Ban The Bible

[phoenix_fire]

Quote by: Technosoul In my opinon I do not think that a lot of people truely see how insane the world has become due to such influences. <snip> If we are going to warn kids about the possible bad side effects of tobacco, pot, drugs, booze, and unsafe sex, then why not at least have TV ads warning people about the possible bad side effects of religion and Biblical addiction?

Alrighty then. I, many of my friends, and a lot of the people that I look up to read the Bible all the time. We believe it. We are not insane. We do not believe in killing people for any reason. We believe in treating others better than ourselves and in self-sacrifice for those that we love and for complete strangers. We work in the community to help the less fortunate. We are counselors and teachers. We strive toward a standard of excellence because of the Bible. The only true fault that you could agree to in all honesty is that we believe differently from you on matters of cosmology.

I find your comparisons in the poorest of taste and entirely absent of validity. There is no good use of tobacco. It blackens your lungs and teeth and fingers and kills you slowly and painfully. There is no good use of pot (or any other mind-altering chemical). They screw up your head and just might get you killed. While some dietary alcohol may be good for you, if it gets to the point of "booze", then it is eating away your liver and probably your important relationships. All of these things are intrinsically and inevitably harmful. The Bible is not. While some people twist its words to their own destruction (you can find that in there too), its true meaning is life.

You are being intellectually dishonest if you think you can score points by citing what people who misuse the Bible have done. People misuse anything and everything for their own purposes, and I think you know that.

[Technosoul]

Patrick you are correct about it being an award winning movie (shown in prime time TV) and I would agree. (thanks for correct spelling). I watched it and gave it two thumbs up. It was done with the best "good taste" that one could provide for that historical topic.

Anyway, it was aired on our TV set. And I was very surprised by my daughters interpretation and missunderstanding of the intended purpose of the movie.

Anyway I thought I would return from my vacation away from these debates with a big bang entrance. If King James was still alive I would request he ban more then what he did from those manuscripts but too late for that, anyway they might have tortured me to death for such a suggestion any how.

I wonder if the Jewish mainstream would have accepted Jesus and his teachings if God would protect them today with their current battles over in the "holyland". Hmm? We must remember that Hitler thought that the Jews killed Jesus and that this resulted in Schindler's List and the concentration camps - and that such resulted from Bible reading on the part of some Germans. Too bad Hitler's mama did not "regulate" his biblical readings.

Hope I am not being too "radical sounding" with my impression of history.

[another day]

As an atheist, hell no.

This is stupid. Nothing should be banned.

And techno, you just don't understand. The bible doesn't cause human cruelty and problems, it's just a popular excuse for it.

Take the most recent episode of South Park...cartman was frozen and reanimated 500 years in the future by some group of people called the Atheist Alliance League or something. Religion has now been banished and everyone in the world is an atheist. Suddenly the base where Cartman is at comes under attack by the Atheist Allegiance Club or whatever. Then they all get overtaken by the Atheist Sea Otters.You get the point. If religion was abolished people would find other reasons to form opposing sides and create conflict. Thus is the nature of the human being. We strive for conflict because conflict leads to change, hopefully good change, but often not. There will never be a time, religion or not, where we will all hold hands and sing songs on a grassy meadow. Take away the bible and people will find something else to make them feel superior and to attack others on, such as racial supremacy etc.

[Technosoul]

Quote by: phoenix_fire Alrighty then. I, many of my friends, and a lot of the people that I look up to read the Bible all the time. We believe it. We are not insane. We do not believe in killing people for any reason. We believe in treating others better than ourselves and in self-sacrifice for those that we love and for complete strangers. We work in the community to help the less fortunate. We are counselors and teachers. We strive toward a standard of excellence because of the Bible. The only true fault that you could agree to in all honesty is that we believe differently from you on matters of cosmology. I find your comparisons in the poorest of taste and entirely absent of validity. There is no good use of tobacco. It blackens your lungs and teeth and fingers and kills you slowly and painfully. There is no good use of pot (or any other mind-altering chemical). They screw up your head and just might get you killed. While some dietary alcohol may be good for you, if it gets to the point of "booze", then it is eating away your liver and probably your important relationships. All of these things are intrinsically and inevitably harmful. The Bible is not. While some people twist its words to their own destruction (you can find that in there too), its true meaning is life. You are being intellectually dishonest if you think you can score points by citing what people who misuse the Bible have done. People misuse anything and everything for their own purposes, and I think you know that.

Tobacco was used in the sacred peace pipe for religious purposes and was given to the Natives by the White Buffilo Calf woman who appeared in person with that gift (as an angle of sorts from the Great Spirit).

Noah got drunk on wine and when his child saw his naked and drunk he laughed, so Noah made him a slave of this brother for the rest of his life as punishment for not respecting their papa who got drunk and ran around naked in front of his kids. Noah was favored by the Biblical God. Now if they made a movie about that how would Hollywood be forced to rate it?

Pot is fairly new to our culture relative to mainstream useage, it is a seditive that is used to overcome deadly stress and if used properly it is perhaps better then some presciption drugs used to calm the nerves.

But I agree that missuse of any of those items, and missuse of the Bible by a large number of people, can generate bad side effects and so that is my point. We do not want another culture where millions are tortured and killed for "Witchcraft" which idea was biblically influenced, that would be a bad side effect. Tobacco, wine, pot, are all banned from those who are under age, who are not old enough to make logical choices. Wars are also bad side effects, and the other points I mentioned.

If chruches want to regulate movies and so forth, let them start with the Bible and regulate what is good for children in it, and what is bad for children in it.

Of couse they do make special "Children's Bibles" and so I am not the first person to come up with this idea, it might even be an idea originalted by Christians now that I think about it. But somehow they still fill it up with wars after wars where the Jewish people are always fighting someone. History should have something better to say for her self.

Now Christians are fighting the the "evil" smokers of the weed, using every political and legal weapon they can get their hands on to do so. For the sake the kids? Nay! It is because they must have something evil to fight or overcome to be happy ... so they can feel rewarded and have purpose.

Why don't just chill out a bit and slow down all that bible thumping, freedom is at stake and they got matches ready to burn it down, can you not see this?

[zynner]

Ban alcohol and kids want to drink. Ban cigarettes and kids want to smoke. Make sex taboo and they will hump like rabbits.

Probably the best thing to do would be to have every child read the Bible, the Koran, a few other religious books, and a couple of good atheism books, all while they are still very young.

Theism would likely end within a generation or two.

It is indoctrination and fear that keeps people locked into theism.

~ zynner

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: Technosoul Hitler thought that the Jews killed Jesus and that this resulted in Schindler's List and the concentration camps - and that such resulted from Bible reading on the part of some Germans. Too bad Hitler's mama did not "regulate" his biblical readings. Hope I am not being too "radical sounding" with my impression of history.

Welll...:eek:

True that the nazis found excuses for their genocide of the Jews, but that wasn't limited to a misreading of scripture by "Germans." Persecution against Jews had a long and sordid history stretching back at least to the middle ages. Formulated by the Church of Rome. So it wasn't just the Germans, it was everywhere the Catholic Church flourished.

I don't think the Bible is too hard on the Jews for their misdeeds. After all most of it was written by, for, and about the Jews.

True that Jesus was crucified BY THE ROMANS at the instigation of some hypocritical Jewish religious leaders, that doesn't implicate Jews in any way. See, Jesus also said that no one was TAKING his life. Rather, he was laying it down on purpose. So, blaming Jews was ALWAYS wrong, a penetration of the church by the Enemy.

[Zinkovich]

Strangely enough, the whole Jewish hatred thing was in part started by Martin Luther, the supposed reformer of oppression on part of the church:

" What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people, the Jews? Since they live among us, we dare not tolerate their conduct, now that we are aware of their lying and reviling and blaspheming. If we do, we become sharers in their lies, cursing and blaspemy. Thus we cannot extinguish the unquenchable fire of divine wrath, of which the prophets speak, nor can we convert the Jews. With prayer and the fear of God we must pratice a sharp mercy to see whether we might save at least a few from the glowing flames. We dare not avenge ourselves. Vengenance a thousand times worse than we could wish them already has them by the throat. I shall give you my sincere advice: First to set fire to their synagogues or schools and to bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them. This is to be done in honor of our Lord and of Christendom, so that God might see that we are Christians, and do not condone or knowingly tolerate such public lying, cursing, and blaspheming of his Son and of his Christians. For whatever we tolerated in the past unknowingly - and I myself was unaware of it - will be pardoned by God. But if we, now that we are informed, were to protect and shield such a house for the Jews, existing right before our very nose, in which they lie about, blaspheme, curse, vilify, and defame Christ and us (as was heard above), it would be the same as if we were doing all this and even worse ourselves, as we very well know. Second, I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed. For they pursue in them the same aims as in their synagogues. Instead they might be lodged under a roof or in a barn, like the gypsies. This will bring home to them that they are not masters in our country, as they boast, but that they are living in exile and in captivity, as they incessantly wail and lament about us before God. Third, I advise that all their prayer books and Talmudic writings, in which such idolatry, lies, cursing and blasphemy are taught, be taken from them. (remainder omitted) Fourth, I advise that their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb. For they have justly forfeited the right to such an office by holding the poor Jews captive with the saying of Moses (Deuternomy 17 [:10 ff.]) in which he commands them to obey their teachers on penalty of death, although Moses clearly adds: "what they teach you in accord with the law of the Lord." Thoses villains ignore that. They wantonly employ the poor people's obedience contrary to the law of the Lord and infuse them with this poison, cursing, and blasphemy. In the same way the pope also held us captive with the declaration in Matthew 16 {:18], "You are Peter," etc, inducing us to believe all the lies and deceptions that issued from his devilish mind. He did not teach in accord with the word of God, and therefore he forfeited the righ to teach. Fifth, I advise that safe-conduct on the highways be abolished completely for the Jews. For they have no business in the countryside, since they are not lords, officials, tradesmen, or the like. Let they stay at home. (...remainder omitted). Sixth, I advise that usury be prohibited to them, and that all cash and treasure of silver and gold be taken from them and put aside for safekeeping. The reason for such a measure is that, as said above, they have no other means of earning a livelihood than usury, and by it they have stolen and robbed from us all they possess. Such money should now be used in no other way than the following: Whenever a Jew is sincerely converted, he should be handed one hundred, two hundred, or three hundred florins, as personal circumstances may suggest. With this he could set himself up in some occupation for the support of his poor wife and children, and the maintenance of the old or feeble. For such evil gains are cursed if they are not put to use with God's blessing in a good and worthy cause. Seventh, I commend putting a flail, an ax, a hoe, a spade, a distaff, or a spindle into the hands of young, strong Jews and Jewesses and letting them earn their bread in the sweat of their brow, as was imposed on the children of Adam (Gen 3[:19]}. For it is not fitting that they should let us accursed Goyim toil in the sweat of our faces while they, the holy people, idle away their time behind the stove, feasting and farting, and on top of all, boasting blasphemously of their lordship over the Christians by means of our sweat. No, one should toss out these lazy rogues by the seat of their pants. " From Luther's Works, Volume 47: The Christian in Society IV, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971). pp 268-293

Makes you cringe, doesn't it?

[shield772]

Banning/Censorship, I am stunned that anyone of any intellect at all would call for or even suggest such a thing, what an idiotic statement.

[JohnMK]

Quote by: phoenix_fire Should I ever have children, I would never do them the disservice of depriving them of the Bible.

I will give my children the benefit of the doubt. If they start taking Harry Potter, the Bible, or anything else too seriously, I wouldn't hesitate to remove it from their library, but they will otherwise not have anything proscribed.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: Zinkovich Strangely enough, the whole Jewish hatred thing was in part started by Martin Luther, the supposed reformer of oppression on part of the church: Makes you cringe, doesn't it?

Mmm...no.
Luther was a proponent of many ideas of the Catholic Church, while opposing others. His hatred for Jews wasn't one of the innovations...

The Church targeting Jews had begun hundreds of years earlier and Luther continued the unrighteous attitude. He deserves honor for his "reforms" and castigation for his lack of insight into God's spirit of love for all people...

[Kamehameha34]

Do you think that "promoting violence" and "immoral behaviour" are as offensive as banning the most read book in the world, that many base their lives around?

And I'd hate to see what would happen if the government tried to do this to the Koran.

[Kuroko]

Your arguement is moot in many area's.

The content of the book does contain evidence of moral misgivings and wrongs. I believe that was the point.

To speak of adultery is not to encourage it. To give example is not to impact for the example comes with an often well known negative.

[phoenix_fire]

Quote by: Technosoul Why don't just chill out a bit and slow down all that bible thumping, freedom is at stake and they got matches ready to burn it down, can you not see this?

Oh, this is so ironic. Freedom is at stake, so let's ban a book. I think I hear the fire truck coming.

[Technosoul]

Hmmm? "For the Lord your Bible is a consuming fire, a jealous God".

Note I made a little change in one of the words, to fit this topic.

Ever here of Joan of Arc, they burned her at the stake because they thought that is what the Bible demanded. No fire trucks rescured her.

Freedom is at stake, just look at all the holy wars being effected in the world nowadays. If the Bible had been banned look ago Joan would not have been fighting a holy war nor would the chruch back then have burned her at the stake for hearing voices from God. Thank your God that we have laws in our country that subdue murder for the sake of some religious opinon or interpretaton of some scripture. But with the right wing Christians in charge those laws might vanish along with other rights that support freedom. The holy wars might consume the whole earth.

The mountian looks nice until it erupts fire from a volcanno ( volconvo?).

It does not take much brainwashing for those goodie-two shoes to start kicking butt. As history has proven over and over.

What is wrong with banning the bad effect caused by a book by teaching kids that some of the things they read in the Bible is very bad advice, and that some stories should not be used to justify those holy wars and other types of cultural bashing?

And teach kids about how people like Bush can use the Bible to manipulate people to do wrong things - politically or otherwise. Before the "few" become too many - which we are close to attaining.

The main commandment of the bible is about following orders and not about freedom of choice. Mixing clay and iron does not make for a good foundation.

[Jagged]

Dude. Parents get to choose their beliefs and what they teach their children. The Bible, itself as a book, does nothing. Its too complex a read for Children to understand and interpret. So youre basically saying ban the Christian Religion and beliefs you think are unhealthy. This is an arrogant question.

[faradjahl]

I acknowledge that the Biblbe can indeed be contradictory and against what we think is GOOD, but i really don't see how it instigates harm. What harm has the Bible caused, but dictate the way we should and should not behave? There are indeed many questions one should ask himself about whether or not he should follow what the Bible says, but this is not a reason o ban it. All religions have their background and their base. And the base of Catholicism is the Bible. If we ban the Bible, what is going to replace it? What is Catholicism going to be based on?

[twhite22]

the bible should not be banned because, how would we know right from wrong. we would have to believe what our parents or the next person has tolled us. their would be no one to lead, we would all be followers of thr next person who has no idea where he or she is going. to do away with the bible is to do away with life.

[Jack]

So youre basically saying ban the Christian Religion and beliefs you think are unhealthy.

While I don't support banning anything, I can still hope that the worship of the current gods goes the same way as the worship of the Greek gods. We're sufficiently grown up now as a species to let go of our superstitions.

how would we know right from wrong.

You wouldn't know without the bible to tell you? Those of us who don't accept the authority of the bible are still living moral lives (for the most part). We're no more perfect or imperfect than anyone else.

[Sergelyne]

I'm sorry but I completely disagree with you this. Ban the Bible?, why because it has violence, war, and sex within its text, well if we were to do that then ban every history textbook in school and while you at that ban every book in the library that has any violence or sex written in it. The Bible is a historic book that gives strong details and accounts of our history and talks about the Jewish sect. You can't ban the Bible because of the reason that you gave which was kind of vague. Basically, the point I'm trying to convey is that banning the Bible is stupid.:rolleyes:

[mssexyslim06]

I believe banning the bible would terminate the freedom that americans have to believe in their belifs. Everyone should be able to read or believe in what ever they please, it is a free country...