In honour of the estimable preacher and multiple doctorate awardee Erwin Lutzer, whose immaculately conceived '21 day challenge' converts atheists with flawless efficiency, I have been inspired to come up with my own 25 day challenge. Believers need spend just ten minutes each day researching each of the numerically listed blessings of Religion.
The top 25 things which would not be possible without Religion.
2. Male genital mutilation, also known euphemistically as ‘circumcision.’
3. Entrenched misogyny. The deliberate and systematic oppression of women through Religious direction.
4. So called honour killings.
5. Child abuse - Instilling the terrifying notion of original sin and hell in defenseless children
7. Elderly men sanctioned for having sex with preteens
8. Elderly men sanctioned for having sex with multiple preteens simultaneously.
9. The stoning to death of women for adultery based on the word of a male accuser.
10. The burqa
11. The ignorant bearded unwashed rotten-toothed impoverished vehicles of hate living for no higher purpose than to kill Kfirs.
12. Blasphemy laws that persecute any non believer. Historically including the most barbaric of ritual executions.
13. Exorcisms, including Witchcraft themes, that leave children dead. Often including vicious sadistic beatings.
14. The cynical exploitation of the most needy by the avaricious. Commonly practiced by Evangelicals in America.
15. Promoting sexual prejudice toward masturbation inviting dysfunctional sexual development.
16. Promoting views on contraception at odds with prevailing wisdom often with horrific consequences.
17. Promoting a system of Church sanctioned child sex abuse so comprehensive that in Belgium for instance, 100% of Catholic Churches have recorded instances of sex abuse by Priests.
18. Giving us the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, where unwed mothers were so mercilessly ruined.
19. Attacking and retarding educational advances. Most recently Boko Haram take up the front line of the battle once dominated so convincingly by the Catholics.
20. Attacking and in some cases committing genocide on ethnic groups in the name of God. Anatolia. Bosnia…..
21. Seducing the weak minded and vulnerable into a mental position in which they surrender their opportunity to experience a full and meaningful life.
22. Disempowering individuals through guilt and blame into a position of submissive dependence in which lack of personal accountability makes them vulnerable to the irrational.
23. The practice of Slavery and trading of slaves by Christians and Muslims.
24. Promoting a ‘he who is not for me is against me’ premise which has provided the impetus for countless wars since the advent of Religion.
25. Normalising hypocrisy and presenting the ridiculous as fact.
And just in case there's room left, the bonus point is:
And just in case there's room left, the bonus point is:
