Thoughts of a Freethinker

I think the image, the picture in the mind, people have of their god is an accurate prediction of what race they think their god is and its ethnicity. The race of the person will be seen in her god.  All over Africa, paintings are of a black Jesus. In the white U.S. Jesus is white.   The image above is a new one by the artist who is from Spain. He was commissioned to make an image to celebrate this coming Easter. His version of Jesus is causing an uproar in some Catholic and Protestant circles. Apparently, the artist is a Catholic in good standing but critics say his painting was inspired by Satan.  They call the Jesus "effeminate." No greater insult could be made of Jesus than that he is effeminate. Those who quote the Bible say Jesus always referred to men and women as if he was making it clear there are NO crossovers. A painting of a "gay Jesus", especially if approved by the Catholic hierarchy, is cause for "alarm." All of this is amusing because in re...

If you were at a dinner party and all the guests were of the religious right, and someone asked you, "Why are you supporting Trump," the socially correct answer would be, "He's against abortion." You cannot say what might be the reason, you hate the brown people coming across the borders. White religious people once controlled this country, now that is slipping away. That's what Trump is about . Smaller denominations means smaller public relations and lobbying in DC. These, in turn, spell less influence. Perhaps it means smaller amounts from right wing donors like Forced Birth individuals and groups. Certainly it means fewer people in the pews listening to preachers endorsing Republicans. In general, it has to mean Christianity has less influence. When a politician shows up who says, "I will return you to the power you once had," the appeal is not surprising. Pundits everyday ask, "Why are so many supporting Trump?" The answer is the desi...

If a child is told by parents, preachers and friends he/she is going to hell if she is gay, and realizes he is gay and cannot change, how does this person adjust and live on in a happy productive life? Thousands do not. The damage is permanent. It makes no sense that this keeps happening generation after generation. It is unnecessary.  In the link it is called the rape of a child's mind.  A common trope from Christians when they talk about homosexuality is to say, "Statistics prove it. Homosexual people have more alcoholism, suicide and are generally not in as good health as their straight peers." These statistics are correct, but the reason for those problems is found in those whose religious views are cruel and harmful. Statistics also show gay children who are accepted and encouraged by their parents do just as well in school and in adulthood as straight children. The harm of religion is right there in the headlights.  The harm of religion is now playing out in state l...

As gay marriage has found its way further into the U.S., the question of how to respond to these weddings is being raised more often. The Pope made what is almost a breath-taking ruling that gays about to be married could receive some kind of blessing. Like many things the Pope does, he left some of the details about precisely what a Preist can do.  The denomination I grew up in, now called the Evangelical Covenant Church, has had internal disagreement about approval of gay marriage. Pastors and individual churches who host and officiate them regularly have been removed from the denomination. But, licensed pastors can "attend" a gay wedding. This seems to open the door to considerable involvement of a pastor. I think gay marriage is a freight train going downhill with no brakes. Yet, on religious sites are still pundits demanding gay marriage be stopped. A recent post puts shame on any Christian that attends a gay wedding. By attending, some commenters say, one is approving o...

Catholic clergy recognized long ago that to keep Catholic numbers up there needed to be lots of Catholic babies. But, how could they hide this self-centered reason for opposing birth control. They had to come up with something else. What they came up with is ridiculous, that birth control somehow demeans women.  It is ironic the clergy, who demean women from their ranks as not capable, would point to something that gives women independence and control over their lives to justify their own control obsession. Children in public schools today are taught critical thinking. All religious groups should be trying to prevent the words "critical thinking" and any teaching about it. The obsession of some with race, class and history is misplaced. Critical thinking is helping to cause Christian numbers to fall. Critical thinking would ask, "Why are Catholic clergy leaders really opposed to birth control?" When the argument of "demeaning women" was presented the next ...

A NY Times reporter traveled across Poland asking people about politics. Citizens she talked to as well as political pundits all agree, the new government recently voted in to replace an old religious hard-headed succeeded because it offered abortion rights. Recent polls show 70% of Poland's voters want these rights. Young people swamped the voting poll stations. An abortion pill combo just became available without a prescription. What is happening is what many predicted long ago. Abortion is not really disliked or considered evil by most people around the world. Forced birth operatives, including self-serving clergy, have been clever for many decades creating the notion abortion is "controversial." In reality, it was not controversial until the Forced Birth movement put it on the leading list of sins. Now, men and women around the world are pulling it off the list. It's importance is returning to where it was a few decades back, not so important. What other issues ha...

The continued growth of Nones, those who have no particular religious identity, is almost not news anymore. A recent survey , however, found them to be the largest "religious" category for the first time. That is remarkable and newsworthy.  What has not been written about much is the fact that the growth of nones has happened at exactly the same time as other political events, Trump defeated in 2020, state-wide elections increasing abortion access and acceptance of gay citizens. That these changes have happened at the same time does not prove they are related, but that is the conclusion that is easy to make. If the growth of nones is the source of support for abortion rights and other liberal trends, then those who do not like these trends should be looking for the reason the U.S. public is going "none." There should be a search for who is responsible and whoever or whatever caused Christianity to fall out of favor should be held accountable.  I have a theory as to ...