February 2012
24 posts
“If we lose the illusion of faith, the consolation of God, and the fables of...”
– Michel Onfray
7 tags
Deuteronomy 17
Summary: God says to kill anyone with different religious beliefs, to kill anyone who doesn’t listen to the priests and sets up rules for when the Israelites elect a king.
17:1 Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.
17:2 If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the LORD gives you is found doing...
“There is one very serious defect to my mind in Christ’s moral character, and...”
– Bertrand Russell, Why I am not a Christian
“Stop degrading the act of sex by calling it “opening your legs.”
I’m so sick...”
– flowersarebetterthanbullets on This Post
“I would love to believe that when I die I will live again, that some thinking,...”
– Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World
Anonymous asked: I think you're being too nitpicky about the word "lend" in verse 8. Lend does not have to mean "borrow" and then expect something in return. In fact, the whole point of verses 7-9 is saying, give him whatever he needs WITHOUT expecting anything in return. Verse 9 is essentially saying "don't think to yourself that this is the 7th year, when debts must be...
5 tags
Deuteronomy 16
Summary: God commands the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Booths.
16:1 Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night.
16:2 Sacrifice as the Passover to the LORD your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his...
7 tags
Deuteronomy 15
Summary: God commands that every seven years the Israelites are to cancel debts.
15:1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.
15:2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.
God...
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is...”
– Albert Einstein
6 tags
Deuteronomy 14
Summary: God goes over animals that the Israelites are aloud to eat and describes the rules for tithing.
14:1 You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead,
14:2 for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
14:3 Do not eat any...
8 tags
Valentine's Day Present to My Girlfriend:
In this absolutely personal and in no way relevant to the topic of this blog post, I wanted to share part of what I’m doing for my girlfriend for this upcoming Valentine’s Day. I’m partly posting this because this list, and the time it took to write it, is a big reason why I haven’t been as active on this blog as of late. I also thought it would be a unique way for you...
“What I’m saying is, if God wanted to send us a message, and ancient writings...”
– Carl Sagan
7 tags
Deuteronomy 13
Summary: God commands that if a prophet entices the Israelites away from God, they must be put to death. If a town has turned away it must also be destroyed.
13:1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder,
13:2 and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods”...
“I think different religions are different doors to the same house. Sometimes I...”
– Steve Jobs
“The searching-out and thorough investigation of truth ought to be the primary...”
– Cicero
January 2012
58 posts
“Religion is an idea about how the world works — and it’s just as valid to...”
– Greta Christina
8 tags
Deuteronomy 12
Summary: Moses commands that the Israelites destroy all of the religious artifacts and places of worship of the current inhabitants in the Promised Land.
12:1 These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land.
12:2 Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on...
Anonymous asked: Are you going through the Bible chronologically or by book order? Because those aren't the same.
“Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable.”
– — Albert Camus, An Absurd Reasoning
Deuteronomy 9 response by sungyak: →
sungyak: The Skeptic understands correctly that God’s love for Israel was not merited by works, but is something freely given to his chosen people as he promised in his covenant. But the inference that God’s love is therefore arbitrary and untrue is far too rash. If God’s free gift of love is based on a promise, how is it arbitrary? And, more importantly, why can’t it be evidence of his love? What...
factoverfaith asked: I'm doing roughly the same thing, for different reasons (was an atheist before I knew what atheism meant). I've gone through 75% of the New Testament and have read most of the possibly excluded texts (i.e. Gospel of Judas). Otherwise, I'm cross referencing the KJV Old Testament, Torah, and Dead Sea Scrolls.One recommendation: read Deuteronomy, Revelation, then watch a GOP debate...
anotheratheistblog asked: in response to your "question of the day," i feel that religion does have this superstitious comfort to it. it feels nice thinking that there is something up there watching out for you. it's comforting to believe that this something up there is benevolent and has your best interest at heart, and good things will come your way. but the reality check always ensues. you can't rely...
Question of the Day:
Irrespective of one’s worldview, many experience periods of doubt. Do you ever doubt your atheism and, if so, what is it about theism or Christianity that is most troubling to your atheism?
“Trillions and trillions of prayers every day asking and begging and pleading for...”
– George Carlin
7 tags
Deuteronomy 11
Summary: Moses presses the Israelites to keep God’s commands so that they may live long in the land.
11:1 Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.
11:2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm;
11:3 the signs he...
7 tags
Deuteronomy 10
Summary:
Moses speaks about God giving him the Ten Commandments.
10:1 At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden chest.
10:2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the chest.”
10:3 So I made the ark out of...
7 tags
Deuteronomy 9
Summary: Moses says that it is not for the righteousness of the Israelites that they will occupy the land.
9:1 Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.
9:2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against...
wecanrisehigher asked: Sorry that last anon message was me, I clicked anon by mistake. xD But yeah, I am pretty much in the same boat as you. I always believed in God and in my religion and I never really questioned anything. But in the last three or four years that all changed, and I'm still struggling with how to handle the bible. It's hard because I really want to be sure I'm making the right decision...
Anonymous asked: I really enjoy what you are doing here. Reading your commentary on the scriptures leaves me with a lot to think about it. Thanks!
thislife-isyours asked: Hi. I am having trouble with the bible and such, and I really like your blog. Regarding the photo you posted on Timothy 2:12 I found this interesting study.. gci. org/church/ministry/women10 I haven't read it all, it's rather long but so far it seems legitimate. I suggest you check it out (:
“Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot...”
– Couldn’t this quote be used in an apologetic defense of any religion? Why then should one have faith in your religion and not another?
6 tags
Deuteronomy 8
Summary: Moses warns the Israelites that they should remember God when they get settled in the Promised Land and not to think of their accomplishments as their own.
8:1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers.
8:2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the...