The Year After the ‘Year of the Bible’

I thought the second panel was going to be the next year’s theme, now that they’d established that such celebrations as the year of the bible were acceptable. And the next one would be the year of the Qur’an. This is just lovely though. =]

Education about the worlds religious superstitions is always a good thing. Pull the curtain back and get a look at the real wizard, a chubby little snake oil salesman.

The human mind is powerful at self-delusion (and compartmentalization, rationalization, etc); how else to explain the fact, that despite almost everyone knowing the various supposed “main facts” of their religion, many of which are prima facie absurd, that they still believe (or have faith) it is true? This, despite being intelligent and competent individuals in other areas of their life. I sincerely doubt that even an in-depth reading of their holy book, whatever the religion, will do anything to change this.

that’s debatable. and it really depends on what kind of “reading” people do. there’s a hilarious piece from the radio show “this american life” about one woman’s journey through bible study to atheism. like a lot of american christians, she hadn’t really gone over the text in full since sunday school days, and so her memory of it was incomplete. her church was not a fire breathing fundie kind, but a mainstream sort that was in her life out of habit and culture more than strong love of faith. but it was a funny story, to hear her discover how even christ was a petty, angry, inconsistant figure better suited to myth than historical fact or figure of worship. i’d be there are plenty of bland, “i go for the potluck and bingo” types out there who might reconsider if they actually had to defend various passages in the text. “women shut up in church” is another one i’d like to see more believers discuss. 

– especially if Romney were to get in office. [shudder]

That’s my story in a nutshell…. really enjoyed “hangin out” with the less nutties and it became a habit or ritual.  However, the pastor made the mistake of asking that the members read the bible in a year.  Not the watered down one year bible studies.  Once I did, I no choice but to become the atheist I was born as….