It appears Muslim fundamentalists just assassinated Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. It is not entirely clear they were responsible however. Not only was there a bombing (usual trademark of fundamentalist attacks), but Bhutto was also shot. So, it could be some other forces in Pakistan who were opposed to the former Prime Minister, including the government of Pervez Musharraf (after the assassination, Bhutto supporters were chanting, "Dog, Musharraf, Dog.").
If it was religious fundamentalists, it wouldn't be the first time. It would be about the one billionth time religious folks have resorted to violence to settle disputes. And they usually kill people trying to bring peace or empower others. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was killed by a Muslim fundamentalist for making peace with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was killed by a Jewish fundamentalist for trying to make peace with the Palestinians. While Christian fundamentalists are busy trying to create the next Armageddon so we can all die. What a pleasant lot.
Why do they do this? Because they're supposed to. Read the Bible, the Torah and the Koran. They are all full of violent, bloody fantasies that teach you over and over to kill your enemies. Christians love to think they are the exception to this rule. They'll say the Old Testament doesn't really apply anymore because the New Testament overruled all the gory, masochists violence of the earlier book. So, then I guess Genesis isn't true either since that's in the Old Testament? Oops.
Then, you'll get the excuse that Jesus was the Prince of Peace. Yeah, I know, that's why in Matthew 10:34 he says, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." Sounds down right Christian of him.
But even if you can make up pathetic excuses for this obvious blood-lust and call to violence, it doesn't matter. Because in the end Jesus murders almost all of us anyway. Jesus doesn't just kill the "liars" and the "sexually immoral" and the eight other categories of people who get thrown in "fiery lake of burning sulfur." He kills all of the "unbelieving" folks as well. If you don't believe in Jesus, you get the lake of fire! What a swell guy.
In most interpretations of Islam, Jesus is the prophet that returns at the end of time to kill everyone, too. The fundamentalist Jews also believe in a Messiah that comes to kill everyone and start the world over again. So, pretty much every major religion agrees -- God is a murdering tyrant.
If you don't kiss God's ass enough, he will kill you. And then for good measure, he will roast you over an open fire for the rest of time. You know who does torture? God does. If you don't believe in him and grovel at his feet for eternity he will torture you forever. That's what your religion teaches you and you want me to respect that?
You know what I say to that -- Hell no!
If Jesus really comes back to kill everyone (except his sycophants who sucked up to him enough to earn his pitiful mercy), then I'll fight him. He is a ruthless, bloody, senseless killer. The worst tyrant the world has ever seen. All of the religions believe in this absurd, sick fantasy. Then they wonder why their followers wind up starting wars and killing people who disagree with them.
Plenty has been written about how Christianity was made up in the Council of Nicaea by a bunch of bishops who cherry-picked inconsistent accounts to serve their political purposes (that is a slightly over-simplistic account, but everyone acknowledges that the Bible was written decades after Jesus died and was assembled by others who never knew Jesus or heard what he actually said).
How can anyone know this, and still believe in this nonsense? For the sake of sanity, I will assume that people who still believe in organized religion are ignorant of its history (and believe me, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism have equally ridiculous histories -- to people who aren't brainwashed by these cults, the most amusing thing is to watch one cultist claim that all the other religions are wrong but his is right).
But you can't claim you don't know the ending. Everyone knows what happens at Armageddon. Almost all of us get killed by God. Knowing this, you expect us to respect that guy? Why should I? He plans to murder me.
This is the point when believers will tell you that you have a choice and you can avoid Jesus killing you if you just promise your unending loyalty to him (and presumably watch him kill the rest of humanity in front of your eyes). I think Saddam Hussein used to say something similar. So did Stalin and Mao and every other dictator in the world. If you promise me your loyalty, then I won't murder you.
No thanks. I don't have to respect that. In fact, we are doing the world a great injustice by still respecting this lunacy.
The funny thing is how touchy religious people are. They will get offended at the drop of a hat. Christians reading this now are so mad they can hardly contain themselves. Just calm down, your God promises to torture me forever anyway. What can you do to me that he can't?
Meanwhile, Muslims are sharpening their swords as we speak. They get to shoot people in the neck and watch them bleed to death, as they likely did to Bhutto today, but we can't publish a frikin' cartoon of their prophet? Muslims who don't understand the irony of saying, "I will kill you if you say my religion is violent" are the dumbest people on earth.
So, we have to live with these barbarians. But I don't have to respect them. They can say anything they like about us and even look forward to the day where we all die a fiery death at the hands of their Leader. But we can't offend them? Please.
If you are offended by the fact that your religion is made up, cruel, violent, barbaric and ridiculous, that's your problem, not mine. If I'm right, you're living your life based on a silly lie. If you're right, I'll be murdered by your prophet and then roasted in hell for eternity. I think it's fair to say I should be the one offended.
For the record, I'm not. Harry Potter is just as likely to come to life and kill me for not believing in him as Jesus Christ is. I'm not offended by your sad, little fantasies. But please spare me your righteous indignation about how I hurt your feelings.
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I Don't Respect Your Religion
Posted Dec 27th 2007 12:44PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Young Turks, Religion, Islam, Christianity
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Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 49)
16. *thunderous applause!*
Thank you for writing this, although it's truth will be lost to the brainwashed religious folk sure to show up. I see a lovely "christian" has already shown the "love of christ" by calling you all kinds of nasty things.
When religious people start trying to make everyone conform to their standards, FREEDOM is threatened.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."
K at 1:55PM on Dec 27th 2007
17. Well said, religion is the biggest contradiction there is. People just hang on to it because they need to believe there is something greater than themselves, which is fine, but don't try and force your beliefs on others. Its all just mythology anyway.
Rah at 1:56PM on Dec 27th 2007
18. Dear Mr. Cenk Uygur...
First... what kind of rediculous name is that anyway... if you tell me where you are from then I might be able to better understand your lunacy (and if you say Mars then I will completely understand).
I suspect you are proud to be a member of the latest rendition of "atheist shek" - although it is a movement that is hardly new (sorry to abuse your ego). Wow.. Chris Hitchins must be YOUR messiah. So let me understand this... you're suggesting that you are "just smarter" than all of the BILLIONS of muslims, christians and jews that have lived over the last 5-6 THOUSAND years that have believed in a diety. And, of course, since you are such a boy GENIUS, you've been able to figure out that it is GOD's fault that humans have been/are as violent as they are. All that stuff about free will given to the human race by their creator - that's just a bunch of psycho-babble right? No doubt you've also bought into the "it's not my fault" rationalization fantsy so popular with the twenty-somethings these days. But I am curious about one glarring logical inconsistency with your sitting in a high-chair eating baby food skreed - if God is not the one who is actually coming down here and just killing folks all over the place, then I guess it's humans that are doing the killing all by themselves. And if the humans are really responsible for the killing, then how on (this) earth is God responsible? Because he wrote a book? Because millions of humans believe he exists? You and people like you should be pittied for the pathetic morons that you are. Simply spending 15 minutes in a book store reading some theoretical physics books is enough to convince even "the barely trainable" human that there are things in this universe that defy our ability to comprehend. That is unless one is a boy genius like you with the ability to comprehend the entire universe and mock its creator.
Do yourself and the rest of humanity a favor Mr. Cenk Uygur... and go out and get a real job and keep your lunitic opinions to yourself.
jim coster, attorney and harvard honors graduate
pittsburgh, pa
Jim Coster at 2:01PM on Dec 27th 2007
19. Linda, because you are an atheist does not necessarily mean the elevator goes all the way to the top, you twit!
Pro-Zionists are the ruination of the world. They steal the Palestinians land , build settlements on the 2 mile line in Gaza, hold back electric and food, have tanks trained on, what is supposed to be a home, at all times, 8 yr olds shot for tossing rocks, bulldoze what roof they happen to have over their heads, given curfews, AIPAC and you must be Likud buddies, Israel is not one of the 10 Countries allowed by the non-proliferation Treaty to have Nukes, they have between 40 - 65, what the hell was with 6 September 2007 over Syria, oh what, what, because people called PALESTINIANS have had their land over run pre and post WWII, their borders were constantly moved, then the good ol' 6 day war, those were the days, huh? A Zionist would die right here and now before they referred to a Palestinian as anything than an Arab, call then by their rightful name, damnit, PALESTINIANS.
Why does Israel bomb Lebanon all the time? I will not do your work for you, you throw up a website and I am supposed to waste MY time to look at a site, something anyone could have written, are you that stupid?
I don't care because I am in Germany and you can piss off, cochon!
rhodalee at 2:01PM on Dec 27th 2007
20. If you can read the blatantly boring bible, it teaches you a different language- just like spanish or japanese. You will then be threatened using this language & no court will recognize the fear of god because its not english. All you people who believe religion is for a certain race are stupid! Religion breeds out undiciplined people & breeds beauty to rule as a master race. You are paraded in front of a brick wall so you don't know that is happening to you. Tyrants. Time for America to be realized, it was written out of law 12-17-91, and no one was wise enough to read the laws that did it.
Eric at 2:03PM on Dec 27th 2007
21. It all comes down to what you believe in. Some people have been commenting that you will one day be judged by god for what you are saying, but if you don't believe in god why would you fear his judgment? This argument could and will last forever because humanity will never agree on one point. And for people who think this article is dangerous and a form of brainwashing, you should step back and take a look at whatever religion you are a part of. There is no greater cause of death and war than religious beliefs.
Rah at 2:06PM on Dec 27th 2007
22. If you can read the blatantly boring bible, it teaches you a different language- just like spanish or japanese. You will then be threatened using this language & no court will recognize the fear of god because its not english. All you people who believe religion is for a certain race are stupid! Religion breeds out undiciplined people & breeds beauty to rule as a master race. You are paraded in front of a brick wall so you don't know that is happening to you. Tyrants. Time for America to be realized, it was written out of law 12-17-91, and no one was wise enough to read the laws that did it.
Eric at 2:07PM on Dec 27th 2007
23. get your point, Cenk, even if others don't.
I feel exactly as you do....more is done in the name of religious belief to do harm to others than anyone.
>>>>>
You foolish child! What did we have before religion ... what would we have without it?
"Without religion there can be no good nor evil, no right or wrong, ONLY THE PRIMAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE WEAK AND THE STRONG." Me.
If anyone thinks we would be better off without religion ... think agian. The only moderating force in human history has been religion. Religion is the most powerful force for good in human history. It should surprise no one that men often misuse that most powerful force to create great evil. Blame the men, not the religion.
Thomas J Gassett at 2:08PM on Dec 27th 2007
24. If you can read the blatantly boring bible, it teaches you a different language- just like spanish or japanese. You will then be threatened using this language & no court will recognize the fear of god because its not english. All you people who believe religion is for a certain race are stupid! Religion breeds out undiciplined people & breeds beauty to rule as a master race. You are paraded in front of a brick wall so you don't know that is happening to you. Tyrants. Time for America to be realized, it was written out of law 12-17-91, and no one was wise enough to read the laws that did it.
Eric at 2:10PM on Dec 27th 2007
25. Cenk,
Brother, what is your problem?
You are using what very few do, and grouping them with everyone else.
Far Right Christians do it in regards to Muslims.
Extreme Muslims do it to Christians.
And now you are just grouping everyone together.
It is obvious that you do not have a clue as to what the Bible says, and that is okay. The majority of us don't get it.
But to post this for everyone to see, is embarrassing....to you. It really shows ignorance and a lack of mental fortitude on your part.
I'm hoping you wake up tomorrow and use 10% of the brain that you're given instead of using only 5% like today.
Botts at 2:12PM on Dec 27th 2007
26. # 16 I didn't realize god wrote the bible.
I don't think Cenk was trying to say that god himself is going to come to your house and kill you if you don't worship him. Its the people who believe so strongly that they are more righteous in there beliefs that they have to kill in the NAME of god, and they feel that they are justified in doing so. I have no problems with people who are religious, its the people who think we are stupid and doomed because we don't share their beliefs.
Rah at 2:12PM on Dec 27th 2007
27. Flawless article. young turks just got a new subscriber.
Walter at 2:45PM on Dec 27th 2007
28. People are stupid because we go to schools that are not allowed to tell the truth because of religion. We go to the brick wall to embarass ourselves & make all men female. The world will be less violent then, but who will care, we will just be ants to someone who will rape us of our lives.
Eric at 2:16PM on Dec 27th 2007
29. Eric,
What drugs are you on?
And do you have any extra on hand?
Botts at 2:19PM on Dec 27th 2007
30. Right on.
Sarah at 2:07PM on Dec 28th 2007