Jesus! They’re Killing the Straw Man Again!
Reflections on Atheism, Patriotism and Liberty
By Brian Worley of ExMinister.Org
Recently, it has become vogue to speak critically of religion, particularly Christianity. The same establishment media that has in the past traditionally aided and abetted the cause of the faithful has members that have now either garnered courage recently, or have been enlightened by reason. Websites and blogs that are critical towards religion are becoming legion. Not that I am opposed to any of this, I have my own site — www.exminister.org — that reaches out to anyone who will listen to what a university trained and former ordained Baptist preacher shares from his personal experiences about the Christian fraud.
I can’t wait till the day that my one-year-old daughter is old enough to understand the “Emperor Has No Clothes” story. Young children learn the story once they are taught, but history teaches us that this lesson is often forgotten somewhere later on in life. It is so easy to debunk Christianity, and the stigma for doing so is dissipating.
We have just entered the year 2008; the world is a much different place than it was at the beginning of this century, just 8 years ago. You would have to be blind not to notice the impact of the internet, globalism, big business and monetary policies have had upon the average man.
My normal optimism about the future has succumbed to the pessimism that follows while watching the crumbling financial world around us. Of course, my pessimism isn’t going to stop me from working for the things that I believe in! You would think that a religious atheist would be in a jovial mood because Christianity is crumbling almost as rapidly as is the so- called middle-class citizen is. I am not rejoicing because I am a humanist, and humanists care.
What is it all about?
I don’t know the reason why such previously unpopular views that atheist’s hold are suddenly becoming mainstream. But one thing that I do know is that when a commotion takes place (at point A), attention to that commotion distracts peoples attention from something of much greater significance that is happening concurrently with that same commotion (at point B). Has it occurred to you why such promotion is poured into sports, religion, entertainment, and other ideas that distract people’s attention away from what is essentially important in life? If you think that I’m against sports or entertainment, then you have missed the point!
The current and correct media bashing of Christianity, as well as other commotions of religion, entertainment, sports and etc., are all happening at point A! What is happening at “point B” is what ought to concern any conscious freethinking human being!
Meanwhile, you have the poker-faced preachers and ministers oblivious to truths that might free the Christian captives. The straw man, Jesus, is so easily destroyed with reason, if only they submitted to reason. Times are tough on preachers and churches; they are losing their flock, and thus their way of living. As many of the faithful are awaking to reason, their livelihood is at stake!
As a veteran, I care deeply for my native USA. Times are changing in America, having forsaken it’s own constitution, she appears ready to merge into the North-American-Union region of globalism within a few years. Am I fighting globalism? No, I just don’t trust it! I am just one man observing the troubles that the burden of bad ideas (religion) brings upon society.
Real Patriots Ask Questions
Religion was been very detrimental, not only to individual people, but also to society and to a country like the USA. Patriots, which should be a guardian watchdog, have been neutralized by the Christian meme. Many have “bought the snake oil” and view our times as a sign that Jesus is about ready to rapture them away to escape the current and future turmoil. With this type of brainwashing, “point B” is well on its way unimpeded in a “Christian” country.
From my vantage point, religion has greatly facilitated the establishment of “point B (globalism)." Globalism is here, and here for the long term. Obviously, it cannot co-exist with a constitutional republic. What will life be like once the full force of globalism’s intent is established? In time, we will see the answer to this question revealed. Maybe, we don’t have anything to fear? Free thinkers cherish life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and I hope that our freedoms continue unabated.
Look, I am an ex-minister and the impact and examining the many facets of religion is what I do. As to this title, “Jesus, They’re Killing the Straw Man Again” is another way for me to say that Christianity has almost outlived its usefulness. It seems we are entering a new paradigm. Globalism is very much pro big business, profit, and productivity. Maybe Christians are so heavenly minded that they are now deemed as little or no earthly good. If so, proper changes need to be made. Perhaps this is what is behind the killing of the straw man surge of late. Skeptics’ arguments have always been around, but never so promoted by the establishment media as we have witnessed in the last year or so.
I have stated elsewhere, that religion is a workplace distraction. Cases in point, just look at the Indianapolis Colts football team. Coach Tony Dungy is a vocal Christian, and a number of its players strongly embrace faith. Last season, one of its key players abruptly retired. We would understand if it was due to injury or ineffectiveness but this wasn’t the reason. Part of the explanation given for this abrupt retirement was “because it was God’s will.” I’m referring to All-Pro offensive tackle, Tarik Glenn. Now, did it matter to him that he signed a contract that had another year remaining on it that management had planned on him honoring? Obviously no! That imaginary God in the sky was more important to Tarik than real live flesh and blood teammates laboring together for a common cause.
Now as for coach Dungy, we have the annual tug of war between his God of the skies and his Indianapolis Colts football team. See how my point is made for religion as a distraction in the work place?
Maybe globalism isn’t interested in these types of distractions. Distractions cost money! Maybe a message is being sent to those Christians that feel their faith is being persecuted. Globalism’s godfather has a message for you, “It’s nothing personal, it's only business.”
Am I blaming Christianity for globalism, of course not! Just shedding light upon Thomas Paine’s type of patriotism to our current day brand of patriotism. If you disagree, then your arguments are not with me. Just look at the results of what a Christian nation has brought us!
PS: To all skeptics, we ought to feel good about the progress we have made against religion. But let us not get so caught up in destroying error that we end up lacking the energy and passion to make our communities a better place to live in because we are here!
Brian Worley
Exminister.org
All Rights Reserved
January 20, 2008
By Brian Worley of ExMinister.Org
Recently, it has become vogue to speak critically of religion, particularly Christianity. The same establishment media that has in the past traditionally aided and abetted the cause of the faithful has members that have now either garnered courage recently, or have been enlightened by reason. Websites and blogs that are critical towards religion are becoming legion. Not that I am opposed to any of this, I have my own site — www.exminister.org — that reaches out to anyone who will listen to what a university trained and former ordained Baptist preacher shares from his personal experiences about the Christian fraud.
I can’t wait till the day that my one-year-old daughter is old enough to understand the “Emperor Has No Clothes” story. Young children learn the story once they are taught, but history teaches us that this lesson is often forgotten somewhere later on in life. It is so easy to debunk Christianity, and the stigma for doing so is dissipating.
We have just entered the year 2008; the world is a much different place than it was at the beginning of this century, just 8 years ago. You would have to be blind not to notice the impact of the internet, globalism, big business and monetary policies have had upon the average man.
My normal optimism about the future has succumbed to the pessimism that follows while watching the crumbling financial world around us. Of course, my pessimism isn’t going to stop me from working for the things that I believe in! You would think that a religious atheist would be in a jovial mood because Christianity is crumbling almost as rapidly as is the so- called middle-class citizen is. I am not rejoicing because I am a humanist, and humanists care.
What is it all about?
I don’t know the reason why such previously unpopular views that atheist’s hold are suddenly becoming mainstream. But one thing that I do know is that when a commotion takes place (at point A), attention to that commotion distracts peoples attention from something of much greater significance that is happening concurrently with that same commotion (at point B). Has it occurred to you why such promotion is poured into sports, religion, entertainment, and other ideas that distract people’s attention away from what is essentially important in life? If you think that I’m against sports or entertainment, then you have missed the point!
The current and correct media bashing of Christianity, as well as other commotions of religion, entertainment, sports and etc., are all happening at point A! What is happening at “point B” is what ought to concern any conscious freethinking human being!
Meanwhile, you have the poker-faced preachers and ministers oblivious to truths that might free the Christian captives. The straw man, Jesus, is so easily destroyed with reason, if only they submitted to reason. Times are tough on preachers and churches; they are losing their flock, and thus their way of living. As many of the faithful are awaking to reason, their livelihood is at stake!
As a veteran, I care deeply for my native USA. Times are changing in America, having forsaken it’s own constitution, she appears ready to merge into the North-American-Union region of globalism within a few years. Am I fighting globalism? No, I just don’t trust it! I am just one man observing the troubles that the burden of bad ideas (religion) brings upon society.
Real Patriots Ask Questions
Religion was been very detrimental, not only to individual people, but also to society and to a country like the USA. Patriots, which should be a guardian watchdog, have been neutralized by the Christian meme. Many have “bought the snake oil” and view our times as a sign that Jesus is about ready to rapture them away to escape the current and future turmoil. With this type of brainwashing, “point B” is well on its way unimpeded in a “Christian” country.
From my vantage point, religion has greatly facilitated the establishment of “point B (globalism)." Globalism is here, and here for the long term. Obviously, it cannot co-exist with a constitutional republic. What will life be like once the full force of globalism’s intent is established? In time, we will see the answer to this question revealed. Maybe, we don’t have anything to fear? Free thinkers cherish life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and I hope that our freedoms continue unabated.
Look, I am an ex-minister and the impact and examining the many facets of religion is what I do. As to this title, “Jesus, They’re Killing the Straw Man Again” is another way for me to say that Christianity has almost outlived its usefulness. It seems we are entering a new paradigm. Globalism is very much pro big business, profit, and productivity. Maybe Christians are so heavenly minded that they are now deemed as little or no earthly good. If so, proper changes need to be made. Perhaps this is what is behind the killing of the straw man surge of late. Skeptics’ arguments have always been around, but never so promoted by the establishment media as we have witnessed in the last year or so.
I have stated elsewhere, that religion is a workplace distraction. Cases in point, just look at the Indianapolis Colts football team. Coach Tony Dungy is a vocal Christian, and a number of its players strongly embrace faith. Last season, one of its key players abruptly retired. We would understand if it was due to injury or ineffectiveness but this wasn’t the reason. Part of the explanation given for this abrupt retirement was “because it was God’s will.” I’m referring to All-Pro offensive tackle, Tarik Glenn. Now, did it matter to him that he signed a contract that had another year remaining on it that management had planned on him honoring? Obviously no! That imaginary God in the sky was more important to Tarik than real live flesh and blood teammates laboring together for a common cause.
Now as for coach Dungy, we have the annual tug of war between his God of the skies and his Indianapolis Colts football team. See how my point is made for religion as a distraction in the work place?
Maybe globalism isn’t interested in these types of distractions. Distractions cost money! Maybe a message is being sent to those Christians that feel their faith is being persecuted. Globalism’s godfather has a message for you, “It’s nothing personal, it's only business.”
Am I blaming Christianity for globalism, of course not! Just shedding light upon Thomas Paine’s type of patriotism to our current day brand of patriotism. If you disagree, then your arguments are not with me. Just look at the results of what a Christian nation has brought us!
PS: To all skeptics, we ought to feel good about the progress we have made against religion. But let us not get so caught up in destroying error that we end up lacking the energy and passion to make our communities a better place to live in because we are here!
Brian Worley
Exminister.org
All Rights Reserved
January 20, 2008
"I don’t know the reason why such previously unpopular views that atheist’s hold are suddenly becoming mainstream."
ReplyDeleteIt's because of the internet my friend. I became an atheist almost overnight after surfing a couple atheist sites in 2006. If not for this medium I would have forever been stuck in religious confusion. There has to be a shitload more like me, and we spread the word like wildfire.
I was never interested in religion and it was not forced on me as a child. For that I give a huge sigh of relief and thanx to my parents.
ReplyDeleteI went for years not even giving a thought to religion
until I started researching it
on the internet. I was truly amazed by the number of people and sites that encouraged free thought on the World Wide Web. The info
available here on the net is essential for those of us who are worried about the bad influence christianity has placed on the unsuspecting, deluded members of our society.
We can only hope that over the years the influence of religion will be diminished
and free thought flourishes.
They say that Islam is growing and will eventually take over England and Europe.
If their governments allow this to happen they are fools.
"But one thing that I do know is that when a commotion takes place (at point A), attention to that commotion distracts peoples attention from something of much greater significance that is happening concurrently with that same commotion (at point B)."
ReplyDeleteMy family has an expression for this phenomenon: "Ready for the wrong battle."
Whenever something is getting all the media attention... Take a long, careful look around to see what else is going on in the world. Upset mobs cause riots. Informed, thoughtful individuals create solutions.
I was curious if anyone reads these types of "reflections". Although few people make comments here, my traffic facts tells me that so many people DO care. Thank you for reading!
ReplyDeleteI was curious how many people read these types of "reflections" nowadays. So few people comment here, it makes me wonder. Upon awakening and checking my traffic facts accounts I found that many people are passionate about this subject. I was very encouraged about this. Thank you for reading!
ReplyDeleteIndeed, the Internet is an atheist's best friend and a religious person's worst nightmare. Because the exchange of ideas over the Internet is nigh on unrestricted, which is the polar opposite of what the religious attempt to do (read: RESTRICT), information is available at the press of a button (depending on your connection speed). The Internet s a wonderful place to foster doubt, where a skeptic can research and verify whenever they have the time to do so. Such a free exchange of information cannot help but at some point result in the death of restrictive institutions like religion. Many hard-boiled Christians I know are disgusted by the exchange o information made possible by the Internet - and even by the availability of information through mediums like books and television, or the interactivity of videogames and tabletop RPGs and LARPs. If they had it their way, the only thing anyone would read is the Bible. But it's not just about the Bible; restricting information to any one source (FOX News, the Koran, Asian bestiality websites) will naturally result in a restricted worldview that panders solely to the self-proclaimed authority of that source. Looking at it like that, Christianity (and religion in general) is nothing but Nazism wrapped up in another package.
ReplyDeleteAt some point, we will hopefully not have to get excited about the waning religious numbers. But I have to ask - where's the researxh to support the idea that religious practice is decreasing in the US?
There is no North American Union. Its just a conspiracy theory being pushed by the far-right. If our government was planning on creating a North American Union, they'd have to make it publicly known and there is no way that it would be accepted by the American people.
ReplyDeleteI see why anonymous posted as anonymous. To you ignorance is bliss. Don't insult those of us with intelligence!
ReplyDeleteI see why you posted as anonymous. It is a sad day when people like myself who desire that the US abide by its constitution are called far right. People like anonymous frame a label upon people to divert attention away from what is really happening. Just like I wrote in the article. I will leave a link for you http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=home It would be good for people like anonymous to stretch themselves instead of sitting behind that box!
ReplyDeleteSomewhere alone the way it became unpatriotic to question your government. Our system is designed in such a way that the people are supposed to have the power from keeping a tyrant/group of tyrants from controlling what happens in our lives. Now if you question anything that goes on beneath the Fox and ABC version of events or do not support the decision of your "leader" you 'hate' your country. REAL patriots ask questions, they seek to make things better instead of sitting around just agreeing because that is which way the wind is blowing.
ReplyDeleteI watch a lot of news and havent seen one story of religion decreasing, its what got Bush elected and keeps fukablee in the race. I also haven't seen any acceptance of atheism (being bashed same as ever)or freethinking. I do believe the internet is bringing out "hidden athiest" but don't believe the number of Christian membership has decreased. But..we are the future, it will take a long log time. Erich
ReplyDeleteDon't expect to see any data about this subject. There is much value in true unadulterated data, but knowing that is what you are being served is just a matter of trust. And polls? I view polls as just a propaganda tool to shape opinion with those who cannot think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI must ask, why get your national news from TV media? What you get from them often isn't news....just commentary and opinions. It is somewhat like the unthinking Christian mindset...."just lie to me" because I will sit here and listen to it. Now local TV news is a different story and often worthy of your time. Personally, I prefer my news from the internet.
When I lived in the SF bay area, we had many great thinkers, speakers appear in person. People like R.Dawkins, D. Barker, S. Harris, C. Hitchens and others frequently appear on TV, more often on radio. Oh, and let us not forget Bill Maher on HBO or C-span's book TV. This didn't happen as frequently 4-5 yrears ago. I now live in Europe and the European mindset differs greatly when compared to the US religious mindset. I don't sense any atheist stigma here!
The area of the US in which you live would also affect how you feel about this. For example, I get very few hits on my site from the Carolinas, GA, TN and FL and lite traffic from the midwest. I'm sure it is a badge of honor to them. I get many hits from California and NY (that spirit is what I loved about CA...openness and questions, this makes people interesting).
Aspentroll makes an astute comment about being thankful he wasn't raised in it...because if you are, you are normally around and supported by a Christian culture. If so, it is more difficult to escape that, unless you are truly open and somehow find your way out. I agree that the internet has been a great friend to skeptics.
To X-ray, Aspentroll, Astreja, trancelation, moondoggie, and Erich it was great interacting with you. Some of you made some very good points.
I almost thought this article was going to be that age-old compliant of a Christian being all "YOU REJECTED CRAYON CHRISTIANITY!" I was always bothered by those people who say they rejected it because they didn't know enough. To me, it seems to be the opposite, that people leave or have left because they knew too much and/or things kept not adding up (such as the case with me). But you covered that well enough in your article so I won't go on here.
ReplyDelete