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God would be an atheist...
A rational look at religion, morality, politics and daily life |
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HOME / This Week About GBWAA WEEKLY COLUMNS Previous Print column Why subscribe? Schedule Terms & Rates Subscribe Online column Subscribe BASICS Definitions Atheism Faith God Religion etc Analysis The meaning of life Morality etc NEXT STEPS Buy Discuss Join Links Read REVIEWS CONTACT Link to this site All Rights Reserved World Copyright © Martin Foreman |
Previous Columns 2006: Catch up with what you missed 2005 columns: click here 2007 columns: click here 90. Reasons to be cheerful The glass is half-full December 31, 2006 89. Whose birthday is it? Merry Mithrastide December 24, 2006 88. Mom loves you so much... ... but it's still not enough December 17, 2006 87. One person's moderation... ... is another's extremism December 10, 2006 86. One commandment will do Be nice to people December 3, 2006 85. Protect us from infection Catholics and condoms November 26, 2006 84. Helping stranded motorists Good, evil and self-preservation November 19, 2006 83. Who won? Democracy, more or less November 12, 2006 October 8 to November 5, 2006: no columns 82. The swing of the pendulum Faith and reason October 1, 2006 81. Ann Coulter doesn't bother me... ...but her audience does September 24, 2006 80. I'm all right, Jack Humanity's blessing and curse September 17, 2006 79. Death comes as the end The evolution of science September 10, 2006 78. Death comes as the end Accept the inevitable September 3, 2006 77. The rhetoric of death or the tools of life? The options that face us August 27, 2006 August 20, 2006: no column 76. Short sight and self-defense Our self-defeating strategies August 13, 2006 75. To seek truth or impose it? Science, religion and ethics August 6, 2006 74. Make me a god ... ... in my own image July 30, 2006 73. Kill God, Save Lives Faith destroys more than it preserves July 23, 2006 72. Nice theory, pity about the facts The Family Research Institute's obsession with homosexuality July 16, 2006 71. In the beginning The confused Christian creation myth July 9, 2006 70. Make me Buddhist... ... but not yet July 2, 2006 69. I want to live forever (not) Immortality beckons June 25, 2006 68. My Los Angeles Immigration, emotion and reason June 18, 2006 67. John Stossel owes me $100 The hole in the heart of Economic Libertarianism June 11, 2006 66. What's Atheist for God Bless America? Rolling Thunder and a DC cab driver June 4, 2006 65. Paranoia, Fear and the Whole Caboodle Why some religions fail May 28, 2006 64. Superuniverses and the Kansas Pope Alternative religions May 21, 2006 63. The end of the world (part two) Ecology, terrorism or disease? May 14, 2006 62. The end of the world (part one) The End Times aren't May 7, 2006 April 30, 2006: no column 61. Brave New World or 1984? Recreational drugs, violence and freedom April 23, 2006 60. Bongo Rabbit and the cherry tomato It is nature, not God, that overwhelms us April 16, 2006 59. The crumbling Bible Discrepancies in the Old and New Testaments April 9, 2006 58. In atheists we don't trust Americans wouldn't let their child marry one April 2, 2006 57. Left or right Which values are truly American? March 26, 2006 56. Who knows? Who cares? Life's Really Big Questions March 19, 2006 55. Blasphemy and offense Restricting human rights March 12, 2006 54. Mirrors and misdirection Correspondence with the confused March 5, 2006 53. Out of one, many Divisions in America February 26, 2006 52. Into the dark Freedom of expression or a mental prison? February 19, 2006 51. The redundant cross Why believers need God February 12, 2006 50. What do we tell the children? Nothing, but the truth February 5, 2006 49. Fragile Egos Faith and power January 29, 2006 48. Life or Death A rational approach to sensitive issues January 22, 2006 January 15, 2006: no column 47. How to know hogwash A journey into the mystery of Deepak Chopra January 8, 2006 46. Amanda and Mrs Green Opening children's minds January 1, 2006 |
FOOD FOR THOUGHT "As conscious beings we are fully aware that we will die, and as conscious beings we are, not surprisingly, reluctant to do so. Faced with the prospect of extinction, most of us who are healthy, active and free would prefer to live as long as possible." How many virgins? "How familiar are you with the names of Baruch Goldstein and Muhammad Abd al-Basset Oudeh? Both were mass murderers. Both were circumcised monotheists who spoke a Semitic language and refused to eat pig meat. And both killed for the right of their fellow-believers to occupy a piece of land smaller than New Jersey." Why not Hawaii? "Here we are with a couple of hours to spare and nothing better to do than translate Genesis from ancient Hebrew into modern English. That version of chapter one, verse one looks all right, but there’s something missing. Let’s check the original again. What’s the fourth word? “Elohim” Of course; the –im ending means it’s plural, like cherubim and seraphim. Let’s try again. 'In the beginning, the gods created heaven and earth.' " How many gods? "Today belief in God is crazy, pointless and sometimes downright harmful, but that wasn't always the case. Religion helped us evolve from primates dominated by short-term instinct into human beings capable of forming sophisticated societies." The evolution of religion "The United States prides itself on championing freedom and in enshrining the pursuit of happiness in its constitution. It is ironic that so many Americans espouse a moral code whose impact is to restrict both freedom and happiness. America needs moral values, but values that respect and honor every citizen." What moral values? "Maybe Noah had some help building the Ark; he may have contracted some of the men on God’s death list. 'No, no… there isn’t going to be a Flood. I just want to give the wife something to look at while she’s washing dishes.' " How did the koala get to Australia? |
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