Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Paisley and all the other RW preachers...

[WCGreen]

Are the present day version of the priests who ruled the temple when Jesus walked the earth....

And yes, I include Billy Graham in with that bunch....

The only reason the cult of Jesus has come as far as it has is that avaricious and power hungry people have perverted his message and used it as a way to gather worldly riches on to themselves...

And the people eat it up...

I don't blame the preachers...

I blame the fools who follow the fools who play only lip service to Jesus...

Jesus focused on outcasts, people who were forbidden to worship with the clean and healthy...

By reaching out to those who were on the outside looking in, Jesus was empowering powerless people...

After all, it made no sense for the priest who set up all sorts of barriers to worship while establishing boundaries by acting as gatekeepers to god, to worship with the hoi polloi - they had no money, no wealth, no standing in society...

And if someone like Jesus challenged their position of power, they did away with the threat...

If you get a chance, watch the mini series about Jesus on the Discovery Channel...

I don't know, I just get so angry at how people could get away with fucking with the purity of Jesus and his wonderful message...

It's like getting dressed up for god on sundays...

Do people really think that god keeps track of how fabulous they look when they sashay through the sanctuary...

I know Easter was a co-option of pagan celebrations...

But don't blame Jesus for that...

Blame the power hungry perverter's of his word and the sheep who follow them, not Jesus...

Jesus spoke a timeless message that is based on people acting higher than the base set by our animal instincts...

I guess that is still dangerous as another Easter comes and goes...

[malaise]

1. Why start with the present day

Study the catholic church and how they killed, maimed, and destroyed for wealth.

The popes of Rome and their minions across the globe are no less guilty than the present day morons.

[WCGreen]

2. I thought I made it clear that it started from the beginning by

including the Easter co-option of pagan holidays...

I just think what's the point in attacking events from fifteen centruries ago when we can do somthing about what is happening now...

[malaise]

4. Unlesss we expose all their lies we won't get very far

The saddest part for me is that the only book most people read is the bible so they literally take it as gospel.

Why would poor helpless people give some con man part of their limited earnings? They bought the miracle business. People are brainwashed. When I tell them I have no gods, they look at me like I'm the crazy person. I blame both the con men and their followers.

[angrycarpenter]

3. Jesus is a stern semi-forgiving god

who will punish you forever for the least stray thought, but will forgive you for anything if you ask nicely.

He loves war when it is against heathens.

He loves money holding it sacred.

He thinks the poor should quit being lazy.

He wants gays to be killed.

Just ask a fundamental christian, they will tell you.

They also look at any attempt by a rational person to interpret the words of Jesus with the highest scorn and ridicule.

They don't even want to hear about Jesus the man. Couldn't care less.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. There will always be those who pervert his message...

You do what you can to make sure that his good message gets a clear hearing...

Impossible though that may seem...

K&R

[KharmaTrain]

6. I've Head It Called The Superiority Complex

The "opiate" of religion is its ability to "empower" those who suspend reality and believe. Religion answers questions that don't have answers...it provides a certainty that people want...and the answers they want as well. It's easy to wash away a catastrophe as "god's will" or feel an "invinsibility". Above all its the abdication of responsibility...it's easier to do bad things when you feel you have some "moral" blessing in doing so.