Tuesday, 8 April 2014
How sin kills Christianity
God devised a plan to forgive human sin and save us from the eternal torment he had prepared for sinners. His plan was to impregnate a virgin with his son, Jesus, and to have Jesus executed. This perfect human sacrifice would enable God to forgive sin and save the eternal lives of those who accept Jesus as their lord and saviour.
If we had not inherited a sinful nature, there would be no need for Jesus to forgive our sins.
This theology, at the very heart of Christianity, is its most vulnerable point. If the Adam and Eve story is not true then nor is Christianity. No Adam and Eve, no sinful nature, no need to be saved, no need for Jesus and no Christianity.
Many Christians believe Adam and Eve were the first two human beings who were created by God between 6 and 10 thousand years ago. This cannot be true if we can show that human beings pre-dated Adam and Eve.
What does the evidence show?
Fragments of pottery have been found in a cave in China's Hunan province dating from at least 15,400 years ago.
Rope has been found in Lascaux cave which was made approximately 17,000 years ago.
A flute-like musical instrument was found in the Geißenklösterle cave dated at 30,000 years ago.
The earliest known cave paintings were found in Spain at a cave known as El Castillo. These are more than 40,800 years old.
Archaeological evidence from New Guinea shows that boats were being made 60,000 years ago.
The earliest known anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens) were found at the Omo river in Ethiopia dating from 200,000 years ago. All the discoveries prior to this relate to creatures that were very similar, but not identical, to modern humans.
Pigments and paint grinding equipment has been found in a cave at Twin Rivers, near Lusaka, Zambia dating from more than 350,000 years ago.
There is widespread evidence that fires were used to cook food by 1 million years ago.
Knives made from sharpened stones were in common use by 1.4 million years ago and some date back to 2.5 million years ago.
This small sample of evidence shows that human beings were thriving and living around the globe thousands of years before Adam and Eve were said to have been created. This shows the Adam and Eve story cannot be true.
Which means that Christianity cannot be true.
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Finally, proof that God is stupid
God is said to be omniscient and unchanging. But what are the implications of these characteristics?
1) Stupid people cannot learn
God cannot learn because he knows everything.
2) Stupid people won't change their minds
God cannot change his mind because he has a perfect plan. If he changes his mind, his plan would become imperfect.
3) Stupid people cannot make decisions
God can only do what is in his plan and nothing else. All God's decisions are predetermined by his plan.
4) Stupid people can't make plans
God cannot have made his plan because if he had made it, there would have been a time when he didn't know everything so he would not have been omniscient. But God cannot change so he must always have been omniscient. Therefore, the plan must be older than God. Therefore God cannot have created his own plan.
So we have a God that functions like a computer program, doing exactly what he has been told to do—no more and no less with no intelligence required. Is there any point in praying to such a God for help? What do you think?
Of course God is not really stupid because God does not exist. But the men who invented him, now they really were stupid.
I wonder how many millions of people would have lived longer, happier lives if it were not for the invention of the Abrahamic God?
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1) Stupid people cannot learn
God cannot learn because he knows everything.
2) Stupid people won't change their minds
God cannot change his mind because he has a perfect plan. If he changes his mind, his plan would become imperfect.
3) Stupid people cannot make decisions
God can only do what is in his plan and nothing else. All God's decisions are predetermined by his plan.
4) Stupid people can't make plans
God cannot have made his plan because if he had made it, there would have been a time when he didn't know everything so he would not have been omniscient. But God cannot change so he must always have been omniscient. Therefore, the plan must be older than God. Therefore God cannot have created his own plan.
So we have a God that functions like a computer program, doing exactly what he has been told to do—no more and no less with no intelligence required. Is there any point in praying to such a God for help? What do you think?
Of course God is not really stupid because God does not exist. But the men who invented him, now they really were stupid.
I wonder how many millions of people would have lived longer, happier lives if it were not for the invention of the Abrahamic God?
Friday, 4 April 2014
Female circumcision: What it is and why it must stop
It is carried out at any age from soon after birth to 15 years and, of course, it is done without consent. It involves removing a girl’s clitoris and inner labia and sometimes the outer labia too. The wound is sewn up leaving a small gap for the passage of urine and menstrual fluid. The exact nature of the procedure varies in different cultural groups.
The cuts are made with a razor blade, scissors or knife, frequently by a person with no medical training, without anaesthesia and without sterilisation of the blade, sutures or dressings.
Immediate complications include fatal bleeding, retention of urine, urinary infection, wound infection and septicaemia. It is known that girls die from this procedure but no country, to my knowledge, keeps statistics. It seems that fatalities are rarely reported.
Eventually, if complications are not fatal, the wound heals and scar tissue forms, bonding the two sides of the vaginal opening together. The small opening left for urine and menstrual fluid is insufficient to allow for sexual intercourse, so the scar tissue must be broken apart before intercourse can occur. There are several ways this is done—all of them very painful. Of course, the woman is able to experience little or no sexual pleasure.
Immediate complications include fatal bleeding, retention of urine, urinary infection, wound infection and septicaemia. It is known that girls die from this procedure but no country, to my knowledge, keeps statistics. It seems that fatalities are rarely reported.
Eventually, if complications are not fatal, the wound heals and scar tissue forms, bonding the two sides of the vaginal opening together. The small opening left for urine and menstrual fluid is insufficient to allow for sexual intercourse, so the scar tissue must be broken apart before intercourse can occur. There are several ways this is done—all of them very painful. Of course, the woman is able to experience little or no sexual pleasure.
Female circumcision is mainly, but not exclusively, a Muslim practice. According to UNICEF, the top rates are in Somalia (with 98 percent of women affected), Guinea (96 percent), Djibouti (93 percent), Egypt (91 percent), Eritrea (89 percent), Mali (89 percent), Sierra Leone (88 percent), Sudan (88 percent), Gambia (76 percent), Burkina Faso (76 percent), Ethiopia (74 percent), Mauritania (69 percent), Liberia (66 percent), and Guinea-Bissau (50 percent).
Why is it done? Some say it is done for reasons of hygiene but this is not credible (and even if it were, would not justify it). In fact, the opposite is the case. Urine and menstrual fluids can be retained beneath the scar tissue and cleaning becomes very much more difficult.
It is a part of culture and is supported by both men and women in those groups that practice it. But it is painful, dangerous, done without consent and robs women of sexual satisfaction for their entire lives. The most likely reason for the practice is to control women—to reduce the likelihood of a wife having sexual relationship outside of marriage and as proof that a bride is a virgin.
I can’t think of a single good reason that would justify this vile practice. But they have no good reasons—they have only very bad reasons.
Wednesday, 2 April 2014
Is it possible that Jehovah might exist?
Someone asked me if there was any moment in my life as an atheist when I accepted the possibility that Jehovah might exist.
To my knowledge there is no evidence that Jehovah exists and lack of evidence is a perfect reason not to believe something. But lack of evidence does not mean a thing does not exist, it means there is no reason to believe it does.
So a rational person remains open-minded but sceptical.
However, when we discuss Jehovah, I cannot remove from my mind that this particular god is reminiscent of a stick of rock with words running through its entire length.
The words say, "Invented by men from the Iron-Age".
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To my knowledge there is no evidence that Jehovah exists and lack of evidence is a perfect reason not to believe something. But lack of evidence does not mean a thing does not exist, it means there is no reason to believe it does.
So a rational person remains open-minded but sceptical.
However, when we discuss Jehovah, I cannot remove from my mind that this particular god is reminiscent of a stick of rock with words running through its entire length.
The words say, "Invented by men from the Iron-Age".
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
Particle Memory Technology computer announced
Researchers at Cambridge University have today announced a breakthrough enhancement of the quantum computer.
Quantum computers utilise the power of quantum mechanics to create tiny computers with speeds thousands of times faster than today's supercomputers.
The technology announced today, known as Particle Memory Technology (PMT) takes this to the next level. By periodically stressing a quantum computer, its size dramatically shrinks and it eventually stabilises, self-assembling into a massively parallel configuration. This makes it trillions of times faster than a quantum computer. It is capable of a huge number of simultaneous operations—an upper limit has yet to be established but one researcher speculated it could be infinite.
This device is such a big step from computers as we know them that the team has ditched the term "computer" in favour of World Resource Device (WoRD).
Dr Chicxulub Crater, leading the team said, "We have known for many years that reducing the size of computer components, increases their speed."
"Now we have taken this to the ultimate level. The WoRD effectively shrinks a quantum computer to a quantum vacuum—no atomic particles or sub-particles can be detected yet it delivers prodigious performance."
"To all intents and purposes it is immaterial."
The WoRD has no parts to wear out, generates no heat and requires no power to operate. This computer could last and continue to work forever.
Now, researchers are moving on to consider applications. George O'Donnell, the Chief Deployment Engineer on the team told us, "Applications for this device are virtually unlimited. We could build the ultimate database that would be able to track everything that happens in real time at ultra-high resolution. That vast amount of data with sophisticated modelling software would make it possible to predict the future with 100% accuracy."
"Every human being on the planet could have a wireless connection to the WoRD so it could effectively be with all of us all the time."
"This will change everything from how we see ourselves as a species to our purpose in life."
The Cambridge team is determined to make this a free resource for the entire world. "Just say the WoRD and you will receive."
It brings to mind the expression, "In the beginning was the WoRD".
Read More
Quantum computers utilise the power of quantum mechanics to create tiny computers with speeds thousands of times faster than today's supercomputers.
The technology announced today, known as Particle Memory Technology (PMT) takes this to the next level. By periodically stressing a quantum computer, its size dramatically shrinks and it eventually stabilises, self-assembling into a massively parallel configuration. This makes it trillions of times faster than a quantum computer. It is capable of a huge number of simultaneous operations—an upper limit has yet to be established but one researcher speculated it could be infinite.
This device is such a big step from computers as we know them that the team has ditched the term "computer" in favour of World Resource Device (WoRD).
Dr Chicxulub Crater, leading the team said, "We have known for many years that reducing the size of computer components, increases their speed."
"Now we have taken this to the ultimate level. The WoRD effectively shrinks a quantum computer to a quantum vacuum—no atomic particles or sub-particles can be detected yet it delivers prodigious performance."
"To all intents and purposes it is immaterial."
The WoRD has no parts to wear out, generates no heat and requires no power to operate. This computer could last and continue to work forever.
Now, researchers are moving on to consider applications. George O'Donnell, the Chief Deployment Engineer on the team told us, "Applications for this device are virtually unlimited. We could build the ultimate database that would be able to track everything that happens in real time at ultra-high resolution. That vast amount of data with sophisticated modelling software would make it possible to predict the future with 100% accuracy."
"Every human being on the planet could have a wireless connection to the WoRD so it could effectively be with all of us all the time."
"This will change everything from how we see ourselves as a species to our purpose in life."
The Cambridge team is determined to make this a free resource for the entire world. "Just say the WoRD and you will receive."
It brings to mind the expression, "In the beginning was the WoRD".
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About Me
- Nildogma
- As a 20-year-old I was insatiably curious about the world and passionate about rejecting superstitions and all kinds of false beliefs. I still am today. Sometimes when people believe things that are not true, it make little or no difference but sometimes the consequences can be disastrous and deadly. Now, I do what I can to help people improve their thinking skills, especially in how they impinge on core beliefs, such as cultural values and religious beliefs. I have an active Facebook page for which I create memes and write articles almost daily. I also engage people in on-line debates. You can find me here: https://www.facebook.com/bill.flavell.1 I lecture at universities around the world and present or debate at public meetings. I also, draw on my management consultancy background to help freethought groups, almost anywhere in the world, to get organised, develop strategy and improve their media and presentation skills. If you would like me to present at your university or for your church group or freethought group, please contact me.
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