Monicks: Unleashed

Tag: secular

  • Jesus loves you! What does that even mean?

    Jesus loves you! What does that even mean?

    One of the most overrated and trite phrases believers ultimately shout at atheists and skeptics, in their frustration when we retort with our evil reason and logic to their attempts of proselytizing is “Jesus loves you!”

    Jesus loves you? What does that even mean?

    When someone loves you, they go out of their way to show you their love for you. Think of your parents, your siblings, your closest friends, your life partner. Think of the people you love, you worry about their wellbeing, you do things to please them, you want them to be healthy, content, their needs taken care of, in a word — happy.

    What could Jesus ever do for you? Does he look after you? Does he feed you when you’re hungry? comfort you when you’re sad? heal you when you’re sick? or at least if not magically, does he remind you to take your meds? Does he stay up until you get home to heat up dinner for you, and keep you company while you eat? Does he worry about you and give you a call when he hasn’t heard from you in a while? No, he doesn’t.

    These are some of the things that anyone would do for the people they care about, and you probably do some of these things for the people you care about. Even if Jesus had existed, and was a real person and demigod two thousand years ago, he can’t do anything for you today. Heck! If Jesus had had the power the bible says he had, he could have done so many amazing things for all mankind; instead of healing a couple of blind men and a couple of lepers, he could have eradicated blindness and leprosy, and done so with much less effort than our scientists eradicated poliomyelitis; instead of turning water into wine for a wedding, and feeding a few hundred people with bread and fish, he could have appeared a freaking river full of fish for all Ethiopians to feed off; wouldn’t that be something awesome and worthy of someone with such powers and love?

     

    But Jesus loves you.

    According to the Christian doctrine, no matter who you are, whether you believe in him and his heavenly father or not, whether you’re good or bad, if you’re worthy or not of his holy love, Jesus loves you just the same. Deservedly or not, you are loved by Jesus. Jesus loves everyone, and does exactly as much for everyone — nothing.

    Love without a single demonstration is not love, it’s just a word. Now is when I should remind you of the millions of people suffering and dying from disease and famine in the world, right? I don’t think I need to.

    What makes love meaningful and wonderful is precisely its uniqueness; you are loved because you are special to the one who loves you.

    Jesus loves everyone.

    Jesus’ love is meaningless.

    You think differently? Prove me wrong, and I’ll change my mind.

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  • Justice has been served

    Justice has been served

    The sophomore at Cranston High School West in Rhode Island Jessica Ahlquist, who fought her school’s administration to have a Christian prayer banner (that has been displayed there since the 1960’s) removed from the gymnasium, on the grounds that it was offensive to non-Christians, has won her lawsuit.

    Many aspects of this story deserve our attention:

    First of all, the bravery and tenaciousness of this young lady are qualities for all of us to emulate, not only did she stand for what she thought was right, but also has set a precedent and made this sort of endeavor easier for everyone else who tries to make a difference.

    Secondly, the awesome support she got from JT Eberhard, and many other prominent, and not-so-prominent atheists; one of the many reasons everyone should be open about their disbelief.

    Furthermore, congratulations are in order: Jessica Ahlquist has been added to the list of Reason Rally speakers!

    Unsurprisingly, the reaction from offended people who though bullying Jessica was the best way to defend their faith, didn’t fail to show up — proof that Christian love and tolerance are awesome, as long as their religion is allowed to step on the Constitution, and the ideals and worldview of everyone who disagrees with them. Here’s a quick example:

    [slideshow]

    Can you feel the love?

    Thank you for your efforts, Jessica. You are my new hero.

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  • The Necessity of Atheism

    The Necessity of Atheism

    If he is infinitely good, what reason should we have to fear him?
    If he is infinitely wise, why should we have doubts concerning our future?
    If he knows all, why warn him of our needs and fatigue him with our prayers?
    If he is everywhere, why erect temples to him?
    If he is just, why fear that he will punish the creatures that he has filled with weaknesses?
    If grace does everything for them, what reason would he have for recompensing them?
    If he is all-powerful, how offend him, how resist him?
    If he is reasonable, how can he be angry at the blind, to whom he has given the liberty of being unreasonable?
    If he is immovable, by what right do we pretend to make him change his decrees?
    If he is inconceivable, why occupy ourselves with him?
    If he has spoken, why is the universe not convinced?
    If the knowledge of a God is the most necessary, why is it not the most evident and the clearest?

    — Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Necessity of Atheism

     

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