According to XBiz:
“We consider the bible to be a very negative force in the history of the world,” student Ryan Walker said. Walker is part of a student group that calls itself the Atheist Agenda. [...]
The group ... has raised the ire of several religious organizations on campus. “In my opinion, there are no atheists. There are fools,” Pastor Rick Hawkins of UTSA’s Family Praise Center said. “So, that would be foolish propaganda. I don’t know one believer that would take his Bible and turn it in for pornography.”
As the report notes, several students had in fact exchanged Bible for pornography. There’s something ironically appropriate about Rick Hawkins forming a conclusion about this without bothering to research the matter. Once again, ideology and wishful thinking win out over reality.
These atheists should probably get together with German Protestant students who have created a erotic calendar based on scenes from the Bible:
Nuremberg pastor Bernd Grasser said: “It’s just wonderful when teenagers commit themselves with their hair and their skin to the bible.”
“There’s a whole range of biblical scriptures simply bursting with eroticism,” said Stefan Wiest, 32, who took the racy photographs.
Anne Rohmer, 21, wearing garters and stockings, posed on a doorstep as the prostitute Rahab. “We wanted to represent the Bible in a different way and to interest young people. Anyway, it doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible that you are forbidden to show yourself nude.”
I doubt people will trade the calendars for adult magazines. However, distributing the calendars in exchange for Bibles would be an interesting idea, I think. Religious leaders would have less cause for complaint, but the atheists’ points may be made even better. American Christians could use a good dose of the attitude of German Christians like Rohmer.
Read More:
My heart sank last night when Fox news ran this story. I felt the vomit rising in my throat. I am not sure I am able to express my feelings. I am not and will not debate the God factor with anyone. It is simple. It is a choice to believe or not. However, This group has devalued me as a person by taking two things polar opposite each other and were such a force in my life. One I find my strength and one that almost ruined my marriage and my life and comparing them. Stating that the bible that gives many hope to something that destroys some lives. If you think that is does not then Ray and I are the two people in the world that are proof otherwise. I am willing to offer my book in a pdf free to anyone that is participating in this event. If after reading it and seeing how these very two items come face to face if the person can still stand for this demonstration not for the beliefs but the method of protraying the message then please turn my book in for the porn. This demonstration for me has done two things. Suported the porn that it is only moderately bad and in the process stolen from my husband and I the value of sex in our relationship. In one demonstration this group will also strip me of my dignity to chose to God. It’s not a matter of your right to believe or not, nor your right to free speech. This group has and its methods to get its point across has completely made my life meaningless and not vaules as existance. So for that I hope they feel this was a success to reach the agenda!
If it made your existence meaningless then you’re a weak person. A very weak person. Christians tease and taunt Atheists all the time yet we keep calm and carry on. You as a person should be happy with your beliefs and love yourself no matter what anyone says. I’m sure you’re a great person. But freedom of speech is legal and everyone takes it to the extreme, religions, politics etc. Just keep your ehad up and stand for what YOU believe in.
Sincerely,
The friendly Atheist.
Well this a new one. If it’s not website where people can look right at their webcams and deny the holy spirit it’s giving away media that encorages the exploitation of men, women and children for the Word of God. This really a new one for atheists.
If atheist want a logical disscussion on religion then they should concentrate on their premise first. For one thing if someone wants to waist their time on free pornography the can search for it online instead if trading in a bible. Secondly, Christianity is the greatest force of liberty in world history. Men like Luther, Tindale and others were executed for avocating and attempting to translate the bible into common language. Christianity sees no race, color, creed, or sins. Scientist throuhout history have concluded there is an intelligent designer if the universe.
Finally since these atheist have such contempt for religion they would have to come to the conclusion (assuming atheist have read the Bible) that Christianity is not a religion. Yeah I know wild concept especially when atheist for all their thinking have little to no understanding of anything. Christians are only followers of Christ nothing more or less and certainly not perfect. Everthing good comes from God (of the bible) and man has a strange way of twisting things. Jesus took away the sins of the world ,which is very good, on the cross and all us Christians do is follow him and tell people along the way. And we didn’t have to do a thing for it.
“Men like Luther, Tindale and others were executed for avocating and attempting to translate the bible into common language. Christianity sees no race, color, creed, or sins.”
Try again, Terry. Martin Luther wasn’t executed, he died of a stroke at the age of 62. Furthermore, he was a noted Jew hater and his writings about Jews and how they should be treated poorly were revived and used as propaganda by none other than the Nazis.
Perhaps you should research your own side before you attempt to debate against another.
This is a great idea!
We Atheists need our religious feelings protected too, not just the people with imaginary friends.
Atheists don’t have a contempt for religion. They have a love of critical thought and truth. That the tenants of Christianity (and most other organized religions) crumble under the weight of their mystical anti-logic isn’t the fault of the observer. It simply is the reality of the situation.
As for the pornography? It’s a statement, and a pretty benign one at that. Who cares? If you like your bible, keep it. Christians will continue to be the focus of animosity because they are driven to retaliate small nothings such as this, and force their beliefs onto others.
Wake up: The next generation of Americans are smarter and more educated. They see through the mysticism. It’s a joke to them.
—————————
As the report notes, several students had in fact exchanged Bible for pornography. There’s something ironically appropriate about Rick Hawkins forming a conclusion about this without bothering to research the matter. Once again, ideology and wishful thinking win out over reality.
—————————
I doubt those turning in Bibles were ‘believers’…
Once again, a naivete and ingnorance in today’s journalism.
And there I go with the typos…
Hard to make a point with poor grammar I suppose.
I’d be more impressed if this student group used Korans.
NOW that would take courage.
Picking on Christians is wimpy.
They did Rachael, they did. They accepted a handful of koran’s according to reports. They aren’t focusing on christianity but all of religion. Their point is that the religious texts, and yes religion in general, is a destructive body full of contradictions that allow people to choose who they hate, how they hate, and why they hate.
There are passages in the bible that encourage stoning disobedient children. No where in the bible are gay’s said to be immoral or sinful. However, people find excuses and point to the bible to justify their fears and bigotry.
These athiests are doing this in order to create discussion about religion, and look, it’s working. They want to point out the fact that morality is not derived from the bible from inside oneself. It’s called empathy.
I don’t get my morals from the bible. I get them from inside. Example, if someone close to me dies, I get sad, and it’s painful. This leads me to wish it would never happen to anyone else and shouldn’t happen at all. Therefore we take steps to create laws and punish people who break these taboo’s. I don’t need a ‘book’ or the so called ‘word of god’ to tell me this. I never have. I ‘feel’ it. This is how moral’s are created. We decide based upon how we feel.
The bible has never been anything more then a tool of reinforcement for the cruel and inhumane and granted a few do gooders but that doesn’t justify it’s existence and all the war it has caused through out all of human history.
” it doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible that you are forbidden to show yourself nude.”
Actually it does . . . Isaiah 57:8 is just one of many places in the Truth of God’s word that makes it very clear that nudity is a lewd and shameful act, and of course I am speaking of outside the marriage bed.
“where in the bible are gay’s said to be immoral or sinful.”
1 Corinthians 6:9 and Romans 1:26-27 are two places God makes it very clear that men are meant to sleep with women.
At least know your Bible if you are going to suppress its truth.
“Wake up: The next generation of Americans are smarter and more educated. They see through the mysticism. It’s a joke to them.”
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness” 1 Cor 3:19
Smart in whose eyes? You own? Or the people in whose eyes you get your security from?
At least know your Bible if you are going to suppress its truth.
I hope you choose to repent and believe one day. Until then, “God waits to be wanted.” A.W. Tozer
Patrick, is this the same god that wants me to stone my kids to death if they talk back? Who is more evil in god’s eyes the man who eats shrimp or the one that works on the sabbath?
ONE COMMENT “ONE DAY ALL WILL BE JUDGED!”
Laochtine = EPic FaIL. The purpose of the Law is to condemn.. to expose humanity for it’s sinful and rebellious ways. It isn’t just some code that we are to live by, it is to show us that we need a redeemer because we are incapable of living up to the standards of the Law! Perhaps if you spent a little time in a Theology text book instead of trolling on atheism forums you’d understand that. But you’re smarter than any theist out there in the world, right? You’re too busy looking for contradictions and “hatred” in Scripture to understand that the purpose of Scripture is to lead the world to Christ and His sacrifice upon the cross and to expose the world as being in a fallen condition.
Danni have you read the koran? It’s even worse than the bible. The news stories I have seen on this subject all focus on the bible. I want someone to FOCUS on the Koran.
The U.S.A is secular and we have a rule of law that protects most everyone. Try moving to a MUSLIM only country and see what happens to your rights.
Gays are still being killed in Iran by the government.
Please check this site out, it’s legit and has been around since after 9/11 keeping track of all the world wide terror attacks being done in the name of Islam.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
Personally I think christianity is the lest of our problems, and like John Lennon said: Christianity
will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue with that; I’m right and I will be proved right.
you may be bashing my religon by compareing my holy text to something as low as pornography but i forgive you and i am intristed in why you are atheist i dont understand how you dont see god and all the great things he does send me a email at rocletfire33@yahoo.com (not a typo) and explain how u dont see god maby i can open your eyes to what i see. GOD LOVES ATHEISTS TOO!
sincerly MATHIAS
logic say;
“if look both ways before crossing street, never will you get hit by bus”
I feel it significant to note that the bible was written by humans, ‘translated’ by others, and revised by human hands via 2000 years of history, including the oppressive middle ages where it was used as a tool for political control. I figure this should be alarming since people are ‘sinful’, and often tend to twist things to suit their own priorities as can be seen in these comments. The only time I’ve heard of god actually handing a book down is Mormonism, but that’s another topic.
I thought it was a bit rude myself, but it’s funny nonetheless, I found it much more alarming than the first poster watched fox news, which is an excellent example of why I wouldn’t trust the bible as a reliable source of information…
You’ve missed the point entirely if you see these obscenities as polar opposites!
Mathias, I respect you a bit for not condemning me and other atheists, then saying that god loves me too. But, you looked down upon us, just like all other Christians and religious people. You stated, “maby i can open your eyes” which is demeaning. You may not think so, but it is.
The thing about Atheists/Naturalists/etc. is that we’re not evil. In fact we evaluate why we believe what we believe, finding the logic in it. There’s too many contradictions in scripture and too many things not even believed that should be for it to be used as a valid belief system (derived by human minds; that basically says that humans can pick and choose, meaning we know what it right and wrong). Christianity served its place well in the past, but it has no place in our future.
If anything, god made us atheists, who are you to question him?
(8) Rachael says: Picking on Christians is wimpy.
I’d be cautious if I were you. Have you ever heard of the Reverend Paul Hill? Eric Rudolph? Scott Roeder?
Um Ron…this says it all
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
Those guys are bad people but not compared to what Islamic terrorists do those those they hate. Are you people that blind??
Why is it ok for these people to do this on state property or in a public place but it isn’t ok for a Christian to speak his or her mind or display the Ten Commandments in a public or State ran place because it offends the so called atheist?
Private individuals can stand on public property with a sign displaying the Ten Commandments. Anyone who has told you otherwise has lied to you.
All that’s forbidden is the government itself promoting the Ten Commandments.
Jean-Paul Sartre once wrote that “atheists are God’s fanatics.”
I am curious : what happens to the Bible or other religious texts people have turned in? Do they burn them? Sell them on Ebay? Recycle them?
This is sadly reminiscent of what certain regimes in the past have done with so-called “forbidden books”.
It is ironic also that this is happening when 500 Nigerian Christians have been murdered with machetes today and people of all faith are dying around the world to be able to freely express their religious beliefs from Chinese Muslims to Palestinian Christians.
So, the possibility that people might recycle Bibles they personally own is “sadly reminiscent” of totalitarian governments seizing and destroying people’s books?
I don’t see how.
Sorry, no, I don’t see the irony. Do you know what “irony” means?
This is just another sign of the end times we live in.Unfortunately not everyone will be reached by Jesus Christ. I can witness that he is a gentleman and thats why we have the will to choose him or our own flesh and the prince of darkness that rules this world with such things as pornography. No one can ever tell me there is no God after the things I have seen and been through in my life. He has saved me in so many ways and I am thankful and will always be onn his side!
Thug aim says,
” . . .people are ’sinful’, and often tend to twist things to suit their own priorities. . .”
This is true, which weakens your stance rather significantly.
If humans wrote the Bible without any inspiration, wouldn’t we state very clearly that we as a people are free to do whatever we please – Lie, kill, steal, sleep around, use and abuse people, oppress the poor and needy – WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE? Maybe even with a reward?
But no, the Bible says, “But unless you repent, you too will all perish”- Luke 13:3
and “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow me.”
WHY WOULD WE EVER WRITE THAT!!!
Isn’t our priority to get our own way at any cost?
No.
If what you wrote had any validity whatsoever, then all the books where people are told not to “do whatever we please” must also be just as supernatural in their origin. Yet, clearly they were written by humans.
And there is no reason to think the Bible is any different.
Of course the Bible and all other sacred texts were written by humans for humans. Most of them outlined sacred protection rackets so priests could be rewarded.
I want to respond to something the first poster said and what seems to be a view with most religious people…that we “choose” whether or not to believe in god. While they might choose to believe in god, I can no simply choose to believe in something. It either makes sense or it doesn’t. The concept of god makes no logical sense to make, hence, I can’t “choose” to believe it. It is totally contrary to my intelligence. Also I think she was also saying (in a convoluted way) that pornography caused the demise of her marriage. That is simply not true. It was HER attitude towards her husband’s use of pornography that caused the demise of her marriage, not the pornography itself.
“If humans wrote the Bible without any inspiration, wouldn’t we state very clearly that we as a people are free to do whatever we please – Lie, kill, steal, sleep around, use and abuse people, oppress the poor and needy – WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE? Maybe even with a reward?”
You seem to have bought into the idea that people are all inherently bad. Just because you want to do those things does not mean we all do.
The bible actually justifies many of the behaviors you mention. That’s what makes it so “interesting”, it can justify what ever you want.
The bible speaks against those things NOT because your god suggested it, but because most of those things are good for society. The bible places community above individual. If you want a religious text that does the opposite, look to Satanism or Luciferianism. Many societies came up with not stealing, lying and killing WITHOUT any contact with the Abrahamic god. And before the invention of the Abrahamic god. Why?
Because people with property want to keep it. People who are alive want to stay alive. People in monogamous relationships want to keep their mates. Murder harms the victim and society as a whole. Theft impedes the victim’s ability to make a living. So we come to an agreement: I forfeit my right to kill you if you forfeit your right to kill me. It’s called social contract. Many societies came up with it with or without the Christian god or any gods.
“WHY WOULD WE EVER WRITE THAT!!!”
Did you mean for that to be a question?
“Isn’t our priority to get our own way at any cost?”
No. Where would you get such an idea? Life is better for everyone if we are NOT sociopathic.
Couldn’t have said it better, Ead. Haha.
Yes, this is a very bold statement, and a new front on standing Athiest grounds.
“Wake up: The next generation of Americans are smarter and more educated. They see through the mysticism. It’s a joke to them.”
Very true. In 1980, an estimated 8% of the Us population was Athiest, and as of 2007, an estimated 13.8% of the Us population is Athiest. It is a new age, fewer and fewer people are easily spoken into a rational idealistic mind-set.
P.S. Is there anyway I[and My band] can join this Athiest organization without being enrolled in this certain college? I want to expand this group’s ideals on an athiest way of life amongst people My age, 16-17, because this is the age were most begin to think for themselves.
What is negative, positive, good or bad without God? If atheist really don’t believe in God why are they always trying to convert everyone to their belief system?
Lots of things. Are you trying to suggest that such judgments can’t exist without any gods?
What does not believing in any gods have to do with whether one talks about atheism or whether one offers arguments against the existence of gods
By the way, there is no single atheist “belief system”. Atheism itself isn’t a belief system.
Wow. Has anyone every heard of HIGHER TEXTUAL CRITICISM (besides Austin who I am sure if quite familiar with it). Biblical scholars almost unanimously agree the bible is full of contradictions. Yet the Christian still believes it is inspired? If you think the bible is inerrant, answer a few questions?
How many generations was Jesus removed from David on his father’s side (28 according to Matthew or 42 according to Luke)?
Was Jesus born before or during the common era (“Before” according to Matthew or “After” according to Luke)?
Did Jesus die before or after the Passover Seder of the first day (“After” according to Mark but “before” according to john)?
And, to my knowledge, none of these are reconcilable. However, these are only a few of the MANY MANY contradictions in the bible. And these aren’t small contradictions. Matthew has a reason for saying Jesus is 28 generations removed from David, although he did skip at least one generation. He also has a reason for saying Jesus is descended from profits. Mark has a reason for having Jesus die after the passover Seder and John has a reason for saying he died before. I would highly suggest Christians become familiar with higher textual criticism before assuming the bible has so much meaning. They may also want to familiarize themselves with various parts of the bible that condemn Genocide, rape, the subjugation of women, slavery, etc…
I would trade one of my bible’s for porn but I just find bible critique to be so damned interesting, lol.
I DARE YOU!!!!….DO YOU HEAR ME!!!!!!…..I DARE YOU TO SAY WHAT YOU DID AND CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU ARE DOING …WITH A KORAN!!!!!….BUT …WE ALL KNOW ….YOU ARE NOT ONLY BRAINLESS AND SOULESS…..BUT GUTLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!