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Devotees Throng in Thousands to Carmel Hill for Infant Jesus' Feast 2008-01-11 01:57:53 Mangalore -- The Infant Jesus Shrine located at Carmel Hill at Bikarnatte, played host to large number of faithful, on its annual feast held on Thursday January 10. More than sixteen thousand devotees attended the mass, which was celebrated by the Bishop of Belgaum.Bishop Peter Machado of Belgaum celebrated the mass along with more than 40 priests. In his homily, he said that most of the faithful come here expecting miracles. "They expect Almighty God to grant their wishes as proposed by them. But, one should look upon Jesus Christ who has obeyed the will of His Father to the end. He has led us faithful to follow his example by going through trials and tribulations in our life, thereby, enjoy the eternal peace with Him," he said.The Carmel Hill is not only a place of miracles, but its serenity should transform one to become a devout individual, he added.Earlier, Holy Masses were also held in Konkani, Malayalam, English and in Kannada at Infant Jesus shrine. Devotees, irrespective of ...

Shifting the burden of proof 2008-01-09 18:36:57 A short video by John L ArmstrongIf someone believed that Hercules existed as a historical figure, they would be expected to provide evidence. Why should Jesus be treated different from Hercules? -- http://www.godvsthebible.com/ ...

Entrée to Eternity 2008-01-09 12:34:47 By Bored AgainWith a posthumous clue from Alfred Hitchcock, I have solved the mystery of the missing body of Christ. In a 1958 episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” ominously entitled “Lamb to the Slaughter,” the jealous wife of a local police chief bludgeons him to death with a frozen leg of lamb. She then cooks the lamb and serves it to the homicide detectives, who can’t seem to locate the heavy, blunt murder weapon. Watching the episode recently, I had an “ah-ha!” moment: The disciples of Christ had the motive, the means, and the opportunity to dispose of his body: by eating it!You may find this theory a bit tough to swallow, but the forensic evidence from Holy Scripture itself is damning. For starters, look at what Jesus himself said is necessary for eternal life:“I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh." The Jews then dis ...

Discrimination, irrational fear, or ? 2008-01-09 10:10:00 From Brother JeffI don't even know where to start, but I'm very upset. I lost an excellent doctor (physician's assistant PA-C) and someone I considered a friend today.I have been seeing (name omitted) for a long time and was established with her, but until my recent major bipolar issues, the issue of religion never really came up. I'm seeing a social worker there too (name omitted), and I've been totally honest with her. It's a long story, but the issue of religion came up of course because it's still such a large part of my life, and I told her (the social worker) about my site. She looked at it and wasn't that bothered by it. But, the physician's assistant saw it too, and she became afraid that I would go out and do something like Columbine, and she won't see me anymore. I've been moved to another doctor. I like her fine, but I'm pissed that my physician's assistant would think something that terrible of me simply because I'm an atheist and I run an atheist, anti-Christ ...

I can't seem to free myself 2008-01-09 06:55:00 From PhilipI'm still hanging onto this emotionally and physically destructive death-cult by a mere thread. I'm wondering how to finally get rid of the pain and guilt and fear forever. Has anyone else been in such a position where 1) They know it's ludicrous, 2) They know it's based on hearsay and "visions" of desert hermits, but 3) They couldn't quite step over the line and end it once and for all?I go through the motions, prayer and thanks for food all the time, but I don't want to. It's become so ingrained in my habits and psyche that I can't seem to bring myself to free myself.It also doesn't help that Christians do apparently have "all the answers," even though I know their "answers" are merely appeals to ignorance or emotion. I've come to the point where even IF the Bible was true, I wouldn't want to worship such a god. But I still do it!?Suggestions? Comments on habitually praying to and giving thanks to a god you don't believe in, and hate the very idea of? ...

FINALLY FOUND TRUTH!!! 2008-01-09 06:54:27 Sent in by Ex-Pastor DanI may be the longest term, fundamentalist Christian to ever make it OUT! After about 50 years of total brainwashing, I am FREE! No more guilt, no more fear, no more unanswered questions, no more judging, no more holier-than-thou condescension, no more self-inflicted ignorance.I was born and raised in a pentecostal, fundamentalist church. I went to church services 5 times a week. I was singing in gospel groups by the time I was 15, and by the time I was 33, I was an ordained minister.My only salvation (no pun intended) was due to two things: I was always a truth-seeker and at 24 I met and married the most wonderful woman in the world. Together, over the next 30 years, we helped each other come out of the "fairy tale world" and into the light of REAL TRUTH.I am so thrilled to have found this site. I was re-reading Christopher Hitchins' "God is not Great" (my new bible), and I noticed in the back acknowledgments, a phrase mentioning Dr. Michael Shermer. Af ...

The Bible was not the product of some deity 2008-01-07 04:58:47 A testimonial by Franciscan MonkeyThis is probably on the long side, but I’d like to present some details of my journey from fundamentalist Christianity to atheism.My early religious upbringing was in a United Methodist church in New England. The church was small, and had more of a social atmosphere than religious. There was no serious Bible study going on, at least as far as I could tell at my young age, and most of the sermons centered on doing good to others in a rather general sense. There was no talk of hell. There was no talk of salvation, or of a need for salvation. Jesus, while he was considered the Son of God, came to earth primarily to show us God’s love, and to encourage us to love one another. The “Good Samaritan” story was one of the most popular.My parents divorced when I was four and, as was typical for that time, my mother received full custody of my younger brother and me. My mother was remarried when I was nine, to a truly wonderful man who also turned o ...

Matthew, a new translation 2008-01-06 16:06:56 By Brother JeffThe Spook of Kryasst who is also somehow magically Him has magically inspired me to do my own glorious translation of the bible featuring the Holy Farter, Kryasst, and the Spook of Kryasst who is also somehow magically Him. My intent is not just to make the alleged "Word of God' funny with my own brand of humor, but to highlight just how ridiculous Christian beliefs are and how closely belief in the supernatural resembles belief in magic. So you'll find that many things happen "magically" in this translation.I have the Book of Matthew completed so far, but my plan is to eventually do the entire Bible. Any and all feedback on this glorious project would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Glory!Download the Book of Matthew in .PDF format: Book of Matthew (BJV). You'll need a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to open the file. ...

Will I ever be free of religion bondage? 2008-01-06 06:00:00 Last May, I wrote my testimony... since then, I really wanted to get away from "JC" and Christianity. Problem is, my wife, her mother and most of her family are persons of faith. See the issue?Also, we have a 16-month old daughter, and my wife is expecting another baby. So there's also the kid issue: how to raise kids when parents do not share the same "beliefs". Heck, I don't even know if there is a God!!! Am I a Deist? an Agnostic? an Atheist who doesn't realize it?!?Imagine what I can feel when we say "Grace" for her meals or when I attend church with my dear ones... Let's say it is really unpleasant.I am in deep sh.. right now. I am so f....d.Any advice?"Religion. It's given people hope in a world torn apart by religion."- Jon Stewart ...

Church employee accused of having sex with girl 2008-01-05 11:00:51 Police are looking for a man accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in an East Austin church.The alleged assault took place at The Rock of Austin on East Martin Luther King Boulevard.According to the police affidavit, Gene Young, 27, worked at the church, and knew the girl since she was 12.Young is accused of starting a sexual relationship with her when she was 15, a relationship that went on for more than a year, ending last October.The victim told police she had sex with young about 100 times in the recording studio of the church.The victim, now 16 years old, recently told her pastor about the relationship.“The pastor was shocked and disappointed because he had known this young man for a long time. His family was a member of the church, the suspect was a member of the church and he was definitely shocked and in disbelief that this would happen at his church,” Detective Gizette Gaslin with the APD Child Abuse Unit said.Young was fired from the church. Police are looking for h ...

Deciding to come out as an atheist 2008-01-04 14:06:11 By PsiemensFirst, I want to thank all of you for your positive comments and suggestions regarding my recent thoughts on Madelyn Murray O’Hair. As a result, I have written a letter to our local editor regarding religion and politics and am starting an Atheist Meet Up group later this month here in Beloit, Wisconsin. Again, you have helped me find courage to move forward. Thank you.Lately I’ve been reading comments about the Richard Dawkins “Coming Out” campaign. I get the impression that many, who have been atheists for a very long time, don’t quite understand a whole new subculture of atheists which I’ll call “blue collar” atheists. Many of us do not represent the educated elite. We are middle class, paycheck to paycheck, struggling Americans. Religious indoctrination, which began when we were very young, has succeeded in keeping us ignorant and in the dark. Because of these long held religious beliefs we have shunned much of science, in particular evolution, an ...

Somehow I got brainwashed 2008-01-04 12:26:56 Sent in by Jerry SQuick background:-36 yrs. old & grew up in a very strict Christian household.-I always knew I had my own analytical mind, but my parents & the church at large found the only way to heel me (as in a dog) was to use an over abundance of guilt & the 'fire & brimstone' method.-Tried to fit into the pathology of the Christian mindset, but all along, all the stuff that seemed to be doing it for others, just didn't connect with me.-2007: came across an e-book that finally hit the nail on the head for me.Anyway, as I mentioned, I am very analytical, but somehow I got brainwashed into the whole hocus pocus of the prayer & faith argument. 'Just keep praying' my mother always warned me. 'You need to just have faith,' I heard from almost everyone else.OK, but those 'solutions' just didn't seem to be logical or make any real difference. I reasoned that for the this whole thing to be of any use, the bible must serve some practical p ...

I have no clue as to where I fit in 2008-01-04 12:18:00 Sent in by Marie-LouiseA Christian friend of mine was shocked and horrified when I recently told him that instead of "readying myself for the next spiritual level", as he is, I am rather calling in to question everything I have ever learnt and ever believed. His response was that it is not so much about the contradictions in the bible, or the fact that the biblegod of the OT and the biblegod of the NT don't match at all, but the relationship you have with Him that counts.Apparently he uses the bible only as a reference book. He then advised me to "ask, and you shall receive". Guaranteed. No doubts. And I started thinking.I have spent night after sleepless night asking for a confirmation that all of this is actually true. I would have been happy with a warm and fuzzy feeling if nothing else! I begged for God to convince me through the Holy Spirit that it was not just a myth. Nothing. Nada. Not a squeak. My deconversion did not come as a whim. I did not wake up one morning and decided ...

Bishop blames child abuse on children 2008-01-04 03:36:30 The Bishop of Tenerife (foreground) during the reopening of the San Andrés Church in Garachico - Photo - Infoicod.blogia.com Bernando Álvarez said that there are 13-year-olds who are wanting to be abused, and 'if you are careless they will provoke you'There is outrage in parts of Spanish society following declarations made over Christmas from the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez.His comments were that there are youngsters who want to be abused, and he compared that abuse to homosexuality, describing them both as prejudicial to society. He said that on occasions the abuse happened because the there are children who consent to it.‘There are 13 year old adolescents who are under age and who are perfectly in agreement with, and what’s more wanting it, and if you are careless they will even provoke you’, he said.Regarding homosexuals, the Bishop said that homosexuality was something prejudicial to the people and to society, and that we would pay the consequences in the long ... Children

Vatican to create more exorcists to tackle 'evil' 2008-01-04 03:35:19 The Roman Catholic Church has vowed to "fight the Devil head-on" by training hundreds of priests as exorcists.Father Gabriele Amorth, 82, the Vatican's Exorcist in Chief, announced the initiative amid the Church's concerns about growing worldwide interest in Satanism and the occult. A still from the 1974 controversial horror classic The Exorcist; Vatican to create more exorcists to tackle 'evil'The 1974 horror film ‘The Exorcist’ is supposedly based on real eventsAccording to plans being considered, each bishop would have a group of priests in his diocese who were specially trained in exorcism and on hand to take action against "extreme Godlessness".Fr Amorth said: "Thanks be to God that we have a Pope who has decided to fight the Devil head-on."Now bishops are to be obliged to have a number of established exorcists for their diocese. Too many bishops are not taking this seriously and are not delegating their priests in the fight against the Devil. You have to hunt high and lo ...