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Ancient Wisdom
Epicurus
Is God willing to prevent evil but not able?
Then He is not omnipotent.
Is He able but not willing?
Then he is malevolent. –
Confucius. This respectedreligious leader said, "One hundred women are not worth a single testicle."
Aristophanes
Surely you don’t believe in the gods. What is your argument? Where’s your proof?
Tertullian, the founder of Western theology, said in A.D. 22: "Woman is a temple built over a sewer, the gateway to the devil. Woman, you are the devil's doorway.
Lucretius
Why should I fear death?
If I am, then death is not.
If Death is, then I am not.
Why should I fear that which cannot exist when I do
Long time men lay oppressed with slavish fear.
Religious tyranny did domineer.
At length the mighty one of Greece
Began to assent the liberty of man.:
And not so ancient:
Albert Einstein "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." -
Pierre Charron –Theologian 1541-1603 on wisdom:-
“All Religions have this in common, that they are an outrage to common sense for they are pieced together out of a variety of elements, some of which seem so unworthy, sordid and at odds with man’s reason, that any strong and vigorous intelligence laughs at them”
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The WORDS OF THE SAINTS
St. Clement of Alexandria wrote in 96: "Let us set our womenfold on the road to goodness by teaching them ... to display ... submissiveness, to observe silence. Every woman should be overwhelmed with shame at the thought that she is a woman."
Tertullian, the founder of Western theology, said in A.D. 22: "Woman is a temple built over a sewer, the gateway to the devil. Woman, you are the devil's doorway.
St. John Chrysostom (345?-407), Patriarch of Constantinople: "Among all savage beasts none is found so harmful as woman."
St. Augustine (354-430): "Any woman who acts in such a way that she cannot give birth to as many children as she is capable of, makes herself guilty of that many murders ..."
"I find a woman more bitter than death; she is a snare, her heart a net, her arms are chains. No wickedness comes anywhere near the wickedness of a woman. May a sinner's lot be hers."Ecclesiastes 7:26-28
Man is the image of God, whereas woman reflects the glory of man. For man did not originally spring from woman, but woman was made out of man; not created for woman's sake, but for the sake of man Corinthians11:7-9
It is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord. Women are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. Corinthians 14:33-36
St. Thomas Aquinas'…woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active force in the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of woman comes from a defect in the active force or from some material indisposition, or even from some external influence'
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DO YOU REALLY KNOW YOUR BIBLE?
Everyone should read their bible to know their god
Is god merciful, loving, a bringer of peace and harmony – or conflict and fear?:-
Does he have asense of humour? –Genesis22:2
Does he reward obedience?- Genesis 22:10
……and punish wickedness? -Genesis 38:7 / 38:10/ 4:23
Does he use Plague and Deathas mass punishment ? 31:14 / 32:27 / 32:35
Does god care for innocent children and animals?Genesis 12:12 / 12:29 13:15 / 29:20 / 13:15
Is thygod a god a jealous god?
…..a god of peace and non-violence?- Genesis 15:3 / 21:15
Does he command respect? - Genesis 21:15 / 22:18 Exodus 22.20:
Does he respect life- Genesis & Exodus 22.20: 10:1-2 / 20:9
………especially women and children- Genesis 22:24
……every man his brother, and man his companion, every man his neighbour32:27
Does he really hold women in ‘special respect’ ?: Corinthians 11:7-9 / 14:33-36Ecclesiastes 7:26-28
Prepared by OPBS –‘Organisation for the promotion of bible study’
From the Gospel of Luke.
A simple exercise on morality for keen bible students
1) God strikes Zacharias dumb for doubting the angel Gabriel's words. 1:20
2) Those who fail to bear "good fruit" will be "hewn down, and cast into the fire." 3:9
3) John the Baptist says that Christ will burn the damned "with fire unquenchable." 3:17
4) Jesus heals a naked man who was possessed by many devils by sending the devils into a herd of pigs, causing them to run off a cliff and drown in the sea. 8:27-37
5) Jesus says that entire cities will be violently destroyed and the inhabitants "thrust down to hell" for not "receiving" his disciples. 10:10-15
6) Jesus says that we should fear God since he has the power to kill us and then torture us forever in hell. 12:5
7) Jesus says that God is like a slave-owner who beats his slaves "with many stripes." 12:46-47
8) In the parable of the talents, Jesus says that God takes what is not rightly his, and reaps what he didn't sow. The parable ends with the words of Jesus: "bring them [those who preferred not to be ruled by him] hither, and slay them before me." 19:22-27 [reply] [Complain about this post]
Use these texts to read and discuss at your next bible study meeting
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The New Testament? A more modern view:
1) Will you be saved or damned? We have no say in the matter. It was all determined by Will you be saved or damned? We have no say in the matter. It was all determined by "the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."
2) God drowned everyone on earth except for Noah and his family. How did they procreate without incest
3) God wants some people to suffer.
4) God will set the entire earth on fire so that he can burn non- believers to death.
5) When Jesus returns, he'll burn up the whole earth and everything on it.
6) God makes people evil and then condemns them to hell.
7) Jude reminds us that God destroys those who don't believe in him.
8) Jesus "washed us ... with his own blood."
9) Jesus has "the keys of hell and death."
10) Repent -- or else Jesus will fight you with the sword that sticks out of his mouth. (Like the limbless knight in Monty Python's "Holy Grail.")
11) Jesus says he will kill the children of Jezebel. (Does that include all non-christian children.)
12) God gave power to someone sitting on a red horse "to take from the earth ... that they should kill one another."
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Some simple questions for an open mind:
Who told you that there is a god?
Who told you that god made you?
Who told you that people go to heaven or hell when you die?
Who told you that everyone is afraid of death?
You might be afraid of pain and suffering, but why death?
Why would you be afraid to be dead when you won’t know?
Who told you that your life has to have a ‘purpose?
Who says that humans are weak & sinful and need saviour?
Who says that the only thing that can save you is ‘loving Jesus’?
Who says you can’t be good without god? The queen says we can!
Did anyone tell you why god makes people suffer?
Did they tell you he was testing you or it would make you stronger?
How old were you when you were told these things – a child?
Did you hear anyone say they were not true?
IF YOU KNOW THESE THINGS ARE TRUE HOW DO YOU KNOW?
IS IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD?
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