The other day I again did a post about the ridiculous resolution being co sponsored by local Chesapeake Congressman Randy Forbes which seeks to declare 2010 as "the National Year of the Bible." Putting aside the fact that Congress ought to be focusing on the pressing issues facing the country rather than supporting grand standing by those who shameless pander to the wingnut base of the Republican Part, the text of the resolution which is quoted in my prior post utterly ignores the dark and evil influence the Bible has been through much of history rather than a force of good. What's disturbing about the resolution is that it is those who would seek its passage who have the same mind set of those who have used the Bible for evil in the past as they denigrate others and in some cases slaughter those who do not share their fanatical views. Via Civil Commotion, I found a great post of a portion of a lecture by Robert Ingersoll on the blog of by the now atheist son of Fred Phelps - who has seen the evil of extreme Christianism first hand. This lecture looks at the historical truths ignored by Mr. Forbes and his fellow Christianists in Congress. I am NOT against the Bible - just those who use it to persecute others like Daddy Dobson's minions at The Family Foundation who will be gathering here in Norfolk in a few weeks to peddle intolerance. Here are some highlights:*
Ministers wonder how I can be wicked enough to attack the Bible.
Ministers wonder how I can be wicked enough to attack the Bible.
*
I will tell them: This book, the Bible, has persecuted, even unto death, the wisest and the best. This book stayed and stopped the onward movement of the human race. This book poisoned the fountains of learning and misdirected the energies of man.
I will tell them: This book, the Bible, has persecuted, even unto death, the wisest and the best. This book stayed and stopped the onward movement of the human race. This book poisoned the fountains of learning and misdirected the energies of man.
*
This book is the enemy of freedom, the support of slavery. This book sowed the seeds of hatred in families and nations, fed the flames of war, and impoverished the world. This book is the breastwork of kings and tyrants — the enslaver of women and children. This book has corrupted parliaments and courts. This book has made colleges and universities the teachers of error and the haters of science. This book has filled Christendom with hateful, cruel, ignorant and warring sects. This book taught men to kill their fellows for religion’s sake. This book funded the Inquisition, invented the instruments of torture, built the dungeons in which the good and loving languished, forged the chains that rusted in their flesh, erected the scaffolds whereon they died. This book piled fagots about the feet of the just. This book drove reason from the minds of millions and filled the asylums with the insane.
This book is the enemy of freedom, the support of slavery. This book sowed the seeds of hatred in families and nations, fed the flames of war, and impoverished the world. This book is the breastwork of kings and tyrants — the enslaver of women and children. This book has corrupted parliaments and courts. This book has made colleges and universities the teachers of error and the haters of science. This book has filled Christendom with hateful, cruel, ignorant and warring sects. This book taught men to kill their fellows for religion’s sake. This book funded the Inquisition, invented the instruments of torture, built the dungeons in which the good and loving languished, forged the chains that rusted in their flesh, erected the scaffolds whereon they died. This book piled fagots about the feet of the just. This book drove reason from the minds of millions and filled the asylums with the insane.
*
This book has caused fathers and mothers to shed the blood of their babes. This book was the auction block on which the slave- mother stood when she was sold from her child. This book filled the sails of the slave-trader and made merchandise of human flesh. This book lighted the fires that burned “witches” and “wizards.” This book filled the darkness with ghouls and ghosts, and the bodies of men and women with devils. This book polluted the souls of men with the infamous dogma of eternal pain. This book made credulity the greatest of virtues, and investigation the greatest of crimes. This book filled nations with hermits, monks and nuns — with the pious and the useless. This book placed the ignorant and unclean saint above the philosopher and philanthropist. This book taught man to despise the joys of this life, that he might be happy in another — to waste this world for the sake of the next.
This book has caused fathers and mothers to shed the blood of their babes. This book was the auction block on which the slave- mother stood when she was sold from her child. This book filled the sails of the slave-trader and made merchandise of human flesh. This book lighted the fires that burned “witches” and “wizards.” This book filled the darkness with ghouls and ghosts, and the bodies of men and women with devils. This book polluted the souls of men with the infamous dogma of eternal pain. This book made credulity the greatest of virtues, and investigation the greatest of crimes. This book filled nations with hermits, monks and nuns — with the pious and the useless. This book placed the ignorant and unclean saint above the philosopher and philanthropist. This book taught man to despise the joys of this life, that he might be happy in another — to waste this world for the sake of the next.
*
I attack this book because it is the enemy of human liberty — the greatest obstruction across the highway of human progress. Let me ask the ministers one question: How can you be wicked enough to defend this book?
I attack this book because it is the enemy of human liberty — the greatest obstruction across the highway of human progress. Let me ask the ministers one question: How can you be wicked enough to defend this book?
*
Randy, if you are going to talk about the Bible's role in history in your resolution, lets tell the whole story which is very, very ugly because of people like your Christianist political base that use the Bible as an instrument of hate and utterly ignore the Gospel message of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment