Established 1970

Transubstantiation of Drugs?

by Dean R. Dowling

Since a number of our illegal recreational drugs are defined by Law to be "dangerous drugs of addiction," but scientifically and medically they are not, one asks how this definition could be justified.

The Vatican now has deemed that its communion wafers must contain wheat, even for those suffering coeliac disease which is due to their allergic reaction to wheat products.

But Professor James Godling (The Age 27-08-04) pointed out that in the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation the wafer is converted into the body of Jesus and is therefore no longer wheat and an allergic reaction should not occur. (Professor Richard Dawkins' "ALL religious belief is a form of insanity" applies here?)

Similarly perhaps since Parliament and the Judiciary are anointed by God then these illegal recreational scientifically and medically safe drugs could be converted by transubstantiation into "dangerous drugs of addiction" and thereby satisfy God's Law that drugs which give pleasure are sinful and should be outlawed?

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In the Bible (Leviticus 20:13) God commanded very clearly, that homosexuals must be killed.

But in the New Testament Jesus stipulated in Matthew 5, 6 and 7 everything that was sinful, but homosexuality he did not mention. Besides homosexuality is not mentioned in the New Testament at all, nor had Jesus ever named or condemned homosexuality.

As for me, Jesus seems to be homosexual himself. Twelve healthy men living together without women, while they surely must have had their sexual urges.

Nowhere in the Bible I read, did Jesus or one of his disciples have any connection with women.

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, so kissing was also normal between them.

All that and the hot eastern climate, makes a life of total sexual abstinence difficult.

Henk Geeve.
25th August, 04

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Cosmologists today know that millions of celestial bodies exist, which are a thousand times bigger than our earth and sun and are at distances measured in thousands of light years.

Christian theologians still believe that the universe is immeasurable and endless. So, if everything was created by God, He must have been there before there was anything. Endless space was empty and pitch black of course. In that endless space was God and he was almighty and in appearance like man, for we were created in his image. How he existed, or from whence he came, the Bible does not say. He must have been there always because there was no other place.

For the sake of argument we accept that there is an almighty God, who is going to create the universe for a reason known only to himself. The fact that there was no material presents no difficulty for an almighty God. Some hocus-pocus and endless empty space was filled with billions of celestial objects, as the Bible says.

Is there any indication, logical conclusion or anything that presents the possibility of life after death or points to the existence of anything supernatural?

There is no indication, let alone proof, of anything supernatural. Everything happens logically and within the laws of nature. Most scientists do not believe in the existence of a God and those who do believe are, most probably, in a practice where scientific logic is not required.

Henk Geeve
South Africa

Footnote:
Henk is 93 years young and does not have much correspondence with atheists.
If you would like to contact him you can do so through our email: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
All emails will be strictly confidential.

Lee Holmes
Web Editor

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Praising Almighty God
by Ted Craill

Footsteps and voices advancing down my drive. A quick peep revealed two gentlemen; one neatly presented in a dark grey suit; the other more roughly attired.

In a hand protruding from a sleeve of the dark grey suit, a book that could only be a bible. Bible and suit completed an ensemble that proclaimed “here was a man of God”.

Says I.
Good morning. How may I help you? (As if I did not suspect the purpose of their visit.)

Grey Suit and Bible responds. “Ah! It is we who are here to help you”. “We bring a promise from God of the eternal joys of heaven for all who receive him into their heart”.

Well! I responded. I have enjoyed a very good life so would it not be selfish of me to expect more enjoyment after this good life?

To this Grey Suit and Bible replied “then you should praise your creator, almighty God, all the days of your life”.

This suggestion I found to be rather strange and I said so. Of course Grey Suit and Bible saw nothing strange about his suggestion so I sought to clarify the matter with a parable.

Let us assume, I suggested, that a great scientist constructed an android which, on completion, knelt before him and uttered: “oh glorious and wondrous Fred” all the days of its life. Other technicians and scientists would no doubt grant Fred full marks for his technical ability but all would declare him a fool to set his creation such a task. Many would no doubt describe him as so possessed with vanity that he was driven to create his own sycophant.

This last remark pursued retreating ears.

20th January, 04

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Sorry
by Ted Craill

When lust strode ashore,
So arrogant and so bold,
It took by force with muskets,
Land that spears could not hold.

For rape and bloody murder
Across this ancient land it trod.
And killers gave their thanks
To a cruel convenient god.

Then laws to claim the land
Perpetuates the crime.
A sin to lay and fester
In wounds unhealed by time.

How noble then the hand
For friendship now extends.
How rich in grace the heart
When a "sorry" makes amends.

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Any similarity to 'The Lord's my Shepherd' is intentional.

Jock Greig

The lore of frauds I do not want
For 'tis a downright lie
By parsons' mean and pious spiel
They bleed the suckers dry.

My life they would enslave again
And me to kneel would make
Before an ancient phallic sign
Intergrity forsake.

Prey, haunt and stalk the witch-hunt trail
Indeed it is God's will
That heretics burn at the stake -
Who says "Thou shalt not kill"

Unstable priests on blind faith feed
All sceptics are their foes.
When reason's voice is over hushed
Then bigotry o'erflows.

Goodness and mercy all my life
Be my philosophy.
No heaven or hell, forever more
An Atheist I'll be.

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The terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York, on the Pentagon and the crashing of the fourth civilian plane has given rise to overwhelming sympathy for the bereaved relatives and friends.

Everyone has the right to expect that they will be able to live out their full potential lifetime. That the lives of so many have been ended by terrorists is a colossal tragedy.

At present there is no factual information on the perpetrators of these crimes or the reasons for their actions, so it is unwise to speculate whether the motive was political, religious or some other. However, while political viewpoints can usually be accommodated, religious dogma remains inscrutable and immovable.

Everyone has the right to their own viewpoint but not to impose that viewpoint on society by force. If society can be convinced by factual information, then that is acceptable, but political, religious and racist viewpoints are almost entirely the result of infant indoctrination. This is not acceptable.

Keith S Cornish - September 2001