Oh what a marvelous, wonderful, important post! What an excellent compilation of wisdom and common sense that, for centuries, intelligent thinking people have realized or suspected based on intuition and/or observation. The enslavement of human minds and bodies by 'religion' has been perhaps the most pervasive and successful con in history! Compliments!
Leon, how do you think we can continue to spread awareness and encourage critical thinking to combat the negative impacts of such pervasive influences?
Continual public education, but the influence of religion in public, private, institutional, social, educational - pretty much all aspects of our lives - is deeply entrenched and constantly metastasizing.
At a fairly early age children realize that that man living up there who sees all and rewards or punishes them once a year is a fabrication, and they stop believing in Santa Clause. As the adult population becomes more educated we see a drop off in the number of people who believe that that man up there who rewards or punishes us is real and we stop believing in whatever form of god our parents inculcated in us.
Religion was invented for the same reason fairy tales were written: to teach the illiterate who could not yet read or write. As we become educated there is less need for these parables because we can now search out information on our own and make informed decisions using critical thinking. This is why the founders believed that a democracy can only thrive if there is an educated citizenry. It’s why despots go after education first when they want to destroy democracies. It’s why they recruit religious zealots for their cause. Put god out there and the uneducated will follow, even when it is against their own interests.
Christianity, like every organized religion, is a grift. It’s a business that trades in human misery. It is designed to sustain the caste system and ensure the subordinate castes stay in their place. There’s no mystery to it. It’s just a grift.
Those who claim our republic was founded on Christianity, show a number of things. First, they show a lack of knowledge regarding the Founding Father’s ideas about religion. Second, they ahow themselves to be fools. Third, they show themselves to be dangerous, as they seek to impose on the Republic ideas that are in direct contradiction of principle of Seperation between Church and State.
It's worth noting that two points in this excellent collection of quotes and thoughts are:
1. The Bible was written in Ancient Greek. The Leviticus chapter refers to men sleeping with boys, not other men. It is a prohibition against pedophilia. Every adult who commits pedophilia -- and I'm looking at you Biblethumping televangelists and priests and pastors here -- is sinning against his precious God and should be punished by God and the law.
2. Early Christianity DID rob from the "pagan" religions of the period. Most early Christian churches stand on the foundations of rubbled Mythraic temples. The orb around Christian holy figures in artwork refers to the Sun. Decorating Christmas trees and that entire holiday comes from Norse rites to urge that big yellow ball that rises in the east every day and sets in the west to come back in December, when it seems to be vanishing forever. It always works, doesn't it? Well, the power company thinks so...
The original text of the Old Testament was in Hebrew (and a little bit of Aramaic) not ancient Greek.
And the translation from Hebrew to Greek caused several known mistranslations. For example, the original text didn't call Mary a virgin. She was just a "young maiden." - Because she was between 12 and 14 years old when she gave birth to Jesus.
Pedophilia was pretty common in the Bible. The Bible is full of child brides. According to the Bible, God was a pedo. That's why it's so obvious that Leviticus did not condemn pedos, but gay people.
Anyway, you're right, Evangelicals are a bunch of hypocritical freaks.
Democrats have tried for decades to ban child marriage in America, but Evangelical Republicans have been blocking those laws because they love to bang kids:
Banning child marriage in America: An uphill fight against evangelical pressure
Adolf Hitler is on record in his giant book of conversations (Speer says they are authentic except where Bormann edited the text to make himself look more important) that Jesus's father was not God, but a Roman legionary from Germany.
I can see the very embarrassed and pregnant Mary telling Mom and Dad, "Kurt is just a friend! We never did it! God must have made me pregnant!"
I can also see Kurt telling his CO, "I got this Jewish broad in the family way. You gotta help me out here," and the Centurion saying, "Relax, Kurt, we'll transfer you to Gaul. Alone."
I've got a 27-year-old daughter. If someone put me as a juror on a child molestation case, I would say to the lawyers and judge, "Forget it. You got the guy, I hope he hangs. That defense lawyer would have to do a better job than F. Murray Abraham in 'Amadeus' to get me to acquit."
If I was single, God forbid, I could not even consider dating a woman younger than my daughter.
In the ancient world 12 1/2 years is when a girl child could be married this was the average age. 20 years for men. Now I see why so many girls died in childbirth 12 -14 too young.
Oliver is exactly right. Ancient Greek and Hebrew were my “foreign languages” in the university, and that Leviticus passage literally condemns men sleeping with men, an obvious prohibition against homosexuality. “Boy” or “boys” are never mentioned in the original. Btw, the NIV (New International Version) of the Bible gets the translation right.
I’d just like a little more specificity lest someone think that by “Greek” you mean modern Greek. lol The NT was written in Ancient Greek, specifically koine Greek (koine means common dialect), a language that is wholly different from modern Greek.
If you are on twitter, @johnfugelsang would be pleased to give you the answer. He’s the guy that fights maga morons with bible truth. He’s a terrifically nice man. He’s a bible scholar, particularly on these questions, also a well known comic. Very accessible. You may find him elsewhere… threads?
I reject the idea of originalism or plain text reading. While the Founders might have been very bright for their time, 248 years later we know so much more than what they could have conceptualized then. The Constitution was meant to be a living document.
Sep 21Liked by Introvert Comics, Oliver Markus Malloy
So let us honor the intent of the Constitution and simply block it. Can we lock their candidates who support it then. That would be Trump, Vance, Johnson
Sep 18Liked by Introvert Comics, Oliver Markus Malloy
Hello Leon , Ron here. a former lifelong Republican, left in 2/2017 and as Kamala says “ we are not going back “
If you could help us promote this Freedom Rally for Democracy, that would be great .
We want to put out thick information far and wide . We would like a massive turnout for Democracy Loving Americans who will fight to save our democracy and freedoms .
All the info is below . There is more info on the website we created.
Thank you very much, Leon.
Ron
Hello All, a huge Rally To Save Democracy is being planned for Saturday October 5th , 2024 at the Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall from 10AM to 4PM. This date is exactly one month away from the main Presidential Election. We NEED to protect the rights of our women and LGBTQ communities, and others . At the DNC convention, Michelle Obama gave us the JOB to do "SOMETHING", and organizing a massive Rally For Democracy in DC on 10/5/2024 is us doing “ SOMETHING “. > Our grass roots group to help Save Democracy, has established a Facebook Group Page to help promote a huge Freedom Rally To Save Democracy in Washington DC as stated above . > > Our Facebook Group can be found by searching FB : > > “ Freedom March To Save Democracy “ We have also created a small website for the freedom and democracy rally as well.There is a bit more information on this website. www.freedomrallytosavedemocracy.comWhere you can leave a message They had rallies in the 60s for racial equality and rallies in the 70s for women’s rights and we think saving democracy is just as important and maybe even more important. Trying to save our democracy deserves a rally to show we support and will fight for our democracy, freedoms and rights. We feel , if this rally for democracy catches on, it will spread like wildfire, and possibly 100,000 to 200,000 democracy loving Americans could attend this event. This would be a huge historic rally at this critical point in our country. We need to keep up the enthusiasm , hope and excitement that is being seen at Kamala and Tim’s rallies, and getting bigger. It would be great to see 100,000 to 200,000 Democracy Loving Americans at the Lincoln Memorial coming together as a way to show the nation and the world that most Americans will fight to save our democracy and freedoms. > > In the 248 years of our Democratic Nation, countless men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice and have died fighting to preserve our democracy. Now it is our turn to save our democracy and our personal freedoms. > > This would be a huge effort and we are hoping that President Biden and his administration, and the Harris /Walz Campaign team would be able to help with this historic rally to Save Democracy . > A stage could be set up on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where > motivational speeches could be made by President Biden, Kamala, Tim , > the Obama’s, celebrities and others > Once we get out the word and advertise this Rally for Democracy widely , I think there would be a huge ground swell of support and enthusiasm from the general public who would love to be part of this historic event. > We have to show Trump , the MAGA Cult , the GOP and especially those people who want to put in place Project 2025 that would decimate our Democracy and our basic rights, that we are not going back and we are NOT going to stand for this Authoritarian future at all . Project 2025 will be devastating to women and the rights to their own bodies. > The plan in this manifesto would roll back the rights of our LGBTQ communities, eliminate help to minorities who want to move forward, and negatively impact most Americans. > We are not going back and are not going to accept this dystopian, authoritarian future without a hell of a fight to save our democracy. > > Their plans to overthrow our current democratic government and change it into an authoritarian dictatorship, where democracy is decimated ,is too horrific to even contemplate. We have to try to do something to prevent this at all costs. > > If there is any way you can help us get the word out to promote ( and even attend ) this rally .....Democracy and America will thank you. If democracy loving people in SubStack can copy , cut and post it in important places, that would be great If not now ……when would we have a better chance before the November 2024 election to show our absolute love our our country and love of our precious democracy and freedoms. > Thank you , Team- Freedom Rally to Save Democracy
Oliver, thanks for your clear thinking and writing. WE MUST ACT! It's not enough for Democratic voters in blue states to exclaim "Vote Blue" and pat one another on the back. Due to the Electoral College, sadly, many of our blue votes won't matter. We need to get swing states to vote for Biden. https://www.focus4democracy.org/ has a plan to educate undecided voters on why they must vote Blue to protect our democracy. They're focused on swing states. F4D is composed of a dozen or so seasoned campaign messaging experts (combined, they have many decades of experience) who can calculate the effects of different campaign messages on voting outcomes. I'm now donating to their programs (rather than random Democratic candidates). Even people who can't afford to donate can forward the info to everyone they know. Too many people feel hopeless and aren't doing anything. WE MUST TAKE ACTION. Please take a look at focus4democracy. We're in an emergency. I've got a list of nearly 200 friends, acquaintances, and colleagues I'm emailing about this. Will folks here join me? I'm waiting for a show of hands.
Oh what a marvelous, wonderful, important post! What an excellent compilation of wisdom and common sense that, for centuries, intelligent thinking people have realized or suspected based on intuition and/or observation. The enslavement of human minds and bodies by 'religion' has been perhaps the most pervasive and successful con in history! Compliments!
Enslavement fear and scare is the tool against humanity. The mind is a thing that can go in any direction
Leon, how do you think we can continue to spread awareness and encourage critical thinking to combat the negative impacts of such pervasive influences?
Continual public education, but the influence of religion in public, private, institutional, social, educational - pretty much all aspects of our lives - is deeply entrenched and constantly metastasizing.
Good call.
At a fairly early age children realize that that man living up there who sees all and rewards or punishes them once a year is a fabrication, and they stop believing in Santa Clause. As the adult population becomes more educated we see a drop off in the number of people who believe that that man up there who rewards or punishes us is real and we stop believing in whatever form of god our parents inculcated in us.
Religion was invented for the same reason fairy tales were written: to teach the illiterate who could not yet read or write. As we become educated there is less need for these parables because we can now search out information on our own and make informed decisions using critical thinking. This is why the founders believed that a democracy can only thrive if there is an educated citizenry. It’s why despots go after education first when they want to destroy democracies. It’s why they recruit religious zealots for their cause. Put god out there and the uneducated will follow, even when it is against their own interests.
Well said!
Bingo!
It’s depressing…. Like shouting from the rooftops and no one is listening. You all better get out to vote because here in Canada we are
Scared shitless for you.
We are scared too! This is making my anxiety worse😩
Hang in there.
I second this comment!
Christianity, like every organized religion, is a grift. It’s a business that trades in human misery. It is designed to sustain the caste system and ensure the subordinate castes stay in their place. There’s no mystery to it. It’s just a grift.
Succinct and true!
Those who claim our republic was founded on Christianity, show a number of things. First, they show a lack of knowledge regarding the Founding Father’s ideas about religion. Second, they ahow themselves to be fools. Third, they show themselves to be dangerous, as they seek to impose on the Republic ideas that are in direct contradiction of principle of Seperation between Church and State.
It's worth noting that two points in this excellent collection of quotes and thoughts are:
1. The Bible was written in Ancient Greek. The Leviticus chapter refers to men sleeping with boys, not other men. It is a prohibition against pedophilia. Every adult who commits pedophilia -- and I'm looking at you Biblethumping televangelists and priests and pastors here -- is sinning against his precious God and should be punished by God and the law.
2. Early Christianity DID rob from the "pagan" religions of the period. Most early Christian churches stand on the foundations of rubbled Mythraic temples. The orb around Christian holy figures in artwork refers to the Sun. Decorating Christmas trees and that entire holiday comes from Norse rites to urge that big yellow ball that rises in the east every day and sets in the west to come back in December, when it seems to be vanishing forever. It always works, doesn't it? Well, the power company thinks so...
>The Leviticus chapter refers to men sleeping with boys, not other men. It is a prohibition against pedophilia.
Not true.
The original text said man, not boy. You can check hundreds of translations from different centuries, in different languages:
https://biblehub.com/leviticus/20-13.htm
https://biblia.com/bible/esv/leviticus/20/13
Replacing man with boy is an attempt to whitewash the blatant homophobia in the Bible by American Evangelicals:
https://www.salon.com/2021/07/10/when-evangelical-snowflakes-censor-the-bible-the-english-standard-version-goes-pc/
That's what I was told by a classical scholar and archeologist who was an expert in ancient Greek.
However, that doesn't mean that other folks tried to whitewash it or change it.
In any case, most of these evangelicals don't care. They sleep with men, boys, girls, hookers, women who are not their wives, probably even sheep.
The original text of the Old Testament was in Hebrew (and a little bit of Aramaic) not ancient Greek.
And the translation from Hebrew to Greek caused several known mistranslations. For example, the original text didn't call Mary a virgin. She was just a "young maiden." - Because she was between 12 and 14 years old when she gave birth to Jesus.
Pedophilia was pretty common in the Bible. The Bible is full of child brides. According to the Bible, God was a pedo. That's why it's so obvious that Leviticus did not condemn pedos, but gay people.
Anyway, you're right, Evangelicals are a bunch of hypocritical freaks.
Democrats have tried for decades to ban child marriage in America, but Evangelical Republicans have been blocking those laws because they love to bang kids:
Banning child marriage in America: An uphill fight against evangelical pressure
https://www.salon.com/2018/03/11/banning-child-marriage-in-america-an-uphill-fight-against-evangelical-pressure/
The "young maiden" I know.
Adolf Hitler is on record in his giant book of conversations (Speer says they are authentic except where Bormann edited the text to make himself look more important) that Jesus's father was not God, but a Roman legionary from Germany.
I can see the very embarrassed and pregnant Mary telling Mom and Dad, "Kurt is just a friend! We never did it! God must have made me pregnant!"
I can also see Kurt telling his CO, "I got this Jewish broad in the family way. You gotta help me out here," and the Centurion saying, "Relax, Kurt, we'll transfer you to Gaul. Alone."
I've got a 27-year-old daughter. If someone put me as a juror on a child molestation case, I would say to the lawyers and judge, "Forget it. You got the guy, I hope he hangs. That defense lawyer would have to do a better job than F. Murray Abraham in 'Amadeus' to get me to acquit."
If I was single, God forbid, I could not even consider dating a woman younger than my daughter.
In the ancient world 12 1/2 years is when a girl child could be married this was the average age. 20 years for men. Now I see why so many girls died in childbirth 12 -14 too young.
Oliver is exactly right. Ancient Greek and Hebrew were my “foreign languages” in the university, and that Leviticus passage literally condemns men sleeping with men, an obvious prohibition against homosexuality. “Boy” or “boys” are never mentioned in the original. Btw, the NIV (New International Version) of the Bible gets the translation right.
The New Testament was written in Greek, but the Old Testament was written in Hebrew.
I’d just like a little more specificity lest someone think that by “Greek” you mean modern Greek. lol The NT was written in Ancient Greek, specifically koine Greek (koine means common dialect), a language that is wholly different from modern Greek.
True, but the theory was the same.
It was a warning against pedophilia, not homosexuality.
So all these super-Christian nutjobs are deeply closeted gays and pedophiles.
Someone explain that to me…
If you are on twitter, @johnfugelsang would be pleased to give you the answer. He’s the guy that fights maga morons with bible truth. He’s a terrifically nice man. He’s a bible scholar, particularly on these questions, also a well known comic. Very accessible. You may find him elsewhere… threads?
I am a Christian, saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. True, I fall short of His holiness every day.
That being said, even I believe that anytime religion and government unite, history has proven that it always results in disaster.
Yep, you’re an American. We keep them separate.
Here's the thing.
I'm over holding seances for white assholes.
I don't really care about the “political philosophy“ of a bunch of slaveowners who thought only male property owners should vote.
We need to worry about the consequences of policy in 2024, not the opinions of white assholes in 1787.
So, while I completely support the separation of church and state, arguments from originalism help nobody
I reject the idea of originalism or plain text reading. While the Founders might have been very bright for their time, 248 years later we know so much more than what they could have conceptualized then. The Constitution was meant to be a living document.
So let us honor the intent of the Constitution and simply block it. Can we lock their candidates who support it then. That would be Trump, Vance, Johnson
Check your voter registration status at www.vote.gov & deadline for it https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
This is a very important post that showcased the thoughts of the founding of USA epoch. These quotes tell another story of America's formation.
Thank you for this! It's always lovely to see a bit of sanity in the wild. ☺️
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you like it. 🙂
🎯
To check your voter registration status go here www.vote.gov & https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
Hello Leon , Ron here. a former lifelong Republican, left in 2/2017 and as Kamala says “ we are not going back “
If you could help us promote this Freedom Rally for Democracy, that would be great .
We want to put out thick information far and wide . We would like a massive turnout for Democracy Loving Americans who will fight to save our democracy and freedoms .
All the info is below . There is more info on the website we created.
Thank you very much, Leon.
Ron
Hello All, a huge Rally To Save Democracy is being planned for Saturday October 5th , 2024 at the Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall from 10AM to 4PM. This date is exactly one month away from the main Presidential Election. We NEED to protect the rights of our women and LGBTQ communities, and others . At the DNC convention, Michelle Obama gave us the JOB to do "SOMETHING", and organizing a massive Rally For Democracy in DC on 10/5/2024 is us doing “ SOMETHING “. > Our grass roots group to help Save Democracy, has established a Facebook Group Page to help promote a huge Freedom Rally To Save Democracy in Washington DC as stated above . > > Our Facebook Group can be found by searching FB : > > “ Freedom March To Save Democracy “ We have also created a small website for the freedom and democracy rally as well.There is a bit more information on this website. www.freedomrallytosavedemocracy.comWhere you can leave a message They had rallies in the 60s for racial equality and rallies in the 70s for women’s rights and we think saving democracy is just as important and maybe even more important. Trying to save our democracy deserves a rally to show we support and will fight for our democracy, freedoms and rights. We feel , if this rally for democracy catches on, it will spread like wildfire, and possibly 100,000 to 200,000 democracy loving Americans could attend this event. This would be a huge historic rally at this critical point in our country. We need to keep up the enthusiasm , hope and excitement that is being seen at Kamala and Tim’s rallies, and getting bigger. It would be great to see 100,000 to 200,000 Democracy Loving Americans at the Lincoln Memorial coming together as a way to show the nation and the world that most Americans will fight to save our democracy and freedoms. > > In the 248 years of our Democratic Nation, countless men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice and have died fighting to preserve our democracy. Now it is our turn to save our democracy and our personal freedoms. > > This would be a huge effort and we are hoping that President Biden and his administration, and the Harris /Walz Campaign team would be able to help with this historic rally to Save Democracy . > A stage could be set up on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where > motivational speeches could be made by President Biden, Kamala, Tim , > the Obama’s, celebrities and others > Once we get out the word and advertise this Rally for Democracy widely , I think there would be a huge ground swell of support and enthusiasm from the general public who would love to be part of this historic event. > We have to show Trump , the MAGA Cult , the GOP and especially those people who want to put in place Project 2025 that would decimate our Democracy and our basic rights, that we are not going back and we are NOT going to stand for this Authoritarian future at all . Project 2025 will be devastating to women and the rights to their own bodies. > The plan in this manifesto would roll back the rights of our LGBTQ communities, eliminate help to minorities who want to move forward, and negatively impact most Americans. > We are not going back and are not going to accept this dystopian, authoritarian future without a hell of a fight to save our democracy. > > Their plans to overthrow our current democratic government and change it into an authoritarian dictatorship, where democracy is decimated ,is too horrific to even contemplate. We have to try to do something to prevent this at all costs. > > If there is any way you can help us get the word out to promote ( and even attend ) this rally .....Democracy and America will thank you. If democracy loving people in SubStack can copy , cut and post it in important places, that would be great If not now ……when would we have a better chance before the November 2024 election to show our absolute love our our country and love of our precious democracy and freedoms. > Thank you , Team- Freedom Rally to Save Democracy
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Oliver, thanks for your clear thinking and writing. WE MUST ACT! It's not enough for Democratic voters in blue states to exclaim "Vote Blue" and pat one another on the back. Due to the Electoral College, sadly, many of our blue votes won't matter. We need to get swing states to vote for Biden. https://www.focus4democracy.org/ has a plan to educate undecided voters on why they must vote Blue to protect our democracy. They're focused on swing states. F4D is composed of a dozen or so seasoned campaign messaging experts (combined, they have many decades of experience) who can calculate the effects of different campaign messages on voting outcomes. I'm now donating to their programs (rather than random Democratic candidates). Even people who can't afford to donate can forward the info to everyone they know. Too many people feel hopeless and aren't doing anything. WE MUST TAKE ACTION. Please take a look at focus4democracy. We're in an emergency. I've got a list of nearly 200 friends, acquaintances, and colleagues I'm emailing about this. Will folks here join me? I'm waiting for a show of hands.