Yeah our headmaster was a brother. Pretty sure he was the last of the headmasters to be.

Actually my primary school headmaster (went there in year 6) was a brother too and he was awesome. 

Never really had any as teachers though apart from the primary school one.

The people who wrote the books are different from the people who compiled the many different books, into what we now know as the bible, many years after the fact. The roman emepror Con essentially made a mixtape of greatest hits, him as his mates (no gods present, just men) discussed whether or not jesus was god or made of the same substance as god.... they concluded the latter...hence father son and holy ghost (we all know these pagans couldn't be "mono"theistic if they tried..this point is refelected in catholic and coptic churches by all the Saints (read other gods) who permeate the walls, and who are in some cases prayed to more by followers than jesus himself).

Its a historically inaccurate, sexist, violent, homophobic book. Hard to find much wrong with the actual teachings of jesus of nazareth...but theres plenty wrong with book itself AKA "the greatest story ever told". The old testament is some gruesome reading....as is book of revelation. Serious DMT trip. 

Religion should be kept away from children at all costs. Bronze age fairytales. 

Bingo, Council of Nicaea, 352 AD. I do find it hard when people try and reconcile a book that has changed dramatically over time with it being 'the word of God'. The word of God would never change if it was divine and would be written in a way to be universally understood. There are so many ways to interpret the stories that its nothing but confusing. It should not be taught to children under the age of 15.

That is once again ignorance.

Some Church's like the Coptic eastern Church do not place all their credence on one book, but recognize its importance. that said, it isn't taken literally or practiced in the literal sense, but acknowledged as an important text that has many great and sound and also very relevant lessons and teachings which also apply today.

It isn't acknowledged as the Word of God, as he was not present when it was written.

However, the book of revelations or the apokalipsis has some very valid texts and warnings in it. I believe it is true. This revelation wasn't meant to be all rosey and nice as you can imagine that the end of days will be anything but. These were revelations given to john by a Higher Power in a dark and Dinghy cave in Greece. 

You will need to go to see for yourself. 

What is cringe-worthy is people putting a date on it. That's the scaremongering. No one knows when it will happen and could happen in 10 million years for all we know. 

Now imagine all this wasn't true. Well if it isn't true, I nominate John the Apostle as the greatest story writer to ever walk the face of the earth. better than Tom Clancy or anyone. Not bad for an illiterate man and follower of Christ. 

Unfortunately, there is too much in it.

Also saints are not Gods. You can pray to them, and kiss them but they are not Gods. They do have healing powers given by God. One saint is known for cancer, and so on and so on.  And there are inconsistencies here too, like when a Terminally ill Cancer patient goes to the monastery where this saint is, drinks from the fountain, goes back to the Doctor to have another scan to notice the illness is in remission. 

Not just this, but there is an icon of Mary, that has to remain covered because if you look her in the eye, you will go blind for 24 hours unless you are free of sin. Someone tries to steel the icon (it's worth a few million) and that person was found on the floor unable to see, and with a paralysed hand.

And fire really does come from a rock, right on the site where Jesus is said to have risen. It only does this for one religion though. Only one religion. The oldest one. Anyone can go to see for themselves. You can take the light with you and it never extinguishes. Even when you blow it out.

there is also a Monstary where deadly vipers actually go to Church on the 15th of Aug (Anunciation day). people pick up these poisonous snakes too and they don't bite especially if you take them with you to the Church.

Anyone brave enough to pick up a viper? Children too. Vipers in baby prams as well. 

I would. I would put one around my neck like a necklace. 

Not everyone is a Coptic Christian though. You can't conveniently bring up random sects of Christianity to say that what i'm saying isn't true.

There are many sects and non-denomination Christians who believe the bible is the word of God.

I find it rich that you're calling me ignorant because i'm referring to numerous sects of a religion and not Coptic Christianity which I guess you prescribe to.

Saints are "surrogate gods" for "evolving" or "transitioning" polytheists. Either way theyre still being prayed to/worshipped for the purpose of them affecting the physical material realm. Its the exact same thing. Revered as gods. And as i said and you have, in no uncertain terms, are in some instances prioritized over god/jesus himself. Its a work-around loophope for pagans.

And canonization in modern terms? Mother teresa. Thats the reality. Praying to (to quote hitchens again) " Mother Teresa was not a friend of the poor. She was a friend of poverty. She said that suffering was a gift from God. She spent her life opposing the only known cure for poverty, which is the empowerment of women and the emancipation of them from a livestock version of compulsory reproduction.” 

And you know the miracle she performed (well not perse..) that launched her to god status?

" In 2002, the Vatican officially recognised as a miracle the healing of an Indian woman's cancer of the abdomen. This occurred as the result of the application of a locket containing Mother Teresa's picture.

The woman, Monica Besra, said a beam of light had emanated from the picture, curing her cancerous tumour."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-03/questioning-the-miracles-of-saint-teresa/7809818

So because this uneducated indian peasant said a beam of light from a photo of mother teresa cured her stomach cancer, now we have 1.2 billion catholics, in some instances, prioritizing her over jesus when praying. This is how stupid this shit is.

And Sure Ive seen and experienced compelling and profound religious instances that have shaken my atheistic beliefs to the core...but i stand firm that there are far too many historical and scientific inacurracies and contradictions in these abrahamic texts for them to be taught to impressionable children - who lack the ability to reason and quash the patently absurd and gratuitously evil and dicrimainatory verses verses when they come up.

No not everyone is a Coptic Christian. very true. Only a few million around the world are. 

Nor do they go around converting people or harass people. it is a religion of complete and utter humility and observance and it is the oldest form of Christianity before all the other groups started cropping up. 

It is the religion of the Egyptians, Assyrians and Yazidi. Remote communities in the Levant which are being butchered and annihilated by Islamic State. it is an orthodox church. 

Yes when you group everyone in the same basket without actually knowing what you're talking about, then you have to be ignorant. like when you mentioned Scientology. I have this notion in my mind that it's creepy and disgusting, but i asserted this with knowing pretty much 4 fifths of bugger all about Scientology. Another good example is when we talk about Islam without knowing stuff all about Islam. 

If you want to be discussing this subject with some authority, then you should at least look into it. And may I suggest you look at something that is old and highly traditionalists.

may I also suggest you go and experience certain things like picking up a Viper, or going to the cave where the Revelations to John were made, or to the site it all hppened, or gaze upon the icon no man is allowed to gaze upon. 

That is what people say but there is nothing in the literature that supports polytheism.

Everyone has there own interpretation, which is a free world but it doesn't make it true. 

For instance, most Christians in the world also accuse us of idolatory, which feeds into the argument that we worship multiple Gods and are Polytheists. It's just propaganda.

The Orthodox church's have had icons since day one. all other religions came after and changed everything to have a point of difference in order to weaken the Copts which go back to the Apostles during the days of Christ. 

Why quote me specifically if you are not going to say anything that related to what I said in the quoted text?

Well call me converted.

Ypure missing the point. 

Christianity is supposed to be a monotheistic religion right? 
But in practice it isnt. 
We both agree on this. 
Saints are prayed to equally.
And Even when establishing the main tenent they still couldnt keep it to one god... ie. Father son holy ghost. 
It has nothing to do with propaganda or interpretation.. it has to do with semantics at this point. 

Power to people who wish to peacefully practice their religion amongst themselves. But to speak to the original point, religion should be outlawed from schools, just as it should be separated from the state. 

Oh I don't know about that - prayed to equally.

Nothing equal about them. One is a saint, then there is Christ which is pretty much the equivalence of God being his Son and all but is in the form of a human like us, then there is GOD, and The Holy Spirit. 

oh and then there is The Mother of God - referring to Mary as Christ's Mother and her title denoting she was the mother of God because she gave birth to his Son. 

Hence the extreme importance and divinity of Mary. 

Huh? .

" It's all metaphor and allegory. Which bits are you even assuming ARE literal?"
" I often wonder if the people who first wrote down these oral tradition stories"

I just agreed with and proved why you are right. God had nothing to do with the original texts nor the subsequent mashup (bible).

Chillout danny devito with a jheri curl.

Oh I don't know about that - prayed to equally.
Are saints sometimes prioritized? 

Nothing equal about them
Nothing equal when they are being prioritized, they are clearly deemed a superior source of divinity depending on the earthly problem that needs solving. 

And yeah make that 4. The father, son, holy ghost and......the mother... and notice how much Greeks and Italians place emphasis on Aug 15th  (marys day) as opposed to other denominations? Priority. 

Like i said. If youre an adult that believes power to you, providing these unprovable amd largely unscientific beliefs are kept out of the public sphere and arent melded into our governments and schools. 

Can someone explain this?

These snakes are actually vipers and diamondbacks. Highly venomous.

When you go to Church, there are more snakes then people. They crawl between your legs and over icons as people and children move towards the icons to kiss them. 

The snakes go to the Church of their own accord and do not fear the parishioners. 

The parishioners pick the snakes up and place them around their necks. Mothers place the poisonous snakes in prams on their way to Church giving the snake a free ride if you like. No one gets bitten. none of these people are trained snake handlers. 

On another day, you couldn't do this without being bitten and the snakes disappear back into their habitat. 

And why does it only happen on the 15th of August? Didn't know snakes had a calendar. There is obviously a higher force at play here. The priests tell the parishioners that the snakes are affected with The Holy Spirit inside them. 

It's up to you brother. And either way, it doesn't bother me. 

We are all still equal in the eyes of the creator. no human has the right to make distinctions or judgments. 

Mans tries to convert lions to christianity:

Well that is just stupid. Not even the snakes are Christian but obviously there is something that is influencing and controlling them. or these snakes are actually self aware with an intelligence like humans. Whatever it is, not even science can explain the phenomena. 

Imagine that. 

He lived though!

Divine intervention? Maybe.... ;)

Maybe God is just feeling a bit guilty for giving snakes such a bad rap early on in proceedings

Fair enough, I thought you misinterpreted my comment as me not realising the original stories were not written by the same people as the first bibles etc etc

Mea culpa

Science can't but The Simpsons can

Anyway, that's enough of that. I do generally try not to belittle peoples
beliefs. 

I guess I was just caught by surprise at some of your examples of "proof".

It wasn't God giving them a bad rap.

Why would such a being not love all his creations? 

The hatred towards animals, the environment, are all as a result of humans. 

There are literally hundreds of unexplained things which most people don't even know about.

People too eager to ridicule when there is so much mysticism, paranormal and metaphysical powers, which can spin anyone out leaving them scratching their heads. 

And yet the very same people who say they don't believe might get a Ouija board and mess with that, and then find themselves in a lot of trouble. Yes I believe you can get yourself in a lot of trouble.  Even though I know how to protect myself, I will not take these powers beyond my control for granted because these are forces that are way out of control and beyond our abilities. 

Spirits gravitate towards the devout too, and seek them out. especially priests and monks. There is always a war between good and evil. 

I know enough not to mess with it

One could easily say that people are too quick to label something divine rather than taking the time to assess the situation and come up with a rational reason for the occurrence. Works both ways.

No! that's your uninformed prejudice talking. 

There is no one on the face of this planet that can possibly be divine. Only the catholics have a "divine" human and maybe the North Koreans, the Iranian Ayatollah, the Monarch of Australia and a few other monarchs too. 

Was just a bit of half arsed satire

Please expand on this point if you don't mind...

The point is there isn't a divine person on this planet that can claim to have some kind of divine power from god or some divine enlightenment. 

Sometimes we humans create one, and associate all kinds of titles for them, but they are just man's creations once again. 

If the creator wanted to communicate to humans through some medium, he doesn't need a middle man to do it and he communicates in many different ways.

Sometimes religion is used as a vehicle to control and manipulate people and to get power and money. Again another manifestation of man's greed for money and power and a delusion of Godliness!