The Bible

This may come across as an insulting question, but I mean it with sincerity. How many religious people actually read the bible? The reason why I ask is that many people claim that being gay is a sin. But when we look, who can say that they have not done something that the bible states is just as bad? Even worse, people say that we should have biblical law. I do encourage people of faith and those that doubt to read the bible just the same.

Leviticus 26:1 States that we should not make idols. Someone pointed out that the cross people wear on a necklace (as many Christians do) could be viewed as an idol. But it is a symbol of Christ being crucified!!! Exactly, it is a symbol that is being worshipped, not god.

Leviticus 22:11 This addresses a priest buying a slave or having one born into his household. Well, thanks to something that I call the Civil War, slavery is no longer allowed in our great country called the United States of America.

Leviticus 20:13 This states that any man who sleeps with another man should be put to death. Ok, I give you this one, it does state that men should not sleep with other men.

Leviticus 20:9-10 These verses address children who dishonor their parents and adulterers. And guess what. Both the children and the adulterers should be put to death as well. So why are we not harrassing the children and adulterers like we do people who happen to be gay. This to me seems to be an even greater injustice since science has proven that people do not choose to be gay. Yet people do choose to be adulterers.

(It is extremely convenient to say that science doesn't prove anything when it goes against our beliefs (i.e. evolution and homosexuality) but we readily embrace it when we need medical help and go to the hospital. However, no one gives credit to the doctors. Instead when someone recovers, all we hear is "Thank god." Next time someone gets sick, don't take them to the doctor and see if god will heal them all on his own.)

Leviticus 20:21 This states that a man should not take his brother's wife as his own. They will remain childless. I do not know anyone who has married his brother's wife, but this seems easy enough to be proven false.

Leviticus 19:19 This states that we should not wear clothing of two different materials. So if by now you are fuming mad and want to punch me in the face. Do me this favor. Check your dresser drawers, your closet, your hamper or wherever you keep you clothes. If nothing in your wardrobe is made of two different materials, then I will be extremely surprised.

Leviticus 19:28 This one I love. It states that we should not put tattoos on our bodies. Go into any tattoo parlor and you will most definitely see one of these symbols, 1) a cross, 2) a picture of Jesus, 3) a picture of hands in prayer.

But I guess none of these really matter since all that is required is to believe in Jesus in order to get into heaven. The above examples were just to demonstrate a few things that we do not follow in our society today. Now I will demonstrate two contradictions in the bible and why it is impossible to use a literal interpretation of the bible. (If you take a literal view on the bible, I seriously think that you are lying to yourself and doing a pretty good job of it.)

Genesis 9:3 This verse states that god gave humans everything as food.

Leviticus 11:3 This verse states that we should only eat animals that have a completely divided split hoof and chews cud.

Leviticus 11:10 This also states that we should not eat anything that is in the water that does not have fins or scales.

Now here god either changed his mind, made a mistake or the bible is just wrong. Obviously there are people that do eat animals that god said that we should not eat. Using the verse in Genesis this person can say that they are right. However, Leviticus says that they are wrong. Unfortunately, it seems a little screwy to me.

Leviticus 20:21 This was mentioned above. It aslo states that the couple will dishonor the man's brother.

Genesis 38:8 This states that it is a man's duty to take his brother's wife as his own. This means that if your brother died, as a man you must take his wife as your own.

Mark 6:18 This also states that it is not unlawful for a man to marry his brother's wife.

How can we take the bible literally when it takes two different stances on the same issue. There are many people who want the problems with evolution taught in schools. (This is because there own views are faulty.) I would love to see people in church teaching their kids the problems with religion. This won't happen becuase scientists and atheists are not that worried about what religious people are teaching their children. Yes, we are concerned about what is taught in schools, but we will not raid churches, synagogues or mosques in order for our views to be represented. In this, the "creationists" seem to not be able to handle their losses and will continue, unsuccessfully to get religion in the public school system. This also shows the motivation between the idea that there is no separation of church and state. However, thanks to the first amendment, my children will not be forced to learn these religious perversions and this make me a Happy Atheist.