The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch

<sup>The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is a fictional weapon from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, "O LORD, bless this Thy hand grenade that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy." And the LORD did grin and the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths and carp and anchovies and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats and large chu... [At this point, the friar is urged by Brother Maynard to "skip a bit, brother"]... And the LORD spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it."</sup>

The Flying Spagetti Monster daily prayer

"Our pasta, who art in a colander, draining be your noodles. Thy noodle come, Thy sauce be yum, on top some grated Parmesan. Give us this day our garlic bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trample on our lawns. And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us some pizza, for thine is the meatball, the noodle, and the sauce, forever and ever. RAmen."

That just made my day! LMAO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ggXmKPMaHMo

THE ACLU FIGHTS FOR CHRISTIANS

The ACLU fights just as hard for INDIVIDUAL free exercise of religion as the ACLU fights against GOVERNMENT endorsement, sponsorship, or establishment of religion. Despite this fact, many people spread misinformation about the ACLU around the internet, innocently and maliciously, falsely claiming the ACLU is anti-religion or anti-Christian.




This list of FACTS counteracts that misinformation. These links represent just a few of the many examples of the ACLU defending the free speech and free exercise rights of Christians (for purposes of this list, the word “Christian” means a person who self-identifies as “Christian”).



In every example, the ACLU is defending the right of a Christian to speak as a Christian or to practice Christianity.



Here is the current version of this EVER GROWING list:



ACLU of Colorado Supports Students Wearing Christian Symbols in the Colorado Springs School District



ACLU-NJ Defends Christian Student's Anti-Abortion Speech



ACLU of Tennessee Defends Christian Students' Right to Preach in Public Park



ACLU of Virginia Defends Christian Students' Right to Protest Against ACLU at Public School



ACLU Defends Christian Students Wearing Anti-Islam Shirts to Florida Public School



ACLU Fights For Christian Inmate's Right to Preach



ACLU of Northern California Fights Law that Got Quakers Fired Over Loyalty Oath



ACLU Defends Christian Librarian Disciplined for Refusing to Promote Harry Potter



ACLU Defends Right of Individual Christian to Display Nativity Scene on Public Property



ACLU Defends Christians Protesting Gay Rights in Florida



ACLU Champions Religious Freedom Of Mormon College Student



ACLU Fights for Christian Church's Mission to Feed the Poor



ACLU Fights for Christmas Tree



ACLU Files Suit to Protect Free Speech Rights of Christian Protesting Wal-Mart's Policy on Gays



ACLU of Georgia and Baptist Church File Religious Discrimination Lawsuit



ACLU of Rhode Island Files Appeal on Behalf of Christian Prisoner Barred from Preaching at Religious Services



ACLU of Michigan Defends Catholic Man Coerced to Convert to Pentecostal Faith in Drug Rehab Program



ACLU of New Jersey Joins Lawsuit Supporting Second-Grader's Right to Sing "Awesome God" at Talent Show



After ACLU Intervention on Behalf of Christian Valedictorian, Michigan High School Agrees to Stop Censoring Religious Yearbook Entries



ACLU Helps Free New Mexico Street Preacher From Prison



ACLU of WA Wins Right of Christian Minister to Preach in Spokane Plaza



ACLU Fights for Baptist Preacher in Illinois



ACLU Defends Rights of Christian Group to Make Religious Protest at Funerals



ACLU Backs Christian Abortion Protester in Ohio



ACLU of Oregon Defends Religious Liberty Of Adventist School Boys Basketball Players



ACLU Backs Missouri Nurse Penalized for Wearing Cross-Shaped Lapel Pin



ACLU Defends Christian Street Preacher in Las Vegas



ACLU Argues for Legal Recognition of Small Christian Church



ACLU of MA Defends Students Punished for Distributing Candy Canes with Religious Messages



ACLU of Nebraska Defends Church Facing Eviction by the City of Lincoln



ACLU Defends Church's Right to Run "Anti-Santa" Ads in Boston Subways



ACLU Defends Inmate's Access to Material from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints



Following Threat of ACLU of Virginia Lawsuit, Officials to Agree Not to Ban Baptisms in Public Parks



ACLU Defends Families Fighting Removal Of Religious Symbols from Florida Cemetery



ACLU Supports Right of Iowa Students to Distribute Christian Literature at School



ACLU Argument In Support of the Display of a Christian Cross in a Public Forum



ACLU Defends Christian Worker Required to Remove Bible from Desk at Government Job



ACLU Defends Free Speech Rights of Christians And Others On Main Street Plaza



ACLU Defends Prisoner's Rosary Beads



ACLU Defends Christian Group's Anti-Abortion Ads On Phoenix Buses



ACLU Pledges to Back Church in a Zoning Battle



ACLU of PA Files Discrimination Lawsuit Over Denial of Zoning Permit for African American Baptist Church



ACLU Offers To Represent Private Prayer on Public Property and



ACLU Joins Falwell To Fight For Church Incorporation Rights



This page is maintained by Allen Asch. You can find email contact info at that link if you would like to suggest additions to the list or to make other comments. This page was last updated on October 10, 2010.

http://www.aclufightsforchristians.com/

Virtual Monkeys Rewriting of Shakespeare Nearly Complete

A computer programmer has created a few million virtual monkeys on a mission to rewrite the complete works of William Shakespeare by random thrashing on a keyboard, a project that is nearly completed.


Jesse Anderson, a computer programmer from Nevada, has created more than a million virtual monkeys that bash on keyboards creating gibberish. The gibberish is monitored by a computer program written by Anderson, which compares the characters typed by the monkeys to works from Shakespeare.

"Currently, the virtual monkeys have finished 99.99 percent of Shakespeare’s entire catalog since the project began on Aug. 21, which includes 5.5 trillion possible nine-letter combinations. The first completed work by the monkeys was “A Lover’s Complaint,” which has nearly 12,000 characters. According to Anderson, the project will proceed until every work Shakespeare has written is reproduced by the virtual primates."

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/220110/20110926/virtual-monkeys-rewriting-william-shakespeare-nearly-complete-works-typing-on-keyboard-jesse-anderso.htm



Now someone might wonder what the purpose of this is.


One answer might be that is is fun. What is wrong with having fun? I think it's pretty interesting.

Of course there is that little creationist argument against evolution which often takes the form of 'a million monkeys typing on a million keyboards would not be able to write a Shakespeare play'... this is a little jab at another ridiculous claim by creationists.

Since identical twins are not always both gay, that proves that homosexuality cannot be genetic?

Hmm, let us think about that for a minute.

Research last year at Duke University found that identical twins both develop Alzheimer's by their late 70s only about 40 percent of the time. In many cases, one does and one does not.

http://www.livescience.com/3905-identical-twins-identical.html

A number of years ago, he showed that if one identical twin gets Hodgkin’s disease then his co-twin is 14 to 15 times more likely to get Hodgkin’s as well, making it the single most inheritable cancer, far more than breast cancer or colon cancer. Yet only a minority of identical twins who get Hodgkin’s disease both get it.

http://www.talk-about-twins.com/html/six_twin_experts_tell_all--tal.html

So, I assume we should conclude that Alzheimers or Hodgkin’s disease does not have any genetic basis since twins do not always both get it?

Particles (Not) found to break speed of light

In a paper at the 25th International Conference on Neutrino Physics and
Astrophysics in Kyoto, Japan, on Friday, Bertolucci explained that four separate
experiments had confirmed the neutrinos were not flying faster than light -- and
that the original anomalous reading was due to a problem with the experiment's
fiber-optic timing system.
http://www.latimes.com/news/sc...



http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/us-science-light-idUSTRE78L4FH20110922

GENEVA (Reuters) - An international team of scientists said on Thursday they had recorded sub-atomic particles traveling faster than light -- a finding that could overturn one of Einstein's long-accepted fundamental laws of the universe.

Antonio Ereditato, spokesman for the researchers, told Reuters that measurements taken over three years showed neutrinos pumped from CERN near Geneva to Gran Sasso in Italy had arrived 60 nanoseconds quicker than light would have done.

"We have high confidence in our results. We have checked and rechecked for anything that could have distorted our measurements but we found nothing," he said. "We now want colleagues to check them independently."

If confirmed, the discovery would undermine Albert Einstein's 1905 theory of special relativity, which says that the speed of light is a "cosmic constant" and that nothing in the universe can travel faster.

That assertion, which has withstood over a century of testing, is one of the key elements of the so-called Standard Model of physics, which attempts to describe the way the universe and everything in it works.

The totally unexpected finding emerged from research by a physicists working on an experiment dubbed OPERA run jointly by the CERN particle research center near Geneva and the Gran Sasso Laboratory in central Italy.

A total of 15,000 beams of neutrinos -- tiny particles that pervade the cosmos -- were fired over a period of 3 years from CERN toward Gran Sasso 730 (500 miles) km away, where they were picked up by giant detectors.

Light would have covered the distance in around 2.4 thousandths of a second, but the neutrinos took 60 nanoseconds -- or 60 billionths of a second -- less than light beams would have taken.

"It is a tiny difference," said Ereditato, who also works at Berne University in Switzerland, "but conceptually it is incredibly important. The finding is so startling that, for the moment, everybody should be very prudent."

Ereditato declined to speculate on what it might mean if other physicists, who will be officially informed of the discovery at a meeting in CERN on Friday, found that OPERA's measurements were correct.

"I just don't want to think of the implications," he told Reuters. "We are scientists and work with what we know."

Much science-fiction literature is based on the idea that, if the light-speed barrier can be overcome, time travel might theoretically become possible.

The existence of the neutrino, an elementary sub-atomic particle with a tiny amount of mass created in radioactive decay or in nuclear reactions such as those in the Sun, was first confirmed in 1934, but it still mystifies researchers.

It can pass through most matter undetected, even over long distances, and without being affected. Millions pass through the human body every day, scientists say.

To reach Gran Sasso, the neutrinos pushed out from a special installation at CERN -- also home to the Large Hadron Collider probing the origins of the universe -- have to pass through water, air and rock.

The underground Italian laboratory, some 120 km (75 miles) to the south of Rome, is the largest of its type in the world for particle physics and cosmic research.

Around 750 scientists from 22 different countries work there, attracted by the possibility of staging experiments in its three massive halls, protected from cosmic rays by some 1,400 metres (4,200 feet) of rock overhead.

(Reporting by Robert Evans; Editing by Tom Miles and Kevin Liffey)

Are Christians really being persecuted in the USA?

A California couple has been fined by the city of San Juan Capistrano for holding Bible studies and religious gatherings in their home, which has some wondering about the future of religious freedom in America. Of course, this story has created a fury of comments about how it is proof that Christians are being singled out and persecuted in the USA.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/freedom-of-religion-calif-couple-fined-for-hosting-bible-study-in-home-56008/

But change the religion of the people in the story and see if it still appears to be persecution.

Imagine if you lived on a block with a Muslim family that held a meeting twice a week at their house that had between 20-50 people show up every time, and had to deal with the traffic, parking and foot traffic issues that accompanied these meeting, is it possible that after months and years of this occurring some people on the block might object? Especially, when there is a municipal code on the books in the city that prohibits the activity that is happening? Can you honestly say that might not start to get annoying after awhile?

What is persecution? Let's take a look at the definition of the word.


Definitions of persecution (n)

per·se·cu·tion [ pùrssə kysh'n ]

- the persecuting of somebody: the subjecting of a race or group of people to cruel or unfair treatment, e.g. because of their ethnic origin or religious beliefs

- suffering of persecuted people: the suffering felt by persecuted people

So, it is cruel or unfair to require that Christians abide by the same laws as everyone else in the city? If not, then they are not being persecuted.

Additional articles on the story also provides additional information.
http://www.thecapistranodispatch.com/view/full_story/15491252/article-Capistrano-Couple-in-Legal-Battle-for-Hosting-Bible-Study-in-Home?instance=commented


From the story: "Stephanie Fromm hosts a Bible study on Wednesdays that draws about 20 people, while Chuck Fromm’s Sunday-morning gathering draws as many as 50. "

"Chuck and Stephanie Fromm paid $200 in fines after receiving at least two citations from the city of San Juan Capistrano. They appealed the tickets to a hearing officer who sided with the city, leading to the August 31 lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court."

The wife in the story also admits that neighbors had complained to her directly.

What if the neighbors had complained to the Muslim family in my analogy and they told them that it was too bad, they were going to continue with their meetings, even though it was disrupting the neighborhood. Do you think it is possible someone might file a complaint with the city at that point?

Christians seem to believe that anytime someone complains about them, they are being persecuted, regardless of the circumstances.

Is the bible inherent?

First, one has to consider how the bible came about in the first place. Some of the bible stories initially came from oral histories. Other bible stories came from older religious groups. After they were written down, they have been translated, edited, re-written, edited again, translated again, re-written, edited, re-edited, translated again, re-written, edited, translated, copied, re-copied, re-written, re-edited and re-translated again.

The actual bible stories that we know of today were chosen by a group of people from hundreds, perhaps thousands, of different stories. This group of people decided which stories were true and which ones were false. Some early versions of the bible contained chapters that are no longer viewed as valid. The list of books considered holy among the early Christians differed between churches....
In addition to the Jewish scriptures, each Christian community developed its own "New Testament" scriptures, creating more than a dozen different gospels and an uncertain number of epistles and apocalypses. ...no "Church Father" is known, who drew the line of canonicity in the same way as does [a Fundamentalist Christian] of today.

• The illustrious Irenaeus (b. ca. A.D. 130), for example, considered the Shepherd of Hennas to be inspired, but rejected Hebrews, Jude, James, 2 Peter, and 3 John.
• Clement of Alexandria (ca. A.D. 150-213) included the Apocalypse of Peter, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas in his Bible.
• Tertullian (b. ca. A.D. 160) ...threw out all the New Testament books except the four gospels, Acts, thirteen "Pauline" epistles, Revelation, and 1 John.

There were many Gospels in circulation in the early centuries, and a large number of them were forgeries. Among these were the "Gospel of Paul," the Gospel of Bartholomew," the "Gospel of Judas Iscariot," the "Gospel of the Egyptians," the "Gospel or Recollections of Peter," the "Oracles or Sayings of Christ," and scores of other pious productions, a collection of which may still be read in "The Apocryphal New Testament." Obscure men wrote Gospels and attached the names of prominent Christian characters to them, to give them the appearance of importance. Works were forged in the names of the apostles, and even in the name of Christ. The greatest Christian teachers taught that it was a virtue to deceive and lie for the glory of the faith. Dean Milman, the standard Christian historian, says: "Pious fraud was admitted and avowed." The Rev. Dr. Giles writes: "There can be no doubt that great numbers of books were then written with no other view than to deceive." Professor Robertson Smith says: "There was an enormous floating mass of spurious literature created to suit party views." The early church was flooded with spurious religious writings. From this mass of literature, our Gospels were selected by priests and called the inspired word of God. Were these Gospels also forged? There is no certainty that they were not. But let me ask: If Christ was an historical character, why was it necessary to forge documents to prove his existence? Did anybody ever think of forging documents to prove the existence of any person who was really known to have lived? The early Christian forgeries are a tremendous testimony to the weakness of the Christian cause.

Jesus as a Reincarnation of Buddha

In the sixth and fifth centuries B.C., Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, also known as "the Buddha" (i.e., the Enlightened One), in southern Nepal. The title "the Buddha" is applied to Siddhartha Gautama in the same way that the title "the Christ" is applied to Jesus. The basic teachings and lives of the Buddha and the Christ are so remarkably similar that it is hard to believe they are not the same entity. This web page will present the case that Buddha was indeed a previous reincarnation of Jesus.

Buddhism teaches that the practice of good religious and moral behavior can lead to Nirvana (i.e., the state of enlightenment, kingdom of God within). To attain Nirvana, a person must be subjected to the cycle of reincarnation to a lifetimes that are good or bad depending on one's actions (i.e., "karma", "eye for an eye"). The goal of Buddhism is to achieve liberation from this cycle of birth and rebirth. The Buddhist view of life in this world is summarized in what is called "the four noble truths." They are (1) This world is a world of suffering. (2) Desire and the belief in the importance of one's self causes suffering. (3) The attainment of Nirvana ends this suffering. (4) Nirvana is attained only by following the path of righteousness in action, thought, attitude, and meditation. As it was with Jesus, the Buddha had a community of disciples to carry on his teachings.

Identical Life Experiences

(1) Buddha was born of the virgin Mahamaya, who was considered the "Queen of Heaven." Dean Milman, in his "History of Christianity," stated that "Buddha, according to a tradition known in the West, was born of a virgin" (Vol. I, p. 99, note). Mary and Mahamaya all gave birth to their children among strangers. He was visited by wise men who recognized the divinity of the child. He was of royal descent and his birth was announced by a star. (2) Werner's Encyclopedia, in its article on Buddha speaks of "the marvelous stories which gathered round the belief in his voluntary incarnation, the miracles at his birth, the prophecies of the aged saint at his formal presentation to his father, and how nature altered her course to keep a shadow over his cradle, whilst the sages from afar came and worshiped him." (3) Both Jesus and Buddha were presented in the temple as infants for baptism. The hymns uttered at both annunciations resemble each other. (4) Both in childhood discoursed before teachers. (5) Jesus and Buddha were considered to be divine beings. Buddha is regarded by the Hindus as the ninth incarnation of the deity Vishnu, following Krishna. But Buddha started a new religion which did not emphasize "gods," but rather how people can become "awakened" or "enlightened" to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth." (6) The mission of both Buddha and Jesus was proclaimed by a voice from heaven. (7) Both fasted in the wilderness and were tempted. Supernatural beings ministered to each of them. (8) Both called their disciples with the command, "Follow me." Both sent out disciples to spread their teachings. Both performed miracles and wonders, healed the sick, fed five hundred men from a "small basket of cakes," and walked on the water. (9) Buddha was "about 30 years old" when he began his ministry. He fasted "seven times seven nights and days." He had a "band of disciples" who accompanied him. He traveled from place to place and "preached to large multitudes." Bishop Bigandet calls his first sermon the "Sermon on the Mount." At his Renunciation "he forsook father and mother, wife and child." His mission was "to establish the kingdom of righteousness." "Buddha," says Max Mueller, "promised salvation to all; and he commanded his disciples to preach his doctrine in all places and to all men." "Self-conquest and universal charity" are the fundamental principles of his religion. He enjoined humanity, and commanded his followers to conceal their charities. "Return good for evil"; "overcome anger with love"; "love your enemies," were some of his precepts. (10) Buddha formulated the following commandments. "Not to kill; not to steal; not to lie; not to commit adultery; not to use strong drink." This is a similar teaching attributed to Jesus: "Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother." (Luke 18:20) Christ ignored the literal interpretation of Moses and emphasized a spiritualized interpretation of the whole law taken as a whole which is to practice unconditional love. This is similar to what Buddha did with the current teachings of those days. (11) Buddha preached on the "Holy Hill." Jesus delivered his sermon on the Mount. The phraseology of the sermons of Buddha and the sermon of Jesus is the same in many instances. Both Buddha and Jesus compared themselves to husbandmen sowing seed. The parable of the prodigal son is found in both Buddhist and Christian scriptures. So is the account of the man born blind. Both use the mustard seed as a simile for smallness. Buddha taught: "Perishable is the city built of sand." Jesus taught: "a foolish man builds his house upon the sand." Both speak of "the rain which falls on the just and on the unjust." (12) A converted courtesan, Mary Magdalene, followed Jesus. A converted courtesan, Ambapali, followed Buddha. (13) It is said that he crushed a serpent's head. This is also a Messianic prophecy described in Genesis in the Garden of Eden. (14) He abolished idolatry, was a "sower of the word," and preached "the establishment of a kingdom of righteousness." (15) He taught chastity, temperance, tolerance, compassion, love, and the equality of all. (16) The story of the ruler, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night, has its parallel in the story of the rich man who came to Buddha by night. (17) Both proclaimed kingdoms not of this world. The eternal life promised by Christ corresponds to the eternal peace, Nirvana, promised by Buddha. (18) Both were transfigured on a mount. (19) Both made triumphal entries, Christ into Jerusalem, and Buddha into Rajagriba. (20) Buddha was considered the "good shepherd, the "carpenter, the "infinite and everlasting." Buddha was called the "savior of the world, "light of the world," Supreme Being, and the eternal one. (21) There is a legend of a traitor connected with each. (22) Buddha is to return to Earth again to restore the world to order and happiness. (23) He is the judge of the dead. (24) Buddha commanded his disciples to preach his gospel to all men. Christ commanded his disciples to do the same. In obedience to these commands the world was filled with missionaries, and largely as the result of this the adherents of these religious systems outnumber those of all others combined. (25) Shortly after Buddha died, two sects of Buddhism were formed. After 400 years there were twenty different sects of Buddhism. Today there are many more. Over the millennia, the teachings of both Jesus and Buddha has spawned many different sects. Each is an attempt to keep the teachings alive under new circumstances. In 1947 in Egypt, early Christian documents were discovered which were hidden for thousands of years at the time when orders from the Church called for all heretical documents to be destroyed. One of those documents was the Gospel of Thomas which is considered by scholars to be the earliest gospel ever written and the most reliable. The Gospel of Thomas resonates with a type of Christianity that remarkably resembles Buddhism. It describes Jesus teaching the disciples how to become liberated from reincarnation. The writings of early Christianity discovered in 1947, show that early Christianity contained much more diversity of viewpoint and practice than later Christians acknowledged or even imagined. Because these teachings were smothered, many Christians today are adamant that the only path to God is via the personality of Jesus and this was considered the orthodox formula. (26) Connected with the triumphs of these two religions there is a historical correlation worthy of mentioning. About three centuries after Buddha's death, Asoka the Great, emperor of India, converted to the Buddhist faith and made Buddhism the state religion of the empire of India at that time. This emperor did more than any other person to secure Buddhism's supremacy in the East. In the same way, about three centuries after the death of Jesus, Constantine the Great, emperor of Rome, became a convert to the Christian faith and made it the state religion of his empire. Because of this, Christianity reigned supreme in the West. (27) Remuset says: "Buddhism has been called the Christianity of the East." It would be more appropriate to call Christianity the Buddhism of the West. Buddha, and not Christ, was "The Light of Asia." At this torch Christians lighted their taper and called it "The Light of the World." (28) Catholic Bishop Bigandet, one of the leading Christian writers on Buddhism wrote: "In reading the particulars of the life of Buddha it is impossible not to feel reminded of many circumstances relating to our Savior's life as sketched by the evangelists. It may be said in favor of Buddhism that no philosophic-religious system has ever upheld to an equal degree the notions of a savior and deliverer, and the necessity of his mission for procuring the salvation of man." (29) Bishop Jean Paul Hilaire wrote: "He [Buddha] requires humility, disregard of worldly wealth, patience and resignation in adversity, love to enemies ... non-resistance to evil, confession of sins and conversion." (30) Paul Ambroise Bigandet, the Catholic Bishop of Ramatha, wrote: "There are many moral precepts equally commanded and enforced in common by both creeds. It will not be rash to assert that most of the moral truths prescribed in the gospel are to be met with in the Buddhistic scriptures." (31) The rituals and religious structure of Catholicism resembles to a remarkable degree after those of Northern Buddhism (Lamaism) which the Encyclopedia Britannica states: "Lamaisnu with its shaven priests, its bells and rosaries, its images and holy water, its popes and bishops, its abbots and monks of many grades, its processions and feast days, its confessional and purgatory, and its worship of the double Virgin, so strongly resembles Romanism that the first Catholic missionaries thought it must be an imitation by the devil of the religion of Christ." The central object in every Buddhist temple is an image of Buddha The central object in every Catholic church is an image of Christ. Holy relics and the veneration of saints are prominent in both.

Identical Teachings

(1) "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) "Consider others as yourself." (Dhammapada 10:1) (2) "If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also." (Luke 6:29) "If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words." (Majjhima Nikaya 21:6) (3) "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. From anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them back." (Luke 6:27-30) "Hatreds do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by love: this is an eternal truth. Overcome anger by love, overcome evil by good ... Overcome the miser by giving, overcome the liar by truth." (Dhammapada 1.5 & 17.3) (4) "Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." (Matt. 25:45) "If you do not tend one another, then who is there to tend to you? Whoever would tend me, he should tend the sick." (Vinaya, Mahavagga 8:26:3) (5) "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take the sword shall perish by the sword." (Matt. 26:52) "Abandoning the taking of life, the ascetic Gautama dwells refraining from taking life, without stick or sword." (Digha Nikaya 1:1:8) (6) "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friend." (John 15:12-13) "Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so, cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings. Let your thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world." (Sutta Nipata 149-150) (7) "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) "The body of the Buddha is born of love, patience, gentleness and truth." (Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2) (8) "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." (Matt. 13:31-32) "Do not underestimate good, thinking it will not affect you. Dripping water can fill a pitcher, drop by drop; one who is wise is filled with good, even if one accumulates it little by little." (Dhammapada 9:7) (9) "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, "Friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye." (Luke 6:41-42) "The faults of others are easier to see than one's own; the faults of others are easily seen, for they are sifted like chaff, but one's own faults are hard to see. This is like the cheat who hides his dice and shows the dice of his opponent, calling attention to the other's shortcomings, continually thinking of accusing him." (Undanavarga 27:1) (10) "They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" He said to them, "Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:4-7) "Do not look at the faults of others, or what others have done or not done; observe what you yourself have done and have not done." (Dhammapada 4:7) (11) "Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. Therefore consider whether the light in you is full of darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays." (Luke 11: 34-36) "As a man with eyes who carries a lamp sees all objects, so too with one who has heard the Moral Law. He will become perfectly wise." (Udanavarga 22:4) (12) "Your father in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous." (Matt. 5:45) "That great cloud rains down on all whether their nature is superior or inferior. The light of the sun and the moon illuminates the whole world, both him who does well and him who does ill, both him who stands high and him who stands low." (Sadharmapundarika Sutra 5) (13) "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (Luke 6:20) "Let us live most happily, possessing nothing; let us feed on joy, like the radiant gods." (Dhammapada 15:4) (14) "If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matt.19:21) "The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish do not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond." (Dhammapada 13:11) (15) "He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:1-4) "Giving is the noble expression of the benevolence of the mighty. Even dust, given in childish innocence, is a good gift. No gift that is given in good faith to a worthy recipient can be called small; it effects us so great." (Jatakamala 3:23) (16) "Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:26) "Those who have sufficient faith in me, sufficient love for me, are all headed for heaven or beyond." (Majjhima Nikaya 22:47) (17) "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." (Mark 8:35) "With the relinquishing of all thought and egotism, the enlightened one is liberated through not clinging." (Majjhima Nikaya 72:15) (18) "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (Matt. 8:20) "The thoughtful exert themselves; they do not delight in an abode. Like swans who have left their lake they leave their house and home." (Majjhima Nikaya) (19) "When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13) "During the six years that the Bodhisattva practiced austerities, the demon followed behind him step by step, seeking an opportunity to harm him. But he found no opportunity whatsoever and went away discouraged and discontent." (Lalitavistara Sutra 18) (20) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matt. 5:8) "Anyone who enters into meditation on compassion can see Brahma with his own eyes, talk to him face to face and consult with him." (Digha Nikaya 19:43) (21) "Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them." (John 20:26) "He goes unhindered through a wall." (Anugattara Nikaya 3:60) (22) "And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and leads them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on Earth can white them." (Mark 9:2-3) "Ananda, having arranged one set of golden robes on the body of the Lord, observed that against the Lord's body it appeared dulled. And he said, "It is wonderful, Lord, it is marvelous how clear and bright the Lord's skin appears! It looks even brighter than the golden robes in which it is clothed." (Digha Nikaya 16:4:37)

Near-Death Experience Revelations Concerning Buddha and Jesus Mellen-Thomas Benedict is an artist who survived a near-death experience in 1982. He was dead for over an hour and a half after dying of cancer. At the time of his death, he rose up out of his body and went into the light. Curious about the universe, he was taken far into the remote depths of existence, and even beyond, into the energetic void of nothingness behind the Big Bang. During his experience, he was able to learn a great deal of information concerning reincarnation and the identity of the "Being of Light." His experience reveals an interesting connection between Buddha and Jesus. The following information is an excerpt from his near-death experience. "There was this light shining. I turned toward the light. The light was very similar to what many other people have described in their near-death experiences. It was so magnificent. It is tangible; you can feel it. It is alluring; you want to go to it like you would want to go to your ideal mother's or father's arms. "As I began to move toward the light, I knew intuitively that if I went to the light, I would be dead. "So as I was moving toward the light I said, "Please wait a minute, just hold on a second here. I want to think about this; I would like to talk to you before I go." "To my surprise, the entire experience halted at that point. You are indeed in control of your near-death experience. You are not on a roller coaster ride. So my request was honored and I had some conversations with the light. The light kept changing into different figures, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, mandalas, archetypal images and signs. "I asked the light, "What is going on here? Please, light, clarify yourself for me. I really want to know the reality of the situation." "I cannot really say the exact words, because it was sort of telepathy. The light responded. The information transferred to me was that your beliefs shape the kind of feedback you are getting before the light. If you were a Buddhist or Catholic or Fundamentalist, you get a feedback loop of your own stuff. You have a chance to look at it and examine it, but most people do not." Comment: Mr. Benedict's near-death revelation suggests that not only are the Higher Selves of Jesus, Buddha and Krishna, one and the same, but all of humanity's Higher Selves are one and the same. Perhaps we are different aspects of the same Higher Spirit. Edgar Cayce had many near-death experience and revealed information about ancient religions which have been affirmed to be true. The following are some of the revelations he received concerning the connection between Buddha and Jesus. Christian Gnosticism is the highest form of Christianity according to the Cayce revelations. A close study of Christian Gnosticism shows that this early form of Christianity is more similar to Buddhism than it is to traditional Christianity. For example, both religions teach: (a) reincarnation, (b) a philosophy of life on Earth as suffering for which we must be liberated, (c) the oneness of all things, (d) the divine light, (e) various afterlife realms to journey through, (f) the human goal of attaining Christhood is identical to the goal of attaining Buddhahood, (g) the distinction between Jesus (the human) to Christ (the spirit of human-divine unity) and the distinction between Buddha (the human) and Dharmakaya (the Clear Light of Ultimate Reality), (h) the concept of karma, (i) and the importance of good works. This is not a complete list. Other revelations from Cayce are that someday in the future, China will become the "cradle of Civilization." Those who are not familiar with the Cayce revelations are certain that this revelation about China and Christianity has to be false. But, as we have just seen, Buddhism is closer to true Christianity as traditional Christianity itself. If Buddhism flourishes once again in China as it once did for thousands of years, I am sure that this revelation of China being "Christian" will become true. Cayce revealed that the Christ spirit (the spirit of human-divine unity) constitutes the impelling force and core of truth behind all religions that teach that "God is One" and "all is one". This includes Confucianism, Brahmanism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Judaism, Platonism, Christianity and Islam. And finally, Buddha represents the "Way" to Enlightenment as Jesus represents the "Way" to the Father. "By giving away food we get more strength. By bestowing clothing on others we gain more beauty. By donating abodes of purity and truth we acquire great treasures." Buddha "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." - Jesus http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen045.html

Jesus as a Reincarnation of Horus

Jesus was referred to as the chief cornerstone (i.e., capstone) - a reference to an Egyptian pyramid. The chief cornerstone of the pyramid is same symbol for Horus, the Egyptian god and savior. Like the Egyptian pharoah, Jesus was called a shepherd who rules the nations with a staff. Horus was a popular Egyptian god who was the son of Osiris and Isis. Osiris and Horus were both solar deities. Osiris was the setting sun, Horus the rising sun. Jesus is the rising Son and the morning star. The pharoah was considered to be an incarnation of Horus (also known as "Amen-Ra," the sun god). In the same way, Jesus is considered to be the incarnation of his heavenly Father. Horus was the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. Horus had an adversary named "Set". Jesus' adversary was "Satan".

The story of Horus can be found in "The Egyptian Book of the Dead (also known as the "Papyrus of Ani") written over 3,000 years before the birth of Christ.

Identical Life Experiences

(1) It is written that both Horus and Jesus existed before their incarnations. (2) Horus was born of the virgin Isis on December 25th in a cave/manger. (3) Horus' birth was announced by a star in the East and attended by three wise men. (4) The infant Horus was carried out of Egypt to escape the wrath of Typhon. The infant Jesus was carried into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. Concerning the infant Jesus, the New Testament states the following prophecy: "Out of Egypt have I called my son." (Matt. 2:15) (5) He was a child teacher in the temple and was baptized by Anup the Baptizer when he was thirty years old. (6) He had twelve disciples and performed miracles such as feeding bread to the multitude and walking on water. (7) He raised one man, El-Azar-us, from the dead. (8) He transfigured on a mount. (9) He also had titles such as the "way, the truth, the light, the Messiah, God's anointed Son, the Son of Man, the good shepherd, the lamb of God, the Word, the Morning Star, the light of the world. (10) He was "the Fisher," and was associated with the lamb, lion and fish ("Ichthys"). (11) Horus's personal epithet was "Iusa," the "ever-becoming son" of "Ptah," the "Father." (12) Horus was called "KRST," or "Anointed One. (13) He was crucified, buried in a tomb and resurrected. (14) The adoration of the Virgin and Child is connected with both the adoration of Isis and the infant Horus and the adoration of Mary and infant Jesus. In the catacombs at Rome are pictures of the baby Horus being held by the virgin mother Isis, the original "Madonna and Child." (15) Concerning the writing of the Gnostics, C. W. King, a noted English author, says: "To this period belongs a beautiful sard in my collection, representing Serapis,...whilst before him stands Isis, holding in one hand the sistrum, in the other a wheatsheaf, with the legend: 'Immaculate is our lady Isis,' the very term applied afterwards to that personage who succeeded to her form, her symbols, rites, and ceremonies" (Gnostics and Their Remains, p. 71). (16) Osiris, Isis, and Horus are the principal trinity of the Egyptian religions. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the Christian trinity. Dr. Inman affirms the Egyptian roots of the Christian trinity "The Christian trinity is of Egyptian origin, and is as surely a pagan doctrine as the belief in heaven and hell, the existence of a devil, of archangels, angels, spirits and saints, martyrs and virgins, intercessors in heaven, gods and demigods, and other forms of faith which deface the greater part of modern religions" (Ancient Pagan and Modem Christian Symbolism, p. 13). (17) Dr. Draper says: "For thirty centuries the Egyptians had been familiar with the conception of a triune God. There was hardly a city of any note without its particular triads. Here it was Amum, Maut, and Khonso; there Osiris, Isis, and Horus" (Intellectual Development, Vol. I, p. 191). (18) Dr. Draper stated: "Views of the Trinity, in accordance with Egyptian tradition, were established. Not only was the adoration of Isis under a new name restored, but even her image standing on the crescent moon reappeared. The well-known effigy of that goddess, with the infant Horus in her arms, has descended to our days in the beautiful artistic creations of the Madonna and Child." (Conflict, p. 48). (19) Mrs. Besant believes that Christianity has its main roots in Egypt: "It grew out of Egypt; its gospels came from thence [Alexandria]; its ceremonies were learned there; its Virgin is Isis; its Christ, Osiris and Horus." (20) There are two stories connected with Horus that is analogous to stories found in the Old Testament. The hiding of the infant Horus in a marsh by his mother undoubtedly parallels the story of the hiding of the infant Moses in a marsh by his mother. When Horus died, Isis implored Ra, the sun, to restore him to life. Ra stopped his ship in mid-heaven and sent down Thoth, the moon, to bring him back to life. The stopping of the sun and moon by Isis recalls the myth of the stopping of the sun and moon by Joshua.

"Osiris, I am your son, come to glorify your soul, and to give you even more power." - Horus, (Book of the Dead, Ch. 173) "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once." - Jesus, (John 13:31-32) http://www.near-death.com/experiences/origen046.html

IF JESUS, THEN WHY NOT HERCULES?

If a person accepts hearsay and accounts from believers as historical evidence for Jesus, then shouldn't they act consistently to other accounts based solely on hearsay and belief?
To take one example, examine the evidence for Hercules of Greek mythology and you will find it parallels the "historicity" of Jesus to such an amazing degree that for Christian apologists to deny Hercules as a historical person belies and contradicts the very same methodology used for a historical Jesus.

Note that Herculean myth resembles Jesus in many areas. The mortal and chaste Alcmene, the mother of Hercules, gave birth to him from a union with God (Zeus). Similar to Herod who wanted to kill Jesus, Hera wanted to kill Hercules. Like Jesus, Hercules traveled the earth as a mortal helping mankind and performed miraculous deeds. Similar to Jesus who died and rose to heaven, Hercules died, rose to Mt. Olympus and became a god. Hercules gives example of perhaps the most popular hero in Ancient Greece and Rome. They believed that he actually lived, told stories about him, worshiped him, and dedicated temples to him.

Likewise the "evidence" of Hercules closely parallels that of Jesus. We have historical people like Hesiod and Plato who mention Hercules in their writings. Similar to the way the gospels tell a narrative story of Jesus, so do we have the epic stories of Homer who depict the life of Hercules. Aesop tells stories and quotes the words of Hercules. Just as we have a brief mention of Jesus by Joesphus in his Antiquities, Joesphus also mentions Hercules (more times than Jesus), in the very same work (see: 1.15; 8.5.3; 10.11.1). Just as Tacitus mentions a Christus, so does he also mention Hercules many times in his Annals. And most importantly, just as we have no artifacts, writings or eyewitnesses about Hercules, we also have nothing about Jesus. All information about Hercules and Jesus comes from stories, beliefs, and hearsay. Should we then believe in a historical Hercules, simply because ancient historians mention him and that we have stories and beliefs about him? Of course not, and the same must apply to Jesus if we wish to hold any consistency to historicity.

http://www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm

Did the idea of Jesus come from Mithra?

Here's what the Encarta online research source says about Mithra:
"Mithraism, one of the major religions of the Roman Empire, the cult of Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. In the Avesta, the sacred Zoroastrian writings (see Zoroastrianism) of the ancient Persians, Mithra appears as the chief yazata (Avestan, 'beneficent one'), or good spirit, and ruler of the world. He was supposed to have slain the divine bull, from whose dying body sprang all plants and animals beneficial to humanity. After the conquest of Assyria in the 7th century BC and of Babylonia in the 6th century BC, Mithra became the god of the sun, which was worshipped in his name (see Sun Worship). The Greeks of Asia Minor, by identifying Mithra with Helios, the Greek god of the sun, helped to spread the cult. It was brought to Rome about 68 BC by Cilician pirates whom the Roman general Pompey the Great had captured, and during the early empire it spread rapidly throughout Italy and the Roman provinces. It was a rival to Christianity in the Roman world."

"Mithraism was similar to Christianity in many respects, for example, in the ideals of humility and brotherly love, baptism, the rite of communion, the use of holy water, the adoration of the shepherds at Mithra's birth, the adoption of Sundays and of December 25 (Mithra's birthday) as holy days, and the belief in the immortality of the soul, the last judgment, and the resurrection. Mithraism differed from Christianity in the exclusion of women from its ceremonies and in its willingness to compromise with polytheism. The similarities, however, made possible the easy conversion of its followers to Christian
doctrine." (End quote)

Also, from a web site which examines Mithraism:
"Plainly, the worship of Mithras was well ahead of the worship of Jesus. In any case there is a dated pre-Christian Mithraic inscription of Antiochus I of Commagene (69-34 BC) in eastern Asia Minor. Mithras shakes hands with the King, he wears the Phrygian cap, the Persian trousers, and a cape. His hat is star speckled and rays of light emerge from his head like a halo. His torq is a serpent. This is the image of the Roman Mithras in a scene taking place 100 years before the crucifixion."

"There were worshippers of Mithras in Rome in Pompey's time (67 BC)."
"Christians are more defensive about Mithras than perhaps any other pre-Christian Roman god. The two religions had so much in common, it can hardly be denied although Christians will try to deny it as a first shot. Their second shot is that the followers of Mithras copied the Christians! Christians feel obliged to take silly positions on these issues because they seek to defend Christianity as a revealed religion, not one which evolved in a certain milieu and therefore has common features with contemporary religions. So, no religious practices that seem in any way to be like any Christian ones could have been original--they must have been taken from Christianity!"
(end quotes, ref Dr M. D. Magee AskWhy! Publications Website, www.askwhy.co.uk/christianity/0690Mithras.html)

It seems rather clear that Mithra was introduced to Rome around 68 B.C. and existed in some form as a worshipped deity long before Jesus or the New Testament.

The blood of Jesus.

The New Testament itself points out that Christianity introduced a new ritual as part of it's formula to obtain eternal life. Jesus himself tells his followers that they can have eternal life if they eat his flesh and drink his blood.

John 6:53-54
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Where did this ritual come from? Is it something that God told his people to do, or is it something pagan which became incorporated into the Jesus savior story? What's wrong with this picture?
This new ritual directly contradicts the Word of God in the Old Testament. The consumption of blood, in any form, is abomination in the eyes of God.

Lev 17:10,12
And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth(consumes) any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat(consume) blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

Are people to believe that God, whose eternal law(Psa 119:152,160) is very clear about not consuming any type of blood, completely changed his mind, and then decided to advocate the drinking of blood as part of a salvation ritual?

An often employed Christian rationalization is that since the blood Jesus told his followers to drink was only wine, there was no real violation of the law. This doesn't hold up to scriptural examination. Symbolic sin is still sin. Even Jesus proclaimed that symbolic sin was still sin(Matt 5:28).

Can everyone understand the word of god in the bible?

Every Christian believes they understand the bible. The fact that there are thousands of different Christians sects and hundreds of different interpretations of the bible shows that they cannot agree on what it means. It is humourous to claim that atheists are unable to understand it when Christians demonstrate every day they are unable to comprehend it. However, let us see what the bible says about the issue.




1 Corinthians 2:12,13 - Inspired men received God's Spirit so they could know what God revealed and could speak them in words which the Holy Spirit taught them.

Matthew 10:19,20 - Inspired men did not have to worry about how or what to speak, because it would be given them what to speak. It was not them speaking but the Spirit of the Father speaking in them.

If God gave the message to inspired men so we can know God's will, then He must have intended to give an understandable message. If they cannot understand the message, then God has failed in His purpose.

But how can an all-wise, all-powerful God fail to do what He intends to do? To claim that the word cannot be understood is to deny that God is all-wise and all-powerful; He tried to give a revelation that men could understand, but He lacked the wisdom or power to do so.

Consider the following passages. If understanding is impossible, then how can God require these things of man?

Ephesians 5:17 - Do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Does a just, loving, gracious God require what is impossible?

2 Timothy 2:15 - To be approved of God and not ashamed, we must handle rightly the word of God (ASV). How can one handle rightly a message he cannot understand?

Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:14,17 - No one can please God without faith, but faith comes by hearing God's word. Yet how can a message create faith in a heart that cannot understand the message? [John 20:30,31; 6:44,45; Luke 1:1-4]

Mark 7:14 - Jesus' teachings were intended for the common people (multitudes), and He expected and commanded them all to understand His teachings.

Luke 8:11; Matthew 13:19,23 - The seed of the gospel is the word of God. Those whom the Lord considers to be good and fruitful are those who understand the word. Those who do not understand are unacceptable.

So God requires and commands all people to understand, and they must understand to have His approval and to have faith. Yet how can God be just, loving, and gracious in these requirements, if in fact understanding is impossible?

Supposedly, god always speaks truth and always keeps His promises. In the following passages He has stated or promised that they can understand His word.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 - The Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation. They are profitable to teach and instruct us and to provide us to all good works. How could they make them wise and profit them in these things if they cannot understand them?

Isaiah 55:11 - God's word will not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He pleases and prosper in the thing for which He sent it. But He sent it to reveal His will to men, etc. If they cannot understand it, then it does not prosper nor did it accomplish what He sent it for.

1 Corinthians 14:33 - God is not the author of confusion but of peace. But if the Bible cannot be understood, then God would be the author of confusion.

These passages are clear statements or promises that God gave a message they could understand. If they cannot understand, then God did not speak the truth and did not keep His promises. To deny that the Bible can be understood is to deny that God is truthful and faithful to His word. But if you believe that God is true and faithful, then you must believe that they can understand the Bible.

Now, consider these passages:

Romans 3:10-18 “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.There is no fear of God before their eyes.’”

Isaiah 55:8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

"The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away." (Mt.13:11-12). It was supposedly because of the people's wickedness that God made His message a mystery. His words are to hold the secret to eternal life -- something the wicked cannot experience, so only those with ears to hear have been given access to their hidden meaning. Which is a very convenient view when arguing with a non-believer.

In fact, Jesus revealed that even the scholars would be blinded by the secrets of God's mysteries: "I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and clever and revealing them to mere children instead." (Lk.10:21). The only people able to understand the metaphors of God are the children of God. To all others, there is nothing but the veil -- a veil that can be removed only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, on one hand, the words of god MUST be able to be understood by all. Yet on the other hand, this same god tells us that not everyone will be able to understand.

I love it when Christians say there are no contradictions in the bible.

A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words? -W. Somerset Maugham