9-18-1
Active Member
I should preface by stating I understand the religions of Christianity and Islam to be idol worship: both utilize a (dead; non-existent) male central figure that serves as a model for the citizens of an empire. In both cases each utilize a book(s) which outlines the nature/behavior of such a central figure to be imitated, emulated, regarded as the perfect "pattern of conduct" etc.
The Syriac-speaking Christians (who resided in and around the Arabian Peninsula pre-Islam) had many hymnal texts which:
i. Would later serve as the basis for the early Qur'an, and
ii. Referred to Jesus as "the praised one" and/or "mercy upon mankind"
Over time such titles in ii. gradually "migrated" and began describing the characteristics of an Arabian prophet who would only surface by the late 7th century.
To add more to the mix, such religious institutions invariably rely on Judaism as having served as the soil bed from whence to arise. Similarly, Judaism utilizes a (series of) male central figure(s) who serve(d) as role models.
And herein we arrive at the problem of "belief".
Both Judaism and Islam uniquely "believe" that they are in possession of the perfect, inimitable, unaltered, inerrant word of god. In the case of the former, some orthodox Jews believe that if ever a Torah were copied containing an error, the universe would collapse because G-d made the universe with the 22 Hebrew letters and Torah. In the case of the latter, the Qur'an is regarded by Muslims as the Highest authority on the planet which over-rides all non-Muslim nations' laws which they claim to be "man-made". In reality, both the Torah and Qur'an are man-made.
Invariably such "beliefs" still centrally reside as the thousands-year-old human conflict(s) based in the Middle East. Jews "believe" they were delivered by a Jewish Moses under guidance from the creator of the universe as they await their Messiah (rejecting Jesus), and Muslims "believe" similar of their prophet Muhammad who is similarly rejected by the Jews (and rightly so as with Jesus).
However we know that the Torah has at least 3 authors, and at least in its current form (and script) does not resemble anything that can not be explained by the handiwork of man. Similar is true for the Qur'an: it is compiled from numerous sources, many of which were in a different language (Syriac) entirely. It is certain that neither the Torah nor the Qur'an are the perfect word of god, but the Jews and Muslims "believe" such things to be true - it is the basis of their entire way of being.
Similarly, Christians "believe" in Jesus and the Gospel accounts of him. They also seem to "believe" that he was either god or in some way in perfect union with god, and sacrificed himself for the sins of all of mankind - hence derived "mercy upon mankind" which Muhammad would later seemingly usurp. The problem, simply then, is if such an event as the crucifixion and resurrection did not actually occur, Christianity is similarly false and loosely based in "belief".
It is nothing short of curious that the life and death of Jesus should imitate the behavior of the sun: being "dead" for three days beginning Dec. 21 only to rise on Dec. 25 - a special day for the Christian world if only they actually watched it happen in the sky. I still weep at the souls who don't see the connection and thus derive that Jesus is a model / idol of the sun, as were countless solar deities and/or crucified messianic missionaries that preceded him from an array of cultures.
Given all of this, and re-striking the bell of the understanding that Christianity and Islam (as well as Judaism to a certain extent) are essentially idol worshiping institutions which rely on "belief" of things that are not actually true, I derive the following:
"Belief is not a virtue."
much to the detriment of the Muhammadans who overtly call themselves "believers". The entire basis of Islam (and much of the Abrahamic world) can be dismissed based on the premise that "belief" is not a virtue, if not for the fact that both the Torah and Qur'an are man-made. One can therefrom surmise naturally that remainder of the Bible the same is true.
"Belief" has no substance: it is essentially a projection. This is how numerous denominations of idolatrous schemes can arise: each denomination projects his/her own unique "imagination" of who, for example, Jesus or who Muhammad is/was (this occurring already after "believing" they existed, which is a problem in and of itself). For example many different denominations of Christianity exist on the basis of what Jesus did and/or did not allow/accept, including things like drinking coffee/alcohol. Islam has similar problems: who was the most rightful heir after Muhammad's fall? Here we have Sunni vs. Shia, a 1400-year-old war within Islam itself. The idol worshipers fight over such things, and the many hundreds of millions are fallen.
Ultimately this "belief" and "idol worship" have been the most prime sources of human suffering and death on this planet. I predict that the greatest obstacle facing humanity is outright flatly rejecting "belief" as a basis of existence (or anything *thing* for that matter) - for it is actually the opposite; namely, illusion and without a basis in reality. "Belief" is therefor the principle conduit for outright insanity: a charge I do not withhold from institutions such as Islam (in agreement with China's recent declaration that Islam is a mental illness). Christianity is similar: though at least humanity had the decency not to make Jesus into a sexually degenerated pedophile war lord that preyed on the weak and vulnerable (women/children) as is the case with Muhammad and Islam. There are certainly varying degrees of insanity - "belief" is common throughout.
The Syriac-speaking Christians (who resided in and around the Arabian Peninsula pre-Islam) had many hymnal texts which:
i. Would later serve as the basis for the early Qur'an, and
ii. Referred to Jesus as "the praised one" and/or "mercy upon mankind"
Over time such titles in ii. gradually "migrated" and began describing the characteristics of an Arabian prophet who would only surface by the late 7th century.
To add more to the mix, such religious institutions invariably rely on Judaism as having served as the soil bed from whence to arise. Similarly, Judaism utilizes a (series of) male central figure(s) who serve(d) as role models.
And herein we arrive at the problem of "belief".
Both Judaism and Islam uniquely "believe" that they are in possession of the perfect, inimitable, unaltered, inerrant word of god. In the case of the former, some orthodox Jews believe that if ever a Torah were copied containing an error, the universe would collapse because G-d made the universe with the 22 Hebrew letters and Torah. In the case of the latter, the Qur'an is regarded by Muslims as the Highest authority on the planet which over-rides all non-Muslim nations' laws which they claim to be "man-made". In reality, both the Torah and Qur'an are man-made.
Invariably such "beliefs" still centrally reside as the thousands-year-old human conflict(s) based in the Middle East. Jews "believe" they were delivered by a Jewish Moses under guidance from the creator of the universe as they await their Messiah (rejecting Jesus), and Muslims "believe" similar of their prophet Muhammad who is similarly rejected by the Jews (and rightly so as with Jesus).
However we know that the Torah has at least 3 authors, and at least in its current form (and script) does not resemble anything that can not be explained by the handiwork of man. Similar is true for the Qur'an: it is compiled from numerous sources, many of which were in a different language (Syriac) entirely. It is certain that neither the Torah nor the Qur'an are the perfect word of god, but the Jews and Muslims "believe" such things to be true - it is the basis of their entire way of being.
Similarly, Christians "believe" in Jesus and the Gospel accounts of him. They also seem to "believe" that he was either god or in some way in perfect union with god, and sacrificed himself for the sins of all of mankind - hence derived "mercy upon mankind" which Muhammad would later seemingly usurp. The problem, simply then, is if such an event as the crucifixion and resurrection did not actually occur, Christianity is similarly false and loosely based in "belief".
It is nothing short of curious that the life and death of Jesus should imitate the behavior of the sun: being "dead" for three days beginning Dec. 21 only to rise on Dec. 25 - a special day for the Christian world if only they actually watched it happen in the sky. I still weep at the souls who don't see the connection and thus derive that Jesus is a model / idol of the sun, as were countless solar deities and/or crucified messianic missionaries that preceded him from an array of cultures.
Given all of this, and re-striking the bell of the understanding that Christianity and Islam (as well as Judaism to a certain extent) are essentially idol worshiping institutions which rely on "belief" of things that are not actually true, I derive the following:
"Belief is not a virtue."
much to the detriment of the Muhammadans who overtly call themselves "believers". The entire basis of Islam (and much of the Abrahamic world) can be dismissed based on the premise that "belief" is not a virtue, if not for the fact that both the Torah and Qur'an are man-made. One can therefrom surmise naturally that remainder of the Bible the same is true.
"Belief" has no substance: it is essentially a projection. This is how numerous denominations of idolatrous schemes can arise: each denomination projects his/her own unique "imagination" of who, for example, Jesus or who Muhammad is/was (this occurring already after "believing" they existed, which is a problem in and of itself). For example many different denominations of Christianity exist on the basis of what Jesus did and/or did not allow/accept, including things like drinking coffee/alcohol. Islam has similar problems: who was the most rightful heir after Muhammad's fall? Here we have Sunni vs. Shia, a 1400-year-old war within Islam itself. The idol worshipers fight over such things, and the many hundreds of millions are fallen.
Ultimately this "belief" and "idol worship" have been the most prime sources of human suffering and death on this planet. I predict that the greatest obstacle facing humanity is outright flatly rejecting "belief" as a basis of existence (or anything *thing* for that matter) - for it is actually the opposite; namely, illusion and without a basis in reality. "Belief" is therefor the principle conduit for outright insanity: a charge I do not withhold from institutions such as Islam (in agreement with China's recent declaration that Islam is a mental illness). Christianity is similar: though at least humanity had the decency not to make Jesus into a sexually degenerated pedophile war lord that preyed on the weak and vulnerable (women/children) as is the case with Muhammad and Islam. There are certainly varying degrees of insanity - "belief" is common throughout.