Apatheist wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2026 5:47 am
The fact that it's not clear, is subject to subjective interpretation, and no-one knows, is for me a HUGE reason to doubt it all. If it were genuine, there should be one, incontrovertible answer. For example:
Matthew: States that Joseph and Mary lived in Bethlehem in a house where wise men (Magi) visited the young child guided by a star [Ap: which we know to be a normal comet, if the behaviour of it was as described], followed by a flight to Egypt to escape King Herod.
Luke: States they lived in Nazareth and only traveled to Bethlehem for a census, where Jesus was born in a stable; they later presented him at the Temple in Jerusalem and returned straight to Nazareth without a flight to Egypt.
John: Suggests Jesus was crucified on the day before the Passover meal, right as the Passover lambs were being slaughtered.
Mark: Implies the crucifixion took place the day after Jesus had already eaten the Passover meal with his disciples.
The Tomb Visitors: Vary in how many women or men/angels went to or appeared at the empty tomb (e.g., one angel sitting on the stone in Matthew versus two inside in Luke/John).
They also differ on where Jesus first appeared to his disciples after rising, showing distinct regional emphases between Galilee and Jerusalem.
Feel free to read more here:
https://sites.google.com/site/errorsint ... s-fictions
Disagreements or inconsistencies in the writings or memories of people who lived about 2000 years ago is not a big reason why I lost my faith. People disagree with what happened last week.
I would like to believe in a “GOD”, some sort of universal higher power. I’m leaving this possibility open… but I don’t think this “GOD” would be anything like the “God” of any major religion.
Some of my major problems with “God” as described by any major religion…
*Why would an omnipotent and ever living God care about mundane bullshit?
-> I could be convinced God would care about how we treat people, or even how we “treat the Earth”. I can not be convinced “God” would let us eat beef but not want us to eat pork… or he’d be fine with beef but not on Friday. (Just one example of an arbitrary “rule”.)
*If God existed and he wanted people to follow him, then why wouldn’t he make his presence known in an obvious manner and on a consistent basis? Some will say you can “see” or “feel” his presence if you “open your heart” but that’s mumbo-jumbo. Some might say you see his work in the birth of a child or a flower growing. Maybe, but I think any God who wanted us to worship him would not be subtle about it.
*Why would an all-powerful God let people do evil shit in his name? Almost every major religion has perpetrated some evil shit, or at least condoned evil shit. You can’t convince me God would allow this to happen in his name.
*I mean while we are at it… why allow evil shit at all?
*We’ve got documented cases of religions (or sect or cults) forming, and the ridiculous / unbelievable BS they spew, yet they still manage to suck in people. Often people who are otherwise intelligent. Small cults form all the time, and the only reason they don’t get larger is because they are most often squashed by “society”… really just gov’t and other religions who don’t want competition. Seeing how religions have formed, one might question the initial formation of their own religion. The best example for this is the Mormon religion. The history of how this came to be is well documented. Like many cults they were persecuted and if someone tried to do the same thing today they’d have been squashed. They almost were squashed, but were able to avoid this fate because they fled west. By the time the US Govt. was powerful enough to squash them, things had changed and instead they’ve been slowly folded into the greater “Christian” belief system. Their Founding Myth is just ridiculous.
There are probably other ‘objections’ or thoughts I could write to describe my views against major religions… but this is a good summary.