About Lenny
Third try…
I grew up in a pretty religious family, but even though I participated in some of the rituals, I had always been sceptical about them. In high school I became a firm Atheist, and stood out like a sore thumb, being the only one in the entire school I think. After college, in my early twenties, I moved up to Johannesburg from Durban and became quite involved with a religious organization. Perhaps it was the the feeling of community or the family I missed, that got me attracted, but I stayed involved for about fifteen years thereafter.
Then, for some reason the doubts started. Perhaps it was the religious teachers or priests who couldn’t answer valid questions satisfactorily, logically or rationally, but my disenchantment with religion grew stronger. Eventually I just dropped out. Stopped believing. Confirmation of my disbelief came through intense reading, the Internet, etc. Knowledge freed the mind from belief in the supernatural, the absurd. There was a time after this that I called myself a born-again Atheist. I’m through with the militant phase. Now I’m just a secular humanist. Even sounds more pleasant.
I’m now a free-thinker, student of the sciences, art, ancient civilizations and history, politics, comparative religion and the human condition, anti-authority, libertarian.
I’m now into amateur photography, videography, blogging.
Favorite Quotes:
“Gods are fragile things; they may be killed by a whiff of science or a dose of common sense” -Chapman Cohen
“Religion is an illusion and it derives its strength from its readiness to fit in with our instinctual wishful impulses” -Sigmund Freud
“Religion provides the solace for the turmoil that it creates” -Byron Danelius
“All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher” -Lucretius
“The need for religion will end when man becomes sensible enough to govern himself” – Francisco Ferrer Gaurdia
“Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt” – H L Mencken
“Religion began when the first scoundrel met the first fool”- Voltaire
“Religion, a daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable” – Ambrose Bierce
“So many gods, so many creeds
So many paths that wind and wind
While just the art of being kind
Is all the sad world needs” – Ella WheelerWilcox
Find out what's on my mind
Cooooooool!!!!!
Thanks Rosh, you’re an Angel. I hope you find my blog posts equally coool!!!
wow your are ridiculous and btw the song viva la vida is not about fucking anit religion i am not religous but the song is about napoleon and how he almost tulred the world with the french empire it has nothing to do with renouncing religion lol
Actually, the song has various interpretations.
Ryan, your spelling and sentence structure is ridiculous. Now if you have a comment about a particular post, make it on the space provided at the relevent post. Ad Hominem comments are really uncool.
You’re off course entitled to your literal opinion about the meaning of viva la vida. Try acquiring an appreciation for poetry.
Your favorite quotes are ASININE. I will not criticize anymore. I don’t believe it is my place to judge anyone, so I will leave it at that. I will however pray for you. May you realize the person who placed you on this earth and the reason you were placed on this earth……
LANA, please don’t waste precious time praying for me. Rather use it to acquire an appreciation for the great literary talent of the authors of those quotes. Or continue studying the peurile nonsense contained in that fantasy book that has dammned your faith over and over again. The choice is yours.
It may also come as a bit of a shock to you, but the persons responsible for “placing” me on this earth were my parents ( a man and a women), and they achieved this magnificent feat by participating in a fairly well-known biological process known as sexual reproduction (some call it just plain sex or copulation). Now, I know they probably told you in Sunday school, that the stork did it with the help of a magical sky fairy with a “divine plan”, but I hate to have to break it to you that that is just not true.
So, the next time you say you won’t criticize or judge…don’t. I know it’s hard being honest, when you can simply beg for forgiveness each time you trespass, but please try…
All I can say is you and your values make me sick. You are completely blind and sounds like there is no hope for you…. So whatever floats your boat, so to speak…. And yes regarding your smart remark about SEX, I do know what sex is, I have children of my own…. Hello, I am not stupid!! Your remarks are DUMB and only make me upset that you believe what you believe, which we are all entitled to our own views, that is what makes the world go around. And sounds as though you live in a weird world…. Seems as though you thrive on keeping a “stink stirred” and probably always will live that way…. Oh and don’t worry I won’t criticize or judge, again that isn’t my place…. you have your beliefs and I have mine I think it best if we leave it at that…. I know you will respond, but I could care less what you have to say. I presume you are fueled by responding to remarks like mine and you get a thrill from it. Good for you if you do… You live a sad life. Just remember, I am not the idiot that has a website posting rediculous quotes, but again, that is your belief and I have mine. Gosh, I have better things and better people to talk with than ramble on to you, it is definitely not worth my time. Again you have succeeded in making another person absolutely astonished, amazed, and sickened by your beliefs. But one thing you can’t do is stop me from praying for you….
Funny, but I thought that religious people were instructed to “not judge others”. I learned this from my Christian background. Either Lana is very young, or she is incapable of having an intellectual conversation. The mere fact that Lana said she “had children and was not stupid” in the same sentence leads me to believe that she was not thinking clearly when she wrote what she wrote.
Look, people are not going to agree with everyone; that would be boring. It is nice to hear the thoughts and different perspectives of others; it stimulates thought. Lenny, I think you handled this beautifully with logic, and I also enjoyed the quotes you provided.
Lana, you should be absolutely ashamed of yourself.
LANA, LANA, LANA, just read out aloud what you have written and then take some time to re-examine the contradictory and sanctimonious remarks you seem to make with gay abandon. Don’t invite ridicule, and you won’t get it thrown at you.
And thanks for the compliment; I merely aim to inform, but “astonish?” Wow?
More of you, I think.
Yes, we need more of you.
JP
PS I think your quotes are quite wonderful. What an intriguing way of revealing yourself.
Lana, with respect, I think you need an education. Does it occur to you that in one short,ignorant sweep of the pen, you have consigned some of humanities greatest thinkers to the bin, as asinine.
Surely not ?
JP
JP, I knew there had to be someone out there who would appreciate those quotes; I chose them because it amazed me how so few words could convey so much truth and meaning.
Lenny, I see that this problem is endemic now, and I refer here to the kind of rubbishy, ignorant, and just plain rude, irrelevant comments like LANA’S, that quickly descend into angry vitriol, and darn right abuse.
Would you, ever just go to a site you knew you were not going agree with, and leave a comment calling people “idiot” “dumb”.
I mean, this woman, just bursts on with “your quotes are ASININE”
She ends up calling you dumb, she says you make her sick….
She is at pains, to twice, no less, point out that she doesn’t judge, or criticize , and then says “You live a sad life. Just remember, I am not the idiot that has a website posting rediculous quotes, but again, that is your belief and I have mine. Gosh, I have better things and better people to talk with than ramble on to you, it is definitely not worth my time.’
I have seen this kind of insanity before.
Initially only at institutions for the criminally insane, as my work has taken me there.
Now, I see it again, on blogs like yours, and mine.
I was just last night told by an anonymous person, that I made him sick, and that I was a lonely man, and pretty much the same stuff that this LANA spits at you with such impunity.
I have a theory, I think that insane asylums are giving their patients internet access perhaps as therapy and the rest is a is to b is to c….?
I sometimes think its the same person.
Who knows?
LOL. Perhaps they’re trying to get back at society by giving us some of that shock therapy…
JP,
Did you read Lenny’s comment to LANA’s first, completely harmless blog? With all due respect, it was very condescending and rude. That smart remark about sex was really unnecessary, and I really think you should keep in mind that Lenny was just as rude to LANA as she was to Lenny.
Rudeness and insults are perfectly acceptable on this blog. I don’t mind being called names. However, I take a dim view to irrational/illogical and untestable comments. Such comments will be met with rudeness and insults to match the degree of inanity reflected in the comment.
I totally agree. Lenny got LANA going and he was TOTALLY rude. Why do they think that it is okay for them to make crappy comments to others, but its “off with a head” (so to speak) if someone calls them on their own stuff. Seriously Lenny and JP, think about what was said to LANA first. The comments you guys are making apply to you guys just as much as it applies to LANA. You yourselves were being pretty judgemental.
Lana, with respect, I think you need an education. Does it occur to you that in one short,ignorant sweep of the pen, you have consigned some of humanities greatest thinkers to the bin, as asinine. (That sounds quite judgemental to me.)
I have a theory, I think that insane asylums are giving their patients internet access perhaps as therapy and the rest is a is to b is to c….? (Just plain rude and uncalled for)
Or continue studying the peurile nonsense contained in that fantasy book that has dammned your faith over and over again. The choice is yours. (right there Lenny dogged Christian beliefs, but he doesnt want them saying anything about his)
Lenny, what the hell makes you and yours so freakin superior? Really?
Hmmm, what makes me so “freakin superior?”
Let’s see now. Probably the same thing that makes you and Lana think that your religion is superior to everyone else’s.
When theists go around exerting their particular religion’s moral superiority, someone needs to step in and level the playing fields.
Religious conviction is not the best weapon to have in your armour when shooting from the hip. As I have said before, don’t invite ridicule…
Sorry to go on, but look at Ryan’s comment. It is beyond belief. It doesn’t even make grammatical sense, never mind semantic tableaux!
I have seen this grammatical form before too.
This is from a 7 year old who has overdosed on Ritalin.
Not criminally insane like LANA.
And lastly, why do these people, drugged up minors, and marginally psychotic cyber stalkers, always pick the “about” page to launch their attacks ? (This modus operandi is evident on my site too)
Ryan’s comment does not belong on this page, perhaps, because he is only 7, we can forgive him
But LANA?
Who criticizes a person’s choice of quotes ?
Its a personal attack, thats why they pick the most personal part of your blog, and, its calculated.
Mockery and humour aside, its somewhat disturbing.
Good night.
Actually, a few days after posting that reply to LANA, I felt that I had been too harsh on her, but now I feel somewhat better.
I don’t mind the personal attacks really; I just lament the fact that people don’t even try to make it sound rational.
Quotes are quotes. That’s all they are.
I’m actually quite sad no one has spewed hatred towards my list of quotes on my blog, considering I’m one of those pathetically idiotic Christians you speak of…mmm…
Gabrielle, I beg to differ: quotes are not “just quotes.” By your reasoning, passages (verses) from the bible are also just verses from the bible; they are just words and mean nothing.
A quotation is useful because it has significant literary value, in that it evokes certain emotions and is meant to appeal to the intellect.
With one stroke of your pen, you have done a great disservice to your own holy book by turning whatever literary value the bible has, into a meaningless jumble of words. You have probably just confirmed that people who get into a “religious fervour” after reading passages from the bible, are indulging in psychotic behaviour, because it can’t be the words turning them on, it must be something else entirely…
One other thing. I suspect that the majority of visitors to your site are pro-religious or Christian. So, it does not surprise me in the least that they have not maligned you or passed disparaging remarks about your quotes. Since there are no such remarks on your site, what does this tell you about any atheists who have visited your site? Atheists, generally (yes, there may be exceptions) understand the value of quotations and would only comment on any irrationality or faulty logic, if such was present.
hey Lenny
been very interested on most of what you wrote, that made me so curious and yes as a rat i have been killed, here i am making a comment unbelievable.
i will comment on both religious hoax emails and this on top, you know i dont even have to be rude but i have a heart for you and yeah i dont have to teach you or try to prove to you on christianity cos no one can and wont. and to finalise it all yes am a christian but what i will say to you is this you will know him, you know people think God needs backing, no he doesnt if he did then christianity wud be different so just wait he will do it himself and when he does you will change i can guarantee you for that and please let me know wen it does happen and kep in touch, it can take years but he will do it cos he never let his own down thats his creation in this case you cos he loves you…………. gosh i said i wont do this so i guess i will live it here.
regards
luce.
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for being brave and commenting. Unfortunately, I don’t have “years” to wait for your version of god to “change” me. Life is short, and you will apreciate that I have to live it. Since you seem to know this “god” so intimately, please ask him/her/it to hurry up and “do it himself.”
In the interim, I suggest you get on with your life and not wait for me to “let you know when it does happen.” Call me psychic, but I somehow know that you won’t be hearing from me.
Lennymaysay,
I don’t want to be rude and I definitely WONT preach to you. I just have one question that I want you to think about. If your claims are true, and, as you say, there is no God, then what will happen after death? We all get buried into the ground, the maggots and worms eat us and we are basically annihilated from all existence, right? Am I correct in saying that? However, and be honest with yourself, what if you are wrong and Christianity is right? Then what? Christianity states that believers would go to Paradise (Heaven) and be with God and those who dont believe would be in an excruciating torment for all eternity. This life is TEMPORARY and will one day end, but Lennymaysay, eternity is quite a long time, and frankly it isnt worth gambling on. Is proving your claims about Christianity (not knowing 100% for sure that they are right) worth your eternal damnation? I can guarantee you that there is a God and his son, Jesus, is real, because they both turned my life around. And I’m always taken care of, no matter what. I dont think that several times in my life can even compare to being a coincidence, because that and luck eventually run out and God doesnt. In that sense, I can also guarantee you that there are demonic spirits and a demonic place, I have felt their negative presence before. However, can you be totally sure and PROVE that there is no God, Heaven, Hell or Satan?
Hi Just me,
I’m really happy for you; that your life has turned around and that you believe that it was a supernatural intervention. However, your “belief” does not make the existence of these supernatural entities true. Even if every single person on this earth, apart from myself, “believed” this is true, it does not make it true in reality.
Allow me to present an analogy. I believe that there is a giant teapot orbiting the Milky Way galaxy, but I don’t go around the world trying to convince everyone that my belief is true, and so everyone else must also now believe it.
I’m not trying to prove there is no god and heaven and hell and satan; I’m just saying that there is no evidence (scientific or otherwise) for their existence. The atheist position is absence of belief. The onus is on you to prove their existence since you make a claim for it.
On a personal note, I’m not concerned about what happens after death. It’s really quite pointless stressing about the unknown. I’m quite happy to be worm food. In the interim, I’d rather focus my energies on living life.
Hey Lenny. I used to visit atheist sites out of interest. I don’t know why, I’m a religious person myself, but deep inside I knew, I had some doubts in my own faith too. I found God-venerating sites a little too defensive about their religion, and some Christians really verbally abusive to atheists. I started to believe that I might be in the wrong crowd because I was born with the religion and I thought I was becoming an atheist, as all my hopes about God were beginning to break, piece by piece, by rational people like you. I surfed the Web, and science and religion overwhelmed my minute brain. Too much information. Although I kept on holding back from agreeing to some of the facts and opinions presented by so many non-believing people – one day, it didn’t matter.
I am fascinated with the world – with everything. The science of it all. Although I’m an open minded person, it never occurred to me that everything in this world is a result of random events, and coincidence. It is too beautiful, too complex, too otherworldly that even water cannot be totally studied – at all!
The perfect example for something so unimaginable and meticulous is imagination. It seems to have such power: sometimes it is even bordering on infinity but then you hear of something very unusual about a certain subject that you could’ve never thought of you had the capability to think of.
And I come back on Earth and realize…there is a God. The universe is in perfect harmony. How come two people from the other side of the world meet and be in love with each other? Why are there things that seem to defy science and defies it more and more by the second? Good and evil is always balanced as if someone’s controlling it. Science cannot prove anything as of now – the steps in undertaking are too small to see the big picture.
Life for me is too short to spend on things I know I will regret: although there are some gray and black points all over my life that I can blame God for – but it is me who has chosen those path and here is where shall I remain – no further “It’s Your fault” rantings. Everything has a purpose, and maybe mine is to be a lesson for others. The South Africans starving and dying of AIDS…they serve a purpose.
It is not important what religion I have, for anything that’s organized and involves money can’t be kept out of evil. What’s important is what I believe in. And I believe that’s what matters. We can try to prove certain things: but actually it’s like the iceberg quote, “You only see the tip of the iceberg…etc.” We can try to prove that there is no such proof of His existence – it’s just trying. It’s something our feeble heads put together can never prove or disprove! Man sometimes thinks of himself as a very high, all-knowing, wise person when science says they come from Apes! Haha. ‘Tis quite funny. Men are names, they are nothing, things they invented remain (some even deprecate) but they do not reap what they sow after death. Which is quite a useless existence after all in my most humblest and honest opinion.
But in my heart, despite all the evil raging inside me, all the lust, all the hatred, the fear, the doubts, the unknown…there is the faith. I hope the world will never lose hope on this!
When I die I do not intend to be worm food. Although my body will be, that’s for sure.
I hope all the questions I have for the higher power shall be answered when that time comes. I’ll meet Him. People will think I’m deranged, but why am I happily so? Well the Joker seems to be smiling a lot too…but let’s not talk about him…
In case there’s isn’t any God…feel free to laugh at me. I guess it might come to you as real crazy. To me it’s something that’s worth striving for, ’cause after the end of the road… no one knows, and I just might be extra lucky. Too bad, if it isn’t. Surely I didn’t lose anything of importance.
“Yes, faith can be called ignorance. But no one can truly be called wise.”
You can quote me on that! Although those quotes are really mind-boggling.
Adieu, sire!
P.S.
I enjoyed your post. It is a very interesting read. If there’s anything wrong about what I said, please, feel free to tell me.
Hi DarkLady,
You sound sincere enough and if you’re comfortable with where you’re at, I wish you well.
However, please reconsider this statment that you made:
What if you were one of those SA’s dying of AIDS? Would you think that your condition was serving a purpose? And how do you suppose they would feel, if they were told that their suffering is “for the benefit of others, or a ‘higher’ cause? Think about it?
Yeah, now I think of it. Maybe that’s one thing I cannot justify, but I’ll try.
I didn’t starve my whole life, I don’t have AIDS, I do not know what it feels. But if I were starving, all I can think about is eating. If I have AIDS, I might not even think of God, as my head is preoccupied with keeping myself alive. Or maybe I don’t know about it. There’s nothing I can do about it but rely on my parents, on medicine, on NGOs. Or the government. With children, it’s not their fault, they are the products of their parents. With adults or teens it is a different case. You will not get AIDS by touching someone, right?
But it’s still unfair, right? Why of all people, me? Why not them? They’re evil, they kill people, they rob others, they cheat on their wives… I don’t know. But I do know I have lived a respectable life, and I will not be ashamed of what I have…I might be a living testament that there is hope after all…because even though life is bitter I managed to stay strong…
Well every person feels that on a certain degree the world is unfair with them, with other things. And sometimes they have it all but are still tormented that they kill themselves… I don’t know why, but it feels good inside that you know the money you made came from your own blood and sweat.
I can relate, because there are some issues in my life that I feel so helpless with. It’s not very critical, but I don’t want to invent something for dramatic effect…
I came from a very well-off family. We went to private school, me and my siblings. My parents did not ever spoil us, but they were very agreeable with children wanting material things. I went to college, and spent my allowance on everything but college-related. I never studied. I should’ve studied.
The next term we couldn’t afford it anymore. We became bankrupt. Couldn’t do anything about it. Two of us stopped going to school and I became a bum. I’m working now, still not a graduate, with low wages, and I realized I should never have taken it for granted. Not too many people go to college, or eat food once a day.
What if the world was given to you, complete, and everything you’ve ever wished for? All the knowledge is there, the food, the shelter, the people you want, no crime, immortality, in other words: perfect.
I figured it would actually be useless. Actually existence is not essential. You would take everything for granted. There is no room for improvement: much less thought. No work to do. You would never realize how life is so beautiful. There is no journey. You would never appreciate it like you do now. We need to lose something in order to learn that we need to value what we have. Sometimes, not even ours, but others as well… our conscience will whisper that we’re abusing things that people are desperately in need of…
That’s where examples and lessons come in. If I died of AIDS: let my death speak. I will regret the fact that I haven’t been too lucky, that I didn’t have the chance to live my life the way I wanted it to be – but I have been instrumental in a purpose far greater than Marilyn Monroe’s… that is, to echo the phrase, Life should not be taken for granted. I would not want other people to experience what have I experienced…it is too painful. But it should serve. Something better might be waiting for me, hopefully…
With mistakes we can be better persons. These are depressing situations, we cannot avoid them, we cannot change them as we do not have power over them, but out of it we can think of something good.
Sorry, I might not have answered your question the way you wanted it to be answered, I might’ve missed something, but I think I’m dumb when it comes to these things too. I think I am fairly shallow, haha. I do not understand how the world works as it is almost always cruel to me and my family…it is very unfair too! But on very tough times, we are able to survive, thanks to God (because most of the time we were incredulously broke it felt like a miracle that someone helped us).
(I’m from a 3rd world country.) When I think of it that way somehow I feel the burdens are lesser and the world is a little happier…
And sorry for taking up some much space in here!
Thanks Lenny.
Geez I sound way too cheesy!
Hi DarkLady,
Rational people don’t wish for the impossible. We learn to face the challenges of reality. We cannot create a make-believe world (supernatural) to deal with reality. In that way we only postpone the inevitable. We need to be real….always.
Hey Lenny. I used to visit atheist sites out of interest. I don’t know why, I’m a religious person myself, but deep inside I knew, I had some doubts in my own faith too. I found God-venerating sites a little too defensive about their religion, and some Christians really verbally abusive to atheists. I started to believe that I might be in the wrong crowd because I was born with the religion and I thought I was becoming an atheist, as all my hopes about God were beginning to break, piece by piece, by rational people like you. I surfed the Web, and science and religion overwhelmed my minute brain. Too much information. Although I kept on holding back from agreeing to some of the facts and opinions presented by so many non-believing people – one day, it didn’t matter.
I am fascinated with the world – with everything. The science of it all. Although I’m an open minded person, it never occurred to me that everything in this world is a result of random events, and coincidence. It is too beautiful, too complex, too otherworldly that even water cannot be totally studied – at all!
The perfect example for something so unimaginable and meticulous is imagination. It seems to have such power: sometimes it is even bordering on infinity but then you hear of something very unusual about a certain subject that you could’ve never thought of you had the capability to think of.
And I come back on Earth and realize…there is a God. The universe is in perfect harmony. How come two people from the other side of the world meet and be in love with each other? Why are there things that seem to defy science and defies it more and more by the second? Good and evil is always balanced as if someone’s controlling it. Science cannot prove anything as of now – the steps in undertaking are too small to see the big picture.
Life for me is too short to spend on things I know I will regret: although there are some gray and black points all over my life that I can blame God for – but it is me who has chosen those path and here is where shall I remain – no further “It’s Your fault” rantings. Everything has a purpose, and maybe mine is to be a lesson for others. The South Africans starving and dying of AIDS…they serve a purpose.
It is not important what religion I have, for anything that’s organized and involves money can’t be kept out of evil. What’s important is what I believe in. And I believe that’s what matters. We can try to prove certain things: but actually it’s like the iceberg quote, “You only see the tip of the iceberg…etc.” We can try to prove that there is no such proof of His existence – it’s just trying. It’s something our feeble heads put together can never prove or disprove! Man sometimes thinks of himself as a very high, all-knowing, wise person when science says they come from Apes! Haha. ‘Tis quite funny. Men are names, they are nothing, things they invented remain (some even deprecate) but they do not reap what they sow after death. Which is quite a useless existence after all in my most humblest and honest opinion.
But in my heart, despite all the evil raging inside me, all the lust, all the hatred, the fear, the doubts, the unknown…there is the faith. I hope the world will never lose hope on this!
When I die I do not intend to be worm food. Although my body will be, that’s for sure.
I hope all the questions I have for the higher power shall be answered when that time comes. I’ll meet Him. People will think I’m deranged, but why am I happily so? Well the Joker seems to be smiling a lot too…but let’s not talk about him…
In case there’s isn’t any God…feel free to laugh at me. I guess it might come to you as real crazy. To me it’s something that’s worth striving for, ’cause after the end of the road… no one knows, and I just might be extra lucky. Too bad, if it isn’t. Surely I didn’t lose anything of importance.
“Yes, faith can be called ignorance. But no one can truly be called wise.”
You can quote me on that! Although those quotes you’ve given are really mind-boggling.
Adieu, sire!
P.S.
I enjoyed your post. It is a very interesting read. If there’s anything wrong about what I said, please, feel free to tell me.
So sorry for the double post. And I’ve overdone it. So sorry.
Hi, that’s cool, no harm done.
Here are some interesting quotes from so-called denominational founders that should have taken the same road as Krishnamurti. All that denominations and religion itself does is create apostasy.
“I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call
themselves not Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther?
My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified
for any one. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. 3, would not allow
Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but
Christian. How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am,
come to have men give to the children of Christ a name
derived from my worthless name? No, no, my dear friends; let
us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians
after Him Whose doctrine we have.” – Hugh Thomason Kerr, A
Compend of Luther’s Theology (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1943, p. 135)
“Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases
and forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot
and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned
more, but be buried in eternal oblivion.” – John Wesley,
Universal Knowledge, A Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Arts,
Science, History, Biography, Law, Literature, Religions,
Nations, Races, Customs, and Institutions, Vol. 9, Edward A.
Pace, Editor (New York: Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1927, p. 540)
“I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not
be a Baptist living! I hope that the Baptist name will soon
perish, but let Christ’s name last forever.” – Spurgeon Memorial Library, Vol. I., p. 168 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest Baptist preacher who ever lived.
And last but not least Jesus Christ…
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
Bruce,
You are quite serious about this denominational thing, aren’t you? Could you not take it one step further to its logical conclusion, and abandon Christianity as well?
Then we could use the time to marvel at how science explains the wonders of the natural world (as opposed to the supernatural world), and debate more important things like the state of the world, poverty alleviation, pollution and self-serving politicians.
Lenny,
It is illogical to abandon your belief, but in order to truly know if you do believe in that which you say, you believe. Is to ask if you would die for that belief.
Today is remembrance day in Canada the whole country is shut down, as we honor those that died for us, that we may have a better life. A life that is built on democracy, free press, free thinking and the will to live.
If nobody fought we may not be here to issue our thoughts freely via the internet and the wireless communications we have today.
If nobody fought for the right to co-exist then we would have fallen prey to the Nazi’s and their Darwinian belief of a master race.
Adolf Hitler took Darwin’s evolutionary philosophy to its logical conclusions. For example, he wrote in Mein Kampf:
Such a dispensation of Nature is quite logical. Every crossing between two breeds which are not quite equal results in a product which holds an intermediate place between the levels of the two parents. This means that the offspring will indeed be superior to the parent which stands in the biologically lower order of being, but not so high as the higher parent. For this reason it must eventually succumb in any struggle against the higher species. Such mating contradicts the will of Nature towards the selective improvements of life in general. The favorable preliminary to this improvement is not to mate individuals of higher and lower orders of being but rather to allow the complete triumph of the higher order. The stronger must dominate and not mate with the weaker, which would signify the sacrifice of its own higher nature. Only the born weakling can look upon this principle as cruel, and if he does so it is merely
because he is of a feebler nature and narrower mind; for if such a law did not direct the process of evolution then the higher development of organic life would not be conceivable at all.62 (emphasis added)
The demand that it should be made impossible for defective people to continue to propagate defective offspring is a demand that is based on most reasonable
grounds, and its proper fulfillment is the most humane task that mankind has to face. Unhappy and undeserved suffering in millions of cases will be spared, with the result that there will be a gradual improvement in
national health.63 (emphasis added)
If Nature does not wish that weaker individuals should mate with the stronger, she wishes even less that a superior race should intermingle with an inferior one; because in such a case all her efforts, throughout hundreds of thousands of years, to establish an evolutionary higher stage of being, may thus be rendered futile.
History furnishes us with innumerable instances that prove this law. It shows, with a startling clarity, that whenever Aryans have mingled their blood with that of an inferior race the result has been the downfall of the people who were the standard-bearers of a higher culture.64 (emphasis added)
My logical conclusion is one; that without a higher love we are doomed and that we must first learn to love each other in order to love God.