http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2009/12/04/evangelist-causes-stir/
According to Jesse Morell, the list of people destined for hell are:
- Fornicators
- Homosexuals
- Liars
- Thieves
- Masturbators
- Obama Voters
- Buddhists
- Dirty Dancers
- Hindus
- Gangster Rappers
- Muslims
- Drunkards
- Feminists
- Immodest Women
- Democrats
- Liberals
- Evolutionists
- Atheists
- Potheads
- Sodomites
When one sees a placard like this, we can tell immediately that the person carrying it must be an Evangelical Christian of the most devout persuasion. Because only Evangelical Christians, in their zeal to spread their religious faith, will denigrate every one else who do not believe what they believe.
Indeed. And why is "Obama Voters" on his list? Is that a synonym for black people?
I am sure that any rational person seeing this sign will deem the person a fringe element, or a loony. But this is exactly what religious indoctrination does to people.
It would be interesting if other Christian groups who do not share the same views as Jesse Morell start criticising him and his ministry, and debate him on what exactly the bible is teaching. If Morell loses such a debate, would he then add "Christians" to his list?
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The problem with Christianity is that besides extreme cases like Morell, the more moderate ones like Catholicism and Anglicanism are also indoctrinating people into hating people, specifically homosexuals, simply because of bible passages.
Science has already shown that it is biological reasons that determine if a person is born heterosexual, homosexual, male, female, or transgendered. Your genes also determine the colour of your skin, and perhaps the capabilities of your brain. The church does not denigrate people who are born of the wrong colour (why do Christians think that Jesus is a white Caucasian with blue eyes?), or because they were born retarded. And yet, the church continue to vilify homosexuals who are born the way they are, simply because the bible tells them to do so.
It is a fact that the bible encourages the slavery of people. It is a fact that the bible teaches that women are inferior to men, and that women should always be subservient to men. It is a fact that the bible teaches that the Earth is the centre of the universe and that the Sun revolves around the Earth, and that humans were created 6000 years ago along with all the other animals. In modern societies which have benefited from the advances of science, and the societal liberation of the enlightenment, all these bible teachings have been examined, studied, questioned, and discarded. And yet, Christianity still clings on to a bigotry on homosexuality when that too should be discarded, along with the teachings on slavery, male superiority, and bad science.
So why does the church not do so? One possibility could be that as more and more parts of the bible are shown to be wrong and are discarded, Christians worry that soon, even their concept of god will be found to be wrong and flawed. An ideological line has been drawn to state that they have ceded much to science and knowledge, and that they will cede no further. Hence, the church will not cede the fact that the bible is wrong in saying that gays are sinners and bad people. Admitting the bible is wrong on this remaining few straws may lead to the slippery slope to admitting that the existence of god is probably wrong too. And hence the resistance.
Society should not let religions determine what is morality. We do not derive our morality from religions. Our morals are innate in us, as it is innate even in animals. Animals do not need to pray to imaginary deities, and yet respond with goodwill when treated with goodwill. Animals do not need religions to show love, or even exhibit altruism, to others of their own kind. Yet, here are religions proclaiming that only believers (and specifically, believers of their own god) are good people, and non-believers (and all other people) are evil people. This is not right, and atheists should stand steadfast against letting religions have their sway on societal matters.
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