Why atheists strike back

[maxx]

GOD exists.

JESUS is real.

THE HOLY GHOST is here.

Belief, fact. Learn the difference.

[Zacha341]

And that experience [[life-changing for some) may not be reflexively religiously negative...

The actual scripture is: And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—
Mark 9:47-49 - New King James Version [[NKJV)

Now I'm not going to engage in a back and forth debate or exegesis on every scripture or the Bible as a whole [[I engage in that kind of thing on other web sites).

However, this particular text [[Mark 9:47) is easy to explain in part - so here goes: What is being said here is to turn away from consideration, and or temptation of some things best left unseen - not done, not participated in. Specifically BE DISCRIMINATING, with what you look upon and allow into your mind - that may influence you in a manner that is wrong with bad consequences.

The consequence, possibility vs reality, or construct of "Hell" [[however one chooses to spin it: personal, emotional or corporal etc) can be argued -- thread upon threads, on and on... as a item of debate.

But, the 'pluck' out the eye is a clear symbolic metaphor. Jesus in another part of the Bible speaks of removing the 'plank' in ones own eye before attempting to remove a 'speck' from someone elses [[as in being a hypocrite). We're not talking about Ace Hardware two by fours here.

Parables and metaphors are not uncommon as a teaching method, and instrument used in religious scriptures and texts and secular poetry, literature, philosophical writings and within visual images.

I heard a handful of metaphors used effectively at an open mike poetry gathering just the other day...

Imagine that?

And that life-changing event from one's exploration of the Bible might not be positively religious.
For instance, there are those pesky verses in Matthew where Jesus says "If thy eye offend thee, pluck it out for it is better to be blind than to burn in hell" or words to that effect. Not a very nice depiction of the justice of a god he called a loving father. In fact it's pretty sadistic.

[Zacha341]

Discerning Christian churches are starting to realize that tax exempt status like other government goodies, comes with a price. They know that exempt status is coming to a close and that's not all bad...

As the government provides tax exemptions it can dictate how the the exempted entity functions - what it can teach, speak upon or not say or offer even an opinion to. The future church may need to step away from this anyway. Even at the secular level the qualifications for non-profit tax status has become more complex and loop-holed.

My biggest complaint is the tax exemption for the churches, the parsonages, etc, and that I am defacto supporting their infrastructure with MY taxes

[ordinary]

There would be lot of one-eyed people running around.