I Don't Respect Your Religion

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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

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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Reader Comments ( Page 5 of 49)

Previous 15 Comments | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

61. Gassbag: "You godless, America hating, liberal scum make me want to puke."
Thomas J Gassett at 4:43PM on Dec 27th 2007
------------------------------
Jesus, Gassbag. You're too damn predictable. Why don't you say something different? Lack of vocabulary?
------------------------------

And Jim Coster? You are one seriously deluded guy. I don't believe ANYTHING that you say.

So post away.

Linda at 4:55PM on Dec 27th 2007

62. 4. Every atheist I have ever met was dysfunctional.

xxx

every lawyer I ever met suffered from self induced borderline personality disorder.

Clif Kuplen at 4:59PM on Dec 27th 2007

63. I am an Eastern Orthodox Christian priest. Cenk -- it is true that much of religion is very bloody. Christianity has had a bloody and intolerant history. And, no, it DOESN'T matter whether atheists have killed more than the religious. For disciples of Jesus to kill even one person is one too many. But this isn't God. It is the fact that people are fallen from what God intended them to be. They will use their "religion" to carry out their venom. If you take away religion, there will be some other excuse. Look at the old Soviet Union. People are vicious. Now, blaming this on religion is like blaming the aggression of a pit bull on the fact that it is tan colored. Immaterial. There are many interpretations of the Bible, the Koran, and all other religious tomes. Orthodox do not believe in simply following a dead book, but, rather in a living Church which interprets and mediates that book and all of the teachings of Jesus through the ages. Did we get it wrong alot? Hell, yes. Is lots of it still wrong? Hell yes! Are Christians often as selfish, violent, nasty, hateful, bigoted, bloody, vengeful, etc., etc. as others? Hell yes!

But this still leaves unanswered the question of the truth or falsity of the proposition that God became Man and lived for our sakes that we might become as He is. You are operating from a purely emotional basis and condemning a religion because of your (rightful) disgust at the damage done by people using their faith a an excuse. But you are really no better than your counter-blogger, Dinesh. Neither of you have a clue about the history of the Church, yet behave as if you do. Both of you operate by stirring up your partisans with emotional appeals thinly disguised as intellectual arguments. It STILL leaves unanswered the question of the truth or falsity of the claim that God became Man and lived and died and rose again. Regardless of what Jesus' or Mohammed's or Moses' or Buddha's or Bozo's followers have or have not dont, the truth question remains.

I am often ashamed of being a Christian, esp. when I hear other Christians spouting off unCharitable things and being entirely ignorant. I know well (having taught it) Christianity's bloody and intolerant history and say "Lord, have mercy." I don't believe in Christianity because Christians are great ---- we aren't. And contrary to Dinesh D'Souza, I don't think that Christianity has made very many unique contributions that wouldn't have been otherwise...I think DD is incredibly ignorant. I believe in Christianity, wishing that I didn't, trying to find some way out, but drawn time and again by spiritual and intellectual honesty to conclude that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, of one Substance with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Light of Light, True God of True God. I wish I could get around it. I can't. So I believe and ask the Lord for mercy for me and the millions of others of His very unworthy servants every day. The problem isn't Jesus. It is us. May the Lord have mercy on all of us. And Cenk...check your facts...very few of us believe that Jesus is going to condemn anyone to Hell. Hell is within me right now. I can let it reign, or let God heal me of the Hell that is in me. May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Father John at 5:37PM on Dec 27th 2007

64. Is anyone getting my blogs? I want some hate mail!

Eric at 5:05PM on Dec 27th 2007

65. I must admit, Eric capital E, that I am somewhat confused by the two paragraphs.

Could you perhaps explain them?

Linda at 5:08PM on Dec 27th 2007

66. I just read your post again, Eric capital E. I still don't get it.

Something kind of (David) Lynchian about it.

Linda at 5:10PM on Dec 27th 2007

67. 61. Is anyone getting my blogs? I want some hate mail!

Eric at 5:05PM on Dec 27th 2007
---------------------------------------------------

I read your post and I hate you. You can stop posting now.

Captain Negative at 5:12PM on Dec 27th 2007

68. I'd like to thank the reliously insane for stepping right up to prove Cenk correct.

Captain Negative at 5:15PM on Dec 27th 2007

69. Its fairly simple. People fight to biblical references, such as the fruit in Genesis, interpreted as an apple, a fruit being homosexual, etc. etc. Each story in the bible has a abstract term. These abstract terms are used to communicate with people who have read and understand the bible. They are feared into donating their family seed to those who need it. The other paragraph is just history. We evolved from apes. Police or armies had not been invented yet. Egypt was the first prison. After the mediterranean was engulfed in war. The prison was turned into the army that civilized the world... bringing subordination of every living soul to one power.

Eric at 5:18PM on Dec 27th 2007

70. -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.

Geez and I thought we "religious" folks were the touchy ones.

-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

First of all dude maybe you should read the bible a little further before making ignorant comments. Jesus doesn't come back to kill everyone, he comes back to take his own people. Its the Antichrist that comes back to kill everyone.

-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.

That statement in itself makes no sense. No one says what happened in the old testament isn't true, it just doesn't apply anymore, what's so hard to grasp about that.

-If you don't kiss God's ass enough, he will kill you

U know I would ignore this but I just can't help myself. God doesn't need no one to kiss His ass. If He did, He says He will raise the stones of the earth to do so. Its just left to us to recognize whether or not we would even exist were it not for Him.

-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.

Sure and even the Devil said this to Jesus during his 40 day temptation period. I guess that puts Jesus,Hussein,Stalin and even the Devil in the same category. Just because they all asked of unending loyalty they are to be treated with disdain.

Conclusion: First of all I prefer using the word faith in place of religion. You know what I think ? I think you fall into the category of those who see the world as black and white. Trying to blame every bad thing happening in the world on people's faith. And even worse trying to put christianity into the mix based on things that happened a couple millenia ago. Now am not one to defend other people's faith (am a devout christian in case u haven't noticed). But the sooner you start recognizing not everyone of the same faith necessarily agree on everything and that there are indeed extremists in this world trying to push their own agenda, the sooner you would see that they are the ones you should be blaming and not God, Jesus or Mohammed for that matter.

GOD RULES!! at 5:26PM on Dec 27th 2007

71. Rhodalee:

Cenk it Does ABSO-FRIGGIN-LUTELY not say in the Western Protestant
Christian Bible that Jesus is coming back to kill us all, oh man, you
mean like end of the world shit.
...................
Rhoda, Perhaps you had better take another look at REVELATION. It
does say that. Also read about the 144 thousand virgins. Seems Jesus
has a low opinion of anyone who consorts with women.

Heidi at 5:35PM on Dec 27th 2007

72. Thanks, Mr. Coster, for proving my point about Christians being hateful and intolerant. For those of you out there that actually follow Jesus' teachings it is not you with whom I take issue but there just aren't as many of you out there as there should be. Also, FYI I am not dysfuncional I am married, have children, volunteer in my community, love my family and my country, at least the freedoms afforded to me by that country and by people like you -if you in fact served- that fought for those freedoms. It just amazes me that service people can claim to fight for our freedom but come home and say that the only people who deserve said freedom are those that believe in the christian god. It is my understanding based on my non-harvard education that this country was founded on among other things the idea of religious freedom, meaning the freedom to choose your own religion and practice that religion, not the one the gov't or the majority says you should. That is one of the freedoms Mr. Coster you have fought for. You are a hypocrite.

Heath at 5:44PM on Dec 27th 2007

73. I have to agree with dswynne. If people thought they could somehow use the color pink as a tool to control and terrorize people and gain power then they would.

Neferen at 5:50PM on Dec 27th 2007

74. To Linda- or anyone wishing to offer hate mail. Egypt originally was a prison before metal bars, a days walk into the dessert. The prisoners skintone darkened because they were without clothes & were being cooked by the sun. They became emanciated because they were without enough food for their labors. A grecian/phoenician/viking/philosopher type had children with these slaves to repopulate the world. We are all human now. It was the same process that caused the first white ape to go extinct, the same way the greeks went extinct, the same way the english went extinct, the same way the american pioneers went extinct. Jesus is just the passing down of what's left of the original genes. Education defeated intelligence. The original species of the mediteranean became obsolete because different races evolved disciplines as an alliance. No one race could compete against an alliance of several races. White people are prisoners in America. They receive the most benefits to keep their genes alive, to pass onto those they are feared into serving.

If you can read the blatantly boring bible, it teaches you a different language- just like spanish or japanese. You will then be threatened by religious zealots using this language & no court will recognize the fear of god because it is not recognizible because it is interpreted. All the people who believe religion is for a certain race are just Wells in a larger recipe. White people serve to lighten the world. Black to provide a lean appearance, etc. etc. Religion breeds out undiciplined people & breeds women to rule as a master race. They rule over naive men who are paraded in front of a brick wall so they don't know that is happening to them (wives are regularly impregnated by someone other than the husband). Tyranny. Time for America to be realized, it was written out of law 12-17-1791, and no one was wise enough to read the laws that did it. We live in Never, Never land. Every law written in the Constitution conflicts with another law. Those in power get to interpret according to their will. A constitutional amendment in 1791 erased all the laws subordinating Americans to the will of God.

Eric at 10:07AM on Dec 28th 2007

75. "You godless, America hating, liberal scum make me want to puke.

Thomas J Gassett at 4:43PM on Dec 27th 200------------------------------------------------------------

Go for it, Gassett! Puke till you die! One less whack-job ruining this nation. You won't be mourned.

Captain Negative at 5:49PM on Dec 27th 2007

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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.