(Moderators, I posted this same reply on another Great Debate:
“Why are people so defensive about God?” I think it is a VERY
relevant story here too. Is it legal to post it twice?
Yes, I’m atheist, but I don’t like to break rules, contrary to popular belief.)
I might as well let my own experience loose.
After Catholic elementary, I started Private Catholic school.
In sophomore year, I traveled to New York, stayed with aunt and uncle
and took a prep course on entering seminary.
Originally, I planned to become a priest, possibly move to Italy,
stay with other relatives up north, and live a life with
respect from everyone who saw me. (This is Italy, remember.)
During this course, the bible was examined and I was taught
what NOT to talk about, what answers to give people who questioned
the wrath and ire of God in the OT and those who did not believe in the NT. I learned of all the holes in this story. There was the erroneous lineage of Jesus in Luke and Matthew (previously mentioned),
Moses tying his son to a rock, Gabriel saving him, the rape,
the pestilence, the acts of calling people to destroy others…
Even the commandments. The ones I’d be using in Italy were NOT
alike to the ones I learned to recite every day in America.
I could keep going, but it’s clear that this bible was NOT a truthful source, it was instead, the prelude to modern politics and controlling
your population. You think I’m kidding? When the day came that
over 5,000 people (5,000 people!!!) came to view a piece of bread
that had a stain that looked like Jesus. The priests I was studying with
called an emergency “seminary awareness” meeting, telling us how
to use this crazy occurance to help prove to people this was true,
to keep their faith, and to get the money from this outrageous occurance into the collection plates.
There were suggestions of telling stories of the poor countries
that have no real tanglible items of value, that faith is strong
and that by just mentioning a second collection for these countries
next mass made people give more IMMEDIATELY!
Again, these are not evangelists like Haggard or Roberts, these are
priests.
Since now it was proven to me that the bible should be avoided
when preaching, I decided to create my “program of worship”
(an assignment) that I would only use what’s around us as proof
of an existing god. I would point out a 500 year old Redwood,
a blue whale, music, any phenomenon.
When you get to Europe, places that have much LESS distance between
their different societies, you find people have heard so many versions
of creation, god, morality, that your brand new way of teaching
has been done.
Currently, you have 84% Switzerland Atheist, NOT AGNOSTIC.
49% England, Atheist, Germany, 38% atheist.
When I traveled to these places, I can guarantee those numbers are correct.
All that said, it is only clear to me that those who call this book “holy”
and “true” have never read it all. They skip words they don’t understand, they find verses that suit themselves or their supposed cause, they start wars… Starting wars over religion. This is the last thiing I learned in seminary prep: Men, boys schools, teaching religion.
We should mention the Crusades and Inquisitioins, how their faith
drove these men to profess god’s goodness, but NEVER, EVER
mention the start of Christianity and Constantine. Never mention
the 400 years after Jesus’ death how no one had heard this story
and how a victorious war speech, painting crosses on shields led to
a life in Heaven.
I asked one priest, “Why?”
He said, “You don’t want a job?”
Faithful Cecilites, If you actually believe one flipping word of this bible,
go to seminary, leave your white-bred American town and travel.
Just make sure Colorado suburbs aren’t on your list.
