TOP TEN FAVOURITE FREETHINKER SONGS : NUMBER TEN

We are sometimes asked 'what are the freethought anthems?'
The ones that celebrate life without any kind of reference to a higher power watching over us to our benefit or detriment.
In that spirit, over the next few weeks, and with the assistance of YouTube, I am going to present my top ten favourite freethinker songs.
Starting with;
At number ten;
Bob Marley-Three Little Birds.

A RETURN AND AN ANNIVERSARY

And I'm back.
The first post on my return coincides with the sixth anniversary month of me giving up my Christian faith and admitting I am a deist. I am going to ask questions, questions I asked myself in my years of struggling, and then I'm going to end with my personal conclusion;
(These are serious questions and deserve to be answered)
How do you know that God's word can be found in the Bible and not the Koran or Upanishads or Guru Granth Sahib or Avesta?
Is it possible that God's truth may be found in other scriptures? If not, why not?
Why does Biblegod behave more like Stalin than Jesus in the Old Testament?
Why did Biblegod drown all the other animals in the Great Flood? What had they done? Why didn't he just give everyone except the Noahs fatal heart attacks? The thoughts of men were evil and the earth needed to be cleansed, but the other animals were doing just what comes naturally and not wilfully disobeying their creator.
If Biblegod knew Adam and Eve were going to eat of the fruit of the tree and therefore be infected with the fatal, hereditary Sin Virus, why did he make the tree in the first place?
How could Biblegod, when he came to earth as a man, have experienced all men can experience if he never got married and helped raise a family? If he remained single all his life, he was missing out on a lot of what men experience.
If Biblegod wanted to provide the cure for the Sin Virus, to be found in a certain set of writings why did he leave it to fallible men to write his word down? Why hasn't he provided any additions or updates in two thousand years? Say a different Gospel every hundred years or so, to keep up with scientific discovery and free inquiry?
If Biblegod insists on us believing the right way, why is the Bible so ambiguous? Why if our souls depend upon it can the same Bible verses be interpreted in different ways;
(For example. Get ahold of Christians of different denominations and ask them these questions;*
Predestination or free will?
The Holy Spirit: from the Father or the Son or both?
The Holy Spirit or the holy spirit?
Jesus: God or God's son?
Mary: the Mother of God or Mother of Jesus?
Is faith enough or do we need works for salvation?
Once saved, always saved?
When Jesus turned the water into wine, was it alcoholic or unfermented grape juice?
Can a person be saved if they have never heard of Jesus?
Women priests: Yes or no?
Icons: Yes or no?
What were the last words from the cross?
Remember, these people are using the same words to arrive at different conclusions and then condemning those who disagree to hell.)
Is the Bible any kind of genuine science book?
Is is it fair that Biblegod would condemn anyone to eternal suffering for in all reason not being able to correlate what they read in the Bible with what they understand of life? Not because they love their sin but because the word of the Bible and the word of science does not mesh?

The God of the scriptures is too petty and small and too human to be the majestic remote Creator of the universe and all in it.
If God exists he is the Grand Architect, remote and magnificent and untouchable. I can understand why a body would prefer to think of him as a Father and not a scientist pottering about a lab with us in an unacknowledged Petri dish on a shelf, but it doesn't make it true, now does it?
We say he loves us, and we are the pinnacle of his creation, This is the height of hubris, of arrogance.
If God exists, he is to be found in the perfect clockwork rotation of the planets and stars, in the billions of planets in the galaxy, tick tocking to a beat governed by laws that humans are capable of understanding if they have the ability to reason and apply mathematical knowledge. He is to be found in a cat's eyes, an insects wing, a lizard basking in the sun, a bird's beak, a tree's trunk, a blade of grass and a tiny flower. He is to be found in the way we are born and grow and live and die. It is more reasonable to assume the God who laid the foundations for life, in all it's glories and pain, is not involved, doesn't know we exist, than to force ourselves to believe he cares and watches us suffer and struggle, become ill and die, to kill one another and other animals, anyway. AIDS or the Shoah or the Inquisition or the Ebola virus or Jihad or serial killers or the exploitation of the planet and other animals all have their place in the unconscious doings of the Grand Architect in the same way birth and love and kindness and self-sacrifice and charity have.
He is not to be found in the works of men, no matter how many labels, holy, righteous, just, we place on them.
I came to this conclusion reading and thinking, not because I love my sin, but it is more reasonable to assume that if a Creator, he is too big to fit in any book and is certainly unaware of what a single section of a single species on a single planet at the back end of one galaxy in a universe one hundred and forty-six million light years across is getting up to.

*I am not going to suggest you ask the Christians whether there were one or two beasts carrying Jesus on his final entry into Jerusalem or if he went more than once, and when, because they are glaring, obvious contradictions which completely blow the idea of the Bible being the perfect and infallible word of the perfect Creator out of existence and which I will explore further in a future posting.

If you truly have nothing better to do, have a look at my other place on the Interwebs.

THIS IS IT

Because of the pressures of real life I won't have time to update this blog anything like I thought I would. Same goes for my other place on the blogosphere. So I won't be adding anything else to it.
Shame, really. You start a fresh page with high hopes and there is reality in the way and a while later you look with bitter dissatisfaction at your unfinished work and finally give in and end it on a sort of semi-regretful farewell.
I'm keeping up though (until someone who can notices it's just sitting here, unattended, and takes it down) as a tribute to the folly of humankind (?)
Goodbye from a misanthropic Brit deist.

MAKING IT CLEARER

I am not a theist.
I am not an atheist.
(Using the classical accepted meanings of these two phrases.)
I believe there is some Great Mind, Great Architect, Unmoved Mover, behind everything because it seems logical to assume that everything did not just happen.
I also believe that this Great Mind has nothing to do with us, therefore didn't write (directly, or through inspiring human hand) any books.
I don't believe that this Great Mind even knows there is sentient life on one planet on the back end of the universe, that's why he doesn't interfere.
I believe evolution and not intelligent design is the reason for the diversity of life.
I believe we are basically machines, invested with a life force.
I believe that every living thing is invested with this life force, whether self aware or not, that's why to harm any living thing is a crime.
I believe human beings are made, i.e., genetics explains the personality better than upbringing.
I believe that anti-social behaviour is a disability that can be controlled. For example, if a serial killer or paedophile, say, if caught, they shouldn't be shut away and forgotten, or hanged. (After all, what has extreme 'lock 'em up and throw away the key' or 'hang 'em' punishment done? It hasn't cut the crime rate at all. For you out there who think talking to and listened to and rewarding the perpetrator works, well it isn't, is it?) It should be discovered, through brain scans and blood tests and other medical interventions, why. This then should be applied to prevent others becoming serial killers and paedophiles. Maybe one day, in a more enlightened age, there will be an injection or table to cure such afflictions or at least keep them under control, just like any disability. If anyone cries 'it's against their human rights', then it's possible to argue treating any condition is against the human rights of the person afflicted.
In addition to the above;
I believe human beings should be left alone, and if they look as if they are struggling, if help is offered and refused, then their wishes should be respected, even if it means their own destruction. This applies to that person alone, if their behaviour upsets others, then they should be compelled to receive assistance.
More clarification;
If someone is born with diabetes or Down's Syndrome or autism or my own condition or some other debilitating condition, so long as it affects only them, as soon as they're old enough to decide, they should be given the choice to work out how the rest of their life would effect them. The rapist and serial killer and harmer of any living thing shouldn't be extended the same right because their actions harm others.
I believe that every human being should be allowed to live the life of a person who has diametrically opposite views before they come to their conclusion on any theory or philosophy.
I don't believe human beings are the superior animal. If you mean superior as someone invested with superior strength and reasoning abilities, yes. But human beings in general, are selfish and factional and are parasites and exploit other species and anyone who uses their strength and size to harm cannot be superior.
I believe every human being, except the dead and comatose, have something to offer, and should be given every chance to do so.
I believe that the borders should be brought down and everyone should become a citizen of planet earth, and all the arguments and factionalism and sectarianism will eventually die out.
I believe that human beings should not try to interfere with the members of other species and their land and every living thing should be given rights, the main of which; to be left alone.
I believe in doing as much good and showing as much kindness and charity as I possibly can.
I believe no one is perfectly bad, and no one is perfectly good, that there is too much grey, because someone deals with something in a certain way, doesn't mean someone else will deal with that situation in the same or even a similar.
I believe that no one needs more than two children and that this policy should be enforced, rigorously, around the world.
I don't believe everything has an explanation or a reason, but things just happen.
I believe one day human beings, for all their vaunted power and boasting will die out, probably due to someone one of them has done. I just hope they don't take members of other species with them.
I don't that is my final philosophy, and even that five years after given up my theism after almost a quarter of a century of being a Christian, I'm still trying on new ways of thinking. Therefore, this statement is subject to not only change, but complete overhaul, and by this time next year I publish another statement of belief that negates all I'm saying and says the complete opposite. (Except maybe the idea that other species should be allowed their lives and rights. That won't ever change.)

IT'S ALL ABOUT PRIORITISING

I know I started this blog with so much promise, but for a long time I've been unable to log in. Now, for some reason, I'm allowed back in.
I'm just here to say I won't be adding to it for a long while. I've not suddenly gone all religious. I'm still a deist with no time for theists. And I still enjoying noting my thoughts down. It's just that real life has suddenly become more time-consuming than I ever expected leaving me with very little Internet time.
(Same with my other blog, ALL THE BEST!)
One day, I'll be back. . .
Bye for now. . .

A TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIANITY

Did you know that Adolf Hitler was born and brought up a Roman Catholic?
Did you know that Adolf Hitler was never excommunicated by the Roman Catholic church?

UNTRUE TRUTH

A lot of freethinkers have no problem with attacking Christianity and showing it up for the foolishness it is. A lot of those freethinkers aren't so happy at the idea of Islam being given the same treatment. They claim that while Christians are fair game, attacking Muslims for their beliefs is racism.
Now, there are Muslims in every continent on earth. African Muslims, European Muslims, Muslims in the Americas, Middle Eastern Muslims, Oceanic Muslims. You can find mosques and small Islamic cells from Syndey to the Sudan. Muslims don't consist of a single race, Islam is a world-round religion. Attacking Islam, with words, with reasoned debate, to underline it's insanity is no more racist that attacking Christianity for the same reason.
The funny thing is,those who shout loudest; Disagreeing with Muslims=racist, have no problem with condemning Israel, which is the only Jewish state on earth.
Now that is racism.

HISTORICAL FACTS

Sometimes, the Christian proves the existence of Jesus by mentioning the number of historical events that happened and real life people that lived during his life and ministry. From King Herod being on the throne at his birth to Pontius Pilate being governor of Israel at his death, both of who existed and were in their positions during the correct time period. He walked the streets of Nazareth and Jerusalem, both real places. During Jesus' ministry, Israel was occupied by foreign power, namely Rome, something independently verified. He got involved with various groups of freedom fighters, who really did wage back-street warfare on the enemy invaders.
Right. . .
Serial killer Bryan Clarke was born in Collyhurst just over a year after the end of World War Two. George VI was on the throne and the Labour Party was in power with Clement Atlee as Prime Minister. I'll go a bit further. Bryan killed his first victim in early 1974, when Queen Elizabeth II was monarch and the Conservatives were in with Edward Heath as Prime Minister. He picked her out and followed her home in a rainstorm along Ashton New Road to her terraced home. He waited until she'd gone in then knocked and when she answered he knocked her out and strangled her.
Before you go searching elsewhere on the net to find out anything else about him, I'll save you the trouble; Serial killer Bryan Clarke doesn't exist. He's a character I've invented and if all goes to plan he'll be starring in my next crime fiction story.
Collyhurst, East Manchester, exists. World War Two happened. In 1946, when Bryan was born George VI was King and the Labour Party with Clement Atlee as Prime Minister were in power. In 1974, Queen Elizabeth II was Queen, and up to February 1974, Edward Heath was Prime Minister and the Conservatives were in power. In February they were beaten by Harold Wilson's Labour Party. Ashton New Road exists. There were terraced houses along it in 1974. All these are demonstrably actual events, people who existed, doing what was written at that time, and real places. But Bryan Clarke didn't exist until I invented him.
All real places and real events, but I put a pretend character in amongst them. The fact that Jesus walked down real streets and interacted with real characters proves nothing other than the writer(s)/inventor(s) put him against a real-life background.
Or unless Christians are willing to concede Zeus existed because Mount Olympus is a real place?

A TRUTH

I gave my Christian faith up five years ago this month, after almost twenty-five years as a believer.
Even now, the idea 'you can think whatever you like' is challenging, exciting and frightening.

BUT I CAN'T DRAW!

It's the first 'draw Mohammed' day, which is meant to be a free speech rebellion against the beliefs of the cowards and bullies of Islam and their enablers.
I'd love to join in the fun, but I can't draw.
I'll just say Mohammed was an epileptic and Islam exists because of a fit he had in a cave one day.
When he was an adult, he married a seven-year old girl, but that's all right because he didn't consummate his marriage until she was nine.
As far as I know, the Koran is the only holy book that actively encourages beating wives for disobedience.
Any Muslims reading this, and getting into the whole alien idea of free speech, remember don't think about cutting my head off or suicide bombing me, just write an article or a posting insulting deism. Go on. Mock the hell out of of it. See? That's how it works. Not so hard is it? You get a warm, childlike satisfaction from extracting the urine from a middle aged Brit's beliefs, and I get to keep living. Thinking for yourself isn't so hard once you try, and nobody dies.
At least the Pakistanis haven't rioted on being challenged by a rush of free thought. No, they've just, officially, legally, banned YouTube and Facebook, where the draw Mohammed Day idea was born and caught on, from their country.

And any Christians reading this can no longer, in all reason, accuse me of picking on Christians and not daring to challenge Muslims.