Judaism and Christianity

Judaism and Christianity

For most people who profess a religious belief, their "faith" is accidental -- a function of time, geography, and circumstances. A Christian fundamentalist, had he or she been born three thousand years ago in Egypt, would have probably ended up worshipping the "true" deity or deities in vogue at that time. A contemporary Moslem would have worshipped an Aztec or Mayan pantheon of gods had he or she been living just a few centuries ago in Central America. There have been thousands of different religions worshipping tens of thousands (and even millions) of assorted gods. Most, if not all, have claimed to be "the one true creed." And their disagreements have resulted in war, intolerance, oppression, and other violations of human dignity.

Today in America, Christianity -- the worship of a god-man known as Jesus -- is the dominant belief among those who profess religion. But did you know that about 10% of Americans consider themselves to be atheists, doubters, or religious skeptics of some kind? That's over 25,000,000 people. Millions more, the majority of the American population, are branded with the odious label of "unchurched"; they do not attend church, mosque, or temple on any regular basis (except perhaps on "holy days" to keep up appearances for friends, relatives, and the community), nor do they look to religion for a moral code. Their ethics stem from a secular philosophy of life.

Atheists often know more about the precepts and origins of religious belief than believers themselves do. We study more than just the one accepted "holy book," and we like to read the parts which churches ignore, or conveniently re-write in an effort to render religious text more palpable. Here are just a few items for you to read, contemplate, and even chuckle over. American Atheist Press offers a wide variety of books and pamphlets dealing with religious superstition, including biblical errancy and the mythology of Jesus.

Here, we say, "Go ahead! Read the Bible, and the Koran, and the other numerous books which claim to be divinely inspired. Study religious history...and then decide for yourself!"