Friday, April 21, 2006

Isolation

I have just finished reformatting and installing my computer from scratch. Why ???? To make it run faster and more reliably. It has worked out well with no real problems so far. However while I was without its use I felt cut off. I couldn't check my email or troll the blogs or post to my favorite forums.

Not really isolation as such but non the less I felt as if a part of my life had been removed. I raise this because we are becoming increasingly dependent on our computers to form and maintain communities. They don't replace real interaction but they do add a whole new dimension to it. If you include mobile phones as well it's quite a massive part of our communications with others.

I won't bemoan the loss of old fashioned conversation, I think if any thing computers have greatly increased human interaction. I know and communicate with people from all around the world in a matter of moments. A level and ease of exchange that simply was not possible before computers.

So let us celebrate our computers for the people they lead us to and the opportunities it gives us to share our thoughts and opinions.

Sunday, April 16, 2006

The Rudeness of Christians

When you look at it Christianity is a very rude and offensive faith. I know of few people who think they can be polite to your face but secretly (?) believe you deserve to burn in the fires of hell for all eternity. In fact Paul's idea of being nice to non-believers is like heaping burning coals on their heads.

Of course the down side for the Christian is that they can never do the right thing for its own sake. They always have their eye on the bottom line. Every action they do as if for Jesus. So the next time a group of Christians acts in a kindly manner don't be fooled, their only in it for the reward.

So this easter as we watch all those pious Christians celebrate the rising of Christ from the dead remember that they wish to see everyone else burn in hell for all eternity. It has always struck me that the death of one man for all mankind held great significance, both as a symbol and as a gesture of the unity of humanity. The Christian distortion of this myth is that God only wants those who think in the approved way to be saved from damnation. So it is not true to say Christ died for the sins of all.

Modern Christianity believes that Christ died to save those who would follow him. He wants to put all the others into hell for eternity. Not such a positive message, is it?