on sin

In Matthew 23:3 Jesus admonishes people to follow the teachings of religious leaders but not to imitate their actions, as they do not practice what they preach.

losing religion

 

happy Hogmanay

 

Formally, the last day of the old year. More loosely, the entire period consisting of the last few days of the old year and the first few days of the new year. Tall, dark and handsome"First-footer" brings good fortune crossing the January 1st doorway threshold first carrying lumps of coal, which is a good fortune warm house symbol for the next year. Shortbread or cake also symbolizes no hunger in the coming year. Cadbury is too luxury for Presbyterians.

From Jesus to Christ

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devoutly religious

enlightenment

"If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back."
- Carl Sagan [1934-1996]

Carl Sagan's "Contact" read by Jodie Foster

 

when does the soul enter the body?

 

unforeseen consequences

"Johannes Gutenberg [c.1400-1468] never intended to convert the pious, obedient European peasant into a literate political rebel, but that is one of the main things his achieved."

Power restricted

Due to Oliver Cromwell[ [1599-1658] and the Glorious Revolution [1688-89], where the people and Parliament now forever reigned supreme, William [1650-1702] and Mary [1662-1694] became the first in a line extending to this day of monarchial figure heads with limited powers to rule Britannia. 

led the transcendentalist movement

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-1882]

what did medieval monks do all day?

enumeration

Polytheism is the worship of or belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religions and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the belief in a singular God, in most cases transcendent. 

Atheists disbelieve or lack belief in the existence of God or gods.

Agnostics believe that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.

Pastafarianism is a social movement that promotes a light-hearted view of religion and opposes the teaching of intelligent design and creationism in public schools. The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster charges US$30 for a Canadian to become an ordained minister of the religion. The United States recognizes Pastafarianism as a religion.

letting go of god

on buddhism

Europe's 1st modern painter

- Giotto

on history

"If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past."
- Spinoza

paradox

"The saint has sinned; the sinner shall be sanctified."

origins

"Religion, tribe, ideals."
- Human beings can be rallied around one of three things

plus tithes

"The point of Pilgrimages was to contemplate relics."
- Lord Clark