I always questioned whether Jonah really lived in the belly of a whale for 3 days. I suppose that story isn't the most incredible of all appearing in the Bible, but it seemed to be one of the more popular ones I was taught as a kid.

By 17 my family was neck-deep in fundamentalist Christianity - my mother became a Bible literalist, and slowly her inner circle morphed into groups of those sharing her beliefs.

I was always a questioner...a thinker. I would challenge my teachers, parents, friends, and anyone else who told me how to act or think. It was a rebellious trait as much as an inherent curiosity, fueled in part by my gifted analytical abilities.

So when I was bout 18 my mother's best friend passed. I'll call her Tammy. Tammy was Jewish, and an absolutely wonderful person. As a Jew, though, she was condemned by the family faith to a life in hell.

I couldn't accept that - couldn't there be another way out? Of course there was. People are only resolved to the fates and truths of the Bible if you think they are. In other words, outside of your beliefs, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that the Bible's claims are true.

So I began studying, and reading, and questioning. I wondered why after major catastrophes people prayed to the same God that sat watching as their loved ones died. I wondered why there were 1000s of different religions in the world, each backed by passionate supported who were 100% certain their beliefs were correct.

Then I discovered the pagans of past - past stories of gods bearing remarkable similarity to Jesus' tale. Osirus, etc.

The more I learned, the more I realized that Christians have chosen, on their own accord, to accept what they read as true, and they leave no room for any other explanation. 1000 years ago that may not have been a problem. But when evidence comes forth challenging your beliefs, and you are taught that you absolutely *must* reject that evidence, you have chosen to close your mind to greater truths.

Aside from that, the immutability of any religion - the dogmatic beliefs that you must hold true at all times, under all conditions - are dangerous. EXTREMELY dangerous. Beliefs and decisions must be based on evidence, discussion, open-minded exchanges of information, not on "feelings" and emotional reasoning that people confuse with some invisible force.

All of the benefits of religion (and there are many) can be obtained in other ways. But the detriments, the close-mindedness and ignorance and bigotry and hatred, must be abandoned. And the only way to do that is to reject Chrisitianity's claims and realize that what you read in the Bible simply is not true.

Details