTzPkncmwCEw/s1600/Phone_Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pJ5U5wRswAk/WBkz7-LkSkI/AAAAAAAAua4/JSbBBxUTTaQCV-yUqEV43uOJXTzPkncmwCEw/s320/Phone_Picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was forced to buy and promote this phone. Now it is obsolete because of free apps on your cell phone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Soon I recruited one of my best friends Joel to be my business partner. We held these "parties" at his house to show the opportunity to other people. I was alternately nervous and confident in the program but I did notice somethings that bothered me.<br />
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I remember my trainer telling me to turn up the music at the end of doing a presentation in order to drown out questions of naysayers. People who were openly skeptical were treated like negative trolls who just want to get in the way of your happiness. This bothered me and struck me as immoral.<br />
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In June of 2009, Joel and I found ourselves in Charlotte, North Carolina for a convention with ACN. I remember this month because it was at the hotel that I found out that Michael Jackson had died (June 25, 2009). <br />
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There were a long line of illustrious speakers there. The big star of the show however was none other than Donald J. Trump himself. He sold himself as the smartest business man on Earth. He was a bombast and cocky as ever urging us to stay on with this company who was on the cusp of something big. I also got to see the 4 co-founders of ACN. They seemed like "down-to-earth" guys but I secretly loathed and admired them for their evil genius. I also remember a segment from the convention where one of the speakers spoke about how ethical the company was. This was important to me because I was determined to make money without compromising my morals.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5tlc_smZcBc/WBkz72xRpII/AAAAAAAAua0/KFiqdJQ3b9wZMFYK7p5mot6VGGR6IX2XgCEw/s1600/Screen-Shot-2015-09-17-at-3.13.20-PM-1024x613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5tlc_smZcBc/WBkz72xRpII/AAAAAAAAua0/KFiqdJQ3b9wZMFYK7p5mot6VGGR6IX2XgCEw/s320/Screen-Shot-2015-09-17-at-3.13.20-PM-1024x613.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Trump and an ACN event.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This trip was a good experience. I was young and relatively care-free. But the strains of trying to get people to join caught up with me. I was desperate to get people to join under me. I remember looking into the eyes of some other friends that I tried to get to join and saw the same look of concern that I had in their eyes.<br />
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Eventually the desire to continue died. I joined ACN with the understanding that I could always sell the business to someone else. When I called their headquarters to see about selling my $500 investment I was told I could not do that. I felt deceived and I also felt like I conned so friends into this mess as well. This was a very frustrating time for me.<br />
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Conclusion:<br /><br />I had to go through this experience to grow. ACN gave me an "us versus the world" feeling. It was euphoric. We had to go to meetings to learn tips from the leaders of my local organization. The people were driven and mostly kind. Even when my sense of skepticism was giving me butterflies in my stomach I was able to turn off my feelings because I wanted this to work sooooo bad. <br /><br />I think this experience gives me a bit of insight into how some cults work.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_aNs-gDrqw/WBkz77PXKAI/AAAAAAAAua8/zrIUraT8YHkBVicU69_zZTzqYrKUVUTNQCEw/s1600/acn_founders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_aNs-gDrqw/WBkz77PXKAI/AAAAAAAAua8/zrIUraT8YHkBVicU69_zZTzqYrKUVUTNQCEw/s640/acn_founders.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The four original co-founders of ACN: Greg Provenzano, Robert Stevanovski, Mike Cupiz and Tony Cupiz.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-42903155647725034702015-01-15T13:52:00.000-05:002015-06-27T18:54:23.459-04:00#86- What it will take for me to believe in gods again.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9kdae6svhs/T_fKMcoG25I/AAAAAAAABFI/jRTrDLbsxQg/s1600/skeptic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K9kdae6svhs/T_fKMcoG25I/AAAAAAAABFI/jRTrDLbsxQg/s1600/skeptic.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is a question that I have pondered for a while. Let me be upfront with the readers and say that it will be extremely hard for me to believe in gods again. First, I will clarify some points to help you understand how I think.<br />
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1. I use the term "gods" and not "God" often.<br />
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I do not use "God" because I do not want to give preference to monotheist models of the super beings. Some people use the word "God" to mean the chief deity of the Hebrew myths known as "Yahweh".<br />
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2. Belief is synonymous with opinion.<br />
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From my perspective, a belief is not necessary when talking about gods. I try to keep my position as binary as possible. There either are gods or there are not. If a person asks me what I believe, I try to find out if they are interested in what I KNOW first. I try to let them know that that my beliefs are mostly opinions and are subject to trial.<br />
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3. Gods exist. Humans created them.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQa_aBVsNYg/UeRFJWc4x3I/AAAAAAAAI_U/wM734UBZfe4/s1600/conversion-studies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQa_aBVsNYg/UeRFJWc4x3I/AAAAAAAAI_U/wM734UBZfe4/s1600/conversion-studies.png" /></a></div>
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All the gods that I know of are creations of humans. It takes very little effort to mentally create a deity.<br />
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The above descriptions of how I approach some key terms should give the reader an idea of how difficult it would be for me to believe in many of the existing models for gods. If the gods can communicate to me then they should be able to communicate to other people.<br />
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I would ask for repeated evidence in order to make sure that I am not mistaken. I would record my interaction with the gods. If that stage is passed then I will inquire of the gods about topics of interest. Perhaps the god is powerful but forgetful. Perhaps the god is benevolent but inept. I will try not to assume I know what a god is or needs and just let the creature inform me of the information.<br />
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Most of the gods I am acquainted with from the human myths are very self-centered megalomaniacs. Perhaps the gods I will meet will be different.<br />
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If the god needs anything from me, I will treat them like I would another person. If they are powerful and threaten to hurt me or my loved ones then I will make my decisions based on avoiding the harm.<br />
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At this point in my life I see no need to worship anyone or anything. I have people that I admire but I can't fathom building a shrine to them. Of course, I love my family but making them into deities is out of the question.<br />
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If the classic models of the popular gods exist then it would not be a matter of faith as to their existence. It would be a matter of fact that anyone can access.<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-92001198790989076322013-12-16T15:02:00.000-05:002013-12-16T15:09:28.110-05:00#85- Context: The primary excuse for believers.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udxRViJrO-E/UjqQGLAi1YI/AAAAAAAAJdE/cEfj-5sZ-Dk/s1600/abc123.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udxRViJrO-E/UjqQGLAi1YI/AAAAAAAAJdE/cEfj-5sZ-Dk/s1600/abc123.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Context in 1 picture</td></tr>
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I will never forget the first time I was shown this example. It was simple and brilliant. Now I am showing it to you. This example is important because it conveys my understanding of context to a believer.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9reelbJwvDw/UeRDHpPM0bI/AAAAAAAAI-s/_DQwfdV0EzM/s1600/Anne-Rice-Book-Signing-063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9reelbJwvDw/UeRDHpPM0bI/AAAAAAAAI-s/_DQwfdV0EzM/s1600/Anne-Rice-Book-Signing-063.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The middle figure is the star of this picture. Read from top to bottom, the middle figure looks like a "13". Read from left to right, the middle figure looks like a "B".</div>
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The analogy is that one must consider the surrounding information to fully understand how to read the middle figure. In terms of religious discussion and reading, it means reading the passages before and after a certain verse at the very least. Often times, it means reading the previous chapter, book, etc. If this is not done, the verse in question my suffer from personal distortion.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvgRvWRLsDI/UeRDODItQrI/AAAAAAAAI-0/-NAlAV_ik-8/s1600/speaker-doug-batchelor2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvgRvWRLsDI/UeRDODItQrI/AAAAAAAAI-0/-NAlAV_ik-8/s1600/speaker-doug-batchelor2.png" height="320" width="308" /></a></div>
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Understanding how to deal with context was part of my education. We had to read passages and answer questions based on what we read. It was not difficult to me back then and it is not difficult for me now.</div>
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Context is the most popular excuse that is used to apologize for the actions of the gods in the holy books. The inquirer always seem to be unable to piece together the necessary clues to get the same perspective as the devotee.</div>
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This is not to say that this that context is always clearly understood. For example, both the Bible and Qur'an are NOT written in chronological order. This is almost never expressly told to the reader. Those who are not aware of the surrounding circumstances that are not spelled out in the books may indeed get lost. But this is only a problem for those who choose to study the textbooks in-depth. Contrary to what Muslims say, one does not need a command of ancient OR modern Arabic to understand the gist Qur'an. For many people, the main idea is clearly conveyed in the text in their native language.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fujKkE5h9eo/T7NTTx9FY2I/AAAAAAAAAXs/-JGFfcbpoNk/s1600/images+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fujKkE5h9eo/T7NTTx9FY2I/AAAAAAAAAXs/-JGFfcbpoNk/s1600/images+%25288%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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I highly encourage everyone to read these holy books to get their own perspective of them. There is nothing wrong with forming your own opinion even if it is unpopular. The essential thing is to be ready to demonstrate that you took context into consideration and are able to differential fact from opinion.</div>
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Just keep in mind that the gods have been silent for a long time and probably won't speak for themselves...ever.<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-50130171674963445732013-12-16T14:12:00.000-05:002013-12-16T15:07:29.488-05:00#84- Nature Points to MY Religion/God!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhb9PUoT3zo/TqF3veOZf_I/AAAAAAAAAKw/17vGJBcH7D4/s1600/1st+pictures+773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jhb9PUoT3zo/TqF3veOZf_I/AAAAAAAAAKw/17vGJBcH7D4/s1600/1st+pictures+773.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span class="quran">"Do they not look at the Camels, how they are made? And at the Sky, how it is raised high? And at the Mountains, how they are fixed firm? And at the Earth, how it is spread out? Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish."</span> [<em>Al-Qur'an</em> 88:17-21]<br />
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<span class="quran">"Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day, and in all that Allah hath created, in the heavens and the earth, are signs for those who fear Him."</span> [<em>Al-Qur'an</em> 10:6]<br />
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<span class="quran">"Do ye not see that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in the heavens and on earth, and has made his bounties flow to you in exceeding measure, (both) seen and unseen? Yet there are among men those who dispute about Allah, without knowledge and without guidance, and without a Book to enlighten them!"</span> [<em>Al-Qur'an</em> 31:20]<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-smNDZ_xrVHw/TrVtKuSbxSI/AAAAAAAAARw/UAirZXcjcdA/s1600/Attractions-In-Jacmel-Haiti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-smNDZ_xrVHw/TrVtKuSbxSI/AAAAAAAAARw/UAirZXcjcdA/s1600/Attractions-In-Jacmel-Haiti.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." [<a class="PassageTitle" href="http://www.biblestudytools.com/romans/1-20.html">Romans 1:20 NIV</a>]<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">"Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">[Acts 14:17]</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The verses above are from the Holy Qur'an and Holy Bible respectively. They are often used as proof that nature as we know it demonstrates a god exists. The person who uses these verses almost always refers to their own favorite deity.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I wish I had comparable examples from other religious traditions but I think this kind of thinking is uniform throughout the world. The thought of an author expressing their knowledge of the world in poetry or metaphorically is almost never considered by believers. If a mistake or an anomaly is found within a phrase then it is usually assumed that the reader misunderstood the verse.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This is the kind of thing that has led to the current tug-o-war in the debate between Creationists and advocates of the natural world. Creationists MUST have some sort of agent working behind the scene toiling at the mechanics of the known reality.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZMy5CIzN8A/T78D8Ve6pLI/AAAAAAAAAY0/AcKlpLdhTvg/s1600/puzzle-pieces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZMy5CIzN8A/T78D8Ve6pLI/AAAAAAAAAY0/AcKlpLdhTvg/s1600/puzzle-pieces.jpg" height="320" width="307" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The verse in the Christian book of "Romans" is often used to demonstrate that people actually believe in the Jewish gods whether they admit it or not. This "book" is attributed to the character "Paul". Paul does not concern himself with how nature works. He is a religious writer and is superstitious. How exactly can a person derive that an agent with "eternal power" and is "divine" had anything to do with nature? That is not spelled out but this pompous and presumptuous claim is just thrown out there.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Even if the audience accepts the premise that nature proves that gods are possible, it does not follow to explain which gods. Perhaps this is the reason that reading the entrails of livestock became so popular with some worshipers.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Accepting gods just opens up more questions. The two religions sampled here are cousin religions. Both are spin-offs of Judaism. Judaism is itself a hodgepodge of various local myths. If you get a group of Muslims and Christians in a room to hash out the details that they derive from nature you will get a variety of results.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUcF0a3VjtE/T72kNwR6XgI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ojiyYJxPk_Q/s1600/yemenn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUcF0a3VjtE/T72kNwR6XgI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ojiyYJxPk_Q/s1600/yemenn.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The gods never seem to be able to defend themselves. They always seem to need proxies to pander to humans who are skeptical of claims. I think that there is a very good reason for that. That reason is that the believers are just making things up as they go along.</span></span></div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-52552503340389899682013-12-12T20:27:00.000-05:002013-12-16T15:06:23.026-05:00#82- T-Shirt and Jeans Christianity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_KxBaRsu2AU/UqoqH7hwVaI/AAAAAAAAKdg/VPq11hLKPoU/s1600/0e993981_pb-bannerwithsignaturejpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_KxBaRsu2AU/UqoqH7hwVaI/AAAAAAAAKdg/VPq11hLKPoU/s640/0e993981_pb-bannerwithsignaturejpg.jpg" height="219" width="640" /></a></div>
The majority of believers that I meet are nice, ordinary people. That goes for the Muslims, Jews, Christians...everybody. <br />
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There is a particular type of Christian that I am focusing on for this entry. I call these Christians the "T-shirt and jeans" Christians.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0fs0SDarec/Uqor-5w1cLI/AAAAAAAAKeE/6Xoo68MwzuY/s1600/PastorBobCoy-Oct2012-0127-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b0fs0SDarec/Uqor-5w1cLI/AAAAAAAAKeE/6Xoo68MwzuY/s1600/PastorBobCoy-Oct2012-0127-200x300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior Pastor Bob Coy</td></tr>
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The t-shirt/jeans crowd is different based on what I have experienced. These people tend to be super nice and welcoming. I've been to a couple mega-churches and they were of the t-shirt/jeans variety. The pastor rarely wears a suit. They tend to promote a "come as you are" disposition when it comes to fashion and behavior.<br />
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This group of people are very interesting to me for several reasons.<br />
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First, their hospitality is very attractive. They are usually extremely nice AND it is genuine. They just love to get together in and out of church to do miscellaneous activities. They promote a good, warm family atmosphere. That can be enticing to someone who comes from a broken home, a hostile environment, or someone who is looking to socialize. Sometimes they have mechanisms in place to embrace and welcome new or potential members. They are usually pretty good at receiving visitors.<br />
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The second thing that impresses me about the t-shirt/jeans group is their organization. My experience at South Florida's "<a href="http://www.calvaryftl.org/" target="_blank">Calvary Chapel</a>" makes it the gold standard for the t-shirt/jeans Christianity for me. <br />
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That church is massive. Their size is made possible by excellent management and order. The discipline, cleanliness, and hospitality that the church possess permeates the air. They run a school along with other activities within the borders of their property. It is like a "one-stop shop" of all things warm, fuzzy, and of course, Christian.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vRWXnrt4fro/UqoqL-X-nDI/AAAAAAAAKd4/VoZLd3xd_50/s1600/0e991493_gallery-fort-lauderdale-main-campus-friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vRWXnrt4fro/UqoqL-X-nDI/AAAAAAAAKd4/VoZLd3xd_50/s320/0e991493_gallery-fort-lauderdale-main-campus-friends.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Finally, I like the amount of activities that these organizations tend to have through their "ministries". The term ministry is "Christianese" for a group. Technically these groups are supposed to go out and "minister" to people; especially non-Christians. Most of the time, these groups just end up being groups of people who are in the same situation or demographic. <br />
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Two examples of popular ministries that can be found in many churches across different denominations are "Singles Ministries" and "Youth Ministries". As the names imply, they are for single church members and young people of the church respectively. The singles ministries are often supposed to be safe and fertile grounds for Christians to "pick up" other single Christians. The singles ministries tend to be less disposed to proselytizing outside the church. Most of the members are already Christians. They usually sell Jesus as a mandatory pre-requisite in order to date another person in the group. If members hook up, it is often done in a public way. Then, they are encouraged to eventually marry. Once the couple is married, they leave the singles ministry to another ministry.<br />
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The youth ministry has always been my favorite because I joined one at my former church. These tend to cater to the likes and needs of young people. Therefore, there are plenty of activities in and outside the church environment for the kids. Most young people are not in the singles ministry but they do end up "picking up" from the members of the youth ministry. The youth ministries are usually high in indoctrination and tend to be more proactive in passing out Jesus to non-Jesus lovers.<br />
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Other popular ministries include: the music ministry, the dancing ministry, and the ushers.<br />
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The few t-shirt/jeans churches that I've been to also tend to have high-quality media and technological gizmos working in their favor. One church in Broward County, Florida (<a href="http://potentialchurch.com/" target="_blank">Potential Church</a>) even has an app for smartphone users. This is the kind of stuff that impress me and separates the "mom and pop" corner churches from the modern churches who "get it".<br />
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Perhaps when I was going through my de-conversion process I would have stuck around longer in one of these churches. I'm sure that some of the bigger, more established, and sophisticated tshirt/jeans churches may have in-house apologetic mechanisms to deal with doubt and skepticism. At the end, I think it would have only been a matter of time before I still came out on the other side as atheist.</div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-55952978263870855152013-07-19T07:34:00.001-04:002013-12-16T15:04:41.594-05:00#83- Truth Does Not Matter To Religious People.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The title of the post seems provocative and it may be so. However, allow me
to prove my point. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of religions that are
active today. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of defunct religions as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these religions make competing
claims that cannot be reconciled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
possible, however, that all of these active religions are wrong about their
claims at the same time.<br />
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I am currently taking a class on world religion and I am learning more about
the faiths of the East.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like all
the other religions that I am familiar with, the Eastern religions have many
denominations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In time these
denominations my splinter off into new religions and make more claims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the purpose of this blog, I will reference
the 3 most popular Abrahamic religions because they are the ones that I am most
familiar with.<br />
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid windowtext; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Claim<o:p></o:p></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Judaism<o:p></o:p></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Christianity<o:p></o:p></span></td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Islam<o:p></o:p></span></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 88.3pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 88.3pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Nature of god/s</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 88.3pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">1 god named Yahweh who favors Jews and Judaism over other peoples and
religion.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 88.3pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">A Trinity made up of Yahweh, Jesus, and a Holy Ghost.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 88.3pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Allah is god’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really
hates when people attach partners to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wants you to be Muslim and follow Muhammad.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 44.15pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 44.15pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">On Jesus</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 44.15pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">A guy who tried to lead Jews astray from the true religion.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 44.15pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">God himself in the flesh.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 44.15pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">A prophet but not a god.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 103pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 103pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Word of god.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 103pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">TaNaKh (24 books)</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 103pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Some combination of the Jewish Bible (TaNaKh) and Greek writings (New
Testament) 66 books for Protestants and 73 books for Catholics.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 103pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Qur’an as reveal to Muhammad.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 58.85pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 58.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">How to be saved from Hell.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 58.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">There is NO hell.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 58.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Repent and accept Jesus as Lord and savior.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 58.85pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Worship god alone and follow the examples of Muhammad.</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 29.4pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Day of rest</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Saturday</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Sun Day (for most Xtians)</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 29.4pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Friday</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.75pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 14.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Can you eat pork?</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 14.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">No</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 14.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Sure</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 14.75pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">No</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 15.25pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Is Jesus a messiah?</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">No</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Yes</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; height: 15.25pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 120.7pt;" valign="top" width="161">Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-row-margin-right: 4.0pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160">Is the Pope an agent of God?</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160">No</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160">Yes, if you are Catholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, if
you are Protestant.</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 119.7pt;" valign="top" width="160">No</td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); mso-cell-special: placeholder; padding: 0in;" width="5"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr height="0">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="160"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="1"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="158"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="3"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="157"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="4"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="156"></td>
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="5"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">OK, so we have covered some basics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are a lot more differences between these
religions but these examples should suffice for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us assume that Judaism got all the claims
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us further assume that Jews
have successfully carried the burden of proof for the above claims with
evidence, logic, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, let us
assume that after the Jews have done the job of presenting their case that all
the major news networks around the world decide to broadcast the results of the
findings.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The question is:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how
long will it take for people to give up the various forms of Christianity and
Islam?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you really think that the
evidence and logic presented by the Jews will make a difference to the
believers of the sides that lost the argument?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, keep in
mind that the sampling of differences above does not include questions that
affect and involve all 3 religions at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For example, all 3 religions share the myth of Adam & Eve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that humans evolved out of Africa and
that the early populations could not have come from 1 pair of Homo Sapiens
because of the need for variation in the genetic pool to avoid deformities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has been one of the big issues with the
culture war between Creationism and Evolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we won’t touch on that now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just wanted to show some theological difference that the 3 popular Abrahamic
religions share.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t think that if the Jews were indeed correct in the
categories above that it would make much of a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes after news presentation of the
facts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, facts or truths of the
claims ultimately do not matter to some people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They will continue to believe for their own private reasons.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, how exactly did the other religions die off?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is your opinion?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wen2c-_XbHU/T8MdBp5mG8I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/acam_Fo0pgk/s1600/images+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wen2c-_XbHU/T8MdBp5mG8I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/acam_Fo0pgk/s1600/images+%25289%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
</div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-7167190404772698922013-07-16T09:46:00.001-04:002013-07-18T07:29:15.111-04:00#80- Conversions: How Does It Affect You?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RigbNMb4sgI/UeRFTqg1_xI/AAAAAAAAI_o/iAwoJIJ05qE/s1600/ti_conversion_tab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RigbNMb4sgI/UeRFTqg1_xI/AAAAAAAAI_o/iAwoJIJ05qE/s400/ti_conversion_tab.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
How many converts do you know personally ? I know quite a few. Does the testimony of converts sway you at all?<br />
<br />
I know converts from all different walks of life that have chosen a myriad of different religions and philosophies. Their testimonies can be powerful and effective.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmICRmaj-ys/UeRFHmNd4hI/AAAAAAAAI_I/YvdSrFeF-BY/s1600/conversion-rate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xmICRmaj-ys/UeRFHmNd4hI/AAAAAAAAI_I/YvdSrFeF-BY/s200/conversion-rate.jpg" width="200" /></a>I remember hearing a Muslim podcast of a young man who became Muslim. It was very moving and sincere. After he found Islam he reported feeling a sense of inner peace.<br />
<br />
I also remember my aunt telling me about a woman who ran away from her husband who was a Freemason. The woman came to her church to testify of her ordeals. She supposedly talked about all the weird things that her Mason husband was doing and could not take it any more. I think at the end of the story my aunt said that the husband saw the error of his ways. As a young man this story stuck to me because I didn't know what Freemasons did and I certainly never entertained the thought that my aunt was lying or mistaken.<br />
<br />
When I became a Christian it wasn't really a conversion. I was born to a Catholic family. I came to the United States and started to go to the churches that my mother went to by force at first. These churches were Protestant and not Catholic. I noticed the differences between the different kinds of Christianities but didn't ponder much on them. At about 17 years old, I gave in to pressure and said the magic words (The Lord's Prayer) and became Christian.<br />
<br />
I would hear testimonies sparingly after I became Christian. New converts and people who felt that God saved them always seemed to have
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">riveting </span>stories. Most of these testimonies were from Christians that had fallen away however. I rarely heard or thought of other people converting OUT of Christianity. I did not occur to me that people had interests in other religions as well.<br />
<br />
One of the big themes that seem to tie the conversions that I'm familiar with is the notion of finding inner peace. A lot of the converts describe a type of relief to have found the right way to live or the right religion. They often seem to become docile and kinder. Others seemed relieved to find a community that shared their views or religion.<br />
<br />
A lot of converts overcame some very terrible situations. Some found their calling while in jail. Some became convinced after doing research. Others were impressed by someone who they met. Some stories are more fantastic than others.<br />
<br />
I chose to highlight a few converts and share my thoughts about them. I will go in alphabetical order in order to promote fairness. These people fall into the following categories: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_atheist_activists_and_educators" target="_blank">Atheists</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Buddhism" target="_blank">Buddhist</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Christianity" target="_blank">Christians</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Hinduism" target="_blank">Hindus</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Judaism" target="_blank">Jews</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Islam" target="_blank">Muslims</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Atheists: Seth Andrew and Dan Barker.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth Andrew is The Thinking Atheist. He was a Christian.</td></tr>
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The Thinking Atheist was a mystery to most for a while. Not too long ago Seth Andrew decided to show the face behind the powerful voice. He was a Christian and now has a successful podcast series.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Dan Barker was a Christian minister and became atheist.</td></tr>
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Dan Barker was an evangelist for a long time. He learned to speak Spanish in order to win people to Jesus in Mexico. After a long bout with doubt he decided to leave Christianity. He now helps run the Freedom From Religion Foundation with his wife.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Buddhism" target="_blank">Buddhists</a>: Steve Jobs and Richard Gere</div>
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Steve Jobs is the late genius from Apple. Many people are aware that he help create the iPod and iPhone. Jobs' legacy was helped Apple maintain an edge in the electronics market. What many people didn't know about Jobs is that he was a Buddhist.</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gere" target="_blank">Richard Gere</a> is best remembered for his role with Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman". Julia Roberts made my list as well but Gere has made no secret of his devotion to Buddhist philosophy. Hollywood has be associated to Scientology lately but Gere keeps on doing his thing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Gere</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Christianity" target="_blank">Christians</a>: Kirk Cameron, Anthony Flew*, and Lee Strobel<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_Cameron" target="_blank">Kirk Cameron</a> is a former child star on the show "Growing Pains". He is now a Christian. He said that he was a "devout atheist". What a devout atheist is only Kirk knows. He now can be seen making crappy movies and co-stars with Ray Comfort in a horrible set of apologetics called "The Way of the Master".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirk Cameron</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Flew" target="_blank">Anthony Flew</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anthony Flew</td></tr>
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Flew was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_atheists_and_agnostics" target="_blank">rumored to have become a deist</a> at the end of his life. I include him here only because I have heard Christians use him as a positive example how someone can stop being an atheist. As far as I know Flew became convinced of a deity based on an argument from ignorance. However, when discussing atheism and conversions, do not be surprised if a Christian uses his name as a reference in their favor.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strobel" target="_blank">Lee Strobel</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Strobel</td></tr>
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Lee Strobel was a former journalist who used his investigative skills to inquire into Christianity when his wife became a Christian out of nowhere. Lee said that she became a much nicer person after her conversion and he wanted to see if there was anything to this Christian thing. After a lot of research, interviews, and reading Lee became convinced that Christian had an "unfair advantage" in the market of facts in regards to religion. He went on to write a series of books about this investigative adventure with "The Case For Christ" being the most famous and the one that I read.<br />
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I gave The Case For Christ a good look as I was doing some last minute cross-examination into my dwindling belief in Christianity. His book seemed excellent at that time. After I saw a review of it on Amazon the proverbial scales started to fall from my eyes. Strobel did not interview an serious critic of the Bible or Christianity. Today I know of plenty of resources that he could have used. Also, what would have happened if he looked into other religions with the same fervor?<br />
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At this point I am comfortable calling out Strobel as a liar and a salesman. I don't think he was an atheist as much as he was ignorant of Christianity. I rejected Christianity because I researched. He apparently found Christian gold at the end of some rainbow. The result is a huge payday for him and I toil in obscurity.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Hinduism" target="_blank">Hindus</a>: Julia Roberts and Ricky Williams<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julia Roberts</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Roberts" target="_blank">Julia Roberts</a> has had a successful career as an actress in Hollywood. She is mostly known in her role as a lovable prostitute in "Pretty Woman" opposite Richard Gere. While going through the list of converts to Hinduism I found her name there. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Williams" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rn5cyNEayGA/UeRAt-iUsxI/AAAAAAAAI-E/02RQE4fJgIE/s1600/imagesCA6AM8TO.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky Williams giving #24 da business</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Williams" target="_blank">Ricky Williams</a> was a great running back who came from the University of Texas. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. He was suspended for using marijuana multiple times. He is Hindu as well.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Judaism" target="_blank">Jews</a>: Sammy Davis Jr., Elizabeth Taylor, Shyne (rapper)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy Davis Jr.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Davis,_Jr." target="_blank">Sammy Davis Jr.</a> was a famous singer who was part of "The Rat Pack" which included the likes of Frank Sinatra. Somewhere along the way he decided to follow the religion of Judaism.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor" target="_blank">Elizabeth Taylor</a> was a famous actress known for her beauty.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Taylor converted to Judaism</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rapper Shyne became a Jew</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shyne" target="_blank">Jamal "Shyne" Barrow</a> was found on the list of converts to Judaism. This was a total surprise to me. Please read the Wikipedia article about him. I found it fascinating.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_converts_to_Islam" target="_blank">Islam</a>: Loon, Cat Stevens, Mike Tyson<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loon</td></tr>
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The former rapper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loon_(rapper)" target="_blank">Loon</a> was hot for a minute. It was a shock to a lot of people when he became Muslim in 2009.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat Stevens</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_stevens" target="_blank">Cat Stevens</a> is now Yusuf Islam. He was born in England and is a proponent of peace in the world. He first became famous for being a musician. He converted in 1977.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tyson" target="_blank">Mike Tyson</a> was one of the best and fiercest fighters in the 1990s. He converted to Islam while in prison circa 1995.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saul_of_Tarsus" target="_blank">Saul of Tarsus</a> and Honorable mentions<br />
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The most famous conversion story that I know of is the one of Saul of Tarsus. Saul was once a persecutor of the neophyte Christian religion. Enjoyed terrorising any and all members of the then budding off-shoot of Judaism. According to the <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%209&version=NIV" target="_blank">legend</a>, Saul was on his to Damascus in Syria when he got knocked off his horse and heard (or saw) none other than Jesus. Jesus essentially told him to chill the fuck out and stop being a player hater. Jesus then blinded Saul who was later renamed Paul. Another new convert was sent to get him and care for him until scales was said to fall from his eyes and he regained his vision.<br />
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Paul went on to write most of the Christian writings. His story is quite amazing and exciting. I can not overemphasize how great of a 180 degree turn the story of Saul is supposed to represent. In modern day times it would be as if Osama bin Laden went on to become the Secretary of Defense of the United States. It was that drastic and dramatic.<br />
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I would describe Paul as a mix of a lawyer, politician, preacher and a Special Forces soldier. After his conversion, the 12 apostles that were the core group of Jesus' followers, were very skeptical of Paul. They reluctantly accepted him into their clique. Paul went on to spread the message of his new conviction like his hair was on fire. <br />
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It should be noted that most of Paul's audiences were Gentiles who had 0 clue of what the requirements of a Messiah was. Paul was very unsuccesful where there were a large Jewish population who could fact-check his claims. Paul sold his credentials as a former Jew who studied under a teacher named Gamaliel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRK1mzk6Eto/UeRFNACW2II/AAAAAAAAI_c/uYJNCG_lb1I/s1600/Paul-on-the-Road-to-Damascus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tRK1mzk6Eto/UeRFNACW2II/AAAAAAAAI_c/uYJNCG_lb1I/s640/Paul-on-the-Road-to-Damascus1.jpg" width="505" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saul of Tarsus rendering as Jesus confronts him on the road to Damascus</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Turner" target="_blank">Tina Turner</a> is Buddhist.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-57XBIpo00xg/UeQ-q051ujI/AAAAAAAAI9k/sE6fxPeuthY/s1600/Tina+turner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-57XBIpo00xg/UeQ-q051ujI/AAAAAAAAI9k/sE6fxPeuthY/s320/Tina+turner.png" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tina Turner</td></tr>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Brand" target="_blank">Russell Brand</a> is Hindu.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fbcdC1MEO5I/UeRAsW6OmgI/AAAAAAAAI98/hxzDOHgt-qM/s1600/Russell-Brand-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fbcdC1MEO5I/UeRAsW6OmgI/AAAAAAAAI98/hxzDOHgt-qM/s320/Russell-Brand-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russell Brand</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.dougbatchelor.com/" target="_blank">Doug Batchelor</a> is said to be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Former_atheists_and_agnostics" target="_blank">former atheist</a>. He is now a successful Seventh Day Adventist pastor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvgRvWRLsDI/UeRDODItQrI/AAAAAAAAI-0/-NAlAV_ik-8/s1600/speaker-doug-batchelor2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvgRvWRLsDI/UeRDODItQrI/AAAAAAAAI-0/-NAlAV_ik-8/s320/speaker-doug-batchelor2.png" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor Doug Batchelor<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_rice" target="_blank">Ann Rice</a> was atheist and became Catholic and is now something spiritual.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9reelbJwvDw/UeRDHpPM0bI/AAAAAAAAI-s/_DQwfdV0EzM/s1600/Anne-Rice-Book-Signing-063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9reelbJwvDw/UeRDHpPM0bI/AAAAAAAAI-s/_DQwfdV0EzM/s320/Anne-Rice-Book-Signing-063.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ann Rice<br />
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Our lives take us down different paths. People have different experiences and are often exposed to different information. Changing your religion or leaving religion altogether can be a very traumatic experience. I am sure that most of these people highlighted here would not convert after hearing each other's reasons for changing their beliefs. I think that a persons innate personality may be a reason for that. Just as we simply like certain colors because they appeal to us, it may be that religions are a type of "philosophical color" that appeals to certain people for their own private reasons.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-32418019374918892202013-07-16T04:08:00.000-04:002013-07-16T04:08:16.570-04:00#79- Language, Laymen, Lexicon, and Little Lies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKKRSqFcFOw/UeQ5q2ePs9I/AAAAAAAAI74/T3oKQ5hqh2Q/s1600/0110_haiti-earthquake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vKKRSqFcFOw/UeQ5q2ePs9I/AAAAAAAAI74/T3oKQ5hqh2Q/s320/0110_haiti-earthquake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once upon a time I had thoughts of leaving my home church and joining another. I visited an up-and-coming church called "<a href="http://www.tabernacleofglory.net/" target="_blank">Tabernacle of Glory</a>" which was led by a young, energetic, multi-langual, and charismatic pastor named Gregory Toussaint. It was there that I noticed something that caught my eye. They had a Haitian Creole Bible on a table.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy members of Tabernacle of Glory</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor Gregory Toussaint and his wife</td></tr>
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I picked up the Haitian Creole Bible and went to random verses of interest. I found myself intrigued by the choice of words that the translators used. Like most languages, a person may have a number of options when describing a certain thing. I felt that certain liberties were carefully taken as to pacify some verses in the Bible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XmVh2BJ75KE/UeQ3vlF7LwI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/mf9l5z84DI0/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XmVh2BJ75KE/UeQ3vlF7LwI/AAAAAAAAI7Y/mf9l5z84DI0/s200/26.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tabernacle of Glory (TG) is a diverse church</td></tr>
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I remember feeling as if I could place the location from which the translator was from. I pictured a White man or white people from the United States' South that had taken a liking to the plight of Haitians. I imagined that they either took the trouble to learn Haitian Creole themselves or found a fellow Christian who was a speaker of Haitian Creole. I think the former is more likely than the latter.<br />
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I did not appreciate the nuances of language and its effects on the Bible and religious books until then. By that time I had already finished the entire <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2045&version=NIV" target="_blank">New International Version</a> (NIV) of the Protestant Bible. Therefore, I was very familiar with the stories. Although Haitian Creole was not taught to me formally as a child, I had little trouble reading the text. What I discovered was that it was not easy to describe certain things to the target audience. I read what I thought was a crude translation of things such as animals that some Haitians may not know exist and may not have a point of reference to work from. Using the NIV as my standard, I compared certain verses. <br />
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The verse that caught my attention the most is Isaiah 45:7 which reads in some English versions as:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzZO4erV1ts/UeQ5y2ihmeI/AAAAAAAAI8Q/xCQfMU7OQkI/s1600/Haiti-earthquake-bodies-2010-12-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzZO4erV1ts/UeQ5y2ihmeI/AAAAAAAAI8Q/xCQfMU7OQkI/s640/Haiti-earthquake-bodies-2010-12-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haitian man steps around dead bodies after the 2010 earthquake</td></tr>
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"I form the light, and create darkness:<br />
<span class="text Isa-45-7">I make peace, and create evil:</span><br />
<span class="text Isa-45-7">I the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> do all these <i>things</i>."</span></div>
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<span class="text Isa-45-7">-Authorized King James Version</span><br />
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<span class="text Isa-45-7">Some English versions substitute the word "evil" for "calamity" or "disaster". But the damage has been done. The verse clearly displays a series of opposites and God says that he does all these things.</span></div>
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<span class="text Isa-45-7">The <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2045&version=HCV" target="_blank">Haitian Creole Version</a> renders the same verse this way:</span></div>
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<span class="text Isa-45-7" id="ht-HCV-18528"><sup class="versenum">"7 </sup>Mwen mete limyè, mwen mete fènwa! Mwen bay kè poze, mwen bay kè sote. Se mwen menm Seyè a ki fè tou sa."</span> </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rdVpZuiClNM/UeQ5rd012qI/AAAAAAAAI8A/83WeE69kOOg/s1600/800px-Haiti_Earthquake_building_damage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rdVpZuiClNM/UeQ5rd012qI/AAAAAAAAI8A/83WeE69kOOg/s320/800px-Haiti_Earthquake_building_damage.jpg" width="320" /></a>The first part of the verse is a really good rendering of the key words "light" as "limyè" and "darkness" as "fènwa". But then "peace" was rendered as "kè poze" and "evil" or "calamity" was carefully rendered as "kè sote".<br />
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So, what is the difference? The better translation of "peace" would be "la paix" or "la pè". The better translation of "evil" or "calamity" would be "malè" or "<span class="hps">dezas". Kè poze means "relaxed" while kè sote means "to be startled" or "fear". I think this was done intentionally.</span><br />
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<span class="hps"><br /><br />What would happen if the Christians in Haiti were to find out and acknowledge that evil and disasters came from their Lord? I'm especially interested in them drawing a straight line of conclusion between the recent earthquake to the passage above. As of now I have heard nothing about this. I think that this is because very few believers actually read their bibles no matter what the language is. Furthermore, some who are aware of these troublesome verses actually go out of their way to apologize in favor of the Jewish god while <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59NCduEhkBM" target="_blank">blaming the victims of disasters</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="hps">Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Virgins</span></div>
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The shift in words and meanings have had greater effects than people care to admit. The book of Isaiah provides another example of a concept that has had a far reaching consequence. This one is about the female found in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_7:14" target="_blank">Isaiah chapter 7</a>. The Jews maintain that the word in verse 14 should be "young woman" from the word "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almah" target="_blank">almah</a>". Christians turned that word into "virgin" from the word "<a href="http://biblesuite.com/hebrew/1330.htm" target="_blank">bethulah</a>". This was then used as proof of a prophecy for the divine nature of Jesus who would go on to be elevated to the status of a god.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O2jDUR95REc/UeQ5uMgqOxI/AAAAAAAAI8I/aEazoPt-ocU/s1600/haiti-earthquake-2010-1-15-14-46-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O2jDUR95REc/UeQ5uMgqOxI/AAAAAAAAI8I/aEazoPt-ocU/s320/haiti-earthquake-2010-1-15-14-46-37.jpg" width="320" /></a>About 6 centuries later, the prophet of Islam Muhammad goes on to preach that Jesus was indeed born of a virgin Mary. The Qur'an goes on to expand upon the story of Jesus' birth about events where the Christian Bibles are silent.<br />
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My claim is that if the Jews are correct, then Christianity suffers a blow to its credibility for forging a prophecy and Muhammad is also convicted of getting erroneous information from whatever sources Muslims claim he got his information from.<br />
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Since these books were translated and re-translated from a long list of languages it is not unlikely that mistakes and willful changes were made. Bart Ehrman illustrated some of this things in his best selling book "Misquoting Jesus".<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-85800022558507031252013-07-01T07:00:00.000-04:002015-01-18T20:01:31.896-05:00#81- ACN: A Cult Experience- Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I promote critical thinking. Unfortunately, I am not a champion of skepticism now or in the past. I wish I could say that I will be a decision making titan in the future but that may never be the case.<br />
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Let me tell you a story that shows that I am human and susceptible to questionable decisions just like anyone else.<br />
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Background Story:<br />
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I was moonlighting/dating this young lady who had no further use for me and dismissed me unceremoniously.<br />
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I was extremely dejected and looked to make sure that I was never fired like that again. She did not tell me exactly why she chose not to keep seeing me but I guessed that it came down to two main things:<br />
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1. I was out of shape.<br />
2. She made more money than me.<br />
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To solve the first problem, I started going LA Fitness...religiously (pun intended). To solve the second problem, I joined a company called "ACN".<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jvXAgc1190/VLxU8nITebI/AAAAAAAASuE/5XjU3lkT3_Q/s1600/ACN%2Blogo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jvXAgc1190/VLxU8nITebI/AAAAAAAASuE/5XjU3lkT3_Q/s1600/ACN%2Blogo.jpeg" /></a></div>
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The crazy thing is that I have joined other multi-level marketing programs before. All of my experiences have not been positive. But powered but my recent snub, I was determined to become the successful entrepreneur that I wanted to be for a long time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc6mW79zMlQ/VLxU-BKOhtI/AAAAAAAASuM/g0dQyCia0NM/s1600/maxknowles_01015920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zc6mW79zMlQ/VLxU-BKOhtI/AAAAAAAASuM/g0dQyCia0NM/s1600/maxknowles_01015920.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max Knowles</td></tr>
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The first order of business was to attend one their weekly seminars at this hotel in Broward County. The presenter and star of the show was Max Knowles. He was the leader and organizer of the local group. It took a few meetings to convince me to part ways with $500 I barely had. I was walking out on faith.<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-44490076025306244802013-06-28T02:45:00.000-04:002013-06-28T02:51:20.545-04:00#78- Location, Location, Location...and Resources!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of where NFL fans </td></tr>
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An interesting question was posed recently in Haitian FREE Thinkers: would any of the members be atheist if the were raised in Haiti.</div>
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An interesting question was posed recently in Haitian FREE Thinkers: would members be atheist had the grown up in Haiti?</div>
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The simple answer for me was: "I don't know". I would like to think that I would still be a critical thinker becaue that is my natural inclination. I became an atheist because I came in contact with some out and open atheists and they explained what the term meant. At that time I was not as afraid of the social stigma as I was before. Ultimately I had to be honest with myself before I could be honest with anyone else.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2figdithVyQ/TqF3uDCC6mI/AAAAAAAAAKY/LXg7GouuW2w/s1600/1st+pictures+735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" oea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2figdithVyQ/TqF3uDCC6mI/AAAAAAAAAKY/LXg7GouuW2w/s320/1st+pictures+735.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my aunt's house in Port-au-Prince, Haiti</td></tr>
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I consider myself to be fortunate. My basic needs are met. I have access to a great deal of information and I live in a relatively peace country. Can the same be said if I was living in Haiti right now. Some people are living great but the majority live a very hard life.</div>
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Access to people and information that challenge the status quo is very instrumental in my opinion. In Florida we have people from all ethnicities and backgrounds living all around us. The Haiti I remember is much more homogenous. On top of that we have a totalitarian culture. In my experience Haitian kids are not encourage to explore, challenge the popular paradigms, and generally just ask the question "why".</div>
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Asking the elders "why" something is done in a certain way is often see as rude and a sign of poor home training. With that background in mind it is no wonder that there aren't too many Haitians leading the way in certain fields. Those who have managed to move to other countries may be the exeption.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacmel, Haiti</td></tr>
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Having said all that I did manage to find one group of non-believers who are trying to get their organization off the ground. I got in contact with the leader as soon as I could to see if it was true. The founder, "Billy" is a very smart Haitian guy who is going through the normal toils of Haitian life. Speaking to him can be depressing as he tells me of his everyday ordeals. All things being equal, he has still managed to throw off the shackles of the ancestral religious traditions as well as the ones imposed on us by our colonizers.</div>
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I reckon that Billy is in a minority but it does answer the question on wheter or not it is possible to be an atheist while living a regular Haitian life. Billy faces many challenges-namely having enough resources to communicate to fellow Haitians the things that he knows or have thought about in a uniquely Haitian manner.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Port-au-Prince, Haiti</td></tr>
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This is the reason why the group Haitian FREE Thinkers is in partnership with Billy in order to support him and his group to the best of our abilities.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-90161066552628499122013-05-10T10:18:00.003-04:002013-06-28T02:50:23.988-04:00#77- Relationships and Religion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I will never forget watching a show or a movie that had a heartbreaking scene. A young man was telling a woman, who was either his mother or girlfriend-I forgot, that she would never see him again. He joined a religious group that demanded all of his time. They were his new family and he just wanted to say good bye.<br />
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He walked away and the woman was shattered. That scene stayed in the back of my mind. In my private journey I had witnessed similar situations where a person's religion changed them so much that it caused a rift between their old friends and family.<br />
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<strong>"If any man come to me, and <u>hate</u> not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."-</strong> Jesus (Luke 14:26)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I-x7DdoYPKQ/UYz_PICr6LI/AAAAAAAAIvs/LPUxv0zSjCE/s1600/Mean-girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I-x7DdoYPKQ/UYz_PICr6LI/AAAAAAAAIvs/LPUxv0zSjCE/s200/Mean-girls.jpg" width="200" /></a>The following are short examples of how religion affected some people I know:<br />
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In middle school a super Christian was so adamant about being pure that he destroyed his older brother's hip hop tapes.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OojyyQUudCQ/UYz_RLI-jdI/AAAAAAAAIwI/0-ZO2AM9bmE/s1600/shunning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OojyyQUudCQ/UYz_RLI-jdI/AAAAAAAAIwI/0-ZO2AM9bmE/s320/shunning.jpg" width="228" /></a>My best friend's older brother joined the up-start church called "South Florida Church of Christ" in the late 1990s. He stopped going to his old family Episcopalian church and slowly started to get involved in the activities of his new friends from the South Florida Church. This led to bickering with his mom who told him that this new church was a "cult".<br />
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Another friend that I grew up with moved to north Georgia in the early 90s and became a super Christian. His parents were not religious but supported him in his new found interest in Jesus. I could tell that they found his zeal from Jesus uncomfortable and obnoxious but they kept it to themselves.<br />
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At my old church there was a young lady who was a prominent member of the choir who suddenly stopped coming to church. When the church held a picnic at a local park I went along to play football. The young lady showed up surprisingly. There was an obvious discomfort around her. I asked a mutual friend why people were treating her so strangely and I was told it is because they heard she joined a cult that "took her head". I eventually agreed to visit this cultish group. That encounter ended up furthering my path towards atheism. I did not know that would be the result at the time.<br />
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<strong><span class="text Matt-10-34" id="en-NIV-23452"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">34 </sup>“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.<span style="background-color: yellow;"><u> I did not</u> <u>come to bring peace</u>,</span> but a sword.</span></span> <span class="text Matt-10-35" id="en-NIV-23453"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">35 </sup>For I have come to turn</span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span class="text Matt-10-35"><span class="woj">“‘a man against his father,</span></span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Matt-10-35"><span class="woj">a daughter against her mother,</span></span></span><br /><span class="text Matt-10-35"><span class="woj">a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23453AM" title="See cross-reference AM">AM</a>)"></sup>—</span></span></strong><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Matt-10-36" id="en-NIV-23454"><span class="woj"><strong><sup class="versenum">36 </sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. </strong><sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">37 </span></sup><strong>“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23455AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></sup></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Matt-10-36"><span class="woj">-Jesus (Matthew 10:34-37)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Matt-10-37" id="en-NIV-23455"><span class="woj"><sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23455AO" title="See cross-reference AO">AO</a>)"></sup></span></span> </div>
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I have a half-sister in New York who is an avid Jehovah's Witness. The JW's are known for their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunning#Jehovah.27s_Witnesses" target="_blank">shunning</a> techniques if you decide to leave them or disagree with them openly. I made the mistake of bringing up religion when she and I first met and that caused her not to talk to me for over a year.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZgo_b9ksv8/UYz_PbkIt_I/AAAAAAAAIvw/_QDqWWPm6P4/s1600/Excommunication_by_toolek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZgo_b9ksv8/UYz_PbkIt_I/AAAAAAAAIvw/_QDqWWPm6P4/s320/Excommunication_by_toolek.jpg" width="320" /></a>I had a friend who was of Nigerian descent who was in a relationship with a guy who was also Nigerian. Her father approved of him which never happens. But there was a problem: he was Muslim and she was "rediscovering her Christianity". They were the first couple that I knew of that religion ruined.<br />
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Before the experiences I assumed that God and religion was about love and overcoming obstacles. But the reality is that religion is a divisive agent. It also serves as a glue for communities as long as you are a member in good standing. I know of no religious group that actively solicit challenge to their doctrine or way of life.<br />
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I've heard that some Jews active urge their people to marry within the Jewish community in order to keep the Jewish race alive and active.<br />
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<strong>"They have taken some of their daughters<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-12240F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> as wives for themselves and their sons, and have <span style="background-color: yellow;">mingled<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-12240G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup> the holy race<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-12240H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup></span> with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”</strong></div>
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Ezra (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra%209&version=NIV" target="_blank">Ezra 9:2</a>)</div>
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I was told that Muslim men are able to marry non-Muslim women <a href="http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2267&CATE=10" target="_blank">but not vice versa</a>.<br />
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<span id="verse_228_language_9_content"><strong>"Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A<span style="background-color: yellow;"> slave</span> <span style="background-color: yellow;">woman</span> who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A <span style="background-color: yellow;">man slave</span> who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise."</strong></span></div>
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Muhammad <strong>(</strong><a href="http://quran.com/2" target="_blank">al-Baqarah, 221</a>)</div>
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What happened to love? Well, later I found out that there is plenty of verses in the popular holy books that support division among people of different creeds, races, and cultures. This was never covered in church like I read it. Allusions were made to dating Christian or trying to persuade the non-Christian to become Christian just to date.<br />
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Jesus said to hate everyone in your family to follow him. Ezra forbade mixed marriages with Babylonians and made women and children walk out to the desert without their husbands or dads. There was a couple that got killed in the time of Moses because the woman was a Canaanite.<br />
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Moses was a hypocrite and not only <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2012&version=NIV" target="_blank">married a foreigner</a> who saved his life from his god but married another.<br />
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These events each had their impact on me but the show/movie had me wondering what I would do if one of my loved ones decided to join a group that I was not comfortable with. Being that I am very liberal I did not see me as holding them back from pursuing their interests. I would tell them what I thought of the group and attempt to see what possible dangers their may be. At the same time, I wonder if I should be more adamant about my children's critical thinking about any group.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-32026481549827033582013-05-05T11:12:00.000-04:002013-06-28T02:50:08.378-04:00#76- Laissez-faire or Promote?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUcF0a3VjtE/T72kNwR6XgI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ojiyYJxPk_Q/s1600/yemenn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUcF0a3VjtE/T72kNwR6XgI/AAAAAAAAAYY/ojiyYJxPk_Q/s320/yemenn.jpg" width="320" /></a>Christianity is the world's largest <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_populations" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">religion</span></a>. In order to get that prize all the different
denominations had to be counted. Islam is the second most populous religion. It
is scheduled to become number 1 in about 100 years or so. Judaism, the religion
that Christianity and Islam are derived from, accounts for just 0.22% of the
world. It is estimated that about 2% of the world are atheists.<br />
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I've been wondering if promoting atheism is a good thing. Christianity
became the top religion because of various reasons and most of them are
disgusting. Islam is not saint either. Of course, both Christians and Muslims
will give you mostly romantic versions of their history. Atheism seems to be
the result of having information and the guts to follow the evidence.<br />
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While there are various groups and organizations, I don't think it can be
said that there is an organized desire or vehicle that exists to evangelize the
world to become atheist. I think we will lag behind the polls as long as
religions such as Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses continue with their overtly aggressive
conversion and promotion programs.<br />
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My personal feelings about it are mixed. Religions don't seem to do as well
in some sectors on the internet. People are a lot more vocal on YouTube and
Facebook about their lack of religion from what I've seen.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ReelI6Qpv5o/TrSqgMgoG3I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/xzBQ5xCAAM8/s1600/jesus_painting_1280x1024-1tvwwbh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ReelI6Qpv5o/TrSqgMgoG3I/AAAAAAAAAQ4/xzBQ5xCAAM8/s320/jesus_painting_1280x1024-1tvwwbh.jpg" width="320" /></a>I personally try to avoid any sort of commonalities with religion. But my
situation is a bit unique because I am trying to offer what may be a new
"product" to a specific demographic: Haitians.<br />
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This has been a very slow and time consuming project for me. I cannot get
away from the fact that this blog a tool for advertising my story. It has been
a therapeutic and a way for me to provide inspiration to someone somewhere.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4QUQaxE1U4/To85ouIo2KI/AAAAAAAAAIk/1p4kdtwQeP0/s1600/Muslims+praying+in+vast+square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4QUQaxE1U4/To85ouIo2KI/AAAAAAAAAIk/1p4kdtwQeP0/s320/Muslims+praying+in+vast+square.jpg" width="320" /></a>Even though I think that it is import to have the voice of the secular
community heard I am not willing to bother people for it. I want to be hopeful
that the world will be a friendlier place for us secular/humanist types but how
can that happen if we are quiet and afraid?<br />
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I know I have a steep mountain to climb with the Haitian community. I am
walking a delicate balance between a "laissez-faire" approach and
active promotion.<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-85237621457010202692013-05-04T05:06:00.004-04:002013-06-28T02:49:05.235-04:00#75- Debating Debating Theists<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A friend told me that she does not debate theists. She concluded that it was a total waste of her time. I thought that it was a shame because she is really intelligent and can make convincing arguments. When confronted by theists she basically tells them to disprove all the other gods before she can start talking about their god.<br />
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I was of a different opinion. I had some experience with a formal debate club in which I learned some skills and techniques. I always looked for the opportunity to display my knowledge of the religions that I am familiar with and see if I can learn a new point of view from the person that I am having the discussion with.<br />
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A few months ago I was invited to an online radio show called "<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/debatetalk4u/2013/01/10/before-the-debate-special-w-team-bible-truth-coming-11113-1" target="_blank">Debate Talk 4 U</a>". The host heard of me through a mutual Facebook friend. I was asked to represent the atheist side along with two other atheists.<br />
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I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this subject. As you may be able to tell by my blog, religion is somewhat of a passion of mine. I agreed and started to do some background research on the show.<br />
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When the time of the show arrived, things took a bit of an unexpected turn. I communicated on various occasions with the host in order to understand the formalities of the show. There were many topics that could be covered. I wanted to be prepared. I started to read the New Testament as a refresher. I was sincerely under the impression that I was going to be given the opportunity to explain why I had chosen to be an atheist after being a Christian. This did not happen.<br />
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We ended up doing <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/debatetalk4u/2013/01/12/atheist-vs-absolute-bible-truth-pt-ii-the-debate-1" target="_blank">3 shows</a>. By the time the third show finished, I was totally upset and dismayed. I realized why my friend said she would not debate theists. Talking to some people can be draining and depressing.<br />
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To be fair, I was told that I was not taken seriously because I had a sarcastic and mocking tone. After listening to the shows later I understood why the person said that. Even though I tried to keep my cool and wait my turn, my frustration seeped through my voice and words. That did not help the "debate" one bit.<br />
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From my perspective, the conversation went all over the place. The scientific theory of evolution was brought up. The atheists were accused of having faith. People accused each other of twisting the words of another. It was not a fruiful venture.<br />
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Before this series of shows I was more than willing to sit down with almost anyone to speak about religion. I walked away weary of doing future so-called "debates" based on my experience on <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/debatetalk4u/2012/12/15/atheist-vs-absolute-bible-truth-1" target="_blank">Debate Talk 4 U</a>. It takes so much time to catch the theist up to what I know. Then I have to correct them without coming off like a jerk.<br />
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It is a truly tasking endeavor. I have slowed down with these conversations. Maybe my friend's tactic is the best one. Either avoid discussing religion or ask the believer to disprove the other gods before even starting to discuss their own.<br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-21138633029332933132013-05-03T19:36:00.003-04:002013-06-28T02:48:26.093-04:00#74- Trial By Ordeal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/trial+by+ordeal" target="_blank">trial by ordeal</a></b> - a primitive method of determining a person's guilt
or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests
believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of
innocence<br />
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-TheFreeDictionary.Com<br />
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This idea came to me after watching videos of people in modern times doing primitive things to determine the guilt of members of their ilk. In one place a woman (it always seems to be a woman!) had to lick the bottom of a pot several times and display her tongue afterwards for signs of swelling. This pot was on the fire just minutes before she licked it. If my memory serves me right, this was a test for adultery.<br />
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Another video showed a dispute involving two farmers on a matter of theft. The accused man (who was the best friend of the offended) had to prove his innocence by dipping his hand into a boiling pot of hot oil and retrieve a few items from the bottom of said pot.<br />
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If the accused refused to take the test, he was guilty. If the accused failed to secure the items at the bottom of the pot, he was guilty.<br />
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This still goes on today. One may excuse these people for their superstitious ways and the history of their culture but some may find this shocking and out of place. Then I remembered that similar things were done in the Jewish Bible. This is my examination of the trial by ordeal featured in the Torah.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfC-FaoL5ww/UYQA7uTkcLI/AAAAAAAAIcA/2GyJLXoc2sY/s1600/images+(19).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfC-FaoL5ww/UYQA7uTkcLI/AAAAAAAAIcA/2GyJLXoc2sY/s1600/images+(19).jpeg" /></a>I maintain that the Hebrews of the Jewish Bible were on par with their neighbors as far as crudeness and their understanding of their world. They were not given special insights by any useful agency and by no means moral doctors that I wish to model after; nor should anyone else for that matter. I have chosen a choice morsel of barbaric depravity to demonstrate the misogynistic sentiment that permeates the book of the ancient people of Israel.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotah">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sotah</a><br />
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The following is from Numbers chapter 5 verse 11-21.<br />
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<strong><span class="text Num-5-11"><sup class="versenum">11 </sup>Then the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> said to Moses,</span> <span class="text Num-5-12" id="en-NIV-3805"><sup class="versenum">12 </sup>“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3805A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> and is unfaithful to him</span> <span class="text Num-5-13" id="en-NIV-3806"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup>so that another man has sexual relations with her,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3806B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup> and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act),</span> <span class="text Num-5-14" id="en-NIV-3807"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>and if feelings of jealousy<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3807C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup> come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure—</span> <span class="text Num-5-15" id="en-NIV-3808"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-3808a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5%3A11-21&version=NIV#fen-NIV-3808a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]</sup><sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3808D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> of barley flour<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3808E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3808F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> a reminder-offering<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3808G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup> to draw attention to wrongdoing.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span class="text Num-5-16" id="en-NIV-3809"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>“‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span> <span class="text Num-5-17" id="en-NIV-3810"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water.</span> <span class="text Num-5-18" id="en-NIV-3811"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>After the priest has had the woman stand before the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, he shall loosen her hair<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3811H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup> and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy,<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3811I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup> while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse.<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3811J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span> <span class="text Num-5-19" id="en-NIV-3812"><sup class="versenum">19 </sup>Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3812K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup> and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3812L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup> not harm you.</span> <span class="text Num-5-20" id="en-NIV-3813"><sup class="versenum">20 </sup>But if you have gone astray<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3813M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup> while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”—</span> <span class="text Num-5-21" id="en-NIV-3814"><sup class="versenum">21 </sup>here the priest is to put the woman under this curse<sup class="crossreference" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-3814N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>—“may the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> cause you to become a curse<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NIV-3814b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]">[<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+5%3A11-21&version=NIV#fen-NIV-3814b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]</sup> among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span class="text Num-5-21"></span></strong><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">Did you get that? This is all about the female's unfaithfulness. There is no such test explicitly laid out for males in the Torah. Also notice in verse 14 that a female can be taken in by her owner for "jealousy". Do she have the right to resist? Of course not!</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">Notice the explicit directions in part one. All these ingredients are available today and this would provide a splendid test to show how effective is recommendation is. What country on Earth today would allow this without it being a crime?</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21"></span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">In verse 16 the female is to "stand before the Lord". How does one stand in front of invisible creatures? Perhaps a wise rabbi can detangle this messy quandary for me. Obviously the woman is to stand in front of the priest as he is the charlatan that is orchestrating this ghastly buffoonery.</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21"></span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">Verse 19 has the priest put the accused woman under an oath. This is <a href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/oaths.html" target="_blank">strictly forbidden</a> by Jesus (who is rumored to be Yahweh) in Matthew 5:34.</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21"></span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">Finally, in verse 21 we see the superstition of the Hebrews taking form in a "curse" if the woman should be found to be pregnant. What if the child was for the husband (I prefere the term "owner" as the females are treated too much like cattle)? Did you notice the sentence for the crime? The woman is to miscarry. That is right folks, the child must die? Why because that is what Yahweh and the priest have determined in their infinite wisdom.<br /><br />How is it that Bible lovers are "Pro-Life" again? To add insult to injury, the woman's abdomen is to swell. If the father of the child was to be found I am sure he would be put to death.</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21"></span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">So, this is the recommendation of the Hebrew god Yahweh to Moses to Israel. Christians now say that Yahweh is Jesus. Therefore Jesus, who supports the Torah in all its gruesomeness, is the one giving these edicts according to Christians.</span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21"></span><br />
<span class="text Num-5-21">Forgive me if I do not subscribe and follow such things.</span><br />
<strong><span class="text Num-5-21"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span class="text Num-5-21"></span></strong><br />
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-60591103627398085032012-11-24T04:11:00.000-05:002013-06-28T02:48:05.633-04:00#73- Defending God<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's pretty much it.</td></tr>
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My uncle was the first person that introduced the concept of a god to me. He told me that God was the ultimate good. The very term in Haitian Creole gives this away. The head deity in Haiti is called "Bon Dye" or "Bon Dieu" which literally means "Good God". </div>
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Thus God's role in this cosmic play was planted in my young mind. God was the ultimate super hero. God wanted all that is good for us and was constantly on guard against the bad. God became masculine, of course, because males made him up. As time went on, other characters were introduced to me such as Jesus, Mary, and Satan.</div>
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The central essence of what God is or did stayed with me for years. God was not just a synonym for good but was the ultimate good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I felt that I had enough understanding of the celestial world from that simple fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever people needed help people prayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever people needed comfort they prayed as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all warm and fuzzy.<br />
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Then I started to read the Bible in Iraq in 2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The God that my uncle introduced me to was the daddy of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My uncle was a Catholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That god had a name: Yahweh. He turned out to be the deity of an ancient tribe of marauders called the Hebrews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yahweh was nothing like I was told or imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was an asshole, a dictator, and a trickster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after I completed the Jewish and Christian bibles, I still had that preliminary perspective of the god my uncle introduced me to in my psyche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never really gave thought to shopping around for other gods or religions because I felt that I already had a relationship with the one benevolent god that really mattered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing that is sure is that my deity was not Yahweh.</div>
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I cried after watching “Hotel Rwanda”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt ashamed that Black people could murder each other for such trivial things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered where God was during that horrible time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By God, I meant the good, benevolent, omnipresent, and all-powerful God that my uncle introduced me to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He or She was absent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact I don’t know of a public and massive state of need that any god from any region personally attended to and addressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all these terrible things happening people still believed in and defended god.</div>
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I eventually came to the conclusion that God was not at fault for the evils of the world and that it was wicked people who had corrupted his good name and deeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at all the people who committed atrocities as frauds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt that God was misrepresented in the Bible and I was going to personally do something about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I went on a mission as a self-appointed avenger of God’s image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really upset and motivated in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a mocking and surly attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hurt that God needed humans to do his public relations work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to pray to God and ask why He couldn't help the helpless victims and starving children who had done nothing wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t remember getting many answers and if I did they were not very satisfying.</div>
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Everything changed when I went to a church service at Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This older man who was a “Messianic Jew” was talking to me and I suddenly cut to the chase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I showed a few unsavory passages about the behavior of Yahweh and the Hebrews and quickly asserted that Yahweh was not God because God was good and Yahweh was evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man looked at me and ask “how do you do know YOUR God is real?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was caught flat-footed and unprepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind responded with a “Because he is good, duh!” but those words never escaped my mouth because I knew that it was a silly and juvenile answer.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NuyjnEdnyU8/UK-ngzj0DUI/AAAAAAAAEfY/n1rEgonr6i4/s640/blogger-image--779294315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NuyjnEdnyU8/UK-ngzj0DUI/AAAAAAAAEfY/n1rEgonr6i4/s200/blogger-image--779294315.jpg" width="186" /></a>My God didn't have a book, a tradition, a cool name, and most importantly NO EVIDENCE of existing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was stuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My God didn't show up to my rescue when that question was asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn't steal answers about the creation of the cosmos because I would have just be pulling stuff out my ass.</div>
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It was at that time that I stopped defending God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God didn't care about his image and God didn't intervene publicly in matters of great distress like Rwanda and Darfur then what was I going to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was looking like Nehemiah in the Bible, a crazed mad man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all too much for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped defending God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left it up to him if he cared and much more importantly, if he could.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-42724353830320860572012-10-28T11:21:00.000-04:002013-06-28T02:47:20.659-04:00#72- Safety Concerns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zmpRsCf_j30/UI1MAVwvOtI/AAAAAAAADQo/kojW4Tq_g1M/s640/blogger-image-2056900534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zmpRsCf_j30/UI1MAVwvOtI/AAAAAAAADQo/kojW4Tq_g1M/s320/blogger-image-2056900534.jpg" width="298" /></a>Some people are sensitive. Some people are very sensitve. Some people are very sensitive, very religious, and very violent.</div>
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Just a few days ago a man gunned down another man at Creflo Dollar's World Changer church in Atlanta, Georgia. This was done in full view of a host of people from what I understand. Details are still coming out on the motives but I would not feel comfortable going to that church for a while. Not to mention the religious implecations of a good diety and violence being done so brazenly in his/her sanctuary.</div>
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My blog is pretty obscure right now. But the world and some people are very unstable sometimes. I've written on topics that are near and dear to my heart and have enjoyed it very much. But with the internet being so wide open and social media being so prevalent it is a wise thing to take precautions against the "Abrahams" of the world.</div>
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I want to make it clear: I do not endorse violence in general. I hope the world becomes more peaceful and that people become more rational. I find religion and religious people interesting but I don't necessarily respect everything they think, say, or do. I wish we could all be cordial but that's not reality.</div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OsMAebDwY4k/UI1MDasR1rI/AAAAAAAADQ8/uOnywSGvADg/s640/blogger-image-2114039397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OsMAebDwY4k/UI1MDasR1rI/AAAAAAAADQ8/uOnywSGvADg/s200/blogger-image-2114039397.jpg" width="186" /></a>For a while I worried about the health of people I've cojoled and inspired to leave religion. Now I wonder about me. How safe am I? Is there anyone who wants to harm me or my friends? There is no way to know the future but right now all is well. As I become more famous things may change.</div>
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Some of my fans may know of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's story and subsequent living arragements. I don't envy her life. Her money would be nice but I want to live a life free of fear. But how can I say what I think and yet stay safe?</div>
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Well, that is a tricky question. I can use the usual safety methods: use a pseudonim, use a P.O. Box, grow a nappy beard, and get tattoos all over my body. But how long will that last?</div>
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-No6Gu0SsRzU/UI1MFDOQJSI/AAAAAAAADRE/b0s09AJw6Wk/s640/blogger-image-1106353422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-No6Gu0SsRzU/UI1MFDOQJSI/AAAAAAAADRE/b0s09AJw6Wk/s200/blogger-image-1106353422.jpg" width="186" /></a>Tonight I wonder who exactly would my humble blog piss off so much that they'd want to bust a cap in my ass. Is it a Muslim? That's an easy alligation to make, isn't it? All the bad guys seem to be Muslim. But the Creflo Dollar guy probably was not a "slave of Allah". </div>
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Will it be a Christian? Odd are it may be just based on the demographic numbers, right? But as soon as that person makes a threat the other believers will just say "that's not a true Christian". We've all heard that one before. It's also convenient for both Christians and Muslims that there are 1000s of different sects and flavors of each.</div>
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One morning while jogging I had a vision of mixing it up with some Black Hebrew Israelites. They are real fun to talk shit with. They are cocky, loud, and motivated. But unfortunately I think they are much more serious about their insane love for the Bible than the wanton average hypocrite. So, I haven't messed with them in a while. Plus I've matured, too. I'm not about forcing my thoughts on no one. We can either discuss things as mature homo sapiens are not.</div>
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What about them Jews? What about them? Them boys just keep to themselves. I like that.</div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-3369042135506421482012-10-28T08:35:00.000-04:002013-06-28T02:46:58.416-04:00#71- Abraham and his Almost-Sacrifice<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today is a holiday for my Muslim friends all over the world. Therefore let me say the appropriate "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_Mubarak" target="_blank">Eid Mubarak</a>!" to you all. For those of you who are unaware, today (28 October 2012) is "<span dir="auto"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_ul-Adha" target="_blank">Eid al-Adha</a>".</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSvSRHXGcdM/Tp5ui0lSKWI/AAAAAAAAAS8/Y7wJRFnapqA/s1600/abraham-sacrificing-isaac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="489" oea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lSvSRHXGcdM/Tp5ui0lSKWI/AAAAAAAAAS8/Y7wJRFnapqA/s640/abraham-sacrificing-isaac.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this what YOU call a good time?</td></tr>
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<span dir="auto">Admittedly, this post was inspired by another blog: <a href="http://muslimhaitian.com/">muslimhaitian.com</a>. The authors were kind enough to leave a message here on my humble blog. I have since returned the favor and have read some of their posts.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8fEW3rVQjKw/To8Bba_UdTI/AAAAAAAAAIU/EvZa2cbY2UY/s1600/Abraham-13763656194.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" oea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8fEW3rVQjKw/To8Bba_UdTI/AAAAAAAAAIU/EvZa2cbY2UY/s1600/Abraham-13763656194.jpeg" /></a><span dir="auto">Now to the business at hand. This story is insane and barbaric. I don't think many people give it much thought. It is my opinion that the character Abraham, like most of the folk heroes in the dessert tales, was either insane or mental maladjusted. This is what Muslims are celebrating for this weekend. Then they wonder why people strap bombs on themselves to do harm. This story sets a number of bad precedents for believers and people who live in the real world alike.</span></div>
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<span dir="auto">Does listening to voices give you the right to do things to people? What was the way that the ancient peoples of the East determined if a person was a sound mind? Who witnessed this exchange between Abraham and Ismael (Isaac if you know the original)?</span></div>
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<span dir="auto">Would any Muslim be ok with a fellow Muslim who had ritually slit the throat of their son or daughter? What if the son or daughter had agreed to be killed on this holiday no less!</span></div>
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<span dir="auto">Let us assume the same crime, I mean event, happened in 6 different countries the same way. What would happen to the person who re-enacted Abraham's role believing that some invisible, inaudible, superbeing was going to interveing in his or her place?</span></div>
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<span dir="auto">The settings are as follow:</span><br />
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<span dir="auto">1. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-au-Prince" target="_blank">Port-au-Prince, Haiti</a></span><br />
<span dir="auto">2. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton" target="_blank">Southampton, England</a></span><br />
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<span dir="auto">3. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearborn_Michigan" target="_blank">Dearborn, Michigan, USA</a></span></div>
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<span dir="auto">4. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne,_Australia" target="_blank">Melbourne, Australia</a></span></div>
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<span dir="auto">5. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karachi" target="_blank">Karachi, Pakistan</a></span></div>
<span dir="auto">6. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyadh,_Saudi_Arabia" target="_blank">Riyadh, Saudi Arabia</a><br /><br />Please give a verdict for each city. Guitly or Not Guilty will suffice.<br /><br />I would put the person in jail. I would also have their head examine. When it is revealed that a religious story is the motivation for the killings I would make sure all the religious leaders who subscribe to this tale tell their constituents that this kind of behavior would not be tolerated.</span></div>
Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8101712208473952641.post-43956540856604198412012-10-27T13:03:00.002-04:002013-06-28T02:46:33.511-04:00#70- Ecclesiastical International Laws<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You lost, Patna?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am currently working in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan" target="_blank">Afghanistan </a>where religion is an integral part of everyday life for the locals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my second deployment in a Muslim country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These places are quite different from what I am used to even though I discovered that America was quite religious after the election of George W. Bush in 2004.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is hard not to bring my Haitian-American values into this setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The differences are especially present when I try to take advantage of whatever leisure time I get.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am fortunate to receive a free internet account via wifi where I can communicate with the rest of my friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That I am very grateful for (actually, I found out that American dollars are paying for the service).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I don’t like is the blocking of certain sites and services.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The older Haitian women wear things like this</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There have been many laws and agreements made with the Afghan government and people in order to honor their sensitivities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These include bans on sites such as YouTube and Netflix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those two sites I happen to frequent a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are bans against pornographic sites and sites that involve gambling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understand the ban on porn-even though it is annoying, and I don’t care for gambling much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But all these efforts to appease the Muslim palate got me thinking if they ever consider the feelings of Allah when it comes to all things “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haram" target="_blank">haram</a>” in other places.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In other words, someone somewhere is enjoying YouTube, porn, gambling, alcohol, immodestly dressed women, and other things that would upset Muslims, Muhammad (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_be_upon_him_(Islam)" target="_blank">PBUH</a>), and Allah (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subhanahu_wa_ta%27ala" target="_blank">SWT</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This reminds me of my old church and their rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say their rules even though they derive in out of the Christian Bible popularly known as “The New Testament”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had 2 churches in 1 building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One side was the older, more “Haitian” service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This comprised of older Haitians who were set in their cultural ways and other Haitians who probably just came to the United States not too long ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That more traditional side had rules that included: women should cover their hair with a veil or a hat and women had to wear skirts-no pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women had to dress modestly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you detect a theme here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was mostly about women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Men had rules too but they were much relax or easier to follow.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyCN0zRnvUg/UIwQOHsp8yI/AAAAAAAADP0/7yEgcoHFsoc/s1600/church-hat-main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyCN0zRnvUg/UIwQOHsp8yI/AAAAAAAADP0/7yEgcoHFsoc/s320/church-hat-main.jpg" width="249" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I attended the younger, more “Americanized” side of the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to visit the “gran moun” (elders) side just to maintain my Haitian some semblance of my Haitian identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the most boring display of narcissistic, drab, and pseudo-piety one can imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was rote and flavor-less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is exactly how those stiffs liked it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a little bit of home in the strange wilderness that is America.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-in6VT3Pgs7c/UIwSG3zX6GI/AAAAAAAADQM/KR4G5WOr-9g/s1600/Sexy+Mary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-in6VT3Pgs7c/UIwSG3zX6GI/AAAAAAAADQM/KR4G5WOr-9g/s320/Sexy+Mary.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish girls at the church looked like this.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was about that time that I asked myself if the God of the known universe cared about trivial fashion habits of some Haitians in Miami, Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were the women who wore skirts and covered their hair more pious, more lucky, more blessed in any way shape or form.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What about the younger women on the English speaking side?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They almost never covered their hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most wore dresses and skirts but you can catch an occasional pair of pants here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The younger women were more flashy and seductive clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men’s wardrobe was more modern and less formal as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The same question loitered in my brain for the English side:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>did God/Jesus care about how we dressed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, why was that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the relationship between what you were and the success that came directly from it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Men in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland" target="_blank">Scotland </a>wore “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilt" target="_blank">kilts</a>” as part of their traditional garb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manlier men wore the kilts without undergarments (to prove how brave they were?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that there is such a thing as women’s pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, the men depicted in the bible stories look just as ragged and destitute as the women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure there were no pants during that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I read the sexist Bible verses that inspired these Haitians to copy the dead Jews’ clumsy fashion advices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just as in the case of the Muslims I wondered if the Christians thought about the extent of their laws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously these rules were only for those who cared to obey them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women from the West are well advised to obey local Islamic laws if they ever visit a Muslim country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rules and values depend upon where you are on the planet and the humans you are around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no gods, ghosts, ghouls, angels, or anything or anyone halfway mystical that enforces these rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I always wondered if the gods spent their time perpetually fuming with anger since a large swath of the humans of the globe are either unaware of indifferent for their rules.</span></div>
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Haitian Atheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13605997360401782979noreply@blogger.com0