Random Quote
"The so-called Christian nations are the most enlightened and progressive…but in spite of their religion, not because of it. The Church has opposed every innovation and discovery from the day of Galileo down to our own time, when the use of anesthetic in childbirth was regarded as a sin because it avoided the biblical curse pronounced against Eve. And every step in astronomy and geology ever taken has been opposed by bigotry and superstition. The Greeks surpassed us in artistic culture and in architecture five hundred years before Christian religion was born."
- Mark Twain
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ardoslover says:
Here’s another of MT’s better quotes on religion. In “The Mysterious Stranger” he describes god as “”a God who could make good children as easily as bad, yet preferred to make bad ones; who could have made every one of them happy, yet never made a single happy one; who made them prize their bitter life, yet stingily cut it short; who gave his angels eternal happiness unearned, yet required his other children to earn it; who gave his angels painless lives, yet cursed his other children with biting miseries and maladies of mind and body; who mouths justice and invented hell — mouths mercy and invented hell — mouths Golden Rules and forgiveness multiplied by seventy times seven, and invented hell; who mouths morals to other people and has none himself; who frowns upon crimes, yet commits them all; who created man without invitation, then tries to shuffle the responsibility for man’s acts upon man, instead of honorably placing it where it belongs, upon himself”.
Garuda says:
The Christian nations are the most enlightened and progressive becuause of their religion. Christianity provides the obstacles of struggle. Through struggle are achievements gained. Due to the church fighting progress, progress will continue. ‘Tis my take
Gandalf the Puce says:
The Bible as we know it was compiled by Emperor Constantine of Byzantium in the 4th Century AD. He was not a Christian, but a devotee of Sol Invictus, the sun god and baptized on his deatbed against his wishes. There were up to 80 gospels and several Old Testament Books omitted, including the marriage of Joshua ben Joseph, aka Jesus Christ, to Mary Magdalen. His aim was to control the populace and it has succeeded admirably. The writers of the Gospels that were found acceptable drew heavily on the religion of Egypt and Mithraism among others.
Joshua ben Joseph was a historical figure and a wise man, but his teachings, as with all wise men, were corrupted immediately following his execution.
We have the Greeks and Islam to thank for the seeds of our so-called enlightenment. The “primitives”, understanding their place in nature, are more enlightened than the most revered sages of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition.
Giles Martin says:
For additional commentary – ‘Twains “Letters to the Earth” (river steamer captain, dead (boiler explosion),heaven,big surprises), and “Letters from the Earth” (ceation seen?,bet G’ vs S’,report from agent of S’,more surprises).
The second is only broadly similar to C S Lewises “The Screwtape Letters”.
I don’t think the Ottomans corrupted Islam all that much – the boys in the real Turkish baths tended to be – how does one put this discreetly? – pretty and available?
kinkynik says:
Spot on Gandalf.
Spot on Mark Twain.
The only good god is a dead one !