The Christian religion should be definitively split from the Christian church. If not in real life (although I wish this too), it should definitely be split in any discussions.

I was reading about Thomas Huxley vs Bishop of Oxford in 1860. Huxley wasn’t attacking religion, he was attacking the church. We keep ending up in an argument against religion when it’s against the church. It’s the religion that was shoved down our throats by the church that we rebel against. The various churches that claim they follow Jesus Christ should come up with their own names. Let’s start calling all these different Christian churches ‘a bunch of blokes who read the bible’, or ‘The bible book club of Timbuktu’.

Listening to Stephen Fry talking to Jordan Peterson, both who know vastly more about religion and the church than I do, yet they make the same slip. They’re talking about the switch from the sacrifice of animals and children that migrated to the ultimate sacrifice of God himself (cheers Jesus). This is good. However, Stephen Fry then directly moves on to talking about how this was a bad thing because regular people were then told to sacrifice their happiness now for life in heaven.

there is a story to be told from religion stopping ordinary citizens from having any say in their life and their world

– Stephen Fry @42:30

Right there… Stephen Fry has switched from religion to the church. Religion didn’t stop ordinary citizens. The church did. The church used religion, but religion don’t abuse people rapperspriests do.

The bloke I follow who read the bible is Tolstoy. I guess that bloke the pope probably read the bible too, but I just don’t want him telling me whether I can wear a condom or not. I don’t particularly want Tolstoy to tell me whether to wear a condom or not either. You go find your bloke/bird who read the bible, I hope they’re nice. Or read it for yourself and make your own mind up, but again don’t assume that you can then advise me about my condom habits.