Rapture

The Rapture/judgement day/zombie apocalypse appears not to have happened. Its not the first time this sort of predication has gone awry. But this one has come in the age of facebook and twitter.

Harold Camping's predication has been lampooned all over the internet, you tube is chock full of videos - one I've seen gives handy instructions to Christians to cancel newspapers etc. as the dammed will have enough trouble without unnecessary paper rounds to absent rapturees. Twitter, my friends included, has been alive with one liners about it.

Its the day after Judgement Day my time now, well into it, and no Rapture. As widely (and often gleefully reported). I heard Harold Camping's prediction the traditional Christian Way, I was handed a leaflet on the streets of Sydney some months back - a very long leaflet in about 9pt. It didn't half go on.

I'm not religious, and I admit to having enjoyed the fun poking, even joined in a little. So I am making some serious points here for the religious people of the world.

Please, Please, take your religion seriously, but every now and then sit back and take a look at reality. Religious texts were written a long time ago, have been translated and, unfortunately, shaped by unscrupulous people along the way. They still are today. I was taught "all scripture is God breathed". I had a problem with the concept even back then, much of what the bible (and I'll bet other religion's texts too) says is a little unclear and even contradictory. Please, please, don't try and take it  literally. God sent prophets to pass these messages along. Unfortunately we understand a great deal more about our selves and the universe - God's creation if you like, than the people who the prophets spoke to.

The Bible as a moral compass. A conventional compass is a simple and practical instrument that points north, it is effected we now understand, by factors like its surroundings (eg bits of ferrous metal) and distortions produced by the Earth's crust. Sailors apply corrections to this compass to prevent it giving anomalous readings. When you look to your moral compass please apply the same corrections, it is not moral to persecute people for their faith, sex, sexuality or involvement in non existent witch craft, to sight an example, even if religious texts prohibit it. A simple glance and your moral compass will tell you this is right, and if it deviates slightly from the exact preachings of some Christians you must apply corrections - as we sailors have learned to do with real compasses.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are not separate religions they are  the same one. Somewhere, along the line they went their separate ways, your God their God its the same entity. However certain you are of God's will they are just as certain his will his different. A dispassionate observer is forced to conclude they must all be equally valid. Should we discover intelligent life somewhere* out in space, they're going to look at the Abrahamic Religions and scratch whatever they use for a head in confusion.

Christianity, Islam hell probably Zoroastrianism have probably been a good influence on the world, and still are today. But before you get on a high horse they've also been used to justify some truly evil things as well. Likewise there are some excellent good works done out their not in the name of a god - just because they need to be done. You don't have to be religious to be good, and being religious is not in its self good. In short right and wrong is not a matter of belief or as a result of European dominance, and Christianity's long hold there. Richard Dawkins looks at the world through atheist eyes and probably agrees with you on 99% of the same right/wrong decisions. Christian justice has long be paraded as the basis of the civilised world. The keystone, to my mind of the worlds justice system in trial by jury of one peers. I have never heard, read, or been told of any Biblical reference to the corner stone of a fair Judicial system. In fact it pre-dates Christianity, Romans and the Ancient Greeks had it, it has nothing to do with the Abrahamic religions The truth is out justice system is not Christian it is secular, and without trial by jury it is nothing, the crimes and codes of conduct we uphold largely coincide with the Christian codes. The Christians and the Atheists can all agree murder is wrong. Taking from others is complicated and can should done on a fair society level, not theft, we can agree on many other things too, protecting the poor, curing the sick. Some cultures and criminal codes do not match ours, particularly in equal rites for women, but not so long ago our own were sadly lacking, we have moved to free slaves and give equality to all under the law, other cultures and countries will follow eventually. Christians and Atheists together will push for this, and we will both go further and fairer than the Bible requires.

 We (by we I mean the Atheists, We the Peoples of the world, we those who would see humanity flourish), appreciate the good works done in the name of God(s), we support your right to believe what you wish. I would like to make however a request of you. I do not believe in God - yours or anyone else's. I will defend your right to believe till the end of time (when ever that may be), however where I believe different I will fight against those who attempt to force their will upon me with word and deed and heart, but not violence. Please however, get with the 19th century, the bible and, presumably, the Koran as well is not literal truth, the earth, the universe in in infinite majesty is far greater than described in the bible. Humanity amounts far more than the Bible implies. If you believe in God you should look at the wonders we are discovering, about the creation of the universe, our bodies and even the evolution of species. If you are right and God did create he is far greater and clever than the bible suggests - he didn't create the world in 7 days he was far smarter than that. Rejoice and take your religion forward.

Do not push forward your conservative leaders, popular with the Christians they might be, but their simplistic approach and literal biblical interpretations will run straight into the cynical educated  world of the 21st century and it will chew them up and spit them out. As it has done with Harold Camping, he set out to dedicate his life to Christianity. He has done more for Atheism than Richard Dawkins ever could. Christianity will not be severed by leaders such as Harold Camping, even the Pope is struggling, he is learning that God's only representative on Earth or not he is subject to intense scrutiny and he must debate not dictate. Christians and other religious leaders mush win the arguments, something even American politicians who's conservative Christian views have always been an election requirement are increasingly being asked questions out side their comfort zone.  The non event rapture and the massive online response will hasten that process. Christianity, particularity conservative Christianity has been made to look very foolish, very publicly over the last few days.

In the unlikely event the emerging middle eastern electorate is reading this do not put such men forward, they will not serve you well in your new hard won democracy. Belief and religion are great but the conservative, over zealous or literal interpretations of ancient texts will not help you cope with complications of the 21st century, nor stand up to dispassionate scrutiny. And scrutinised they will be.

 * Despite the Monty Python song which says "I hope there's intelligent life somewhere up in space cos there's bugger all down here on earth", there is intelligent life down here, and it will use its intellect, and when it sees something like Camping's predication it will see straight though it and take the piss till the cows come home