Monthly Archives: April 2021

Nearly a decade ago, a computer programmer used data from the Skeptics Annotated Bible and available information about Bible verses that cross-referenced the same topics to create a visual masterpiece called BibViz (Bible Visualization). The site allowed visitors to hover over different arcs to discover biblical contradictions.

Unfortunately, the site atrophied over the years the old URL now redirects to one with a lot of broken links but the source code was always available online under a Creative Commons license and now an enterprising atheist named Randy has resurrected the graphics and fixed the broken parts at LyingForJesus.org.

Go there and just start playing around. Each arc lights up when you hover over it and tells you which verses are being linked together. Click on an arc and itll take you to those contradictions specifically with citations so you can check them out for yourself. As Randy told me, its just a wonderful counter-apologetics resource for anyone interested.

Show your fundamentalist friends and watch them squirm. Theres just no plausible way anyone can take the Bible literally after going through all these unless theyre closing their eyes, sticking their fingers in their ears, and refusing to think about any of the errors in their worldview. Some items can be rationalized, but not all of them.

The site also shows you where in the Bible youll find all the biblical passages featuring Cruelty & Violence, Discrimination against Homosexuals, Scientific Absurdities & Historical Inaccuracies, or (below) Misogyny/Violence/Discrimination against Women. You can also scroll all the way down to see a list of every contradiction in the supposedly infallible Holy Book.

Those vertical bars go from the number of relevant verses in Genesis (on the left) to Revelation (on the right).

Its a new site so there are still some snags in there. But Randy tells me hes working on fixes and plans to make a similar site for the Quran in the near future. If you have suggestions or corrections, feel free to contact him directly.

Excerpt from:

Check Out This Massive (Resurrected) Interactive Chart of Bible Contradictions - Friendly Atheist - Patheos

For all the predictions and talk of a slump in support among evangelicals, it appears Donald Trumps election loss was not at the hands of religious voters.

As an analyst of religious data, Ive been crunching data released in March 2021 that breaks down the 2020 US presidential election results by faith. And by and large there was very little notable change in the vote choice of religious groups between 2016 and 2020 in fact, for most faiths, support for Trump ticked up slightly. Instead, it was among those who do not identify with any religion that Trump saw a noticeable drop.

Despite exit poll data initially pointing toward a drop in white evangelical support for Trump in 2020, the latest data shows this not to be the case. The data is based on the Cooperative Election Study, which has become the gold standard for assessing vote choice because of its sample size and its ability to accurately represent the voting population of the United States.

In fact, with 80% of white evangelicals backing Trump in 2020, support actually ticked up from the 78% who voted for him four years earlier.

These differences are not statistically significant, and as such it would be wrong to say it definitively shows Trump gained among religious groups. But it indicates that among the largest religious groups in the US, voting patterns in the November 2020 vote seemed to hold largely steady with four years earlier. Trump did not manage to win significantly larger shares, nor was winner Joe Biden able to peel away religious voters from the Trump coalition.

However, there are some interesting and statistically significant trends when you break down the data further. Nonwhite Catholics shifted four points toward Donald Trump. This fits with what we saw in places like the heavily Hispanic and Catholic Miami-Dade County, Florida, where Trumps overall vote share improved from 35% to 46% between 2016 and 2020.

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Trump also managed to pick up 15 percentage points among the Mormon vote. On first glance this would appear a large jump. But it makes sense when you factor in that around 15% of the Mormon vote in 2016 went to Utah native and fellow Mormon Evan McMullin, who ran in that years election as a third-party candidate. Without McMullin in 2020, Trump picked up Mormon voters as did Joe Biden, who did slightly better than Hillary Clinton had among Mormons.

There is also some weak evidence that the Republican candidate picked up some support among smaller religious groups in the US, like Hindus and Buddhists. Trump increased his share among these two groups by four percentage points each. But it is important to note that these two groups combined constitute only about 1.5% of the American population. As such, a four-point increase translates to only a very small fraction of the overall popular vote.

What is clear is that Trump lost a good amount of ground among the religious unaffiliated. Trumps share of the atheist vote declined from 14% in 2016 to just 11% in 2020; the decline among agnostics was slightly larger, from 23% to 18%.

Additionally, those who identify as nothing in particular a group that represents 21% of the overall US population were not as supportive of Trump in his reelection bid. His vote share among this group dropped by three percentage points, while Bidens rose by over seven points, with the Democrat managing to win over many of the nothing in particulars who had backed third-party candidates in the 2016 election.

Looked at broadly, Trump did slightly better among Christians and other smaller religious groups in the US but lost ground among the religiously unaffiliated. What these results cannot account for, however, is record turnout. There were nearly 22 million more votes cast in 2020 than in 2016. So while vote shares may not have changed that much, the number of votes cast helped swing the election for the Democratic candidate. A more detailed breakdown of voter turnout is due to be released in July 2021 by the team that administers the Cooperative Election Study; that will bring the picture of religion and the 2020 vote into clearer focus.

Read more here:

Why did Trump lose non-religious votes at the ballot? - The Jerusalem Post

CW: Homophobia, self-harm, suicide

When Kyles teachers found out he was self-harming, they immediately put two and two together and took it upon themselves to tell his born-again evangelical Christian parents that their son was gay.

After so long in the closet, Kyle was finally out to his parents. But, he could have never foreseen their extreme reaction.

Kyles Mum was hugely shocked and brought elders from the church round to try and pray the gay away. And then came the final straw. Kyles family suggested he see a doctor about getting conversion therapy.

Kyles mental health had deteriorated to the point where he was thinking of taking his own life every day. He decided that enough was enough. With the conversion therapy I said if you send me there, I will never come home again, Kyle said.

Young Kyle and younger Kyle

Growing up gay in a deeply religious household can be a traumatic experience, one that seems to traverse the boundaries of individual religions.

Haliem is a third year Keele student who is gay and was raised Muslim. The conflict between religion and sexuality was a constant throughout his upbringing.

On my dads side [homosexuality] was always forbidden to talk about, although at times it was inevitable such as if an LGBT+ person came on TV. Haliem said whoever it was would be quickly insulted, laughed at or turned off all together, Haliem told The Tab.

Homosexuality was rarely discussed within Kyles household or the wider Northern Irish Free Presbyterian Church community of which he was a part. When the topic did come up, it was always in a negative context. It was never positive. It was never something to embrace, Kyle said.

Kyle can recall specific incidents when his fathers negative attitude towards homosexuality would boil over into outright fury. I can remember a gay couple coming onto the telly and hed be roaring or would turn the TV off and wed have a conversation about how wrong or immoral it is, Kyle said.

Haliem encountered a similar level of hostility towards homosexuality within the home, leaving him feel awful and scared.

For my own safety, I suppressed a lot and to this day theres still people in my family who wont ever know about drag or my sexuality, Haliem told The Tab.

This idea of suppressing feelings is something that clearly resonates with Kyle. At school, he once tried to convince himself he fancied a girl in his maths class. I tried to ask another girl out and it just didnt happen, Kyle said.

Haliem

Haliem was around 13 years old when he realised he might gay. I always had girlfriends and silly relationships most of my school life, so I assumed it was a phase or potentially I was bisexual until I was about 16, Haliem told The Tab.

Haliem is now out to some of his family, and is particularly close to those on his Christian-born mothers side, who he says are more liberal. Theyve known about his sexuality for at least two years now, but there are certain members of his family who Haliem says will never know.

My dads family are strict Muslims from Egypt and Sudan. I dont visit them anymore because to this day you can get killed and will definitely be sent to prison for homosexuality, Haliem told The Tab.

Reflecting on the impact of Islam on his fledgling homosexual feelings, Haliem said: Its a weird position to be in as a young person, because youre born this way (gay) and youre told because of a chosen religion, that its wrong.

Kyle at Pride

The feelings of disgust and shame that were drummed into Kyle still affect him to this day. My religious upbringing completely victimised me for feeling the way that I felt.

You were subhuman if you were anything that my church said that you couldnt be, Kyle told The Tab.

A lot has since changed for Kyle. His siblings, English teachers and Lady Gaga got him through his childhood, before he left rural Ireland and headed for Newcastle. Thats when I realised, this is me, Kyle said.

He completed his undergraduate degree in Politics and is now pursuing a Masters course at Queens University Belfast. Reflecting on the moment when his parents suggested conversion therapy all those years ago, Kyle said: Im really glad I was able to stand up for myself.

Unfortunately, conversion therapy is still legal today, with a study finding that 68.7 per cent of participants in the practise suffered from suicidal thoughts as a result.

Haliem is also thriving. These days hes a big name on the drag scene, performing as the amazing Cairo Ali. When I discovered drag, I found a character which if people judged, I didnt care because its just an act of performance, extravagant make up, and outfits! Haliem told The Tab.

Growing up gay in a deeply religious household can be traumatic, but thats not the case for everyone. Lancaster student Luke was raised Catholic and attended church throughout his childhood.

He recalls no real conversations about his sexuality until his cousin came out as gay. At this point, Lukes parents sat him down for a chat and said theyd love him no matter what.

Luke only really registered his homosexual feelings towards the end of high school, coming out to his Mum in college and to the rest of his family last summer. According to Luke, they all reacted fairly well.

Luke is still Catholic to this day, telling The Tab: I just believe God made me as I am and to live in any other way would be to basically be saying that God got it wrong.

Kyle and Haliem on the other hand have found it impossible to continue to be a part of their respective religions. Kyle now describes himself as an angry atheist whos critical but respectful of religion in all forms.

Haliem is also an atheist. I respect religion and would never discriminate against anyone and if it makes you a better person or improves your life, who am I to say anything, Haliem said.

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. You can also contact Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774, Mind on 0300 123 3393, and Calm (Campaign against living miserably, for men aged 15 to 35) on 0800 58 58 58.

Conversion therapy might be banned on Instagram, but its still legal in the UK

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Read more:

'They tried to pray the gay away': Growing up gay in a deeply religious household - The Tab

Recent research shows that the number of religiously unaffiliated is increasing in Thailand, more now than a decade ago. Many students oppose the compulsory teaching of religion in school. At the same time, conversions to Catholicism are growing, after a path of search and study. Apr 08, 2021

BANGKOK: For nearly 10 years, more and more Thais have described themselves as religiously unaffiliated, this according to the Pew Research Center. Many Thai students also oppose compulsory religious education in school. Paradoxically, this may lead some to a more freely chosen personal quest for meaning. For example, Thanatos Sriyotha, a 20-year-old programmer, looked for meaning in his life. For about ten years, I was an atheist. Baptised last Ester Sunday, he explains that Christianity is a religion of freedom for him.

According to studies by the Pew Research Center (a Washington-based think tank), the number of Thais who are religiously unaffiliated is higher now than a decade ago. Recently, some students oppose compulsory religious instruction in the national education curriculum. They even call for religion courses to be optional, so that each can be free to choose according to their interest and learn about other spiritualities in the world. For some young people, this demand could open up a path towards a more freely chosen personal life.

Currently, many Catholic chaplaincies include both Catholic and non-Catholic members. Non-Catholic students are very visible. They are as active and engaged as others, said Chontawat Wano, a young Jesuit-in-training who heads the Catholic Student Network of Thailand, a Jesuit organisation that supports Catholic students in Thailand.

Everything turned upside down from that meetingI was on a quest, said Chaturawit Saenchum, 17, who was baptised this year. Speaking about his his life before his conversion to Catholicism, the high school student said he was searching for meaning and a reason to exist, reading a lot and meeting members of various religions. I learnt about several religions, he added. I talked to imams, and during my studies in Japan, I participated in religious debates between Buddhist monks. But it was a talk with a Sister of St Paul de Chartres, at a Catholic college in Bangkok, that was a trigger for him.

Curious about Christian life, he approached the Sister and asked her: How did you become a nun? Everything turned upside down from that meeting, he said. She helped him make an informed choice. For Chaturawit, she was like a guide, who confirmed that I was on the right path, on the way towards conversion and the request for baptism.

Thanatos Sriyotha, a young programmer in his twenties, also looked for something to give his life some meaning. He explained that For about ten years, I was an atheist. For him, Christianity is a religion of freedom. At the age of 15, he became interested in it. But his choice to connect with the Church was made only on the day he was able to lead his own life. As soon as I started making a living, I began to find time to read books about philosophy, religion and spirituality, and then I felt that the Catholic Church was calling me.

A path that opens up horizonsThe desire for God can sometimes remain hidden for years. This was the case of an older man, 40, who preferred not to give his name. He had already asked himself many questions starting at the age of 12. Born into a Buddhist family, it seemed essential to him to know Buddhism first before thinking about a possible conversion. I lived like a true Buddhist. I became a monk. I also went to a retreat in a temple as soon as I had time. Yet, he always felt that he could not fill a kind of void in him.

For Thanatos, the Christian faith turned things upside down. I can better recognise human values. Before, I could not understand why some people were opposed to the death penalty, why we had to take care of the poor, and many other things like that. Today, he understands all this without the need for explanations or theories. More importantly, his choice to become a Christian allows him to be himself and forever free.

For some Thai youth, the path to the Christian faith appears like a road that opens horizons and gives their lives as young adults a meaning they often unconsciously sought.Asia News

See original here:

Thailand: Easter of conversion, Christ as the answer to the meaning of life - Malaysian Christian News

Keir Starmer has promised to introduce a Labour bill to protect women and girls in the wake of the death of Sarah Everard.

The Labour leader said that the 33-year-olds abduction and killing as she walked home to Clapham in south London was a watershed moment for the UK on the scale of the deaths of Stephen Lawrence and Jamie Bulger.

The bill, to be published before next months Queens Speech, would make it an offence to harass women on the street, increase sentences for rapists and stalkers and introduce whole life jail terms for those guilty of abduction and sexual assault and murder of a stranger.

It would end the anomaly that sees men convicted of killing their partner at home receiving sentences as much as 10 years shorter than those who murder a stranger in the street.

The pledge came in an interview with the Sunday Times, in which Sir Keir also pronounced himself a monarchist and a patriot, but also confirmed that he does not believe in God.

Keir Starmer opposes vaccine passport plansPublic want to keep vaccine passports even after pandemic overDavid Cameron lobbied No 10 and Hancock over Greensill

This would make him the first prime minister to be a declared atheist if he reaches 10 Downing Street.

In a swipe at Boris Johnson, Starmer said that he regards the core values in political leadership are principle and integrity and dignity, and added: He doesnt have them.

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And I dont want to be Boris Johnson, said the Labour leader. Im not like Boris Johnson in any respect. Theres almost nothing we have in common.

In an implicit criticism of the Johnson government, Starmer said it was astonishing that in 2021 we do not have a comprehensive piece of legislation to protect women and girls.

Mr Johnson has been coming under increasing pressure to publish his long-promised strategy on tackling violence against women and girls.

Discussing the legislation which Labour is drafting, Starmer said: The more I turn it over in my mind the more obvious it is. I dont care whether Im a supporter of it, or the Labour Party, or its cross-party, or even the government takes it on. Because we cant go on like this.

Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with the kidnap and murder of Ms Everard, 33, whose death led to an outpouring of grief, with women gathering for a vigil on Clapham Common, where flowers were piled high around the bandstand near to the spot where she disappeared.

Controversy over heavy-handed policing of the vigil led to calls for Met commissioner Cressida Dick to resign.

But Sir Keir said that views on Dicks handling of the event should not distract from the more important issues raised by Ms Everards death.

Instead of us talking about what women in Clapham wanted us to talk about, we started a discussion about Cressida Dick, which wasnt the issue, he said.

The Sarah Everard case is a Stephen Lawrence or Jamie Bulger moment. This could be a chance to actually do something.

See the original post:

Keir Starmer promises bill to protect women and girls in wake of Sarah Everard killing - The Independent

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its biannual general conference over the weekend, and one particular statement from that lengthy gathering is worth discussing on this site.

At one point during his speech yesterday, the LDS Churchs President Russell M. Nelson explained that everyone will struggle in life, in different ways, but the solution was always the same: Increase your faith. But then he kept talking

You can hear it at the 2:37:12 mark:

Your mountains may be loneliness, doubt, illness, or other personal problems. Your mountains will vary, and yet the answer to each of your challenges is to increase your faith.

That takes work. Lazy learners and lax disciples will only struggle to muster even a particle of faith.

Thats a lie. People who dont have religious faith dont come to that conclusion because theyre lazy or lacking the ability to learn. Its usually the opposite. Theyre actually challenging the Churchs dogma. Theyre questioning their beliefs and demanding better answers, only to realize those dont exist.

Its a slap in the face to ex-Mormons everywhere to suggest they left the fold due to laziness rather than serious reflections about their religious beliefs.

The fact that the head of the Mormon Church doesnt realize why people are leaving the faith is, in fact, part of the reason so many Mormons are leaving the faith.

Nelson said a few minutes later that anyone questioning their faith should stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters in other words, got questions that challenge Church doctrine? Dont talk to an atheist. Dont talk to anyone who might take those doubts seriously. Only speak to the devout!

Theyre scared. The best answer Mormons have for people questioning their faith is to keep their grievances private while the Church belittles those who have walked away.

For what its worth, the ex-Mormon subreddit today is full of people posting their college and grad school diplomas so much for being lazy learners.

But these kinds of statements arent harmless. What Nelson says goes a long way in informing how Mormon leaders treat people with doubts. Instead of suggesting their questions ought to be taken seriously, Nelsons words urge other leaders to look down on those doubters as if theyre deficient in some way. The stigma against skeptics just got worse.

Remember: If youre trying to leave the Mormon Church for good, there are resources out there to help you do it as painlessly as possible.

Link:

Mormon Church President: People Who Have Religious Doubts Are Lazy Learners - Friendly Atheist - Patheos

A photograph of a rioting mob has been shared amid West Bengal elections with the claim that it depicts violence against Hindus in Hooghly. #StandWithBengalHindus is the hashtag used along with the claim.

Multiple Twitter accounts have shared the image.

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A simple reverse image search takes one to a May 5, 2013 article published in Daily Mail where the same image has been used. Protesters armed with sticks flee from police tear gas: The Islamic hardliners are demanding the death penalty for blasphemy, reads its description. The image has been credited to photographer Ibrahim of former photo agency Demotix.

The article reported, 37 people were killed and hundreds more injured in Bangladesh today in fierce street fighting between police and Islamic hardliners demanding the death penalty for blasphemy.

Al Jazeera reported that the protests were led by supporters of Hefazat-e-Islam, an Islamist group, against what they said were blasphemous writings by atheist bloggers. The protestors shouted, God is great hang the atheist bloggers. The riots took place in the capital Dhaka.

Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina rejected demands by Islamists for a new anti-blasphemy law granting the death penalty and said that existing laws were sufficient to punish those who attempted to insult religion.

An eight-year-old image of riots in Bangladesh where protestors demanded the death penalty for blasphemy has been shared as violence against Hindus in Hooghly, West Bengal.

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Image of 2013 Bangladesh riots shared as violence against Hindus in West Bengal - Alt News