The main purpose of this web page is to help you walk away from your religion
— to provide some reasonable justification and some confidence for those of you who are in the process of walking away from your traditional religious belief system — to possibly give you a little head start by using some of the “spade work” that I and others have done. — this may save you some effort and time.
If you find this unsettling you may want to avoid this site.
If you are not in this process, viewing this website is probably a waste of your time.
Why be critical?
Why am I critical of ‘Holy Books’ as literal descriptions of reality; and organized
religions (traditional and New Age) as promoters of reality ?
(1) Truth: I think truth should be public knowledge.
It is important that the truth about religious literature such as the Bible, Koran be publicized.
Many people believe this literature literally states “what is”. It doesn’t!
I think knowing the truth about reality is important.
At one time I thought the Bible was inerrant and perfect, otherwise, why
would it be called the Holy Bible. Over time I found some difficulties in
regards to some ethical concepts presented in the Bible, but I still thought it
must be inerrant — how could it be otherwise if so many knowledgeable
people believed it to be inerrant. Then, I was presented with documented
Bible errors such as the somewhat minor one to do with the circumference of a circle
— remember I am a Physicist and measurement is important to me:
2 Chronicles 4:2
2 Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
We know from elementary school math, if the diameter of a circle is 10 cubits,
then the circumference is 31.41 cubits (Pi = 3.14159… ), not 30 cubits — 31.4 cubits would be easily measured. It doesn’t say approximately 30 cubits, it says 30 cubits
in circumference. How could this happen in an inerrant book. I was shocked!
Either God of the Bible did not know the basic principle of a circle or was
giving false information deliberately.
This and others led me into some serious investigation of the Bible. In retrospect from the viewpoint of many Christians the circle example is a trivial difficulty compared to many other greater difficulties in the Bible.
Conclusion of my investigation: The Bible is a totally man-made book and is not a description of reality.
By looking at some other so called holy books I came to a more general conclusion:
there are no holy books — the so called ‘Holy Books’ are just old, purely man-made books
and should be treated as such. If anyone presents me with a recently written
‘Holy Book’, likely I will not accept it as such.
The “Holy” books try to explain reality, but their explanations usually
contradict science — a major reason they could not be God-given
(by God I mean an external God separate from a person, often referred to as the Creator).
The ‘Holy Books’ were NOT meant to taken literally as a description of reality or of actual historical happenings — they are myth and legend that say something about people’s thinking in the past and suggest ways people adapted to various circumstances in the past; and may point to ways people adapt to circumstances in the present. It must be remembered that people are very good at Story-telling and Pattern-finding and imagining things.
One purpose of my Web Site is to help publicize some (only a few) of the problems with the Bible and other ‘Holy Books’ — with links that expand this further.
Knowing the truth about the natural and the supernatural are of greatest importance.
(2) Danger of Justification of Almost anything:
I have found that almost anything Good or Evil can be justified using a “Holy” Book.
The past record of religious conflicts and intense intolerance to other beliefs
through the Dark Ages to the present are a strong indication of this. Justification
of slavery, polygamy, murder, torture, anti-Semitism are just some examples.
On the other hand, if certain verses in a “Holy” book are used, they can justify good
actions. The choice depends on the degree of humanity a person has — the
kind of religion chosen. In my study of the Bible, for example I have found it is vague
or contradictory on many important issues.
You can interpret bible verses or choose verses that will agree with how you
feel about almost any topic — part of the reason there are so many splinter
groups in Christianity. This is one of the reasons I reject the Bible as being a
message from some kind of God of the universe.
It gets worse! Often believers in a “Holy” Book try to convince you
that “the words do not actually mean what they say” in many verses and parts of the Book
— that there is some other meaning for the words (that are not at all obvious) that are actually consistent with their beliefs.
One prophecy of Jesus that has come true is:
Matthew 10:34
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword
Many believers of the Bible are humane enough to choose verses that
promote humanity. History shows that this can easily change with conditions
and the kind of religious leaders people are following (I believe you should
be your own leader in regards to your belief system). It is secular influences
outside and inside religious groups that are a major safe-guard
in preventing abuses. Also, having many belief systems in a society
can help prevent one religious belief system from becoming dominant.
I have deep reservations about the ethical goodness of the Bible and
other ‘Holy Books’. Most individuals and society in general would be
better off without considering these books as ethical or moral authorities.
‘Holy Books’ are potentially a danger and a threat, namely, because they are
considered Holy.
(3) Cult-like aspects of using a book as a Holy Book:
Believing the Bible or any other book is Holy can result in cult-like acceptance
of anything in it — it is an overpowering belief, not susceptible to reason
and common sense. It makes an irrational person out of one that is highly rational in
other aspects of his life. Freethinking is abhorrent to a “Bible as Divine” Believer. Faith
subordinates reason.
Often religion is used for controlling people, rather than used as a way of
finding Truth. Finding Truth is the domain of Science, not religion.
Using a “Holy” Book as myth and fantasy just as you would other books of mythology is an appropriate way to use it.
(4) Anti-Science:
A belief in a “Holy” book and in a supernatural realm has been
a major obstacle to scientific progress in the past.
There is no modern science in the so called God’s Book, the Bible.
Nor is there any in the other ‘Holy Books’. This includes the Koran, the
Books of Mormon.
People of the past didn’t know as much scientifically as we do today,
so their pronouncements about reality probably were more primitive —
they just didn’t know.
Through man’s Science
the greatest achievements of reliable thought have been produced —
and these achievements are continuing; hopefully for a long time yet.
(5) Misplaced resources and peoplepower that could be used more
profitably to enhance life on earth:
Belief in a Holy Book often results in systems of theology that require a
clergy (religious experts) to interpret, to explain, and to debate “the truth”
for believers — results in the necessity of churches, temples, mosques,
synagogues, etc. to allow people to meet and listen to the religious experts;
also to help protect the belief system — results in more and more lavish ritual
and procedures to hold the believers in the system — all this requires
financing, which is a major factor in organized religious systems.
In the past centuries, many of the resources and people that should have
been available to improve people’s lives generally have gone into supporting
special religious social structures. This has not changed much in the present day.
(6) Sharing information:
Organized religious people are often keen on spreading their beliefs to others
and imposing their beliefs on others. Humanists tend to keep their thoughts
to themselves and are tolerant of other people’s belief systems unless someone
else’s beliefs affect them adversely. As you browse the web you will
notice there are relatively few humanist websites compared to the
many organized religious and other New Age websites.
I think Humanists should share their ideas, so that people at least know
these ideas exist. A good place to do this is on the internet where viewing
information is completely voluntary.
Ironically I first heard about Humanism in a church — in a negative way. I became curious and thought I should find out more about it. It took me years to find relevant
information on the subject. There was a lot of information on everything
but Humanism, in the large public libraries, bookstores and schools. What
I found was that there were many similarities between my thoughts and
Humanist thought.
Since accessing the Internet I discovered two great Humanists of the past,
Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll. I checked the public libraries,
bookstores, schools and found next to nothing on Ingersoll and nothing
on Paine’s essays, ‘The Age of Reason’ Parts 1 and 2″ — it seemed as if they
had been banned. Humanists are a silent substantial minority, with many
of them not knowing that is what they really are. I think Ingersoll and Paine
can be eye-openers.
(7) Growing threat of right wing fundamentalism:
The accelerating rise of right wing Christian Fundamentalism,
Muslim Fundamentalism, Jewish Fundamentalism, etc. could be a threat to
basic human freedoms and the progress of science. To keep a healthy,
free, secular, democratic society it is necessary to keep fundamentalists
in balance with other belief systems. Places like Iran, Saudi Arabia,
Afghanistan and Christian Europe in the past show the evils of Fundamentalism
becoming dominant.
The basic freedom to choose in the marketplace of religious thought is
guaranteed by the absolute separation of church and state. Anyone can
voice their considered opinion, and anyone can judge them as acceptable or not.
(8) Alternate realistic view — Humanism:
There is a valid alternate to the prevailing view presented by traditional
and other New Age religions, and by ‘Holy Books’. To me a more realistic
view of what is.
(9) Help a person walk away (the main reason):
Had I known in my earlier days what I know today I would have been
more confident and felt less guilty in developing my own belief system, different
from my traditional upbringing. This website may give a person that has concerns about
his belief system the confidence to pursue his investigations of these concerns.
My early background is Mennonite Brethren and am a retired Physics
Teacher. I’ve always enjoyed and have had a happy life. I always have
loved all the members of my family. Later, freedom of
thought has added another magnitude of satisfaction and happiness to life.
As already stated, one purpose of this website is to provide some reasonable
justification for a person that is in the process of walking away from their traditional
belief system. Organized religions have a very strong psychological grip on its adherents,
and it takes a continuing effort to loosen this grip and to come to terms with their past
(10) Selfish exposure:
The exposure of my belief system to the public for falsification
(constructive criticism). Your constructive criticism is welcome as long as you expect
constructive criticism in return. This critical exchange forces me to consider
alternatives. I would recommend this process for anyone that values his
Belief System. Everyone has a chance to do so on the internet.
(11) Come to terms with the past:
Everyone must come to terms with their past. Being involved with the internet has
helped me come to terms with my religious past. A site like this one may help others do the same.
Naturalism and Religious Experience 