What is God? Is it an idea you’ve derived from one of the many versions of the Christian bible? Since these bibles were written by men, how can you be so sure that the idea they describe is accurate? What leads you to think that their understanding of God was any better than yours would have been had you not read their words? You may have noticed that the God described in the Old Testament is fairly different from the one mentioned in the New Testament. Which is the correct God, and how do you know?

What is God? Is it an idea you have been taught by your family, friends, church, and culture? You may have noticed that there is great variability in what people around you believe about God. Who is right, and how do you know? What if you’ve been worshipping the wrong God all this time?

What is God? Perhaps what you are worshipping is your own unique understanding of God based on everything you’ve been taught, your personal experiences, and how you’ve interpreted them. This would certainly make sense and is probably how most religious people understand God. But how is this meaningfully different from worshipping yourself? Wouldn’t this mean that worship is really a form of self-love?

It’s a thought-provoking question. I have my answer, do you have yours?

What is God? is a post from: Freethinker

Christianity: The belief that some cosmic Jewish Zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity, because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree.

Makes perfect sense.

Definition of Christianity is a post from: Freethinker

Freethinkers who have come from evangelical homes, like myself, know the intense social pressure that comes from their extended family. This is especially true when the grandparent believes you’re leading their grandchildren straight to hell!

There’s a song by David Bazan – someone who has also gone through a major faith transition – that fully understands the position that freethinking parents find themselves in. His song, Bearing Witness, captures exactly how I feel as a parent, but also repurposes religious vernacular to offer encouragement to those who have chosen a rational and logical belief system, and parenting style.

I clung to miracles I have not seen
From ancient autographs I cannot read
And though I’ve repented
I’m still tempted, I admit
But it’s not what bearing witness is

Too full of prophecy and fear to see
The revelation right in front of me
So sick and tired of trying to make the pieces fit
Because it’s not what bearing witness is

When the gap between
What I hoped would be
And what is makes me weep for my kids
I take a cleansing breath
And make a positive confession
But is that what bearing witness is

Though it may alienate your family
And blur the lines of your identity
Let go of what you know
And honor what exists
Son, that’s what bearing witness is
Daughter, that’s what bearing witness is

The last paragraph is is the most powerful statement for me. Every parent that has experienced a transition from make believe to freethinking, has felt the alienation from their family, and initial blurring of their identity. For me, it includes a loss of intimacy. I no longer have the ability to talk deeply or philosophically with my parents, because the foundation of our belief system and world views are so deeply opposing.

I feel fortunate and hopeful though, because I’m in the unique position to help stop the superstitious beliefs that have accompanied my family lineage for as long as anyone can remember. Bazan put that reality into a more concise statement, by naming his album Curse Your Branches.

Let Go of What You Know and Honor What Exists is a post from: Freethinker

Are Your Cats Old Enough to Learn About Jesus? is a post from: Freethinker

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcvd5JZkUXY

All Creative Work Builds On What Came Before is a post from: Freethinker

Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.

(via irReligion.org)

What is Morality? is a post from: Freethinker

The New Commandments

1. Do not condemn people on the basis of their ethnicity or color.
2. Do not ever use people as private property.
3. Despise those who use violence or the threat of it in sexual relations.
4. Hide your face and weep if you dare to harm a child.
5. Do not condemn people for their inborn nature—why would God create so many homosexuals only in order to torture and destroy them?
6. Be aware that you too are an animal and dependent on the web of nature, and think and act accordingly.
7. Do not imagine that you can escape judgment if you rob people with a false prospectus rather than with a knife.
8. Turn off that fucking cell phone—you have no idea how unimportant your call is to us.
9. Denounce all jihadists and crusaders for what they are: psychopathic criminals with ugly delusions.
10. Be willing to renounce any god or any religion if any holy commandments should contradict any of the above.

The “New 10 Commandments” According to Christopher Hitchens is a post from: Freethinker