by D. W. “Bud” Biddle, Chief of Police -Ret.
Throughout 200,000 + – years of human history human beings have believed in Gods, thousands of them. As long forgotten cultures, consisting of many great/not so great, long/short lasting civilizations have done, most of the Gods that they worshipped have also slipped from modern memory.
While today’s dominant religions fixate on a few prominent deities, a human condition that I call `DPS` or “The Deity Power Syndrome”….we might be wise to remember that billions of people, in the first 198,000 years of life’s warring humanity, believed in/devoted their lives to an entirely different bunch of Gods than now. The millions of senseless deaths they created were over/or for their beliefs/devotion to whatever God was in vogue at the time.
The various/earliest civilizations changed radically all by conquering [-raping, pillaging, burning, killing-] others with whom they did not agree with. Now, in 2015, some again behead or shoot their perceived enemies knowing no boundaries. Most do it in the name of an old God called Allah and the Prophet Muhammad. One might say, ‘what goes around comes around’..!
When hundreds of archaic civilizations lost their dominance, collapsed and/or were eventually overshadowed/destroyed by others, the many conflated Gods they worshipped died out and undeniably lost their relevance. If these deities are remembered in the present at all, they’re thought only to be quaint relics of a distant, more primitive/uncivilized people, at best.
Human ego has evolved to wrongly believe that the 2015 human animal is superior to all who have come before… Therefore, the 2015 [-AD-], modern, human conjured Gods are superior to all Gods of old, AD 33 back to BC 200,000. AD 33 being the agreed upon date [-?-] of Jesus Christ’s death by crucifixion.
Actually, human nature is the only constant human condition that has NEVER changed in 200,000 years. Proof of this fact lies within ALL of recorded history. As technology advanced and populations increased markedly, hundreds of civilizations rose and fell while the human condition has violently/consistently ebbed and flowed, nothing more/nothing less. There’s been no perceptible change in human nature except for the ever changing plethora of Gods to worship [-?-] that have come and gone or have stayed for awhile.
Gods have lived/live solely in the minds of slowly evolving human beings who have been indoctrinated by the Deity Power Syndrome. They’re all conjured to serve the innermost personal and political needs of certain people, nothing more.
These facts, perhaps more than any, demonstrate that the Gods are human inventions. As contrivances they only reside in believer’s minds so long as certain groups, bound by self aggrandizing belief’s, survive wherever their current dogma has led them. Some of these Gods do great things and other’s, well look around.
Modern science has proven that the true beginning of what we are/know/see lies in the vast reaches of the unfathomable/seemingly perpetual/infinite Universe that we only see a tiny part of. That ‘beginning’, hard to discern/somewhat impossible to understand, is what had the real power to convey all we are, all we see, all we know. That our tiny corner of the infinite, Natural Universe is, by enlarge, simply Nature itself at work. Nature possibly being the real `God` in the sense that Nature’s forces created Earth out of what was born trillions of years ago Nature simply recycling same into Now’..?
Consider the following compilation of Gods in whom people have believed over the course of human history. By no means an exhaustive list, it nevertheless serves as a reminder that Gods have always been, and continue to be, strictly creations by Earth’s accidental yet extraordinary humanity.
Thomas Jefferson rightfully/wrongfully [-or insensitively-] said, “The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter.”
Everything most of us in the USA are and know weirdly portends a free will, right/wrong, good/bad, overall human condition. Yet, the Deity Power Syndrome culture [-which includes political figures, stars and starlets-] seems to embrace evil by excusing/forgiving it as humanity’s `God given, Free Will` by whichever deity has been planted in the mind of said believers. Christians therefore believe in forgiveness* no matter what the sin…an enabling negative in my opinion.
*Yesterday, Friday June 19th, 2015…I witnessed, via TV, numerous family members of the 9 Black murder victims, wrongfully shot dead in a Charleston, SC church bible study 2 days ago, forgive the young, 21 year old killer at his bail hearing. They cited God and Jesus Christ in their rambling, pained, arduous, sad presentations of wholly undeserved
forgiveness for the murderous shooter. Not a one spoke of the absence of their God or their Jesus at the bible study group the night their family members were gunned down.? This forgiveness was ALL going on in a Charleston, S C courtroom while people on the outside debated the killer’s death penalty certainty across all social, TV and print media here and abroad. The latter debate centering around whether State or Federal jurisdiction would best assure the young killer would eventually be put to death for his crimes. Forgive him but kill him..~
Forgiveness, death penalty-???, slavery, confederate flags, God, Neo Nazi’s, Aryan Nation, U.S hate groups flourishing, Obama,
prayers, excuses, hate, violence, free will, gun control, politics, was/is he insane, sordid details, candlelight vigils/marches, teddy bear/flower shrines, tourism slowing for Charleston, 2nd Amendment Rights, Hillary, hand wringing, religion, tears, anger, media, reasons, Apartheid, racism, Al Sharpton, churches, pastors, survivors. ALL these previous things now being churned 24/7 by ALL USA and foreign…social, t v and print media. The young, 21 year old, White assassin being given his racial hatred place in global infamy, being foolishly immortalized generally for ratings and entertainment.!
Copycat haters, Black/White/Other are sharpening their deranged claws, cleaning their gun barrels, licking their lips, training feverishly on their sicko video games and will eventually emerge, one nauseating month (or so) at a time, for their MEDIA ASSURED, guaranteed days of infamy..!* *
ps…* *It’s ok though as all will be forgiven before the ink’s dry on the upcoming police and forensic reports..!
What is this aethist, heathen, communist propaganda doing in this blog?
We are a Judo-Christian nation, one nation under GOD. Does that mean anything anymore? Where is your love for God and your country?
Joe, I hear you, but please understand that we are a free speech podium. When folks send us their heartfelt opinions and it’s well written and topical we will post it. Then we let the audience have their input.
Bud is a retired police officer and he really loves his country. He’s very patriotic, so don’t you think he’s earned the right to express his opinion? That’s why I posted it. It doesn’t mean we agree with everyone who sends us a post. Even Chris has been on the front page several times.
Gods have lived/live solely in the minds of slowly evolving human beings who have been indoctrinated by the Deity Power Syndrome. They’re all conjured to serve the innermost personal and political needs of certain people, nothing more.
These facts, perhaps more than any, demonstrate that the Gods are human inventions. As contrivances they only reside in believer’s minds so long as certain groups, bound by self aggrandizing belief’s, survive wherever their current dogma has led them. Some of these Gods do great things and other’s, well look around.
I would hate to be Bud Biddle on the day he meets his Maker.
It got a bit rambly at the end, but most of this was pretty well-written. I go back and forth on Bud Biddle, but this is one of his most interesting articles.
Joe has got to be satire. Right? He is such a parody of an aggressive right winger I can’t believe he’s real. Then again someone else here just seriously blamed the theory of evolution for the Charleston massacre and apparently believes our country was less racist when we taught creationism, so who the hell even knows any more. The line between reality and parody has been blurred beyond recognition.
Chris, if it helps I believe Joe is for real, his URL is certainly unique and that’s about all we have to go on here.
Yer, darn toot’in I’m real…dag nap it!
What a sad day in America when traditional American values and those who defend them are viewed as satire! The nation has truly lost its way!
The sad fact is that most Americans will never make it into the Kingdom of Heaven and are destined to experience eternal damnation in Hell.
If I were Bud Biddle and this Chris character I would be very scared. Chris, eternity is a long time.
Joe: “The sad fact is that most Americans will never make it into the Kingdom of Heaven and are destined to experience eternal damnation in Hell.”
So what you’re saying is “Not God bless America, God damn America?”
Hey, I think we’ve figured out Joe’s secret identity–it’s Jeremiah Wright!
“If I were Bud Biddle and this Chris character I would be very scared. Chris, eternity is a long time.”
If I have to listen to people like you for eternity in Heaven, I’ll gladly take the alternative.
A mind that doesn’t appear to have any real understanding of the Bible and what it teaches, has no business taking such a rude stand against the faithful in South Carolina.
Forgiveness is a personal experience and expression that has NOTHING to do with civil justice and the law. To have a forgiving heart is to humble oneself recognizing that we are all human and capable of grave error. Forgiveness in this situation does not exonerate the man.
Our legal system is not about forgiveness; it is about the law, civility, and the consequence for acting against our fellow human beings.
There is no conflict among the faithful in South Carolina!
Heathen said:
So what you’re saying is “Not God bless America, God damn America?”
Where did I say that? You are a heathen, communist, surrender monkey, and you and those like you will suffer eternal damnation and by choice!
Heathen said:
If I have to listen to people like you for eternity in Heaven, I’ll gladly take the alternative.
Gladly? Well, I guess you will be right at home spending eternity with Stalin, Mao, Hitler and Saddam Hussein and of course, all your current communist buddies.
Joe: “Where did I say that? You are a heathen, communist, surrender monkey, and you and those like you will suffer eternal damnation and by choice!”
I’m not choosing eternal damnation, because I don’t believe in eternal damnation. I can’t possibly choose a fate that I have no logical reason to believe even exists.
“Gladly? Well, I guess you will be right at home spending eternity with Stalin, Mao, Hitler and Saddam Hussein and of course, all your current communist buddies.”
I’m sorry, you actually believe in a God that would punish people for being atheist, agnostic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, a member of one of dozens of Native religions, etc…to the same degree as the worst tyrants and mass murderers in human history?
Wow. That…really sucks for you. That’s all I can really say. I can’t imagine living my life in such fear, feeling as if I am forced to love an abusive monster or face his eternal wrath.
I don’t believe God is a bully or a petty (snip). I think that automatically makes me a better Christian than you are, and I don’t even worship Jesus Christ anymore.
Also:
“Where did I say that?”
Here:
““The sad fact is that most Americans will never make it into the Kingdom of Heaven and are destined to experience eternal damnation in Hell.”
You believe that God is going to damn most Americans to Hell. There is no meaningful difference between that and “God damn America.” In fact, your statement is worse, because you believe that God is going to damn actual people, rather than an abstraction.
I will never be able to figure out how anyone could believe that a God who would create human beings only to then condemn the vast majority of them to eternal torment could possibly be worthy of worship. Why believe such a thing when you could believe anything?
It’s truly frightening. If you believe that the literal embodiment of all things good and holy could act in such a way, what kinds of human atrocities can you justify as being for the greater good? If you worship a psychotic dictator torturer, and believe that you should aspire to be more like him, what kind of person are you in your day to day life?
You are an incomprehensible heathen. God is not going to damn America, just heathens like you. And that is your choice. God damns know one who accepts him. You are a terrible sinner and your sins include putting false words in peoples’ mouths and lying.
Heathen said:
I don’t believe God is a bully or a petty (snip).
Jack, how much more of this are you going to tolerate? Is there any penalty for blasphemy, lies and obscene language?
Joe, of course I am embarrassed for Chris. His disrespect for your personal religious beliefs is regrettable. Please know that kind of stuff is not in keeping with the spirit of this free speech podium.
Joe, I’ll ask him to tone it down a few notches.
We want people to discuss things, but be respectful as humanly possible. We all fail at this from time to time because we have our hot button issues that provoke us into saying things we shouldn’t. I have removed Chris’ offending insults and I hope we can start fresh and keep it civil.
“You are an incomprehensible heathen.”
Incomprehensible? I’ve written my points as clearly as possible. Have you considered that you could be having a hard time following what I’ve said because you are deeply, deeply stupid?
As far as being a heathen, I can’t object to that, since the term is meaningless. You may as well call me a bliffblerp or a hiffledyfunk, for all tha word is worth.
“God is not going to damn America, just heathens like you.”
Whom you said constitute “most Americans.” You said most Americans will be damned to Hell. That is a sick, immoral thing to believe, and you should stop believing it.
“And that is your choice. God damns know one who accepts him.”
It’s not surprising that you don’t see the glaring contradiction here, since as previously established, you’re an idiot. But it’s pretty clear that by your logic, it isn’t my choice; it’s God’s choice. I mean, he’s all powerful, right? If he doesn’t want to damn people for committing the apparently unforgivable sin of…not knowing whether or not he even exists, then he doesn’t have to. No one is forcing him to.
“You are a terrible sinner and your sins include putting false words in peoples’ mouths and lying.”
Nope. Again, you said that “most Americans” are going to go to Hell. But given that you don’t even believe your Supreme Ruler of the Universe should be responsible for his actions, how could anyone expect you to take responsibility for your own?
Chris you have it within your power to not push Joe’s buttons. Please don’t, we want more people to come here and express opinions on important subjects and they need to feel welcome. By the same token, Joe you should not provoke Chris either…Heathen is not a name people warm up to, right? ; )
Heathen said:
As far as being a heathen, I can’t object to that, since the term is meaningless.
It is not meaningless and you are by definition a heathen. Look the word up.
Heathen said:
…because you are deeply, deeply stupid…you’re an idiot…
And other words I dare not repeat. Got any more words to get out of your system.
Your religious intolerance is breathtaking. It is amazing how liberals claim to stand for tolerance while being the most intolerant people in the world.
Joe, we look forward to hearing your opinions on our articles, hang in there!
Regarding the term heathen, no offence is intended. This is the meaning I have for the word:
a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do.
Jack, I’m really confused.
Do you believe telling someone that they deserve to be tortured for eternity is civil or respectful?
Because to me, that seems like literally the worst thing in the world you could tell someone. Nothing I said or could have said to Joe could have possible been more uncivil or intolerant than that. Right?
I mean, I don’t bear any ill will toward Joe. My only hope is that he learns to open his mind and to respect non-Christians. But imagine if I were a lot meaner (keep in mind the following scenario is entirely hypothetical). I could have said I wished Joe would die, that he would get some terrible illness or be the victim of a horrible murder. As horrible as that would be, that STILL wouldn’t be as bad as what he told me, because at least those fates would have an ending. Joe has been pretty clear that he thinks I–and Bud, and if I’m not mistaken about your religious beliefs, even you–not to mention “most Americans”–deserve to experience never ending suffering, simply because we disagree with him on a matter that cannot be proven one way or another. That is, quite literally, infinitely worse than anything else you could say someone deserves.
So here’s summary of the conversation so far:
Joe: Anyone who doesn’t follow my exact religious beliefs is a HEATHEN who is going to HELL! FOREVER!
Me: That’s stupid and you’re stupid, and here’s why.
Joe: Bigot! Help! I’m being attacked by an intolerant bigot! How dare you show such disrespect for me when all I did was tell you that you are worthy of the worst punishment imaginable for having a different opinion from me!
Do you see why drawing an equivalence between Joe’s remarks and mine doesn’t make any sense? A few choice words can’t possibly compare to telling someone that millions of innocent people deserve an eternity of torment, can they?
I have great respect for Christianity. I have no respect for tyrants who believe that all non-Christians are destined to burn forever. That is a sick, immoral belief, and cannot be justified with any kind of logic. If God exists, He has to be better than that.
I’m sorry for using a four letter word. I’m not sorry for anything else. And I don’t see why it’s important to you that Joe sticks around–he does nothing to embiggen the discourse here, he simply flings hate, then plays the victim.
I won’t be around for a few days, so enjoy your break from me. 😉
Chris: “I think that automatically makes me a better Christian than you are, and I don’t even worship Jesus Christ anymore.”
Christianity is belief in Christ, Chris. It’s impossible to call yourself Christian if Christ isn’t in the picture. Please explain yourself.
Heathen:
Do you believe telling someone that they deserve to be tortured for eternity is civil or respectful?
Joe has been pretty clear that he thinks I–and Bud, and if I’m not mistaken about your religious beliefs, even you–not to mention “most Americans”–deserve to experience never ending suffering, simply because we disagree with him.
There you go again. I never said anyone deserved to be tortured or deserved eternal suffering because they disagree with me. I have nothing to do with what happens to people. What people do and what happens to them has nothing to do with me. This is not about me. Please, get over me. I am just pointing out what can happen when you reject God.
And none of this happens to anyone if they just accept their Lord and Savior.
No one has to spend eternity in Hell, not even you. Just accept your Lord and Savior and everything will be fine.