Karma
July 27, 2003 by Bill
I tire, as I am sure you do, of reading all of those knee-jerk/tear-jerk essays about how Christians are being persecuted in various parts of the world. Any Freshman in religious history studies could explain it to them. In Eastern religions it is called Karma, what you sow, you will reap. Emerson called it “the law of compensation.”
For 2000 years the Christian church has persecuted at will around the world. One of my Anthropology professors at the University of Colorado spent one full week documenting the crimes of Christian missionaries against indigenous people around the world.
The Church has left a legacy that promotes sexism, racism, the intolerance of difference and the desecration of the natural environment. There has been a disregard for human freedom, dignity and self determination. As the church took over Europe it almost totally wiped out education, technology, science, medicine, history, art and commerce.
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The bible and scholars
July 20, 2003 by Bill
Scholars with pre-eminent credentials all agree that the Old Testament is far, far removed from facts or history. Dr. James Bennet Pritchard has been recognized internationally as one of the most distinguished biblical scholars and archaeologists in the world. He was Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; the curator of the Near Eastern section of the museum at the same university; biblical archaeological advisor to “National Geographic” magazine, as well as to the British Broadcasting System and Time-Life Books. Authentic biblical scholars of this caliber are rare indeed. In the professions of religious and biblical “studies” ( I use the word loosely) are more phonies, quacks and charlatans than any other known to me.
I heard him speak several years ago when he was the President of the Archaeological Institute of America. I have copies of his lecture in my files so that I have no need to rely only on my memory.
“It is no longer possible” he said “to read the bible as our parents and grand-parents did. Far too many discoveries have been made, using dating methods that are the most sophisticated known. Six discoveries are crucial” It would take ten full columns to document why they know each to be true. They are:
Fridge notes
July 13, 2003 by Bill
In the discussion time of my Sunday Symposium we have a small ritual. When anyone says something worth remembering, we say “that’s for your refrigerator door.” Everyone has a fridge door library of notes. Here are a few educational gems for the “religion” section of your door…
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