GodAnon

“In religion, what damned error but some sober brow will bless it, and approve it with a text, . . .?” —"The Merchant of Venice," Act III, Sc. II Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

"I'd like to thank the way I was raised for giving me enough knowledge about organized religion to make the adult decision to live the rest of my life without it. I don't think you can believe or not believe in anything unless you know a lot about it. I know Christianity, especially Catholicism, like the back of my hand. And my education has given me the freedom to know that it is completely absurd for me to believe it." Amber Laura Heard Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Our religious friends  pretend to know there are one or more gods. I am an atheist because I don't pretend to know there are one or more gods. I'm not an atheist because I pretend to know there are no gods. Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Isaiah 45:7 King James Version (KJV) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

atheist in heaven https://youtu.be/CkeGXQEh_GY pope tells child of dead atheist that child's father is in heaven!! Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

"My own view on religion is that of Lucretius. I regard it as a disease born of fear and as a source of untold misery to the human race." Bertrand Russell, "Has Religion Made Useful Contributions to Civilization?" (1930) Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Leviticus 25:44-46 (NIV) 44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.  45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.  46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly. Despite clear text, some of our religious friends refuse to admit that the "ten commandments" could have readily ended the practice of slavery, at least among the Jews.

“You’re allowed to believe in a god. You’re allowed to believe unicorns live in your shoes for all I care. But the day you start telling me how to wear my shoes so I don’t upset the unicorns, I have a problem with you. The day you start involving the unicorns in making decisions for this country, I have a BIG problem with you.”  ― Matthew Shultz Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Numbers 15: 32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

“The thoughts of the gods are not more unchangeable than those of the men who interpret them. They advance - but they always lag behind the thoughts of men. . . .  —-Anatole France, letter to the Freethought Congress at Paris (1905), cited by Joseph McCabe, Biographical Dictionary of Modern Rationalists Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Many of our religious friends believe the government should help religion. "No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice religion."  Everson v. Board of Ed. of Ewing, 330 US 1 at 16 - U.S. Supreme Court 1947 Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering

Many of our religious friends wrongly believe the USA is a christian nation.  Since 1947, the Supreme Court taught us that:  The "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance.  Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 at 16 (1947) Promoting Understanding of Religious Suffering