10 Things Christians and Atheists Can (And Must) Agree On

The war that's coming between the fundamentalist Christians and the hard-core Atheists probably won't be the most violent of the holy wars. But it has the potential to be the most annoying. We'll, I'm going to try to stop it. So I'm running into this guy basically everywhere I go: Not that exact guy. People like him. These things never end well. But I think we've got more common ground than we admit. Celebrating the death of somebody you disagreed with pretty much makes you a dick. I doubt anybody reading this has ever waved a snarky sign at a funeral, so I think we're pretty much all in the same boat still. So how about this: I'm going to throw out a few of these statements - things I think we have to agree on if we want to avoid disaster - and you can read until you see something you disagree with. Why? I go home, log into one of my favorite forums and one guy's got this as his avatar: And another dude has this: No, people got to have the right to express themselves, good, bad and ugly.

Translations and interpretations of Leviticus 18:22; all views Homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22 Sponsored link. Which is the correct translation? Obviously, it is important for a student of the Bible to resolve exactly what behavior is forbidden: is it: Also, is the behavior forbidden to ancient Israelites, or modern-day Jews, or all males regardless of their religion, or all males and females, or some combination of the preceding. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the meaning of this verse. English translations of this verse: These are not a great deal of help. Some translations are: The LB and NLT translations use the term "homosexuality" That is unusually deceptive for three reasons: Sponsored link: Various groups' interpretations of this verse: Waskow cites two alternative meanings to the passage: He concludes that if this passage condemns some forms of homosexual behavior, it may refer only to the ancient Israelites, not to North America today. Sponsored links: References: Net BibleÂ® is a new translation by The Biblical Studies Foundation.

4 Things Both Atheists and Believers Need to Stop Saying #2. Devout: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves Getty Although probably not as immediately infuriating as "God Hates X," I really don't need to hear about who the devout think God helps. GettyKisses, JC! Indeed, even the omnipresent and useless "God works in mysterious ways" is preferable. #1. There have been atheists of significant intellect: Bertrand Russell, Richard Dawkins, and the aforementioned Christopher Hitchens. In support of this intellectual elitism, some atheists will say that skepticism is the sign of an active and curious mind -- traits consistent with learning. Getty"Who did this to me?" The perversion of the Spaghetti Monster meme is a good example of how some, particularly on the Internet, have destroyed the distinction between thoughtful protest and mere mockery. If you want to convince yourself that ignorance loves atheists as much as the devout just spend some time watching the flame wars between these factions online.

Is Religion Inherently Oppressive? April 9, 2014 | Like this article? Join our email list: Stay up to date with the latest headlines via email. There’s little doubt, outside circles filled with self-delusional reactionaries, that religion is probably the most important force in continuing the oppression of women worldwide. Former president Jimmy Carter, who is probably the country’s most prominent liberal Christian, is willing to set aside his enthusiasm for faith to admit this. This isn’t because atheists and secularists have fewer people in their ranks that have ugly and backwards attitudes toward women. It’s hard not to suggest that what you need is more religious people making full-throated religious arguments for women’s equality, to counter the inevitable reactionaries that use religion to oppress women. It’s certainly a breath of fresh air having Carter explain, in his patient and comforting way, that there is no reason whatsoever to believe that religion mandates sexism.

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