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 6 of 49)
76. Well, since you have chosen to say "to hell with the Christians" I must say that I feel you have little or no idea what Hell really is.
Hell is neither a fantasy or a theme for a poorly written movie script. It is a real place and a place that only someone who does not beleive in a Heaven or a Hell, would either chose to go or hope others did go to.
I could suggest a few books on the subject but I sincerely believe it would be waste of time, given that you obviously believe in neither Hell or Heaven. I would only say that if you are right and there is no Hell or Heaven, then when I die, I will just black out and "Poof!" all thought, feelings and memories are gone. However, in a 1 in a million chance that there is a Heaven and a Hell and you are wrong...well, I guess we will just have to wait and see won't we?
Paul at 5:53PM on Dec 27th 2007
77. Clif writes:
Dominionism is an unamerican and treasonous philosophy. If the same person says the kingdom of god is not a democracy and separation of church and state is just an opinion, that's a litmus test failure. A person who acts out on such a belief should not be respected
..................
Clif, boy you sure have that right. HerE is a sample of what Christian Dominionists have in store for anyone who disagrees with them.
If they gained control of the US or Canadian federal government, there would be many changes:
From religious tolerance
http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm
The use of the death penalty would be greatly expanded, when the Hebrew Scriptures' laws are reapplied. People will be executed for adultery, blasphemy, heresy, homosexual behavior, idolatry, prostitution, evil sorcery (some translations say Witchcraft), etc. The Bible requires those found guilty of these "crimes" to be either stoned to death or burned alive. Reconstructionists are divided on the execution method to be used.
A church or congregation which does not accept the Mosaic Law has another god before them, and is thus guilty of idolatry. That would be punishable by death. That would include all non-Christian religious organizations. At the present time, non-Christians total two-thirds of the human race.
The status of women would be reduced to almost that of a slave as described in the Hebrew Scriptures. A woman would initially be considered the property of her father; after marriage, she would be considered the property of her husband.
It would be logical to assume that the institution of slavery would be reintroduced, and regulated according to Biblical laws. Fathers could sell their daughters into slavery. Female slaves would retain that status for life. Slave owners would be allowed to physically abuse them, as long as the slaves lived for at least a day before dying of the beating. 9
Polygyny and the keeping of concubines were permitted in the Old Testament. However, Reconstructionists generally believe in marriage between one man and one woman only. Any other sexual expression would be a capital crime. Those found guilty of engaging in same-sex, pre-marital or extra-marital sex would be executed.
The Old Testament "Jubilee Year" system would be celebrated once more. Every 50 years, the control of all land reverted to its original owners. In theory, this would require every part of North American land to be returned to the original Aboriginal owners (or perhaps to those persons of Aboriginal descent who are now Christians). Hawaii would be given back to the native Hawaiians.
Governments would all have balanced budgets.
Income taxes would be eliminated.
The prison system would be eliminated. A system of just restitution would be established for some crimes. The death penalty would be practiced for many other crimes. There would be little need for warehousing of convicted criminals.
Legal abortions would be banished; those found to be responsible for abortions would be charged with murder and executed.
THANKS BUT NO THANKS YOU CRAZY FUNDIES. AMERICAN TALIBAN WANTS TO BURN YOU AT THE STAKE.
Heidi at 6:04PM on Dec 27th 2007
78. 63. 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
.................
Anytime religion is discussed it just brings out the LOVE in people LOL
heidihanson at 6:06PM on Dec 27th 2007
79. What an ass!
Christians are "trying to create the next armageddon"?
When was the last armageddon?
Not that surprising a comment from an obviously jaded source of young idiots with but one cohesive agenda......a socialist America.
The religion of non-religion is nothing more than new age fluff on an old idea.
The fact is that SCIENCE of all things has proven that Christians enjoy some things that those without faith do not.
1. Longer Life expectancy.
2. Less depression.
3. Heal faster.
4. More finacially secure.
5. Have a generally more positive outlook on life.
If these are the torments of faith in Christ then bring them on........turks!
So while we (as Christians) do have a belief in "armageddon" I have yet to meet a Christian who is actively trying to "create it".
But thank you for generalizing, exagerating and generally demeaning "my religion".
Keep up the good work...lol.
Greg at 6:08PM on Dec 27th 2007
80. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire [see Planet On Fire!]. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and if any one's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15 RSV)
So there is the blackmail Cenk was talking about.
Heidi at 6:14PM on Dec 27th 2007
81. Translation, Lake of fire = family with red hair. Church's are dams of people considered water. Also known as the damned.
Eric at 6:35PM on Dec 27th 2007
82. Wow. I couldn't agree with you more and am totally shocked to be reading this on an aol blog (seems like most aol users are quite conservative).
You are what I like to call an "extreme atheist." You have no tolerance for religion and (seemingly) have little respect for those with faith (much like Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith). Your blog may have been a little more accepted by the general public if you showed an understanding of the safety and comfort religion provides for them. I admire your "no apologies" stand point, but if we want the world to acknowledge the short-comings of religion, we need to understand why they have such strong beliefs and provide them with alternatives (since for many, religion is life).
We're on our way, though. :)
BlueOblivion at 5:18PM on Jan 2nd 2008
83. Wait, Jim Coster - you were/are an attorney AND a Harvard Honors Grad? And you still do not know how the syntax of sentence structure operates? You don't know how to use a dictionary? You don't realize that actual intelligent folks, and not posers such as yourself, will read your posts and know you are a big phoney?
Give me a break buster! You are sooo busted. And if you are as you say, I can only be made more proud of my public higher education, for your education was in vain and a total waste of your parents money. Have you paid them back yet? Probably not. It's hard making ends meet when you have those big student loan payments to make on a McDonalds salary
I pity any clients you may have, if you are in fact a JD.
nchilada at 6:44PM on Dec 27th 2007
84. What a long winded sermon, Cenk. Are you going to get off your pulpit now? Why should you care about Buhtta's death, she was religious, so you had no respect for her right? It's funny how people that complain about the intolerance of certain members of a group (that they lump together as one), never see themselves as intolerant. Perhaps this world simply needs more mirrors. Your speech is just as hateful and intolerant as those you accuse.
Mel at 6:46PM on Dec 27th 2007
85. Anyone for a Constitutional Amendment abolishing religion?
Eric at 6:46PM on Dec 27th 2007
86. Blue Oblivion, my wife says 'you come across as very intelligent'. Let's replace religion with intelligence!
Eric at 6:55PM on Dec 27th 2007
87. Today this blog should be called:
"The Young Turkey's Report"
You've attacked the worlds major religions and you feel good about it. You seem to always look at the lunatic fringe and you dismiss the good. Sounds like CNN reporting the Iraq war, show all the dead and none of the good.
You scrap books of some morality to what?
Mein Kamph, Quotations of Chairman Mao, The Communist Manifesto? These are great substitutes to teach morality and human kindness.
Yep... atheist regimes who have killed more people in the past hundred years then all of history's butchers put together, yep.. you guy's have the answer ...yep.
You get the big "WTF" today.... hopefully you will regain your senses by tomorrow.
Stop slamming, and analyze with some intellectual
dignity.
zoology101 at 9:40PM on Dec 27th 2007
88. Please don't overgeneralize about Christians. My father was a Christian, but he did not believe all the nonsense in the Bible, like the genocides allegedly encouraged by God.
So if Christianity is the right religion, it will surely be like what my father believed, not the versions of the Bible thumpers.
Tom Martin at 7:13PM on Dec 27th 2007
89. You need to check your history! I always love how religion always takes the rap for everything bad and never gets credit for anything good. As if you could separate some parts of western civilization but not others from the church... you can't... get over it. And where exactly did you learn about Christianity? the Tim lahay website?
Jenn at 7:42PM on Dec 27th 2007
90. I have no intention of ever respecting religion. It not only is wholly unworthy of my respect, the gurgling, gesticulating crowd of god-soaked, brainwashed lemmings certainly doesn't respect me for my beliefs.
Religion is simply the hideaway for lazy, anti-intellectual cowards who lack both the ambition and the gray matter to figure the world out on their own. It's a security blanket no one but the most pathetic needs, and this so-called faith has become an anchor to true human progress.
What these assholes call faith, most rational people would define as cowardice, hatred, or outright stupidity.
Dan at 8:07PM on Dec 27th 2007