Jak mówi o sobie Barker, nie był on zwykłym ewangelickim kaznodzieją, był kaznodzieją, obok którego nie chcielibyście siedzieć w autobusie. Już jako ledwo dorosły Barker bardzo gorliwie zajął się nawracaniem bliźnich, zwłaszcza że miał do tego talent i charyzmę. Nie miał gruntownego wyszkolenia w zakresie świętych tekstów chrześcijańskich, bo to nie było mu potrzebne. Myśl o ich podważaniu wydawała mu się szalona, zapewne - jak wielu chrześcijan - zakładał, że są gdzieś ci religijni mędrcy, którzy potrafią odpowiedzieć na liczne pytania niedowiarków. Ale chwilowo nie byli mu potrzebni. Pewnego dnia usłyszał od pastora, że w wśród wiernych jego kościoła, gdzie Barker miał wygłosić mowę, są osoby, które nie wierzą w historię o Adamie i Ewie. Dla Barkera był to wstrząs, bo Biblia jest nieomylnym Słowem Bożym. Po namyśle przyjął do wiadomości, że można być chrześcijaninem i nie wierzyć w tę historię. W takim razie co z innymi opowieściami z Biblii? I tak krok po kroku Barker doszedł do konkluzji, że nie ma żadnych racjonalnych powodów, aby wierzyć w Boga Biblii. Ponad połowa tej książki to argumentacja Barkera przeciw religii, którą uważam za znacznie lepszą od paru lepiej znanych pozycji autorstwa ateistów. Miejscami jest to uciążliwa wyliczanka, jak w przypadku wewnętrznych sprzeczności w Biblii.
[1113]
So, if you ever see the Sunrise Island Vacation Bible School musical written by “Edwin Daniels,” you will know that an atheist composed it.
Barker skomponował parę musicali o tematyce religijnej. Ten ostatni zaczął komponować jako chrześcijanin, a skończył jako ateista, dlatego użył pseudonimu.
[1479]
I debated Doug Wilson twice, once at the University of Delaware and again in his hometown of Moscow, Idaho. He is the author of Letter from a Christian Citizen (a response to Sam Harris’s Letter to a Christian Nation) and a presuppositionalist Calvinist pastor. During our first debate, he claimed that without the bible there is no basis for morality, so I read him Psalm 137:9, which says, “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.” I then asked, “Is it moral to throw little babies against rocks?” With little hesitation, he replied, “Yes, it is.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory.) There was audible gasping from members of the audience, including many Christians.
(...)
I then switched to the Christian scriptures and read from Luke 12:47-48 where Jesus demonstrated his compassion by advising us that there are some slaves who should not be beat as hard as other slaves because they didn’t know any better: “That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.” (NRSV) I asked Doug, in front of that stunned audience, “Is it a good idea to beat your slaves?” He replied, “Yes, it is.” Another gasp from the audience.
[1989]
Truth does not ask to be believed. It asks to be tested. Scientists do not join hands every Saturday or Sunday and sing, “Yes, gravity is real! I know gravity is real! I will have faith! I will be strong! I believe in my heart that what goes up, up, up must come down, down, down. Amen!” If they did, we would think they were pretty insecure about the concept.
[2689]
Bertrand Russell, in his 1948 debate with Fr. Frederick Copleston, touched on the matter:
“I should say that the universe is just there, and that’s all… I can illustrate what seems to me your fallacy. Every man who exists has a mother, and it seems to me your argument is that therefore the human race must have a mother, but obviously the human race hasn’t a mother—that’s a different logical sphere.”
Jest to analogia, która ma zilustrować fałsz w rozumowaniu o przyczynie wszechświata. Jeśli każda rzecz we wszechświecie ma przyczynę, to wszechświat też ją podobno ma. Ale czy wszechświat jest „jedną z rzeczy we wszechświecie”?
[2863, parę zagwozdek dla wierzącego]
You explain that [God] is not responsible for the sufferings of unbelievers because rejection of God is their choice, not mine. They had a corrupt human nature, you explain. Well, who gave them their human nature? If certain humans decide to do wrong, where do they get the impulse? If you think it came from Satan, who created Satan? And why would some humans be susceptible to Satan in the first place? Who created that susceptibility? If Satan was created perfect and then fell, where did the flaw of perdition come from?
[3240]
God discriminated against the disabled: “For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous. Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones [testicles] broken…that he profane not my sanctuaries.” (Leviticus 21:18-23) Whose fault is it if you are born a dwarf? I’ve seen some priests with flat noses approaching the altar—why are they disobeying scripture? Don’t they know God is prejudiced against the disabled?
Dzięki Barkerowi już wiem, co znaczy jedno z imion w Szewcach Witkacego. Scurvy to szkorbut.
[3324]
In the Old Testament, hell is just death or the grave. With Jesus, hell became a place of everlasting torment. In Mark 9:43, Jesus said that hell is “the fire that never shall be quenched.”
[3345, parę nauk moralnych Jezusa]
• let everyone know that you are special and better than the rest (Matthew 5:13-14)
• hate your family (Luke 14:26)
• take money from those who have no savings and give it to the rich investors (Luke 19:23-26)
[3467]
W tym fragmencie jest mowa o przykazaniu szóstym: nie cudzołóż. Zalecenie słuszne, mówi Barker, ale jednak nie ma go w kodeksie karnym (w kontrze do twierdzeń o podstawowym znaczeniu dziesięciu przykazań w naszym prawodawstwie). Przydałoby się zalecenie, aby nie zmuszać żony do stosunku. A od siebie dodam: żeby za cudzołóstwo nie uznawać seksu kobiety porzuconej przez męża, która ma nowego życiowego partnera.
[3605, o przykazaniu miłości bliźniego]
It is contrary to human nature to expect that I can have equal feelings for all people, and it cheapens love to bring everyone to the same level. When you say “I love you” to your spouse or lover, try adding “but it could have been anyone else because I love all my neighbors and enemies, too.”
[3665, o jednym z błogosławieństw z kazania na górze]
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” This is the best of the bunch. We all want peace, but how do we get it? Was the bomb at Hiroshima peaceful because it ended the war? Are nuclear warheads “blessed?” The United States is currently “at peace” with the Native Americans; however, was United States policy therefore peaceful and blessed toward the Indians?
[3946, o chrześcijańskim współczuciu]
“Ye have the poor with you always,” said the “loving” Jesus, who never lifted a finger to eradicate poverty, wasting precious ointment on his own luxury rather than selling it to feed the hungry (Matthew 26:6-11). “I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ,” Mother Teresa added. “I think the world is much helped by the suffering of the poor people.” So much for theistic compassion!
[3992, o „ateiście” Hitlerze]
But it wasn’t Darwinism that gave the theistic Hitler his basis for morality: “I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord’s work.” (Mein Kampf) Hitler credited Jesus as his inspiration. In a 1926 Nazi Christmas celebration, he boasted, “Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle against the world enemy, the Jews… The work that Christ started but could not finish, I—Adolf Hitler—will conclude.”
[4249, jedna z uroczych sprzeczności w Biblii]
Matthew 5:22 “Whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire.” [Jesus speaking]
versus
Matthew 23:17 “Ye fools and blind.” [Jesus speaking]
Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
[4669, o rzekomym świadectwie na rzecz Jezusa w pismach Józefa Flawiusza]
In all of Josephus’ voluminous works, there is not a single reference to Christianity anywhere outside of this tiny paragraph. He relates much more about John the Baptist than about Jesus. He lists the activities of many other self-proclaimed messiahs, including Judas of Galilee, Theudas the magician and the Egyptian Jew Messiah, but is mute about the life of one whom he claims (if he wrote it) is the answer to his messianic hopes.
[4801, o wiarygodności Biblii, rzekomo niezmanipulowanej]
Though most scholars (pro and con) agree that the current edition of the Book of Mormon is a trustworthy copy of the 1830 version, few Christian scholars consider it to be reliable history.
[5076]
Protestants and Catholics seem to have no trouble applying healthy skepticism to the miracles of Islam, or to the “historical” visit between Joseph Smith and the angel Moroni. Why should Christians treat their own outrageous claims any differently?
[5530, o finansowym wsparciu organizacji organizacji religijnych z pieniędzy publicznych za czasów Busha]
Faith Works was an explicitly Christian organization whose purpose was “to bring homeless addicts to Christ.” It ministered to recently paroled inmates, ostensibly trying to reconnect them with the outside world and find them employment. This is a worthy goal, but Faith Works’ only tools were prayer, bible study and church attendance, with the hope that the participants might meet someone in church who would give them a job. It had no certified counselors; indeed, Faith Works had no track record of accomplishment in Milwaukee. The organization’s only claim to effectiveness was that it was “faithbased.”
[6346]
Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry Mosher drew an editorial cartoon that said: “Here’s a headline we never see: Agnostics slaughter Atheists!”
[1113]
So, if you ever see the Sunrise Island Vacation Bible School musical written by “Edwin Daniels,” you will know that an atheist composed it.
Barker skomponował parę musicali o tematyce religijnej. Ten ostatni zaczął komponować jako chrześcijanin, a skończył jako ateista, dlatego użył pseudonimu.
[1479]
I debated Doug Wilson twice, once at the University of Delaware and again in his hometown of Moscow, Idaho. He is the author of Letter from a Christian Citizen (a response to Sam Harris’s Letter to a Christian Nation) and a presuppositionalist Calvinist pastor. During our first debate, he claimed that without the bible there is no basis for morality, so I read him Psalm 137:9, which says, “Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.” I then asked, “Is it moral to throw little babies against rocks?” With little hesitation, he replied, “Yes, it is.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory.) There was audible gasping from members of the audience, including many Christians.
(...)
I then switched to the Christian scriptures and read from Luke 12:47-48 where Jesus demonstrated his compassion by advising us that there are some slaves who should not be beat as hard as other slaves because they didn’t know any better: “That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.” (NRSV) I asked Doug, in front of that stunned audience, “Is it a good idea to beat your slaves?” He replied, “Yes, it is.” Another gasp from the audience.
[1989]
Truth does not ask to be believed. It asks to be tested. Scientists do not join hands every Saturday or Sunday and sing, “Yes, gravity is real! I know gravity is real! I will have faith! I will be strong! I believe in my heart that what goes up, up, up must come down, down, down. Amen!” If they did, we would think they were pretty insecure about the concept.
[2689]
Bertrand Russell, in his 1948 debate with Fr. Frederick Copleston, touched on the matter:
“I should say that the universe is just there, and that’s all… I can illustrate what seems to me your fallacy. Every man who exists has a mother, and it seems to me your argument is that therefore the human race must have a mother, but obviously the human race hasn’t a mother—that’s a different logical sphere.”
Jest to analogia, która ma zilustrować fałsz w rozumowaniu o przyczynie wszechświata. Jeśli każda rzecz we wszechświecie ma przyczynę, to wszechświat też ją podobno ma. Ale czy wszechświat jest „jedną z rzeczy we wszechświecie”?
[2863, parę zagwozdek dla wierzącego]
You explain that [God] is not responsible for the sufferings of unbelievers because rejection of God is their choice, not mine. They had a corrupt human nature, you explain. Well, who gave them their human nature? If certain humans decide to do wrong, where do they get the impulse? If you think it came from Satan, who created Satan? And why would some humans be susceptible to Satan in the first place? Who created that susceptibility? If Satan was created perfect and then fell, where did the flaw of perdition come from?
[3240]
God discriminated against the disabled: “For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous. Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones [testicles] broken…that he profane not my sanctuaries.” (Leviticus 21:18-23) Whose fault is it if you are born a dwarf? I’ve seen some priests with flat noses approaching the altar—why are they disobeying scripture? Don’t they know God is prejudiced against the disabled?
Dzięki Barkerowi już wiem, co znaczy jedno z imion w Szewcach Witkacego. Scurvy to szkorbut.
[3324]
In the Old Testament, hell is just death or the grave. With Jesus, hell became a place of everlasting torment. In Mark 9:43, Jesus said that hell is “the fire that never shall be quenched.”
[3345, parę nauk moralnych Jezusa]
• let everyone know that you are special and better than the rest (Matthew 5:13-14)
• hate your family (Luke 14:26)
• take money from those who have no savings and give it to the rich investors (Luke 19:23-26)
[3467]
W tym fragmencie jest mowa o przykazaniu szóstym: nie cudzołóż. Zalecenie słuszne, mówi Barker, ale jednak nie ma go w kodeksie karnym (w kontrze do twierdzeń o podstawowym znaczeniu dziesięciu przykazań w naszym prawodawstwie). Przydałoby się zalecenie, aby nie zmuszać żony do stosunku. A od siebie dodam: żeby za cudzołóstwo nie uznawać seksu kobiety porzuconej przez męża, która ma nowego życiowego partnera.
[3605, o przykazaniu miłości bliźniego]
It is contrary to human nature to expect that I can have equal feelings for all people, and it cheapens love to bring everyone to the same level. When you say “I love you” to your spouse or lover, try adding “but it could have been anyone else because I love all my neighbors and enemies, too.”
[3665, o jednym z błogosławieństw z kazania na górze]
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” This is the best of the bunch. We all want peace, but how do we get it? Was the bomb at Hiroshima peaceful because it ended the war? Are nuclear warheads “blessed?” The United States is currently “at peace” with the Native Americans; however, was United States policy therefore peaceful and blessed toward the Indians?
[3946, o chrześcijańskim współczuciu]
“Ye have the poor with you always,” said the “loving” Jesus, who never lifted a finger to eradicate poverty, wasting precious ointment on his own luxury rather than selling it to feed the hungry (Matthew 26:6-11). “I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ,” Mother Teresa added. “I think the world is much helped by the suffering of the poor people.” So much for theistic compassion!
[3992, o „ateiście” Hitlerze]
But it wasn’t Darwinism that gave the theistic Hitler his basis for morality: “I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord’s work.” (Mein Kampf) Hitler credited Jesus as his inspiration. In a 1926 Nazi Christmas celebration, he boasted, “Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle against the world enemy, the Jews… The work that Christ started but could not finish, I—Adolf Hitler—will conclude.”
[4249, jedna z uroczych sprzeczności w Biblii]
Matthew 5:22 “Whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire.” [Jesus speaking]
versus
Matthew 23:17 “Ye fools and blind.” [Jesus speaking]
Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”
[4669, o rzekomym świadectwie na rzecz Jezusa w pismach Józefa Flawiusza]
In all of Josephus’ voluminous works, there is not a single reference to Christianity anywhere outside of this tiny paragraph. He relates much more about John the Baptist than about Jesus. He lists the activities of many other self-proclaimed messiahs, including Judas of Galilee, Theudas the magician and the Egyptian Jew Messiah, but is mute about the life of one whom he claims (if he wrote it) is the answer to his messianic hopes.
[4801, o wiarygodności Biblii, rzekomo niezmanipulowanej]
Though most scholars (pro and con) agree that the current edition of the Book of Mormon is a trustworthy copy of the 1830 version, few Christian scholars consider it to be reliable history.
[5076]
Protestants and Catholics seem to have no trouble applying healthy skepticism to the miracles of Islam, or to the “historical” visit between Joseph Smith and the angel Moroni. Why should Christians treat their own outrageous claims any differently?
[5530, o finansowym wsparciu organizacji organizacji religijnych z pieniędzy publicznych za czasów Busha]
Faith Works was an explicitly Christian organization whose purpose was “to bring homeless addicts to Christ.” It ministered to recently paroled inmates, ostensibly trying to reconnect them with the outside world and find them employment. This is a worthy goal, but Faith Works’ only tools were prayer, bible study and church attendance, with the hope that the participants might meet someone in church who would give them a job. It had no certified counselors; indeed, Faith Works had no track record of accomplishment in Milwaukee. The organization’s only claim to effectiveness was that it was “faithbased.”
[6346]
Montreal Gazette cartoonist Terry Mosher drew an editorial cartoon that said: “Here’s a headline we never see: Agnostics slaughter Atheists!”
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