How the Mormon Spirit Works

In Mormonism, if a member is worthy (follows all the commandments and obeys without question) then he or she has the constant companionship of the holy ghost. It can warn you of danger and give you revelation on answers to your prayers. If you sin, you will offend the holy ghost (commonly referred to as "the spirit") and it will leave you. When that happens, you are now at the mercy of your own choices.

Everyone is capable of feeling the spirit, but only worthy Mormons get to have it with them all the time. For example, an investigator can feel the spirit just enough to know the Book of Mormon is true. The built-in innate human nature to do good to other people is considered the light of Christ and it is in all people. But again, only Mormons can have the spirit with them 24/7.

When you are sharing the gospel, the spirit will put words into your mouth and you will be able to easily convince everyone to join the church. This is considered especially true of missionaries. When you share the gospel and that person doesn't join, it was because their heart was hard and they could not feel the spirit.

Each person in the church, in good standing, is entitled to personal revelation via the spirit. If you have a problem or dilemma in your life, the spirit can help you make correct decisions. If you make a decision based upon the spirit, and it turns out to be wrong, it is justified by stating things like, "god had a lesson for me to learn" and other such nonsense.

The spirit is described as a "still small voice" in Mormonism. Because god is a man with an actual physial body, he cannot personally give you revelation. That is what the spirit is for. The spirit or holy ghost is a third member of the godhead and he is an actual man in spirit form. The spirit is able to penetrate into your heart and give you inspiration.

You can only "hear" it if you are very in tune with it, much like tuning an analog radio to a specific frequency. In fact, Mormons use the radio analogy to explain how the spirit works... it broadcasts a signal and everyone who is tuned in can benefit from it. Because it is not easy to hear, one must be very in tune and listen for promptings (feelings). If you haven't noticed by now, Mormons put a huge emphasis on feelings.

I know a girl who is separated from her husband and is very much out of love with him. She is Mormon and has told her husband that she has been praying about what to do and the spirit is nagging her to get a divorce. (Never mind the fact that she has been extremely sexually immoral and that negates her ability to receive revelation, but I digress).

The part that I find amusing is that her husband, in reply to her claims of revelation for a divorce, has claimed that in answer to his prayers, they are supposed to stay together and work things out (never mind the fact that he is a convicted sexual predator, having been familiar with young girls in his own family, therefore he is also unworthy to receive revelation).

On a slight side note, this is how Mormonism works. If you're "unworthy" to be guided by the spirit, you just pretend that you are since no one will really know the difference. By Mormon standards, neither of these two people are worthy to receive revelation and yet both of them are claiming that they do. I have talked about this before... how in order to be a Mormon, you have to lie and pretend. You have to go along with the show because everyone else is.



It is not unlike the story of the emperors new clothes where only the "wise" can see the invisible clothes. No one really can see them (because they're not there) but no one wants to admit that they can't (and therefore aren't wise) and so they all pretend. Since everyone is pretending, all claiming to be wise, everyone single one of them is an arrogant fool who is too afraid to just admit the truth because they think that they would be the only one who is a fool. So they are all just happier to keep lying to each other. Mormonism works on this very same principle. They all claim to have the spirit and receive revelation because everyone around them does too and they don't want to be the only one who can't seem to get with the program. So in the secret life of a Mormon, they all wonder what is wrong with them while everyone around them seems to be so with it. They beat themselves up inside and just play along. The truth is that they are all playing along and pretending, while secretly thinking that they are the only one who the system doesn't work for. It's the honest ones, like me, who finally get fed up and scream out, "This is all bullshit!!!!!"

Now, getting back on subject, why would the spirit give two unworthy people different answers to the same question?

Um, maybe because the idea of the spirit is complete and total bullshit?

Isn't it funny how the "spirit" always reveals to you the very thing that you personally want/think is best? And they claim it's not emotion! ROTFLMAO!

Mormons make poor decisions just like everyone else. When a Mormon makes a poor decision, it was a correct prompting but god wanted them to have a trial. When a non-Mormon makes a poor decision, it is because they couldn't feel the promptings of the spirit. When an ex-Mormon makes a poor decision, it's because they left the church and are now wandering around lost and confused.

Whenever a Mormon makes a right decision, he can't wait until Fast Sunday to get up and brag about how righteous he is because he felt the spirit and followed its promptings. Then they all cry together because the church is so true and the spirit is so wonderful.

And that's the spirit... No matter what it prompts, it was the right decision and the church is true!

Why Do I Choose Science Over God?

I've touched upon this many times, but thought it would be a good idea to bring it all together in one post.

Religion sucks. Science doesn't.

End of post.

Just kidding! What is science?

Science is an objective study of our world based upon observation, hypothesizing, and testing. It is simply the desire to learn about our universe and how it works. Science is not out to disprove god and religion; that just happens as a natural side effect.

Religious people claim that since god never changes, and science is always changing, that science is unreliable and therefore cannot be trusted. Since god never changes, we can rely on him to be there every time. This sounds good on the surface until you actually think about it.

Let's explore the idea that god never changes. He does change. The Old Testament teaches the idea of "an eye for an eye". In other words, if someone does something bad to you, do the same thing back to him. The New Testament teaches to "turn the other cheek". If someone does something bad to you, forgive him and do nothing about it.

So which one is it? Get revenge or don't get revenge? Sure, you will all tell me that Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses so the teachings of the Old Testament don't apply anymore. But isn't that a change?

Change isn't necessarily bad. In fact, it's good.

If science never changed, then the light bulb would have never been invented. Thomas Edison made thousands of attempts to create a light bulb until he, by trial and error, discovered the right combination of chemicals that worked. If he had never changed any of his formulations, then he would have been a failure until he died.



Science builds upon its self. As we learn something new, that allows us to explore options that were not possible before. Darwin proposed the Theory of Evolution but it was long before we knew about genetics and DNA.

Mendel came along and proposed that we get part of our characteristics from each parent. He proposed that certain traits were dominant and that others were recessive. The recessive traits could only manifest themselves if there was no dominant trait to override it.

Later, James Watson and Francis Crick, discovered that the way inheritance is passed from one generation to the next is in a molecule of DNA.

Further studies showed that certain traits are found in specific places on a molecule of DNA, until now, when the entire genome has been mapped and we know exactly how it works. It is understood so well that we have the ability to play "god" in the laboratory.

All these progresses in science built upon each other. The same is true of many other branches of science. Two hundred years ago it was widely believed that there were only four elements. Now we know that there are closer to 200.

We know their structures and we know how they combine to form more complicated molecules. Step by step, we learned what an element is composed of and what its specific properties are. We learned it so well, that we can use that information to build complex machines that do tasks tirelessly.

Have you ever sat down and wondered how that flat screen HDTV works? I guarantee you that it didn't just pop into existence in a factory somewhere. It was carefully designed to carry out a specific function and it would have never been possible if we did not understand the basic laws of chemistry and physics.

Gotcha! You just admitted that something very complicated needs to be designed! Therefore god exists!

If that was your next thought, then it just shows how ignorant you are about the Theory of Evolution and natural selection. The problem with religious people trying to disprove evolution is that they don't even understand it. They have all these wrong ideas about "complete random chance" and that "we are descended from monkeys".

If you're going to disprove evolution, then you must first understand it. And in order to understand it, you have to let go of all your pre-determined conclusions. Since religious people are unwilling to do that, because they just know they're right, then they will keep using the same ignorant arguments that have been shown time and time again to be easily refuted.

I'm not going to go into that here because that is not what his post is about.

Science must be verifiable. If a geek in a lab claims to have made flubber, then his process must be repeatable. Other scientists must verify his claims by repeating the tests and ending with the same results. The scientific community doesn't just blindly accept what someone said; they verify it to make sure it is the truth.

Ok, that was a very brief overview of what science is. Now lets take a look at what religion is.

Religion is a set of beliefs based upon faith. Faith, by definition, is a belief in something without having any evidence for it. Therefore, any range of beliefs exist and they cannot be proven or disproven.

Believers make the incorrect assumption that those who don't believe have the burden of proving that god doesn't exist. And since it can never be conclusively proven that he doesn't exist, then he does exist by default.

What religious people don't understand is that although we all know Santa Claus doesn't exist, there is no way to prove that he doesn't. However, just because we can't prove that Santa Claus doesn't exist, it doesn't mean that he does. Believers will say, "Well of course Santa Claus doesn't exist. He is just made up so that kids will be good."

This argument is the very reason why you shouldn't believe in god.

The same is true of the flying spaghetti monster and the floating tea kettle. It is impossible to prove that they don't exist, but that doesn't make them real by default either. This is the concept that religious people just can't understand.

There is proof of god and it's right here in the Bible. You see, the Bible says god is real. The Bible says god is it's author. The Bible says the Bible is true. Therefore it must be true. After all, god wouldn't lie because the Bible says he wouldn't. Another concept that religious people just don't understand (and avoid like a plague whenever I bring it up) is that trying to prove god with the Bible is like trying to prove Superman with a comic book. A Marvel comic book says that Superman can "leap tall buildings in a single bound." Well guess what religious people? It says it right there so it must be true.

When I use THEIR arguments to prove Superman, they immediately say, "Well it's obvious that Superman isn't real. He's just a fictional character."

Once again, their own arguments are the reason why you shouldn't believe in their god! How is one fictional character so obviously false for one set of reasons, but the other fictional character is obviously true for the very same set of reasons?

So, religion has people believing that the whole world is shrouded in evil because a woman who popped out of a man's chest was fooled by a talking snake to eat a piece of fruit that god didn't want them to eat but who put it right in front of them anyway. And because this woman ate the fruit, everyone who lives after her is a sinner and deserves nothing but hell and god's wrath. But the solution to this whole mess is simple! Just kill god's only son and that makes everything alright! Everyone who believes it happened gets saved... Yes, all you have to do is believe it. It has nothing to do with how good of a person you are. It has nothing to do with anything except your belief. Basically, god is saying that you have to take this whole incredible story on complete blind faith and the more insane it is and the more blindly you believe it, the more you will be rewarded in the next life.

And millions of people literally believe this pure and utter nonsense!

Not only does religion have beliefs that have no evidence, the followers of religion are taught that believing something without evidence is noble. To question is dishonorable. God likes people who blindly submit without stopping to think. Thinking is dangerous to religion and no one, not even believers, denies it. When I refer LDS people to "anti" LDS websites, they refuse to go, stating that they will not "fan the flames of disbelief".

Need I say more? Obviously I do because without a doubt someone will come in here and comment about how I have it all wrong and they are going to pray for me to this god who's big idea was to do all of that crazy stuff I just described.

Let's compare and contrast science and religion, shall we?

• Science is reliable; religion is not.
• Science promotes the general well being of the human race; religion promotes hate and intolerance.
• Science can accurately make predictions; religion tries to make predictions and is always wrong.
• Science produces new and exciting information about our world; religion teaches the same old myths that were made up by uneducated fools in the stone age.
• Science bases its beliefs on evidence; religion bases its beliefs on blind faith.
• Science encourages education and open-mindedness; religion encourages ignorance.
• Science is open to criticism; religion opposes anything that disagrees with it.
• Science has made our world a truly better place; religion has impeded progress since the beginning of time.
• Science is based on reality; religion gives people false hope and unrealistic promises and expectations.

In a mythical book, god can part the waters. In real life, science can fly a man to the moon. In a mythical book, god can make water come out of a rock. In real life, science can make water come out of the walls of your home.

If you appreciate being able to pick up a phone and call anyone you want, thank science. If you like to ride in a car or fly in an airplane, thank science. If you enjoy swallowing a pill to dull your pain rather than suffer, thank science. If you keep in touch with loved ones via email or texting, thank science. If you use the internet to access virtually anything you can think of, thank science.

And that's why I choose science over god.

What has religion done, other than convince smart people to believe in nonsense?

I Was Asked To Pray

I was at a family dinner a few weeks ago and I was asked, in front of everyone attending, to say the blessing for the food. It has been so long since I was asked, that I was starting to think that they never would. Not that I wanted them to, of course, I was just thinking that maybe they had accepted the fact that I don't do the religion thing.

It caught me by surprise and at first I didn't know what to say. That is when your true convictions are put to the test. I almost offered the prayer just to avoid the embarrasment of saying no. But then I caught myself and politely asked the host to ask someone else.

He asked his 2 year old grandson. Let the brainwashing commence. The prayer was whispered in his ear and he repeated it, just like testimonies are whispered in their ears until they can repeat them verbatim like a robot... but I digress.

I have no problem sitting quietly while a prayer is offered. I respect their right to talk to their imaginary friend. But I never say "amen" and I certainly won't ever be the one offering the prayer.

I'm kinda upset that I was asked because they know I'm not into the church thing (and I really don't appreciate being put on the spot like that), but on the other hand, I'm kinda glad. I'm hoping that it will help set the boundaries of what is appropriate to ask me and what is not.

If You're Going To Try To Discredit Something...

... you should take the time to educate yourself about it first.



Before you go around believing in every psuedo science you hear, it might be a good idea to actually do a little research before you try to disprove something.

Saying "I don't know" is better than just making up a magical fairy tale.

Creationism is not science; evolution is not religion. Quit trying to treat the two as equals... they are not equal and never will be no matter how big of a fit you throw!

OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE TO TELL THIS TO PEOPLE!

The Nature of Evidence

I've been having a good discussion with a former atheist now believer. This person, who calls herself WingAbouts, has a degree in biology (or so she claims) and is a former believer in evolution, and now claims that the Theory of Evolution has been disproven, by scientists, in the 1950's. I have asked for references and, so far, haven't been given any. I have also asked her to provide some arguments for why the Bible is reliable and to provide references for that as well. She has provided some very thorough answers on her blog which I would encourage everyone to go read. Unfortunately, I don't have the time right now to look up the references she provided, but I do intend to.

I want to talk about the nature of evidence and proof. In debates such as believer vs. non-believer, nothing can be proven. The very object of our debate is faith-based, admittedly so, even by believers. Neither side can prove their case.

According to dictionary.com, evidence is defined as: 1. that which tends to prove or disprove something; ground for belief; proof. 2. something that makes plain or clear; an indication or sign

Proof: 1. evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth. 2. anything serving as such evidence. 3. the act of testing or making trial of anything; test; trial: to put a thing to the proof. 4. the establishment of the truth of anything; demonstration.

Notice the definition of proof says "evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true". This means that evidence can be found to support both sides of an argument but evidence does not prove it until it is sufficient. We have all seen a mystery murder case where it strongly appears that a certain person is guilty, but in the end it is always the person you least expect. Proof is provided, and in the light of the truth, it is usually clear how the former suspect appeared to be guilty. We must be very careful about drawing conclusions from evidence until there is a sufficient amount to "rest the case".

Further, religion proudly claims it finds truth using faith, not evidence, so in my mind, this very greatly negates any evidence they try to produce. The problem with finding evidence in favor of religion is that the person seeking it is almost always biased. He sets out with the pre-determined conclusion that his religion is correct. This is unfortunate because, along the way, he will probably stumble across evidence which does not support his views. This evidence will be tossed aside and only that which supports his pre-determined conclusion will be presented to argue his position.

Do atheists do this too? I'm sure some do, and this is not the way to find truth. I can only speak for myself when I say that I am willing to look at and analyze any evidence. Believers might bring me an argument that I can't refute, and a few have.

However, I can't base such a huge conclusion on one piece of good evidence when I have been presented with hundreds of good arguments against it. It's like a basketball game: the winner is determined by who has the most points when the time runs out. It doesn't matter how those points were scored: free throw, lay up, slam dunk, 3 pointer, net or rim. What matters is who has the most points at the end.



A religious "slam dunk" is still only worth 2 points and that doesn't mean they win. An atheist "free throw" shot might only be worth 1 point each. But if there are three of them, a score of 3 to 2 means that atheists win. In the end, not one individual score won the game, but their combined effort if they were sufficient.

(There would be some cases where a single piece of evidence would outrule all the others, such as god actually making a public appearance, or video of the crime taking place)

That being said, after taking an objective look at the scores put up by the religious and non-religious, I have to determine, based upon the evidence and not my own bias, that non-religious wins. Of course, having a little common sense, reason, and free thinking helps too. This is the precise path that I followed when becoming an atheist and it was a process that took nearly two years.

Let's tally up the score and see who wins. Anyone is free to add points to either arguments:

Non-religion:

The Bible contradicts itself - 1 point
Stories in the Bible are based on magic - 1 point
The Bible condones slavery - 1 point
No scientific evidence supporting the great flood - 1 point
Snakes don't talk - 1 point
Fruit doesn't make you damned - 1 point
Men don't come from mud - 1 point
Women don't come from ribs - 1 point
Virgins can't be pregnant - 1 point
It is impossible to walk on water - 1 point
Dead people don't come back to life - 1 point
According to the Bible, god kills lots of people - 1 point
Research shows that prayer actually has no effect - 1 point
Council of Nicaea - 1 point
A dozen deities with the same attributes as Jesus - 1 point
Christian beliefs borrowed from Paganism - 1 point
Christians can't even agree with each other - 1 point
Much evidence for evolution: 10 points

Total: 27

Religion:

The Bible says so - 1 point
The Bible is perfect - 1 point
I feel it - 1 point
I believe it - 1 point
I prayed and got what I prayed for - 1 point
I let you comment on my blog - 1 point
My preacher said you would say that - 1 point
My faith over rides any evidence - 1,000,000 points

Total: 1,000,007

1,000,007 to 27. Religion wins by a blowout!

So you can see that no matter how many arguments there are for the non-truth of religion, you just can't compete with that darn "faith overrides evidence" argument. Damn it!

Joseph Smith Utters A False Prophesy

D&C 84:4-5

4 Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation.

5 For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.

This prophesy given by Joseph Smith on Sept. 22, 1832, never came to pass. What's it called when a prophet utters a prophesy that doesn't come true? False prophet!

He said that the New Jerusalem will be built in Missouri before the end of that generation. It never happened. The temple he spoke of... never built, not even to this day. And that generation has all been dead and gone for a long time.

False prophesy! And it's right there in their own scriptures for anyone to see!

Sunglasses At Night

Have you ever tried looking at the stars while wearing sunglasses? You will probably be able to see some of the brighter stars and it will still appear beautiful. What if you have been wearing sunglasses your whole life? You would look at the sky and you would never know how much you're not seeing. It would still be beautiful, but you would never know what you're missing. Just imagine that you remove those sunglasses and glance into the night sky for the first time. You will still see what you saw before plus a whole lot more and a whole lot brighter!

This is atheism. It's not that you had a "bad" view of the world before, it's just that you have a better view now! The world is so much clearer and brighter. You can see things that were impossible to see before. It is wonderful and you want, more than anything, to tell all your friends to take off their sunglasses too...

But we all know the outcome of that.

Prostitution Behind the Veil

Prostitution Behind the Veil

I just came across this video on Hulu. It is a documentary about two women living in Iran and how they are forced into prostitution because of the severe religious oppression of women.

If you don't feel that separation of church and state is a good idea, you will after watching this.

Under Islamic law, a married man can enter into a sighe with another woman. A sighe is a temporary marriage that can last from an hour to 99 years. The man pays the woman and they agree on a price. While they are "married" he has all the rights to her that a husband would have. Women are not allowed to speak out to their husbands. In one scene, a woman's sighe husband is beating her kid and she just has to sit there and listen to it. After he is done beating the kid, she has to be happy to see him or she will get beat too. She shows scars and cuts on her body from the man who has the legal right to beat and abuse his wife. When the women go out to find "work" they have to bring their kids. The girl picks up two guys and while one goes into the bedroom with her, the other holds the kid. Then they switch. She gets paid only $10 for each guy.

A girl is considered a woman at the age of 9 and can be married as well as punished as an adult for breaking the law. Anyone who breaks Islamic law will either be imprisoned or executed.

So to all the Muslim fanatics who are desperately trying to convert me to Islam, I say "FUCK YOU!" Why would anyone embrace a religion that is so evil and oppresses women with their damn holy book, the piece of shit Quran!

This is what happens when religion rules: chaos, corruption, hypocrisy, poverty, prostitution, and oppression. If you agree that this is wrong, then share it. Let's eliminate the evil that religion brings upon the people of the world!

This video is just under 52 minutes and is spoken in Iranian with English subtitles. You may have to create a Hulu account and sign in to be able to view this video. It contains no nudity. You do have to watch a few short ads.

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Glad I'm An Atheist

I was over at Laughing in Purgatory and I read one post that listed the top ten reasons why "I'm glad to be an atheist." This got me thinking and I wanted to write my own top ten list of the reasons why I'm glad I'm an atheist.

10. Atheists get two whole days off on the weekend. Theists have to spend one of them in church. Boring!

9. Atheists don't have to wonder if everything they do will be frowned upon by god. Your imaginary friend sure is a judgemental bastard!

8. Critical thinking not only helps you see the obvious falseness of religion but also helps in many other aspects of your life. Critical thinking skills help in decision making and avoiding jumping to pre-mature conclusions.

7. An atheists sense of self worth comes from within... Knowing that you helped someone because it was the right thing to do and you genuinely wanted to, not because god will damn you if you don't.

6. No guilt. I am a human being and I refuse to believe that I am a worthless piece of shit just because I passed through a birth canal!

5. Atheists have better sex because we are not tied down by the burden that sex is a sin and god will be mad at us for it. We can be as uninhibited as we want as long as all parties involved are consensual. It's not a sin to masturbate and it's not a sin to look at porn.

4. No fear. I am no longer afraid of that "god" who has to blackmail me in order to get me to obey. I am no longer afraid of hell. I am no longer afraid of damnation.

3. Honesty. I don't have to put on a show and pretend to be something I'm not. Unlike many Christians who are godly on Sunday and total hypocrites the rest of the week, I am an atheist 24/7, not only when it is convenient for me.

2. No more making excuses for god. No more mental gymnastics to make the evidence fit the beliefs.

1. Mental Freedom! Religion is a prison for your mind! When you escape from religion, you don't think you're enlightened... you know you are!

The Buddah once said, "Just as you can tell salt water because it tastes salty, you can tell enlightenment because it tastes like freedom."

Prop 8 Overturned in California!

Prop. 8 overturned in California; court says state can’t ban gay marriage.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/court-overturns-prop-8-california-says-state-t-181451250.html

Religion has been one of the biggest voices against gay equality.

I Got Better, Therefore, God Exists

I've been having an on-and-off discussion with a former Mormon who chooses to still believe in god. Just today, this person shared with me the reasons why she still chooses to believe.

When she was a young adult, she was in a terrible car crash that left her in a coma. When she woke up, she had slight brain damage along with severe back pain and terrible headaches. Her right hand was numb.

She related to me how she asked god to lessen the pain. He answered her prayer. Now her right hand is only slightly numb. Her headaches are very infrequent now and her back pain is far less severe. She still has memory issues but is overall pretty normal now.

This is why she believes in god. However, it doesn't have me convinced for a couple of reasons...

1. When your body is injured, it heals. That happens normally over time. Plus, if a belief in god was a guarantee that all your health problems would just go away then there would be no sick believers.

2. How do you know it was your god? How do you know it wasn't Allah? How do you know it wasn't Zeus? How do you know it wasn't Osiris? Since people of all faiths receive healing, it is not proof that YOUR god is the one who did it. If a person of a different faith related a similar story to you, you would immediately justify why his story couldn't be true. If HIS god did it, then that must mean that your god didn't.

3. Why did god only partially heal her? If he's going to do a miracle, why not take away all the pain?

When I was young, I injured my arm. It wasn't severe but it was enough to cause me some discomfort. I was at an indoor swimming pool that had a rope hanging from the ceiling. Someone would swing the rope and you would bounce on the diving board, jump out, grab the rope, swing out over the water, and splash into the pool. It was fun and I did it many times. Well, on one jump, I misjudged how far the rope was and when I grabbed it, my arm was yanked. I don't think my shoulder was dislocated and I could use it, but it was uncomfortable.

Naturally, as a believing Mormon, I believed god could heal me. We were doing baptisms for the dead and I figured that since the temple was the house of god, that it would be very appropriate to pray and ask for healing. Even though it was only in the dressing room, it was still in the temple. So I asked god to heal my arm and within a few days it was no longer hurting.

For a very long time, I truly thought I had experienced a miracle. What I did not realize at the time is that YOUR BODY HEALS ITSELF!!!!! It would have stopped hurting anyway. But it was a testimony builder to me that a sincere prayer in the bowels of the temple would really make my problems go away.

Oh how my thinking has changed since then! Just recently, I was engaging in a physical activity and I fell on my tailbone. Very painful! It hurts to sit; it hurts to stand; it hurts! Guess what? I haven't said one single prayer for recovery and every day it is slightly less painful than the day before. My backside is still sore and is very tender but it is getting better.

How could it possibly be healing if I haven't asked god to do it? For the life of me, I can't figure it out!

Seriously, people take the fact that their body healed as proof of god. I have news for you: your body heals itself! If it didn't, then the entire human race would have been wiped out before it even got started.

Evolution does all the work; god gets all the credit.

I have had discussions with religious people in the past and their main argument for believing in god is the fact that in some rare cases, very sick people who should have died were able to recover. I point out that that this would be impressive IF it only happened to Christians. But since it happens randomly to people of all faiths, then it really proves nothing. There are the occasional unexplained events which appear to be miraculous and which are medical mysteries, but that still doesn't prove that god did it. Often times, what we don't understand now, we will understand later. And when we do eventually understand it, god is never the reason.

Their response, every single time, is to ignore my argument. They just skip over it and go on with their completely illogical ramblings.

This is just as bad as people who find an image of Jesus burned into their toast or a Cheeto in the shape of a cross. There are actually people who will pay thousands of dollars for these food items. Apparently, the creator of the universe prefers to reveal himself in food. Really? Food? Yes, food.

What a waste of a miracle!!! Why not do something awesome like make a mountain float in the air? If there was a day when every single sick person in the world was suddenly healed, then they would have a damn good argument. If stockpiles of food showed up on the doorstep of every hungry child in the world, then I would be very impressed. It still doesn't prove god since he is still too cowardly to come out and say "hi" but I would have to admit that something very unusual was going on.

But no, a damn Cheeto. I wonder how many millions of Cheetos are produced every day? I have no idea, but according to Wikipedia, there are 14 Cheeto plants in the USA. Assuming that they run 24/7 we can assume that millions of them are made every day. Since each one has a unique shape, the chances that a few of them forming recognizable objects is not too far fetched. One Cheeto was shaped like Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk. Does that mean we should all fall on our knees and worship the King of Pop? No. So if a random Cheeto looks like Jesus or is shaped like a cross, big whoopety whoop! It proves nothing.

If an "A" shaped Cheeto was found by an atheist, would that prove atheism? No. He would just eat the damn thing!

In fact, while we're on the subject of food, I had a meal the other day that very closely resembled my god and saviour... I had spaghetti and meatballs. Two meatballs to be exact, and they just happened to end up on my plate in about the place were one would expect to find eyeballs on a face. Yes, the Flying Spaghetti Monster revealed himself to me and now I am on a mission to bring his truth to the world!



After seeing this picture, how can anyone dare deny that Medusa doesn't really exist? Accept Medusa as your personal saviour or she will turn you into stone!

Ok, all joking aside, its interesting to me how peoples beliefs are ingrained in their heads and no amount of evidence will change their mind. The girl I was referring to above based her reason for not believing Mormonism on one thing, the Salamander Letter, which, to be honest, I know next to nothing about. But that's not the point. Every time I shared an additional reason with her why Mormonism isn't true, she agreed completely, but whenever I shared a reason why I don't believe in god, she would immediately try to counter what I was saying.

But I was using the same common sense for both non-Mormonism and non-god. People's beliefs are powerful and it amazes me how some people can see the obvious lie in one thing and then turn right around and totally believe another obvious lie.

I've heard lots of people give lots of reasons why they believe and I have never heard one single argument that stands up to... common sense!

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Mormon411 Update

This is just a quick update to let everyone know what is happening with Mormon411. This blog has been a better success than I could have ever imagined.

According to my stats page, I have had 39,129 page views since May of 2009.

My most popular post, by far, is I Never Said It Would Be Easy. I'm not sure why, but it alone has had nearly 5,500 views.

As of today, I have put up 475 posts, most of which were written by me. And there is more to come!

Only four days into February and I have had 332 new unique visitors this month. By the end of the month, there will have been close to 3,000. June of 2011 was the busiest month ever with 3,042 page views.

I don't really care for the "Followers" feature. I don't use it, but I have, as of right now, 85 followers.

Lets reach out to the world and make our voice for logic, common sense, and critical thinking heard. Let's move out of the stone age and stop believing in fairy tales and nonsense.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN BEING AN ATHEIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!