If the people of Europe had known as much of astronomy and geology when the bible was introduced among them, as they do now, there never could have been one believer in the doctrine of inspiration. If the writers of the various parts of the bible had known as much about the sciences as is now known by every intelligent man, the book never could have been written. It was produced by ignorance, and has been believed and defended by its author. It has lost power in the proportion that man has gained knowledge. A few years ago, this book was appealed to in the settlement of all scientific questions; but now, even the clergy confess that in such matters, it has ceased to speak with the voice of authority. For the establishment of facts, the word of man is now considered far better than the word of God. In the world of science, Jehovah was superseded by Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler. All that God told Moses, admitting the entire account to be true, is dust and ashes compared to the discoveries of Descartes, Laplace, and Humboldt. In matters of fact, the bible has ceased to be regarded as a standard. Science has succeeded in breaking the chains of theology. A few years ago, Science endeavored to show that it was not inconsistent with the bible. The tables have been turned, and now, Religion is endeavoring to prove that the bible is not inconsistent with Science. The standard has been changed.
~ Robert G. Ingersoll
To some believers, being on the pill or using a condom is a nonverbal way of telling God to go to hell.
~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana
It goes without saying that even those of us who are going to hell will get eternal life—if that territory really exists outside religious books and the minds of believers, that is. Having said that, given the choice, instead of being grilled until hell freezes over, the average sane human being would, needless to say, rather spend forever idling in an extremely fertile garden, next to a lamb or a chicken or a parrot, which they do not secretly want to eat, and a lion or a tiger or a crocodile, which does not secretly want to eat them.
~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana
O, weary angels, don’t look at me with those eyes.If that is your state then what of our cries?What can I tell you of goodness that you don’t already know?What can I tell you of faith,of hope and lovethat you yourselves bestow?O, angels, don’t pluck another feather,this isn’t the sky, it’s just the weather.Please, angels, try.We are one all together.Look up and listen, I’ll say it once and then put down my pen:We are sorry for our ignoranceand even though we are worldly,it might happen again.We are sorry for your wearinessand even though you aren’t worldly,we are no more than human.
~ Kamand Kojouri
Now is not the time for bigots and racists. No time for sexists and homophobes. Now, more than ever, is the time for ARTISTS. It’s time for us to rise above and to create. To show humanity. To spread hope. We must prevent society from destroying itself, from losing its way. Now is the time for love.
~ Kamand Kojouri
Until every soul is freely permitted to investigate every book, and creed, and dogma for itself, the world cannot be free. Mankind will be enslaved until there is mental grandeur enough to allow each man to have his thought and say. This earth will be a paradise when men can, upon all these questions differ, and yet grasp each other's hands as friends. It is amazing to me that a difference of opinion upon subjects that we know nothing with certainty about, should make us hate, persecute, and despise each other. Why a difference of opinion upon predestination, or the trinity, should make people imprison and burn each other seems beyond the comprehension of man; and yet in all countries where Christians have existed, they have destroyed each other to the exact extent of their power. Why should a believer in God hate an atheist? Surely the atheist has not injured God, and surely he is human, capable of joy and pain, and entitled to all the rights of man. Would it not be far better to treat this atheist, at least, as well as he treats us?Christians tell me that they love their enemies, and yet all I ask is—not that they love their enemies, not that they love their friends even, but that they treat those who differ from them, with simple fairness.We do not wish to be forgiven, but we wish Christians to so act that we will not have to forgive them. If all will admit that all have an equal right to think, then the question is forever solved; but as long as organized and powerful churches, pretending to hold the keys of heaven and hell, denounce every person as an outcast and criminal who thinks for himself and denies their authority, the world will be filled with hatred and suffering. To hate man and worship God seems to be the sum of all the creeds.
~ Robert G. Ingersoll
Religion should teach about hope to come for all, not terror for some
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Good gods are scarce because the majority of gods are created by evil men
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Why do religious believers hate unbelievers? The feel threatened by them, they feel besieged by them. Religions consider themselves as separate tribes in their own rights and feel like unbelievers will one day overrun their strongholds
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Every word that comes after And the Lord told me. . . “is a pious lie
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Give me something to worship whatever.” Cries the human soul
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Spiritual leaders, priests and prophets are lamps burning in the dark, seeking meaning for humanity.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Science cannot disprove god. Science studies the things that are. The eternal question is who or what made them to be
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Why doesn't the pope convert to Calvinism? Why doesn't the Dalai Lama, convert to Christianity, why doesn't Billy Graham convert to Islam, Why doesn't the Ayatollahs convert to Buddhism, Why isn't Buddhism swept away? Religious leaders know that all religions are equal; they know that no one of them has the monopoly to the knowledge of God. They know that each religion is trying to find the hidden God and that no one religion can claim to have found him beyond doubt. That's why they remain where they are and respect each other.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Can really anybody put his hand on his heart and profess to know beyond doubt what happens on the other side of this life?
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
There is nothing behind the curtains of religions, people put there whatever their imaginations can fathom
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Once you believe that god is not a private property of anybody, you are on your way to becoming a new messiah. Maybe your own if not the world's
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
One man's faith is considered idolatry by another
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Apologetics=faith is weak, lets defend it
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Theology is like assuming that there is a black cat in a dark room where in fact there is no black cat, and endeavoring to study the cat's properties and how it may have evolved from its ancestors.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
The eyes of god are upon you, I mean the eyes of society. We are prisoners of societies in which we live
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
You take away my golden dreams and my visions of paradise, in its place you wake me up and hand me your reasons and facts and crude reality. You have ruined my life. If I commit murder or hang myself, let the god I used to pray to repay you in full.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
A spiritual realm is more obedient than a temporal one. In a spiritual realm, people obey the Supreme Being through his priests; in a temporal realm people don't obey wholeheartedly as they distrust their corrupt officials.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
If you believe that God is good and that He loves you without regard to whom you are or what you do, you will worship Him wholeheartedly. You will praise him with thanksgiving. If you believe He is angry against you, you will come to him with fear and trying to appease his anger. And you don't know when His anger will be over. Such a god keeps you in a perpetual psychological anguish. That is the typical kind of god we usually worship. That is the typical god approved by authority.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Each mind conceives god in its own way. There may be as many variation of the god figure as there are people in the world
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
God has not yet revealed himself to no one in no unclear terms. Religions are attempts to find him on that level they are all equal
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
What is needed is not that a religion be true, meaning that what it claims exist beyond the ink it is written with in a holy book. That is hard to prove. What is important is that a religion be a good system to help us mere mortal deal with our short and troubled life in the universe. Whether what we hope for in the afterlife materializes or not is not important, what is important is that we believe it will materialize and that gives us hope.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Much terror in religion is not the will of god, it is created by power hungry clerics who thirst for absolute power and claim it for god. God does not seek power, he is already powerful.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
No holy book is more inspired than the other. They are all inspired according to their gods.
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
Anyone can write a holy book, if he feels god is calling him to do so
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana
No one knows what god thinks of anything. He only knows and no one can claim to penetrate into his mysteries. Those who do that are liars and must be avoided at all costs
~ Bangambiki Habyarimana