Christopher Hitchens – An Atheist Responds – washingtonpost.com
Name one ethical statement made, or one ethical action performed, by a believer that could not have been uttered or done by a nonbeliever. And here is my second challenge. Can any reader of this column think of a wicked statement made, or an evil action performed, precisely because of religious faith?
I heard this a while ago and thought it was worth repeating and pointing out to anyone who reads this. There appears to be less and less reason to be religions as the centuries have turned up to the point where its now, if looking at it with fresh perspective, more of a mental illness than anything else.
Bearing in mind that many ‘think that god talks to them’ (hallucinations) and ‘believes in creation’ (delusions) thats two symptoms and thats whats required to be considered schizophrenic (via the international DSM IV-TR standard).
I think it is more to the point of how can a christian back up his religion or for that matter any religious person. What they have is faith, which is not proven. I am so sick of all these religious people fighting over there own sky pixie. I find it as a insult that religion says that science has no insight. Anyone can go in there own backyard and see the powers of science and the miracles of nature not a supreme being. Maybe it is time for the so called believers to get there heads out of the sand and open there eyes.
Just imagine for a moment no religion what I think I know a song that I think sums it up perfectly. Performed and written by John Lennon:
Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
I really think that if the whole world took this as gospel then half the troubles in this world would disappear. Come on I know you can close your eyes for a moment and imagine a world where we all live as one.
Another opinion that relies on an argument that is clever but misleading. God created mankind in his likeness. Note: he didn’t create only christians in his likeness. Therefore Christians aren’t super-humans or super-ethicists (if that is a word), so how could we as christians come up with a unique ethical statement – impossible!
The second question speaking of evil and wickedness. Again you do not have to look far to find many examples or such acts inside a church or outside. Taking the first point that weare created in God’s likeness we are also all affected by Satan (evil personified) and are therefore likely to do things that are evil, selfish etc to varying degrees.
So the author of this Washington Post article might feel like he’s made a convincing argument, but to my mind he has done nothing but made a couple of clever comments with no real insight.
The good news for the world is that Jesus forgives us for the wrongs that we do and has lived on earth demonstrating the life he wants us to live. He bore the punishment for the things that separate us from God and writes our names into the bok of life.What are you going to do with that?