The Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. During the war the Protestant and Catholic states tried to exterminate each other. About seven and a half million civilians were murdered.* Estimates put the reduction of population in the German states at 25% to 40%.
The absurdity of this holocaust led the American founders to promote an antidote to irrational religious zealotry. Consequently, they encouraged responsible reasoning while disparaging irrational faith:

     “We have abundant reason to rejoice, that, in this land, the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition...” George Washington

     “[D]ifference of sentiments in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be deprecated.” George Washington

     “Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.” James Madison

     “Let the human mind loose. It must be loose. It will be loose. Superstition and dogmatism cannot confine it...God is an essence we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is gotten rid of there will never be any liberal science in the world.” John Adams

     “Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous...” Thomas Jefferson

     “In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.” Thomas Jefferson

     “The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” [The Tripoli Treaty of 1797 unanimously approved by the Senate]

     “[We] must...draw our conclusions from reason and just argument, which will never conform to our inclination, interest or fancy; but we must conform to that if we would judge rightly.” Ethan Allen

Simply put, human responsibility must be directed by reason and truth; and, after two hundred years of increasionaly deadly war, this seems to be the only alternative to human extermination.
Last century Christian education produced Nazis and Bolsheviks, World War I, World War II and the Cold War. Yet the deluded still see no problem.

“We need to stop pretending we'll never understand why the Trump mob believes in him...It's because they're religious -- they've already made space in their heads for shit that dosen't make sense.” Bill Maher

“[So] long as men are not trained to withhold judgment in the absence of evidence, they will be led astray by cocksure prophets, and it is likely that their leaders will be either ignorant fanatics or dishonest charlatans.” Bertrand Russell

“When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind,...he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.” Tom Paine

The Agnostic Challenge

     It is past time to acknowledge the now obvious fact that there is no worldwide religious consensus. Consequently, the belief in a divine revelation produces this devastating dichotomy. Either God is not almighty because He was incapable of making Himself clear regarding the existence of one true religion, or the Almighty created mostly defective people who can't recognize His clear message. The All-Perfect Almighty God's revelation should stand out; instead, any semi-powerful and just god must be hiding from us.
     Whatever is right is right, so imagine this. If you believe that you know morality as revealed by a Perfect and Almighty God, what if when you die there is an actual all-good and Almighty God, and he or she asks you why – instead of standing for responsibility, truth, and understanding – you stood for prejudice, superstitious irresponsibility, provincial flimflam, and liars everywhere? How would you answer?
     There are millions of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and non-believers. You can't say that you love the Creator and then refuse to accept the Creator's accomplishments.
     Hypocrisy is everywhere. We've got to be brave enough to face our problems or they will destroy us. There is no morality without a concern for the truth. This means that we have an obligation to think carefully. Love is only shown by responsible behavior, and responsibility requires reacting to reality reasonably.
     Religious adherents like to say that they are certain about their faith. This has to be a bluff because they can't convince other believers. Bluffing is what bullies do, it isn't helpful.






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