Giving thanks to unsung heroes

In this Thanksgiving season, I had to make a tribute to the great unsung heroes of society. I've been wanting to do this for many years, so here it is -

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2009m11d25-Giving-thanks-to-unsung-heroes

Giving thanks to unsung heroes

An open letter to firefighters, police, paramedics, ER doctors, nurses and other civil servants and social workers

As hard as I work and as much as I try to pitch in to help improve life on planet Earth, there are several jobs it would be impossible for me to do. At this season of giving thanks, I would like to express my appreciation to those who can and do perform these difficult tasks, day in and day out, often for little pay and even less recognition. These are frequently the jobs that few want and that are taken by those who must truly feel a calling. I'm talking about occupations that are not only dangerous but also traumatizing, gory, gross and scary, like...

Please see the following for the rest:

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2009m11d25-Giving-thanks-to-unsung-heroes

or

http://tinyurl.com/yl7epj5

I truly mean what I say there - I am so grateful for all the people who help keep together society's infrastructure!

If you agree, please read my article, comment there and pass it around, especially to anyone you know who is one of these unsung heroes!

And have a great holiday - wherever you live, making each day a celebration of life!

The Origins of Christianity and the Quest for the Historical Jesus Christ

I've completely revised and updated my article "The Origins of Christianity and the Quest for the Historical Jesus Christ."

http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/originsofchristianity.pdf

My "Origins" article is the one that started it all, back in the early 1990s. In 1993, I wrote a letter of about a dozen pages and sent it around to some 60 publications, explaining how there was no credible scientific evidence that the gospel character of "Jesus Christ" was a historical figure and that there were many reasons to presume that he was, in fact, as mythical as Hercules.

In 1995, I posted this article online - a revolutionary act at the time, as I was one of relatively few people doing anything in this subject. As such, my TruthBeKnown.com site received quite a bit of traffic, and the article eventually ranked no. 1 in the world for a variety of search terms.

The fervent debate over this article led to me to write a short booklet, which turned out to be a 450-page book instead called The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold. And the rest, as they say, is history! Or mythology, as the case may be.

I have since written extensively about many of the most controversial claims in Christ Con, producing Suns of God, "Who Was Jesus?, Christ in Egypt and much more. The Christ Conspiracy was published in 1999, and it is need of revision. However, I decided to take the original article upon which it was based and revise it as part of a new book project called The Christ Myth Anthology!

The Christ Myth Anthology is a collection of previously published essays and articles, such as can be found in Suns of God, Who Was Jesus? and Christ in Egypt, along with much new research. As I have done with the revised "Origins" article, I have used different sources in order to demonstrate the same thesis, without the difficulties my other sources brought with them.

When you read this newly revised "Origins" article - which is in fact a 30-page ebook for downloading, printing and passing around - you will note the many changes both in the language describing, for example, the various godmen who make up "The Characters" section and in the numerous sources.

http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/originsofchristianity.pdf

This ebook is fully cited, with 286 footnotes and a bibliography listing over 150 sources.

If you haven't read my "Origins" article before, you will be pleasantly surprised, I hope, by the revelations therein. If you have read it previously - or The Christ Conspiracy, which was produced from it - you will likewise be pleased, I hope, to see the new and improved material in the document·

Enjoy - and be sure to keep an eye out for my new book The Christ Myth Anthology, which will hopefully be out in early 2010!

Acharya S interview with David Shankbone

Renowned photog and interviewer David Shankbone has posted a brand new interview of me on his blog:

Christ Conspiracy author D.M. Murdock answers five questions

David has photographed hordes of famous people, providing some 4,000 images for Wikipedia over the years. He has also interviewed some very famous people, including Israeli president Shimon Perez, Wiki founder Jimmy Wales and infamous Muslim apostate Salman Rushdie.

New Astrotheology Calendar Reviews and Video!

This past week has brought us yet another horrific event apparently in the name of God and religion. The divisiveness based on religious ideology just never seems to end. Here is where I truly believe that my work has great merit, as I continue to dig up precious information from our past that shows a common heritage to which we can ALL relate.

I am speaking, of course, of the real reason, origin and meaning behind much religious ideology dating from the remotest antiquity to today. What I have attempted to bring to light these many years through my books and other works is the ancient reverence of natural phenomena such as the sun, moon, stars, constellations, planets and so on.

One of the greatest tools I have devised to show this fascinating commonality between religions of both ancient and modern times is "The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar." The Calendar truly reveals exactly what our ancestors were celebrating on a daily basis, as well as these festivals' relationship to religions currently followed, such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

If you have an interest in humanity's celebrations of antiquity and their relationship to each other and today's religions, you will want to have this calendar!

Here are some great new reviews of "The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar":

5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical accuracy recaptured...in a calendar, November 5, 2009
By Elisabeth Biernik

History has always been written by the victors. For nearly two thousand years the victor in Western Civilization's war for souls has been Christianity. They have forged artifacts, historicized past events, and rewritten history to suit the needs of those in power and in control of the clergy. "The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar" takes a significant step in recapturing this lost historical accuracy. So much of the history of Pagan religions, thought destroyed by the attempts of people such as Emperor Theodosius and the violent censuring mobs of Christian zealotry, is once again regained here in this wonderfully informative document.

Each day of each month reveals new celebrations that long predate Christianity and yet were usurped by the social engineering efforts that were so crucial to the Christian myth. For those interested in historical accuracy, and for those simply curious as to the origins of the many holidays that we take for granted today, The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar is a must have.

I absolutely love this calendar!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding in all ways!, November 7, 2009
By Charles Johnson "C.J." (Highland, TX)

"The Astrotheology Calendar" is a brilliant concept! The 23 pages of text enable one to have an even broader understanding of the history of astrotheology not covered by Acharya's previous works, by focusing on celebration dates, holidays, festivals and their evolutionary changes being usurped by later religions, such as Christianity.

All these pages of calendar text cover a broad spectrum of topics from basic introductory explanations for beginners to a variety solar and lunar calendars. Also includes brief explanations of a variety of religions and their calendars such as the Egyptian on page 6 or Zoroastrian on page 10.

I found the information concerning the "Solar festivals" marking the solstices & equinoxes and the "Celtic Fire festivals" marking the peak of each season especially interesting since it was new to me. These dates making "Wheel of the year" or "Sunwheel" are highlighted in the calendar by giving that day a color - which I thought was grand because it will ensure I don't miss it or forget.

This "2010 Astrotheology Calendar" is one of the most helpful tools I've ever found for my interest in comparative religion & mythology.

I also appreciated the "cool stuff" section.

And there are sources for further reading and a bibliography.

What a totally cool idea!

------------

THE 2010 ASTROTHEOLOGY CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH AMAZON!

If you haven't watched my new calendar video, go for it! The video has my voiceover and loads of great images - and it's been reuploaded with new music.

Enjoy!

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock
Author, "The Christ Conspiracy," "Suns of God," "Who Was Jesus?," "Christ in Egypt," "The Gospel According to Acharya S" and "The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar"

9/11 WAS an inside job!

I wrote this piece two years ago but never published it. Here it is. I am releasing it in tandem with another article on Freethought Nation called "What about 9/11?"

In reality, I was aware from the beginning of the various conspiracy theories and have watched them continue to grow and morph in shape. Indeed, "some of my best friends" have been involved in the "9/11 Truth Movement," and over the years we've all been bombarded with these theories on my group "From Fun to Superconsciousness."

Moreover, I possess a number of DVDs, including one with the environmental toxicity of the attack. In the earliest days, there was talk of the Mossad and controlled demolition, as well as the "pulling" of Building 7, as stated by its owner Larry Silverstein, not long after that. I have also spent time at Alex Jones's site, as well as various other 9/11 conspiracy sites such as Scholars for Truth. I am well aware of who are Stephen Jones and David Lee Griffin. Moreover, I have also perused the Debunking 911 website, and I've watched the History Channel's "9-11 Conspiracy Theories" documentary. I have also read the mainstream perspective, as in Popular Mechanics, a favorite magazine of my dear departed father.

Who flew the planes? And how did these planes escape the notice the American authorities? Was somebody asleep? And what about Building 7? These are all great questions raised by the "Troofers."

In consideration of the amount of oil money and ingenuity in battle possessed by various Arabs, including the Saudi family over the past decades since they usurped their foes on the Arab Peninsula, as well as how much experience the BILLIONAIRE many times over Osama bin Laden has in terrorism globally, not to mention his civil-engineering education as well as his apparent need to impose strict fundamentalist Islamic Wahhabism on the rest of the world, I do believe it would be both perilous and egregious to absolve all Arab involvement in this massive terrorist act. And it would certainly be foolish to underestimate the role of these fanatics in future attacks.

Yes, 9/11 was an inside job. It was a job done from the inside by everyone who has ever lined the pockets of the filthy-rich oil bandits who brought it about, whether they be the Saudis, the Bushes or both. 9/11 was the product of the world's addiction to the oil standard, and the lack of vision among the leaders and the common people alike in regard to energy alternatives. Without the oil addiction, there would not have been an Iraq war; hence, any excuse about "blowback" would have been invalid. (Not that Islamists need such an excuse, as infidels just existing is enough reason to shriek and wail about "aggression" against them.)

Whether it was the good ol' oil boys in Washington, or their Saudi compadres, giving these individuals hundreds of billions of dollars in oil money makes us the insiders who helped pull this job.

If you want to be an "outsider" of terrorist acts, GET OFF THE OIL STANDARD.

'A German's View of Islam'

While this more or less widely circulated email is being attributed to a "Dr. Emanuel Tanay," apparently it was originally an article written by Paul E. Marek. In the email, the original article was also changed a bit here and there, with a paragraph regarding emailing it around added to the end.

I have gone to the source (hat tip to Shad Pantle) and posted the original here, with a link to what is evidently the author's blog.

Why the Peaceful Majority is Irrelevant
by Paul E. Marek

I used to know a man whose family were German aristocracy prior to World War Two. They owned a number of large industries and estates. I asked him how many German people were true Nazis, and the answer he gave has stuck with me and guided my attitude toward fanaticism ever since.

“Very few people were true Nazis” he said, “but, many enjoyed the return of German pride, and many more were too busy to care. I was one of those who just thought the Nazis were a bunch of fools. So, the majority just sat back and let it all happen. Then, before we knew it, they owned us, and we had lost control, and the end of the world had come. My family lost everything. I ended up in a concentration camp and the Allies destroyed my factories.”

We are told again and again by “experts” and “talking heads” that Islam is the religion of peace, and that the vast majority of Muslims just want to live in peace. Although this unquantified assertion may be true, it is entirely irrelevant. It is meaningless fluff, meant to make us feel better, and meant to somehow diminish the specter of fanatics rampaging across the globe in the name of Islam. The fact is, that the fanatics rule Islam at this moment in history. It is the fanatics who march. It is the fanatics who wage any one of 50 shooting wars world wide. It is the fanatics who systematically slaughter Christian or tribal groups throughout Africa and are gradually taking over the entire continent in an Islamic wave. It is the fanatics who bomb, behead, murder, or honor kill. It is the fanatics who take over mosque after mosque. It is the fanatics who zealously spread the stoning and hanging of rape victims and homosexuals. The hard quantifiable fact is, that the “peaceful majority” is the “silent majority” and it is cowed and extraneous.

Communist Russia was comprised of Russians who just wanted to live in peace, yet the Russian Communists were responsible for the murder of about 20 million people. The peaceful majority were irrelevant. China’s huge population was peaceful as well, but Chinese Communists managed to kill a staggering 70 million people. The Average Japanese individual prior to World War 2 was not a war mongering sadist. Yet, Japan murdered and slaughtered its way across South East Asia in an orgy of Killing that included the systematic killing of 12 million Chinese civilians; most killed by sword, shovel, and bayonet. And, who can forget Rwanda, which collapsed into butchery. Could it not be said that the majority of Rwandans were “peace loving”.

History lessons are often incredibly simple and blunt, yet for all our powers of reason we often miss the most basic and uncomplicated of points. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by the fanatics. Peace-loving Muslims have been made irrelevant by their silence. Peace-loving Muslims will become our enemy if they don’t speak up, because like my friend from Germany, they will awake one day and find that the fanatics own them, and the end of their world will have begun. Peace-loving Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Rwandans, Bosnians, Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Nigerians, Algerians, and many others, have died because the peaceful majority did not speak up until it was too late. As for us who watch it all unfold, we must pay attention to the only group that counts; the fanatics who threaten our way of life.

'It's the Islam, stupid!'

'It's the Islam, stupid!'

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Buddhism in prison - a good idea?

I've just posted a new article at Examiner. Please read, comment there and pass around!

Buddhism in prison - a good idea?

Ultimately, there is a reason we rarely hear about Buddhist terrorists, murderers, rapists, thieves and so on. In consideration of this fact, it might be wise to increase the availability of Buddhistic thought within prisons, the realm of the most difficult and hardened individuals on the planet. Increasing difficulties and hardening via fanaticism that teaches supremacy of the faithful and hatred for unbelievers—to be manifested in a myriad of aggressive, hostile and violent ways—is certainly not the answer. Nor is proselytizing the projection of one's life and responsibility on a giant man in the sky an appropriate solution. Teaching how to create a peaceful mind, body and soul represents the most productive path for all human beings, whether incarcerated or not. For, in the end, if we do not develop our own innate morality and integrity, we remain in a prison of our own making.

'Christ in Egypt' Reviews & Book Search!

If you haven't had a chance to check out my book Christ in Egypt, now's the time! I've added a couple of great reviews, as well as the ability to search the book - a fantastic feature.

http://stellarhousepublishing.com/christinegypt.html

If you are a fan of "Zeitgeist, Part 1," you will want to have this book. In CIE, I go into great detail about the correspondences between the Egyptian gods Horus/Osiris and Jesus Christ. This nearly 600-page book was a huge amount of work for me, as I tracked down and translated original texts and primary sources in Egyptian, Greek and Latin, as well as working in other languages, including Hebrew, French and German.

This book is great as a reference text, with its extensive index, and I've heard that it is being used in a couple of schools as a textbook.

Following are excerpts of reviews you'll want to read!

"I find myself in full agreement with Acharya S/D.M. Murdock..."

"...We are in agreement on the thoroughly syncretic character of primitive Christianity, evolving from earlier mythemes and rituals, especially those of Egypt. It is almost as important in Christ in Egypt to argue for an astro-religious origin for the mythemes, and there, too, I agree with the learned author....

"...I find it undeniable that...many, many of the epic heroes and ancient patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament were personified stars, planets, and constellations..."

"I find myself in full agreement with Acharya S/D.M. Murdock: 'we assert that Christianity constitutes Gnosticism historicized and Judaized, likewise representing a synthesis of Egyptian, Jewish and Greek religion and mythology, among others [including Buddhism, via King Asoka's missionaries] from around the "known world"' (p. 278). 'Christianity is largely the product of Egyptian religion being Judaized and historicized' (p. 482)."

Dr. Robert M. Price,
Author, "The Pre-Nicene New Testament"

---------------------

"What a magnificent work!"

"This is the book that should convince any rational reader that the Jesus story is the Horus story is the story of the heavens and of the seasons; the story containing motifs outlining humankind's year by year struggle to survive and progress; the story of birth, life, death, and resurrection....

"We must take control of our futures by taking control our past by remembering what truly was. Acharya is helping us to remember what was and why."

Allan J., UK

-------------------

If you enjoy the history of religion, you will absolutely want to have this book! And, of course, it will make a great Christmas gift for anyone who loves comparative religion and mythology.

http://stellarhousepublishing.com/christinegypt.html

Enjoy!

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

Possible Muslim convert kills 12, wounds 31 in Texas

Possible Muslim convert kills 12, wounds 31 in Texas

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'You are headed for a Devil's hell'

Haven't had one of these in a while - it appears the Christ-insanity is being spread around to more sites these days.

I have little doubt that this well wisher hasn't read a word of my writing. He obviously has no clue about history if he thinks "there is [sic] no remaining 'pagan' writings to support your own writings." I have never said such a thing, and I have demonstrated in Christ in Egypt in particular that there are THOUSANDS of pages of "remaining 'pagan' writings" to support my contentions.

Talk about lies.

Nice hate speech from a loving Christian.

--- On Wed, 11/4/09, J. T. Tomlinson wrote:

> From: J. T. Tomlinson
> Subject: You are headed to a Devil's Hell
> To: acharya_s@yahoo.com
> Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 5:59 PM
> You
> are a foolish woman that is on her way to a Devil's
> Hell. You speak in lies and have no idea of the truth of
> Jesus Christ. You should do real research and find out who
> Jesus really is, not this falsified research you claim to
> have done and print said lies in books. How can you have
> researched these things when you yourself say there is no
> remaining 'pagan' writings to support your own
> writings. You really need to get with the truth and stop
> printing these lies you write.
>
>

Dr. Wafa Sultan speaks out for human rights

I am delighted to announce my brand-new interview with the famous ex-Muslim activist Dr. Wafa Sultan! Dr. Sultan is the firebrand apostate who took on a Muslim cleric in a debate that was seen by tens of millions worldwide. For her brave actions, Sultan was named in 2006 one of TIME's most influential people.

Dr. Sultan kindly agreed to let me interview her for my Freethought Examiner column -

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2009m11d2-Wafa-Sultans-message-to-America

Particularly important are the wise words of advice she has for Americans to protect themselves against what she calls "the evils of Islam."

PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS WISE WOMAN'S MESSAGE TO AMERICA TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

Post it on message boards, social networking like Facebook, MySpace and other Web 2.0 such as Twitter, Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon and so on.

Let's get the word out - Dr. Sultan deserves our attention and respect. She lives under constant death threats, as she states in this exclusive interview.

She also states:

"Under Islamic sharia, a woman is not considered a free being. She is mentally unfit to decide her own life."

If you are a woman or if you love any women, you need to pay attention to Dr. Sultan, as your very freedoms depend upon it.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2009m11d2-Wafa-Sultans-message-to-America

If you've never shared any of my messages before, please do so with this one - Dr. Sultan's message is vitally important to the entire future of Western civilization.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

"The Gospel According to Acharya S" This Week on Aeon Byte!

Hi there -

I've got a brand new radio program that will be playing on Miguel Conner/Abraxas's "Aeon Byte" all this weekend! Miguel and I always do great shows together, so be sure to listen in.

Look at what Miguel has to say about our latest foray together, during which I interviewed HIM about my book "The Gospel According to Acharya S!"

----------------------

Acharya S has been one of the greatest champions of Truthseeking and Freethinking in our modern days; as well as a groundbreaking scholar in the fields of comparative mythology, astrotheology and ancient religion. she has been a friend to the Gnostic cause and the Esoterica in general. And Acharya has certainly been the bane of Orthodoxy and all agents of intolerance. The release of her "Purple Bible" encapsulates her life mission of finding the truth behind the Literalist walls of theology and social control. She grants us an intimate and personal account of her core themes including often touching views on God, the essence of Divinity, the true purpose of religion and the redemption of humanity; and relates her struggles against fundamentalism and its minions that have tried to destroy her for decades. Unrated, uncut and almost unplugged, we take a journey into the sacred heart of a heretic.

Astral Guest: Acharya S, author of "The Gospel According to Acharya S" (or the "Purple Bible"), "Christ in Egypt," "Who was Jesus?," "The Christ Conspiracy" and "Suns of God."

Topics Discussed:

--Breaking down the chapters and themes of the "Purple Bible" that both elevate individualism and berate the collective thinking of oppressive ideologies and theologies.

--Why religion is actually a positive force.

--What scholarly u-turns she has taken recently and new wrinkles on her ongoing research.

--The reasons why only one document in the world should actually be considered holy and sacred.

--How Acharya actually turned the tables and interviewed the host of the show!

--A brief autobiography of her life, her life work, and her life battles against agents who have tried to destroy her in more ways than one.

And much more!!!

Just go to http://www.thegodabovegod.com/. The program is broadcast all weekend long. Listen to it at your convenience.

All of Acharya's interviews can be found at
http://www.thegodabovegod.com/shop/index.php?cat=5

She discusses a wide range of sexy topics like Mystery Religions, The Power of Mythology, Apollonius of Tyana & Paul of Tarsus, the Egyptian roots of Christianity, the Fable of the Historical Christ and large doses of vitamin Astrotheology. And Gnosticism, of course! Paraphrasing Meister Eckhart--sometimes the only way to know God is to blaspheme against God.

Abraxas

-------------------

Please tune in and support me and Miguel, who is one of my favorite radio guys and who works very hard to bring you the best quality material on these fascinating subjects.

If you would like to have your very own copy of the "Purple Bible," please go here:

http://StellarHousePublishing.com/gospel.html

"The Gospel According to Acharya S" is available internationally through Amazon.

Enjoy!

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

U.S. to Islamic world: 'No free speech restrictions'

U.S. to Islamic world: 'No free speech restrictions'

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The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar Video

We've created a brand new video that highlights my new 2010 Astrotheology Calendar. Enjoy!

Death threats against ex-Muslims

My latest Freethought Examiner article -

Death threats against ex-Muslims

"In writing this column, I have been dancing around the 800-pound gorilla in the room as concerns secular freedom and religious fanaticism: To wit, Islamic fundamentalism. Despite the constant claims of "religion of peace," this subject provokes so much violent frenzy that it is tread upon lightly in the mainstream media. From this very timidity, we know we have a problem. This sort of exploration, analysis and investigation have been relegated largely to the non-mainstream media, while individuals critiquing Islamic fanaticism who do appear on the MSM are savagely and relentlessly attacked, again demonstrating that, Houston, we have a problem. And it's a doozy on a par with that national crisis.

"In the past month, several terrorist attacks were aborted across the United States. The case of the runaway teenage ex-Muslim Christian convert Rifqa Bary has been all over the news. Islam is continually in the headlines, both globally and nationally, and not in a good way."

Please read, comment there and pass around!

Acharya

Acharya S on Bounce Radio, 10/14/09

Hi there -

On Wednesday morning, October 14, 2009, I will be appearing from about 1:20-2:40 PM EST/10:20 to 11:40 AM PST on a show on Bounce Radio. We will be discussing religion as concerns mental, emotional and spiritual health. The show is heard via the radio in eastern California, Arizona and Texas. It can also be heard live through the internet as well.

Please go to:

http://www.bounceradio.net/

(Hit the big "Bounce Talk" button on the right.)

or

http://www.bounceradio.net/talkradio/

There's also a chat room, so please join us!

Enjoy!

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

One Law for All campaign

I am a supporter of the Council of the Ex-Muslims of Britain and receive emails from its courageous founder Maryam Namazie. The Council consists largely of apostates from Islam who want to be free of sharia law. On November 21st there will be a worldwide demonstration against sharia law, spearheaded by the Council. Please support the rights of Muslims everywhere to choose how they wish to live!

One Law for All campaign

Hat tip to vega for the vid of this event:

Is atheism the answer? Part 4

If you're looking for something interesting to do, please read my newest Examiner article!

Is atheism the answer? Part 4

Here is a short excerpt:

It's been a couple of months since I began this series, and I've been putting off concluding it because it's such a huge subject and there's just too much to discuss. Yet, at the same time, in my own mind the whole theism-vs-atheism debate is entirely reconciled. And that is precisely the reason I am writing this series, which I thought might end with this entry but which may be continued...

If your perspective of reality as manifested on a daily basis in your interactions with others is hostile, aggressive and selfish, whether you are a theist or an atheist, your mindset is not an improvement over what we already find dominant. Fanaticism and extremism in any ideology is not the answer.

For the rest, go to:

Is atheism the answer? Part 4

Please read my article, comment there and pass it around!

Acharya S on 'Smoke & Mirrors' Radio Tonite!

Hi there -

Sorry for the short notice, but I will be appearing on the "Smoke and Mirrors" radio show with Jay Weidner tonight, Thursday, October 8, 2009, from 9:00-10:00 PM EST/6:00-7:00 PM PST.

http://www.jayweidner.com/RadioShow.html

We will be discussing...religion!

The show's archives are available only to members, so please join us live!

Enjoy.

Acharya S/D.M. Murdock

P.S. "The 2010 Astrotheology Calendar" is now available through Amazon U.S., Canada, U.K., France and Germany -

http://stellarhousepublishing.com/2010calendar.html

Shroud of Turin a fake?!

It's about time!

Of course, we've known about this fake all along...

Shroud of Turin a fake?!

Ex-Muslims in U.S. want civil rights assurances

Please see my latest Examiner article -

Ex-Muslims in U.S. want civil rights assurances

One of my friends, Amil Imani, is a co-founder of an important new organization, Former Muslims United. Please support our fellow human beings in their struggles to ensure that apostasy from Islam is no longer a death sentence.

Please read, comment there and pass around!

Why debunk atheism?

I've just posted a new Examiner article -

Why debunk atheism?
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17009-Freethought-Examiner~y2009m9d22-Why-debunk-atheism

"These days, we often see the battle raging in news items, on websites and in forums between theists and atheists, as one tries to outwit the other, etc., ad infinitum. Each side takes great glee in providing a more clever or morally superior position than the other. The question is why? Why does one side or the other care?"

Please read, comment there and pass around.

Enjoy!

Acharya

P.S. Here's a terrific message I received on MySpace in response to my Examiner article that truly gets at the heart of the matter.

i loved your article. it seems to me that in the crossfire between theist vs atheist there has to, ironically, be a voice of pure *practical* reason to keep things in perspective, so neither side loses sight of the goal, which ultimately is the expansion of intellectual boundaries. on the other hand, for me, living in the south and being subject to irreligious persecution, i equate the validation of arguments from the atheist side roughly to the Civil Rights Movement. each time we make headway in establishing atheism as something that must be accepted as a valid meta-ethical or religious position, atheists come closer to being true citizens and human beings in more than a merely "technical", de facto sense. i hope Dr. Dawkins will read and absorb what you've written to avoid future outbursts like the ones you describe in your article. ....you rock.

Is atheism the answer? Part 3

Is atheism the answer? Part 3

Is atheism often the result of a reaction against human abuse by religion? So it seems to be, at least in significant part, as opined by both theists and atheists. Therefore, it is to this debasement of humanity in general by religion that we may look for the cause of much turmoil, including that of the past century, which is held up as a black mark against atheism because of such figures as Josef Stalin, Adolf Hitler and Pol Pot. A common argument against atheism is that these individuals were all atheists who wrought horrendous atrocities against vast numbers of people. While this latter contention of these individuals committing infamy is certainly true and should never be forgotten or whitewashed, is it true that they were all atheists or were motivated by atheism, such that it is to be blamed? Was their lack of belief in a God behind their actions, which led to the deaths many millions?

Please read, comment there and pass it around!

Freethought Nation

Here is my revamped website, where I will be posting news briefs and commentary on a daily basis. Please note that we are looking for volunteer guest writers!

Freethought Nation

'The Christ Conspiracy' in the Huffington Post

'The Christ Conspiracy' in the Huffington Post

My friend Dr. Robert Eisenman, a well-known Bible scholar, has just scored a major coup—albeit one that may not be immediately recognized—in his article for the Huffington Post entitled, "Redemonizing Judas: Gospel Fiction or Gospel Truth?"

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Islam and the Media: Terrorism Pays

I have posted a new article at Faith Freedom.

Islam and the Media: Terrorism Pays

"The media and the entire world simply must call a spade a spade and stop verifying by their cowardice and coddling that terrorism pays. Otherwise, we humans as a whole can no longer call ourselves ethical and moral. And our future will be dire indeed."

Please read, comment and pass around!

'"Who Was Jesus?" is an important and enlightening book!'

The following is a review of my book Who Was Jesus? Fingerprints of The Christ. While excerpts of it have been posted at Amazon, the entire review is republished here.

An important and enlightening book
5.0 out of 5 stars (September 10, 2009)
By Donovan Haagensen (Johannesburg, South Africa)

At first, it would seem almost needless that the Bible should be examined and dissected to such an extent as to reveal its seemingly obvious man-made fabrication. After all, there appears to be no need to apply the same painstaking investigation into debunking the works of Hans Christian Andersen, or the Brothers Grimm, or C.S. Lewis, or any children's fairytales, considering that they have long been unquestionably accepted as fictional creations originating from the minds of the authors who wrote them. And it doesn't take a learned academic to spot the apparent similarity of the writing styles of these fictional tales and the texts contained in the Bible, the most predominant resemblance being the abundance of verbal exchanges between characters whose names, incidentally, change according to the language they’re translated into – something you don’t generally find in historical accounts.

But the difference is, innocent children's fables are not the basis for world-dominating cults or religions; and if they were, most people would surely think it to be absurd, fanatical, and outrageously extreme, or, in simple terms, just plain crazy. Yet, is it not just as crazy and ludicrous that millions upon millions of people on this planet are doing exactly that when it comes to these religious texts?

Sacred allegories historical events?

However, since the vast majority of the world actually believes these sacred allegories to be authentic records of actual events, it is therefore necessary to expose the folly of such gullibility in logical and easily understandable terms, which is what D.M. Murdock has quite clearly done (in this case, focusing specifically on the four Gospels of the New Testament) in her book Who Was Jesus?: Fingerprints Of The Christ.

"Murdock reveals the obvious erroneousness and fictional nature of the Gospels in a very rational and objective manner."

Not only has she revealed the obvious erroneousness and fictional nature of the Gospels, but she has "dismantled" and carefully laid out all the essential elements and clues on the table, so to speak, focusing on each individual component, and plainly demonstrating, in a very rational and objective manner, the indisputable facts, as well as highlighting the evident flaws. Even if the information she divulges seems obvious to anyone who has long been suspicious or sceptical of the content contained within the "Good Book", it is nevertheless a riveting and enjoyable read – uncomplicated and coherent, and free of condescension and convolution. Furthermore, she does not express personal opinions, make speculative judgments, or attempt to sway anyone to a particular school of thought, but instead applies the same acumen and impartialness that any scholar or scientist would be expected to employ in the investigation of any subject under examination. In short, Ms. Murdock’s conclusions, which are reached by use of logical deduction and rationale, appear to be incontrovertible.

"Murdock’s conclusions, which are reached by use of logical deduction and rationale, appear to be incontrovertible."

Personally, I believe that all it takes to be suspicious of the Bible’s claims is to read it with an objective approach, and it will soon become apparent that it does not follow the natural laws of logic, reason, common sense, or consistency, and very much of it has no correlation with the real world. In addition, it is written in a blatant puerile fashion, is replete with implausible events, and, more importantly, contains no dates whatsoever (which suggests to me that its writings are very unlikely to be historical records). Surely it would be naturally expected that anyone recording such events, or authoring the so-called letters, would include the dates in their accounts, such as any historian or custodian of historical records would do. And if "God/Yahweh" was indeed the actual guide behind these writings, then surely they would have been put down in such a way as to appear a lot more convincing and indubitable, and not riddled with confusion, vagueness, and ambiguity. Surely, these issues alone provide enough food for thought and legitimate questions concerning its validity.

If the same people who are convinced that these bizarre tales are inerrant truths are also capable of accepting the fact that children’s fairytales are clearly made up fantasies, then perhaps it’s about time that they apply the same logic when examining the Bible. And although this would normally be apparent simply by reading the Bible with an open mind, Ms. Murdock has gone the extra mile by not only stating the obvious, but also showing, in meticulous detail, how things just don’t quite add up (or, conversely, how certain things DO add up).

Regrettably, in this modern age, faith is just no longer an acceptable justification, when common sense and methodical enquiry demonstrate otherwise. And this is why it is important, if not essential, that more people read books by authors like D.M. Murdock, in the hope that these outdated and primitive notions will be appropriately seen for what they really are, that the "penny will drop", just as the Flat Earth was eventually rightfully "corrected".

Who Was Jesus? is an important book, essential in the ongoing enterprise of exposing the truth and enlightening the world, so that we may have a future where morals, ethics, integrity, and simple goodness are the order of the day.

D. Haagensen
Johannesburg, South Africa

For more information about this "important and enlightening book," please go to Who Was Jesus? Fingerprints of The Christ.

The Real ZEITGEIST Challenge

I have written a lengthy article/ebook on the subject of whether or not the first part of the original, official version of the movie "ZEITGEIST" has been debunked:

The Real ZEITGEIST Challenge
http://stellarhousepublishing.com/zeitgeist-challenge.html

Here is a pertinent excerpts:

"...once more I step into the fray to demonstrate — as I have already done many times over the past decades — that a number of salient 'modern' religious notions are in fact very ancient, that Christianity is largely a rehash of earlier religions and mythologies, and that acknowledging this past, without all the brainwashing and conditioning that causes intellectual dishonesty, blindness and hysteria, represents the real 'ZEITGEIST Challenge.'"

This article is also available as a free 20+-page ebook for immediate download. If you are interested in the truth behind "ZEITGEIST," Part 1, you will want to read this article/ebook.

I believe this subject is very important, as I am convinced that proper understanding of humanity's religions are a major key to establishing a functional human family.

Here is how I end this article:

"For the sake of justice and mankind's magnificent legacy - this information actually represents the best of humanity - we must not let the cover up of this crime against humanity stand and the burial of our heritage occur again. We have the tools and freedoms at last to reconstruct the past to a greater extent, to restore the ancient cultures to their proper place, and to delve into religious origins in a way never before enjoyed. Let us not allow this amazing opportunity to slip away based on the same blind belief, calumny and specious contentions that buried this legacy in the first place. This awakening towards our collective past and call to preserve it in the face of continued censorial onslaught represents the real challenge of ZEITGEIST."

The Real ZEITGEIST Challenge article

The Real ZEITGEIST Challenge ebook

The Religion of Environmentalism?

I have posted a new Examiner article:

The Religion of Environmentalism?

It seems that the only thing which will keep humanity from completely obliterating its natural world and causing its own extinction is a return to the "Pagan" Earth-loving attitude that teaches respect and reverence for our global home.

Please read, comment there and pass it around!