Children denounced as witches are tortured, killed

You can't honestly say that with a straight face?

What about the coming war between the Atheist Alliance vs The Atheist Coalition.

It is happening in America via the left. They are on a witch hunt for anyone against what they deem a great idea just because the left created it....health care reform.

OH no you don't want that? You must hate people being healthy.

Oh really witch hunter?

See....religion doesn't have to be part of the equation to be a witch hunter. Don't limit your thinking.

Jammer that was an extraordinary piece of...well I'm not quite sure. As neither you nor I cottons much to facts and figures I'm just going to come right out and say it: that is 100% wrong, as I could verify if I felt the inclination. Wait...maybe it was 80% wrong and 20% right. Damn, now I have to go and do some fact checking...

Wrong again.

It's sad your eyes don't work. Apparently you only see the wrongs of everyone but what side you're on.

No...kinda sad that your eyes are closed. You seem nice but your rabid politicizing of everything is kind of off putting.

And your mocking of religion is off putting.

Will you stop?

No.

So why are you getting so annoyed with what I do when you'll continue to do what annoys people even when told it's annoying?

Everyone is part of a group.

Stating you're not part of a religion puts you in a group of people that agree with that line of thinking.

Just like labels. Everyone is labeled. Don't wanna be? Just did it yourself by labeling yourself someone that doesn't want to be label. Guess how many agree with that? BOOM labeled.

Okay...so the Bible says witches can't be children? Do you agree that the Bible says witches should be killed? So then people who read the bible might say 'well, the bible doesn't say children can't be witches'. And we've seen these types of actions regarding the Bible, or any holy book for that matter, for a very long time. It's all how you parse the Bible.

So now go ahead and explain to me how I'm deluded once more.

The bible doesn't speak of witches.

Stating that it does is not only a lie but a misrepresentation that is not acceptable.

No two ways around that.

Jammer...know that of which you speak, my friend.

Exodus 22:18: 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'

Guess the bible does mention witches.

Well Jammer since these people are taking a line from the BIBLE literally I suppose that's what it has to do with the Bible.

Can't wait to see how you twist and turn this into not being about the Bible.

Can't wait until you show me the Scripture they are quoting.

Damn man did you read all the previous posts? Several people posted the exact verse, but I'm not going to go back and dig that up for you. As I said before, you and I tend to toss aside facts and figures to get to the meat of the matter. Besides what does the actually bible verse prove to you? I know your wiley ways! You shall endeavor to prove that it was some strange translation of the Bible. Can't wait for your next sally!

I asked you.

You posted an article that didn't quote the scripture and you assumed the article to be accurate without looking it up yourself.

I'm questioning your judgment.

Don't tell me about the scripture you had no idea existed other than being told. Guess you need someone to do your thinking for you.

I asked a question.

Don't know the answer...say so.

Okay here you go Jammer
Exodus 22:18: 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'
Ta-da! Now go and read your bible a little closer.

Sorceress.

it would only be translated to witch if the language cannot handle a different term.

Why use witch? Because that is a simpler term to control people's fears.

This isn't just the ooh look at me I'm making potions. This is the Ooh look at me I can tell the future with entrails. Do not African areas have people who do that in their tribes? Or Witch Doctors? They would have been done away with in Israel as well.

It wouldn't just be females. Just because the Bible stated one sex over another in certain areas it always (via proof on how they handled the law) pertained to both sexes.

So if they were to really follow what the Bible said they'd kill little boys too.

But since they are only doing what they want. They are doing...well...what they want not what the Bible says.

Thank you for actually sharing the scripture. Unlike the article and the original poster...it is appreciated.

Thousands of Nigerian children have been beaten and killed because of ignorance and superstition. All you can say is that these articles are actually written with anti-religious motives?

CNN and CBS both reported on this... I guess they were just trying to "stir up anti-religious folks", too.

spare me the melodramatics! just looking over the comments it's rather easy to see. what's particularly telling here is the opening line of this article which I imagine was missing from the reports of CNN and CBS. It's not the story but how the story is presented that I criticize.

Samurai I suppose I should have said 'these are my personal comments' and then did the first line. I apologize as several people seem to be confused as to why it read that way. Live and learn.

But in answer to your question: Yes, emphatically. I'm always ready to show how 'bad' religion is, all religions. But one of the reasons I like current.com is because different people can weigh in and no matter if I agree, or disagree, I usually come away a little wiser.

Once again, I apologize for the opening lines and I'll try not to add that 'personal touch' again.

Just separate your views from the quote of the article. Nothing wrong with sharing what you think as long as it's not assumed to be part of the article.

"Christianity is incidental to that. The REAL problem is lack of education in those rural areas ;)"

yes but far be it for logic to get in the way of the pseudo-intellectual handwringing on how bad religion is.

even so why is it that the religion constantly uses this book? why in times of trouble or turmoil people of this religion quote from its pages? why are you forced to swear on this book in court? It may not be written by Jesus or God, but we treat is as such and so it is....

ankab I agree...that's why I said 'worldwide' in the first line. Of course we have religious idiots in America, and I will be the first to post any article I find that shows that, but that doesn't excuse me from looking for religious stupidity in other countries.

Okay Crkelley..I'll go one better: If one of the Commandments is 'Thou Shall Not Kill' then why, shortly afterwards does God have Moses kill a couple of thousand Israelites for worshiping an idol while Moses was up gathering the stone tablets?

Or why does God have the Israelites kill all the men, women and children of the tribes surrounding the Holy Land?

The Bible is what it is. Christianity, modern Christianity, tends to gloss over those parts that don't agree with its message.

Read the bible.

Moses didn't kill anyone. They died because the earth opened up.

Jammer...please go back and read your bible. I'll wait....

And if you want I'll pull out all the other places where God exhorts his people to eliminate some tribe or another. Don't think you want to step down that slippery slope.

Go right ahead.

But you won't find where Moses killed after he came down from the mountain with the ten commandments. It was the earth that opened up and swallowed them.
EDIT: I am sorry I was thinking of another time. The earth did not open up. Based on how you answer things it is understandable that you would think it was Moses that did anything.

Everything Moses did (aside from a few things) was done because that was what God wanted. So if you're going to blame someone for anyone's death it would be God because he commanded it and Moses followed orders.

And the rest of what I said correlates with this....
Again sorry. I was thinking of something else. Which is why I state that I am not right on this and can only relate.

God created humans. Therefore he has the ability to see into their hearts and know if they want to change or will continue to persists in their bad behavior. Deciding to kill someone isn't done just out of the blue. It's done because they are not going to change because they don't want to and the heart doesn't lie when it's read by him.

You may not believe in God but he's not weak and ignorant. He's smarter than you and me and all 7 billion people on this planet. He's seen it all. There's nothing new now that humans had not done 1,000s of years ago.

Whatever you're going to show me may make you feel right about what was done, but you won't be right and that's not because I think I'm right. I am not the one that is right. I'll just be the one telling you you're wrong and why. And in no way be saying I'm right. Because it's not a matter of me being right because it's not me doing anything but telling the truth.

I can only relate what I know to be fact.

Whether or not someone believes doesn't matter. A fact is a fact even if the whole world tells me I'm wrong on THIS...it won't change how right it is.

lol...once again (see my reply to Brob above): those are my words at the beginning and I stand by them.

Very true, and very scary.

Ummm...again, the article mentions the fact that they are taking a line from the Bible literally. This is no different then what fundamentalists demand their adherents to do. Surprising how much fundamentalists gloss over in the 'Creator's' words.

check out exodus 22:18 its in there

Sorry Caso07 it's there. Read the article again, it mentions that they take the line about witches literally.

Wow a gnostic! Loved Elaine Pagels 'Beyond Belief', woke me up to a real thirst for knowledge of what was going on at 'the beginning of Christianity'.

Elaine Pagels is great. Her recounting of the Gospel of Thomas and the theories surrround the depiction of him in the Bible are quite interesting.

Oh yeah the Bible has lots of flaws. Read any of Bart Ehrman's books to get a overview. Eye opening indeed.

It'll never happen because humans will always try to be apart of the group, I assume i is inheritated from simpler times when we gathered onto tribes and villages to survive but we became to dependan on that mindset. Nowadays people join just to be with other people like the idea of being alone with oneself is more unbearable than any amount of torture or the agony of knowing you discarded your morals....or i could be wrong and we are all just savage in nature as is the possible belief...either way we're fucked..

'The Bible has given hope and comfort to millions of people Please don't bring more hate into even more of a terrible situation.'

Okay...so how am I bringing 'more hate'? By posting an article detailing how once again Christianity (like every other faith) has been used to justify murder, torture, etc.? Or because I think religions are jokes I shouldn't dare to post articles that paint them in a less then positive light?

I feel where you're coming from but it is happening too damn often to be a stereotype anymore. Once it keeps reoccurring over and over again over the spand of hundreds or thousands of years it becomes a trend...

I agree with you there. It's true it's more than a stereotype in many cases and I hate the fact that so many are persecuted wrongly and then having it justified by Christian belief. It is getting absolutely ridiculous because although this situation is exponentially more important than local problems I am part of, they still relate and I see it constantly. The thing is, I think what's happening is that the world is becoming less Christian, and the Christians aren't liking it. They don't want to tolerate, they want to save. And that happens in the best cases.

But you have to understand that more often than not if they cannot save then they forsake, they brand them sinner and tell them to go to hell. i'm not saying all do this but it happens and i have witnessed it with my own eyes. the ideals of christianity are well meaning but they fail to realize they must also educate if they are to save someone. They must be truthful up front about the church's past good and bad... and further explain that the book is not scripture but guidlines to do with as you see fit...

brob...I have read the bible numerous times and those opening lines were mine, and I stand by them.

You go ahead and list all the 'good' moral lessons in the bible and I will list a 'bad' moral one for each. I am positive that you will run out of good ones long before I run out of bad ones.

I think there are great moral ideas to learn from Shakespeare's works, but I wouldn't go using his ideas to perform medical examinations or scientific analysis. The bible, if treated as just a book, is fine and dandy. But I think we all know that it can never be just that for the majority of people.

You missed the part where it says you should not suffer a witch to live.

He missed a LOT of parts.

I appreciate what you're trying to do Bigs, which is take only the parts of the Bible that you agree with and build a philosophy out of it. Although you probably won't admit that's what you're doing, because you're in denial about some of the contents of your "scripture". But really, that's what everyone should be doing, and if they're wise they'll use more than one source.

Jesus is as imaginary as the witches. So whose heart is breaking?

@Doug & Nettle, you also miss the fact that many words had a different definition at that time and that modern day people are trying to define it in their own way.
EVEN more so, the bible that we read is only a translation of what the original was and in that there are MANY flaws. It many cases it was translated to pander to the Catholic church of that time.

The Bible does have possible or even obvious flaws. Just trying to enlighten your mind.

Completely correct. The Bible has been translated over and over and there are probably many, many incorrect statements in the book, but do you really think the ones adhering to the 'burn the witch' mantra are really going to listen to that kind of reason? Nope.

Bigsbie - You should do a little more research.

Exodus 22:18

THe bible we read is not the original scripture as many people have said before for awhile it was just wriiten as the cathlic church wanted it to be written in order to make money These fanatics arnt real crhistians jesus taught us to be forgiving of people and accept everyone as our brothers what if moses or jesus had been called a witch would they had been burned to