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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Syncretist & eclectic religions & belief systems > General
Continuing a theme begun in This and That, J.T. McDaniel now
presents a collection of 19 essays, ranging from the titular More
on Theistic Atheism, to Odd Animals and Space Aliens. In the first,
the author further develops the idea of an atheism that includes a
deity (if admittedly an imaginary one). While the idea that, "It's
okay to believe in god, as long as you realize it's imaginary"
essentially defines theistic atheism, most of the other essays
simply dispense with the idea of any reality beyond the physical.
Along with appeals to logic and critical thinking, essays cover
such topics as gay marriage, abortion, climate change, the
relationship between government and religion, and between religion
and science. On the lighter side, McDaniel examines some reasons
why the world is unlikely to end in 2012, the music he wants played
at his funeral (Queen, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Boito, but definitely
not Amazing Grace), and the possibility of actual immortality in a
virtual world. There is a suggestion that a new political party
might be in order. Climate change is viewed through a practical
lens, which suggests that far more could be accomplished through
the use of tax incentives than the usual government instinct of
using any crisis as an excuse to wring more funds out of the
taxpayers. The use of existing infrastructure to produce cheap
hydrogen is also studied. The collection concludes with a look at
cryptozoology, which the author finds valid mostly in the realm of
insects and fish, but not bigfoot or mokele-mbembe. He then argues
that space aliens are probably real, but that it's unlikely they
have visited here, or that any extraterrestrial civilization would
even know we were here.
The Fallacy of God, A Religious Conspiracy: No one could study the
Bible with an open mind and still believe that the scribble written
inside was ever inspired by some loving entity. The Bible is filled
with contradictions and superstitious beliefs of an angry, jealous,
man-made controlling God. Only through blind faith, the act of
unthinking, could anyone possibly believe that the immoral,
unjustified, homicidal stories of a greedy Creator were not just
fabrications and old mythological legends compiled into religious
propaganda. Religious leaders grow fat with money while they preach
of giving and not living for materialistic possessions. They are
hypocritical pretenders to what they teach. We should all blindly
follow and obey, for any one of us who doubts the existence of God
will face His wrath of eternal Hellfire? Its basic dogma, of one
true religion, breeds hatred between brothers and wars throughout
our world, and we must live in fear of the coming Battle of
Armageddon. Christianity is blasphemous to what Jesus believed, and
the Shroud of Turin is a fraudulent sham, no one was ever
resurrected from the dead. Some of the information presented in
this book is from my anti-religious series including "Empirical
Truth," and "Jesus Christ Revolutionary Mythology." If you want to
know how rapacious the Bible truly is, you will want to read this
book.
Bible Babble Bull (Second Edition) is a compilation of some of the
most controversial topics expressed in my five book series on
religion including Empirical Truth, and Bible Propaganda: there is
also a new updated chapter on the Shroud of Turin. The Bible is an
immoral book, and the act of following an immoral book by blind
faith alone is an amoral act. We should not be teaching from an old
superstitious book that which we do not really understand or know
what is written within its pages. I have included many Bible
Scriptures, including chapter and verse for you to read and or look
up in any Bible. It is unfortunate that we, humankind believed in
Biblical Mythology when the process of multi-copies became
possible, as one large book makes people believe that it must be
the truth; but the Bible is not a book about one God, most of its
stories were taken form much earlier long forgotten and debunked
past gods. Darwinism is cruel; survival of the fittest, yet with
increasing knowledge, civilizations can evolve to have an
ameliorate world; while the Bible is immoral, and by its very
nature will always be immoral.
Through a relatively congenial but frank interchange among three
siblings, the dialogues highlight three very different ways of
living and apprehending the universe. One sibling has a traditional
view of God (traditional, that is, within a
Christian/Judaic/Islamic context). One has a very different view of
God. And one is an atheist. Their interchange reveals
interconnections between their views about God and about politics,
society, beauty, science, personal relationships, individuality,
good and evil, and war and peace. This interchange among the three
illustrates how very different views about God impact practically
everything else. But how can those with such conflicting views live
together in the same community, the same society, the same world?
By challenging each other in eleven dialogues, the siblings, in
spite of their conflicting views, come to a common realization and
agreement. To find out what it is and to understand how they get
there, read these dialogues.
The topic of gods and religion has bewildered generations
throughout history. Some have been led to believe that believing in
a god is the only way to be happy, others fear that the fabric of
society would fray and tear without widespread deference to
religion, and still others have chosen to believe because they did
not realize that there was ever even an alternative. This book
articulates the "None of the Above" alternative to the
multiple-choice question of gods and religion. Beginning with a
systematic deconstruction and demolition of religious thought as
unreliable, imprecise, and unproven, the discussion then turns to
rebuilding one's identity once he has relinquished the concept that
gods are anything more than an idea. Leading the reader through the
process and techniques of rebuilding his intellect, emotions,
morals, and meaning, What Are You Without God? refuses to destroy
religious thought without providing a definite alternative, namely,
to be a human being with the fleeting chance to give effect to his
desires and emotions before he closes his eyes for good.
The book Darwin would be happy to hear about. Over 100 pages of
absolutely nothing. Yes, this book is completely blank Nothing,
zilch, nada - but still 100% accurate and completely inoffensive.
You can help spread the no-word by purchasing a copy for all your
friends, or leave a copy in the occasional hotel room. But don't
preach about it Guaranteed not to start any wars and not a sin to
buy, own, wave about or burn. Almost certainly not available on
Kindle.
A concise compilation of logical and reasonable responses to
Christian apologetic claims. This book will be of use to anyone who
debates with Christians. It offers "old hands" a reminder of some
of the arguments they may have forgotten, and maybe provides some
new ones. It offers newcomers to the debate the common sense and
rationality that is atheism and very good advice on how to keep
control of theists who attempt to veer off the point or steer their
rudders toward safer waters.
Is it possible with an average educated intelligence, in all good
faith (pun intended), truly and honestly to contemplate our world
and be convinced that it was created by an omniscient (all
knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), all loving God? This book is a
collection of thoughts that anybody could have if he or she took
the time to stop, wonder, think and observe the world with the
tools that our 21st century culture gave us. An open mind is
needed. Narcissism (I'm the child of a God), and self interest (I
am a soul that doesn't die) must be repressed.
This book is the compilation of the two parts of the "Inside a
Non-Believer's Mind" series. In the first part, the author explains
why he became a freethinker, and atheist, despite having a strong
religious upbringing. He also explains the concept of atheism, and
why he believes that our differences only reflect our humanity -
that we all come from different parts of the world, different
backgrounds, and have different belief systems. He only hopes that
we can recognize that we are more alike than we are different. In
the second, part, he argues that the concept of God is poorly
explored by believers, and greatly explored by non-believers, when
in reality should be the opposite. As religious people grow up in
religious environments, at some point God becomes just a word
without a definition, and people lose perspective of what they
really mean when they say: I do believe in God. The author also
defends the concept of morality on the absence of religion, which
is of paramount importance for those who wonder about good and evil
in a humanist, science-driven society. His only true objective is
to promote reason and tolerance, and both believers and
non-believers alike will find his work enticing, and
thought-provoking.
This book is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It contains classical
literature works from over two thousand years. Most of these titles
have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades.
The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to
promote the timeless works of classical literature. Readers of a
TREDITION CLASSICS book support the mission to save many of the
amazing works of world literature from oblivion. With this series,
tredition intends to make thousands of international literature
classics available in printed format again - worldwide.
This is a cynical comedy about the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ.
People say "Jesus Saves." But when cast into the modern day
paparazzi meatgrinder, can The Savior even save himself?
Writers know how a book can take on a new direction, a life of its
own as s/he gets deeply into it. GODLESS has done this many times
since I began it in 1987. I explain some of these changes within,
but I want to share where I am in my atheism. Cynthia Sue Larson
and Patricia Zerman "got it' when they read the book. I am no
longer defensive about atheism as I realized how deeply rooted it
is in my emotional life and my limbic brain. I no longer have to be
offensive about it and my responses to attacks on the radio
resulted in me being identified as "atheist lite." I don't think
they meant I was a lightweight thinker (some may disagree), but
that I was refreshingly honest, funny, and fair. Further, I didn't
attack others' religious beliefs, but only explained why I felt my
beliefs were based on many powerful emotional experiences and then
later came my intellectual defenses or (to me) logical, rational
explanations of my beliefs. I have observed that this is what
everyone does. We are not basically logical, rational beings, but
are ruled more by what we "feel" in our bodies. From childish
arguments that sound like this - "You're stupid " - "No, You're
stupid" - which continues with no additional changes until one
gives up - to arguments between loved ones and the devastating
"discussions" between representatives of nations or political or
religious leaders that are emotionally based so NO compromises are
possible. I love my wife, children, and grandchildren more than
anyone or anything. Yet, they are all believers in God and some
religion. At times, it has left me somewhat lonely as I have tread
lightly on what I felt were the fallacies in their thinking and
beliefs. I knew their beliefs were based on their need for some
security, some protection from life's uncertainties, its
unavoidable pains and lack of justice. What kind of husband and
father would I be if I tried to take what religion was giving them
and replace it with GOD lessness? I finally found what I now
believe is a compromise that they and I can live with. This, the
latest incarnation of this book, is an explanation of why, one
atheist, emotionally believes what he does. Instead of attacking
religion and religious believers like most of the recent popular
atheist writers have done (and I respect and applaud them as they
have awakened the world to another way of looking at reality) I
have tried to take you on a journey through my mind and my
emotional experiences. My book GOD-INTOXICATED: Becoming Paranoid
(2007) much more deeply delves into my specific experiences and you
can take whatever I offer - or not. My hope (faith) is that it will
help you become a person that can live life that meets all your
needs to become the most honest, less fearful, and completely human
being that can allow, even encourage all others to live their lives
as freely and fearlessly.I wrote in CAREGIVING: The ANSWERS
ARE...(2012) that LOVE is the ultimate answer. The same is true for
a life worth living. I think you'll be surprised that an atheist
can help you live a loving, purposeful life. Read how Thinking the
UNthinkable is seeing endless possibilities based on MUTUAL RESPECT
and openness to others' experience of OUR world.
In one of his most popular lecture courses - formerly published as
Man as Symphony of the Creative Word - Rudolf Steiner presents an
extraordinary panorama of spiritual knowledge centring on the human
being. We are the harmony of creation - a microcosm - containing
within us 'all the laws and secrets of the world'. Steiner begins
by speaking about our inner relationship to three ancient and
sacred representatives of the animal kingdom - eagle, lion and bul
- and to the forces of the cosmos that form them. He goes on to
deepen these themes by approaching the plant and animal worlds in
the context of planetary and cosmic evolution. A new category is
then introduced: the elemental nature spirits - the metaphysical
beings who work with plants and animals. Steiner gives a unique and
intimate description of them and describes the cooperation they
offer to mankind. Finally, the human being - the 'harmony of the
Creative Word' - is placed at the heart of this spiritual
celebration of life.
Written by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints who has been severely disabled by cerebral palsy since
birth, this book gives insight into Mormon beliefs. The "talks," as
they are called by Mormons, were read to various congregations .
Because Mr. Beatty has a severe speech impediment he typed his
talks and someone would read them for him. The talks were given
over the span of 40 years and cover such subjects as faith, the
Plan of Salvation, reverence, prayer, unity, and other basic
principles which form the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Four essays are
also included. The main essay is unique because Mr. Beatty attempts
to answer the age old questions of why disability exists and what
God intends mankind (especially the person with a disability) to
learn from them. This is done from the perspective of Mormon
/Christian theology. The other essays relate to the Independent
Living Movement among those with severe disabilities in the United
States, addiction recovery, and a short biography.
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